A Sunday interlude
Despite the fact that Jean and I and our animals have lived in Payson for a little over two years, it never crossed my mind to give all you readers a glimpse of this part of the world.
So to remedy that, here’s the Town of Payson tourism website.
The photograph below is a view from the Mogollon Rim that overlooks Payson.
The WikiPedia entry for Payson is here.
And to close, here’s a short video of the Tonto Natural Bridge that is a short distance from Payson.
Learning from Dogs 
Now you’re teasing me, Paul! 😉
There is a natural bridge like Tonto in the Dordogne in the SW of France but it looks to be smaller; and there is no waterfall coming from the top! How did that happen? I know some people will say we should not seek to rationalise these natural wonders; just let them be! May be we should; they are awesome – truly awe-inspiring – and to some they need no explanation. Well, at the risk of boring some readers, I’d like to explain why those people don’t include me:
As a teenager I became interested in geography, then geomorphology, and finally geology. It seemed very clear to me that we live in a rational universe (i.e. one that is capable of explanation) – and it seemed fairly logical to me that where scientific explanation falters; God can take over. Only a confirmed atheist would denounce this as the ‘God of the gaps’ thinking – but that is a facile argument…
But back to reality (rather than spirituality), we definitely live on a rational planet; and for those that care to know – please feel free to correct me as I am merely surmising here (I have not looked it up) – I think Tonto must have formed as a result of two changes in sea level: The river that used to flow over the top would have been forced to cut down to reach a lower level when sea levels dropped during the last Ice Age. Now that sea levels are back to where they were before that Ice Age, the river has gone back up top again. Like I say, it’s only an explanation; the truth may be different! One question has always puzzled me though; how does the river “know” where sea level is? It’s not like an army of ants transporting food from source to nest; it does not pass messages back up the line…
Maybe God did just do stuff like this to tease us all! 🙂
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Martin, Of course, you are a geologist. Had temporarily forgotten about that. A quick search came up with this http://azstateparks.com/parks/TONA/science.html Not sure if that will give you more background that addresses the points raised.
Enjoyed your comment very much! P.
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Thanks for that excellent link, Paul.
So, the truth is much more complicated. Still mine was a nice guess…
Glad you liked it, I was particularly pleased with its symmetry (i.e. opening and closing sentences).
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Thank you Paul for sharing the breathtaking beauty of our Rim Country with your readers.
I have to admit, before I moved to Payson full time, I had a bias towards the place. Coming from California, if a neighborhood didn’t comply with impeccable community standards, it usually harbored unsavory characters. Not so Payson – this town simply has an overdose of characters.
But the nature…truly inspiring.
I feel blessed beyond belief to live in a place that within 10 minutes from town, I’m in wilderness.
Hope more people considering visiting.
Cheers! Michele
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Michele, yes, funny how life turns out! Jeannie and I were just discussing this very aspect over our morning cup-of-tea! The lottery of life’s outcomes. You leaving a comment is always fun, and thank you. P.
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It’s is a beautify place with wonderful people and awesome dogs.
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Thanks Dean, trust all is well with you, P.
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