“You would do that?”
“I don’t see why not. The forest borders our ranch and I doubt we will see any bad guys in the forest. It should be safe enough for us going back and forth. Getting over to Prescott Valley might be trickier. We have no idea what we’re going to find when we get there. If it’s like Phoenix, it could be fairly dangerous getting around.”
“That’s exactly what I am worried about. If my wife goes to get food or something, things could get bad.”
“Cory, I need to explain something to you. There is another couple in our group. They are at the ranch now. We make all decisions as a group. I can’t commit to something that might create a security problem for us without discussing it with the rest of the group. And, obviously, I can’t talk to the third couple.”
“I understand,” he replied dully. “I was just hoping to get some security for my wife and kids.” Bud felt a prick of guilt, but he couldn’t promise something that he might not be able to deliver.
“I need your house address.” Cory pulled a slip of paper from his saddlebag, scribbled on it and came back.
“Here’s the address,” Cory said, handing the slip of paper to Bud.
“Okay, let’s focus on what we can do. We can come back and pick you up at the trailhead in three days. At least that will get you home quicker. I promise to discuss going over to your house and checking on your family as soon as we get to the ranch. If there is any way we can check on them without taking crazy risks, we will. How’s that?”
“I’m grateful for anything you can do. I really do appreciate it.” They shook hands and he turned to leave.
“Cory?” Ben said.
“Yes.”
“Remember that Prescott is not Phoenix. It’s a small town and it’s much less likely there will be problems like what happened in the city. The chances are that we can go check on them. I just can’t make promises that I’m not sure I can keep.”
“I get that and I appreciate your being honest about it.”
“I guess we will see you at the trailhead on Sunday.”
“God willing.”
“Any idea what time you will get there?”
“Not really, but if you don’t see me by mid-afternoon, I would head back. You don’t want to be on the forest roads after dark. The roads aren’t bad, but there is no need to risk a problem after dark if you can avoid it.” The rest of Bud’s group came over and again shook hands with Cory, wishing him a safe trip. He returned the thought.
“I’m going to head down the trail a bit so you don’t spook Missy when you fire those things up. I really hate those damn ATVs. They screw up my wilderness with all that noise.” They watched him leave until he was a safe distance away, and again started uphill.
They traveled three miles from where they left the ranger before they stopped for a quick rest. It had been a fairly difficult ride, as they ascended up the side of the mountain on a series of increasingly sharp and winding switchbacks. The trail had dwindled down to something more resembling a footpath and the ride was definitely getting bumpier as the miles fell away. Bud, in the lead, was kicking up a lot of dust. Ed and Ann were now wearing bandannas to cover their faces and reduce the amount of dust in the noses and mouths. They both also wore goggles.
As they pulled to the side of the path, Bud noticed the spring Cory described just a few feet from where he sat. “Let’s get the empty water bottles and fill them up,” Bud said.
“Sure,” Mary replied. They got out of the ATVs and Mary said to Ann, “bring your empty water bottles. The spring is right over there.”
“Sure thing.” The four filled their arms with the bottles and walked to the spring, where they took turns refilling them. It was around noon, and the sun was starting to beat down on them relentlessly. Although it was cooler than the valley floor, the power of the sun was much greater at this altitude. The wind had died down to nothing, and they were traveling at a much slower pace. They were all were feeling the heat and the water, if their consumption rate continued to climb, was needed to make it to the ranch.
“Wow, that water is really clear,” Ed said.
“Good thing we met Cory. I would have never seen that spring if I didn’t know it was here.” Bud said.
“We might end up needing this water,” Ann said. “We are drinking a lot more today than we did yesterday. I thought we would need less with the cooler temperature.”
“How much farther to the cabin?” Ann asked.
“Around ten miles,” Ed answered. “But, it’s the toughest part of the trip, and we are going to be crawling along for the entire time. This is where we separate the men from the boys.”
“I’m guessing about six hours,” Bud said. He looked at the trail ahead and added, “the first place the trail peters out, and we have to go overland, is about a mile. I say we get through that one and see how long it takes. We can then get a better idea of how long the other one will take.”
The group fell silent for a moment before Mary said, “Cory seemed like the kind of person we could use in our group.”
“Yes, he does,” Ann agreed.
“Remember our last meeting when we talked about needing more people at the ranch if all this happened?” Bud asked.
“Yeah,” Ed answered. “We all agreed that there was too much to do for our small group. Just pulling security duty alone would eat up a lot of time.”
“Plus, we have to get everything up and running. That could take weeks by itself,” Bud added. “Cory told me he took survival school, so he must be pretty handy to have around.”
“We could use someone to teach us more about surviving in the woods with very little equipment or gear. That could come in handy one day,” Ed replied.
“And, he probably is a good shot. They must have to go to the range and practice if they are filling a law enforcement role,” Mary said. “And, I bet he hunts as well.”
“Maybe when we pick him up, we should take Don along and see what he thinks of him,” Ann said.
“Since we can’t bring him to the ranch, that might be the best way to see if Don agrees with us,” Ed concluded.
“Let’s talk to Don about it when we get there,” Bud said.
“Okay, do we all agree?” Ann said.
“Looks like it,” Mary answered.
“Let’s go find out how bad that next piece of the trip is going to be,” Mary said. They grabbed fresh water bottles and climbed back into their ATVs, this time with Ed and Ann in the lead. They passed through an enormous stand of pine trees, still climbing on the trail, before they stopped and looked at the trail’s end.
“I guess we dismount,” Ed sighed.
“Let’s do it,” Bud responded. They all got out of the vehicles and looked uphill.
“This is not going to be fun,” Mary said.
“Let’s just get it over with,” Bud replied. “Ed, do you think we need to rebalance things?”
“It would probably be smart to get as much weight in the front as possible. That will help keep the noses of the ATVs down as we climb.”
“Good call.” They transferred the water, ammunition, and other heavy items to the front seats and floors of the vehicles, checked to make sure nothing could shift during the climb, and started uphill walking alongside the ATVS. The throttles on the vehicles were left on idle so the going was very slow and required a lot of pushing from the team.
“Ohhh, I am having fun already,” Bud joked.
“Yeah, piece of cake,” Ed grunted back. His face showed the effort of keeping the vehicle upright was no small matter.
“Will you two shut up?” Mary replied.
Bud stopped, saying, “this is not going to work. We’ll be dead after a few hundred feet.”
“Why don’t you let us sit in the driver’s seats and we can give it more gas when you need it? You just tell us what you need,” Ann said.
“I don’t think we have a choice,” Ed answered. “Let’s stop and figure out how to do this safel
y.” The men sat down next to the ATVs and took several deep breaths.
“I really don’t like the idea of the gals being in the ATVs on a slope like this.”
“Me either, but I don’t have a better idea.”
“You guys rest,” Mary said. “Ann and I will figure it out.” She walked over to Ann and they both began pointing uphill discussing the problem. Bud looked at Ed and shrugged.
“You think they can figure it out?” Ed asked.
“No harm in letting them try.”
“Guess not.” They sat and watched as the women gestured and used their hands to express terrain angles. Ten minutes later, they returned. Ann went to their ATV and pulled out a long piece of rope.
“Guys, park the ATVs three feet away from each other and learn from the masters,” she said, giggling at her own joke.
“This could be humiliating,” Ed whispered.
“If it gets us up this hill, I can live with it.” They parked the ATVs as instructed and waited for an explanation.
“You were thinking about the problem all wrong,” Ann began.
“You guys think the only solution to a problem involves muscles,” Mary added. Ann nodded her agreement.
“Okay,” Ed sighed, “skip the stupid men part of this, and explain what you have in mind.”
“You see that slope runs across the mountain face at an angle that leads to the next section of trail?”
“Yes.”
“The problem is not that the ATVs would tip over backward, but they would tip on their sides because the of the side slope.”
“I guess that’s right.”
“You see the apex on the side slope?” she asked, pointing to a small ridge that ran sideways across the face of the mountain.
“I see it.”
“This is the solution,” she said, handing him the rope. Ed looked at Bud in confusion.
“You getting this?”
“I think so,” Bud replied slowly. He chose his next words carefully. “You want the ATVs three feet apart on either side of the apex. If we lash them together, the weight of the ATVs will counteract one another and we can’t tip sideways. So all we have to worry about is going uphill. I think that’s it.” He looked at Mary for confirmation.
“Bingo,” she said, smiling at him. She walked over to Ann, they high-fived several times, then did a short victory dance.
“You really think that will work?” Ed asked.
“Yeah, I do.”
“It will work,” Ann said. “The countervailing weight will offset any tendency to roll. They can only roll toward the downward slope on each side. So, if there is weight pulling against the downward slope on both sides, nothing can happen.” She beamed at Ed, proud that she and Mary had solved the problem.
Bud and Ed positioned the vehicles three feet apart on either side of the top of the ridge and then lashed them together with the front and rear cleats on the ATVs.
“Let’s give this a test run,” Ed said.
“Sure thing.” They drove around fifty feet, careful to maintain the same rate of speed so they remained parallel. This took some practice, but they were soon were moving well in tandem.
“I’m not sure about having the girls ride with us,” Ed said.
“Relax, it’s safe. They did figure it out.”
“Go figure.”
“Allright, let’s get moving,” Bud yelled to Ann and Mary. “It works pretty well and you can ride with us. No need to walk up this hill now that we got it rigged right.” They each got into their ATVs and the group slowly started up the hill. It was excruciatingly slow, but they did not come close to tipping at any point. After twenty minutes, they reached the trail, untied the ropes, and resumed the climb upward on the next portion of the trail. It was steep but posed no problem aside from the slow pace at which they climbed. Bud and Ed eventually were able to pick up the pace. Finally, after reaching the next place where the trail stopped, they halted their vehicles and got out to examine the next challenge.
“What do you think, Ann?” Ed asked.
“This is nowhere near as bad as the last one,” she answered, adding, “what do you think, Mary?”
“I don’t think we have to tie the ATVs together again. That side slope is nowhere near as angled as the first one. I think we just take it slow and we’ll be fine.”
“Do I get an opinion? Ed asked.
“No!” they answered in unison, and then laughed.
“After this, we got a straight shot to the cabin,” Bud said.
“And a bed to sleep in,” Ann replied.
“We might have to draw straws on that,” Bud joked.
“In your dreams. Mary and I got us here by figuring out how to cross that last piece. I am claiming my reward now, and that is getting a good night’s sleep tonight.”
They got back in the ATVs and, with Bud leading, proceeded both up and across the face of the mountain to where they could see the path again. Although the slope was like the off trail area they just passed, the lack of a side slope made the ride a bit more stable. They moved off at a very slow pace, being cautious but not fearful. When they reached the flatter area where the trail again picked up, they halted for a water break. Ed and Bud walked to a scenic overlook and stared in awe of the beauty around them.
“My God, I can never believe how beautiful this area is,” Ed said.
“It is definitely God’s country,” Bud replied. The four moved to a higher spot and looked around.
They were truly in a forest now, with Ponderosa pine trees visible as far as they could see in any direction. The ground was littered with boulders and smaller rocks, and some juniper bushes were still visible, even at the higher elevation.
They had camped in the forest several times over the years, and knew it contained abundant wildlife. On their camping trips, they had seen elk, mule deer, white-tailed deer, pronghorn antelope, and javelina. Don claimed he saw both cougar and black bear on his hikes. Hunting in this forest, although technically illegal, was something they group planned to do to supplement their food supply.
The Prescott National Forest is a large park that bordered the Kaibab, Coconino, and Tonto National Forests. Although the forests contained some camping areas, it was largely undeveloped and very mountainous. Aside from being a source of food for the group, it was also an ideal place to have a secondary bug-out location in the event they were forced to abandon the ranch. Competent hunters and gatherers could survive a long time in the parks, although winters would prove to be challenging without the proper gear.
“That is breathtaking,” Ann said as she and Mary approached the overlook.
“Awesome,” Mary added.
“We’re just a few miles from the cabin,” Bud said. “I say we take a few minutes to enjoy the view and rest up.”
“I’m with you,” Mary replied. “The last two days have been a blur. I feel more like a fugitive than someone who is trying to get to a safe place.”
“We’ve been going at a pretty frantic pace the last two days,” Ann said, shaking her head as she recalled the trip through Phoenix. “It has been pretty nerve-racking.”
“Well, we’re almost home now. The rest of the trip should be a piece of cake,” Ed replied.
“I guess I need to start thinking of the ranch as home. I never have thought of it that way. I wonder what it will be like living there?” Ann asked.
“It will be pretty good compared to what most people will be going through,” Ed replied.
The group drifted back to the ATVs, where Bud pulled out some crackers from the MREs and passed them out. While they munched on the crackers, Ed got the radio from his pack, set it on the hood of the ATV, and turned it on. A few minutes later, the broadcast again repeated, with mostly the same content, but with a few exceptions. The vice president announced that limited power had returned to the Washington, D.C., area, and that the government was forming a group, headed by FEMA, to establish camps for the displaced and hungry. He added that the
first camps would be set up on the East Coast in metropolitan areas and would be open within the week.
“Oh boy,” Bud groaned.
“What?” Ed asked.
“Remember that report I read a few years ago about what would happen after an EMP?”
“That was pretty hard to forget.”
“The camps and restored power in D.C. were predicted to be some of the first things to happen.”
“And?”
“Well, it is happening. If they are right about the rest of it, we are in for a very ugly scene over the next few years.”
“I know it’s good to understand the big picture Bud,” he replied after a moment of thought. “But, right now, we need to focus down to the granular level, and just worry about getting to the ranch and surviving the next few weeks. Don thinks, within a month, things will settle down and we will not have to worry about much for quite a while after that. So, let’s just take it a day at a time.”
“Let’s just go to the cabin and get some rest there,” Mary said. “It will be nice to have a roof over our heads and maybe we can even clean up and change clothes. I’m getting a little ripe. In fact, we all could use a bath.” Everyone nodded agreement, and got back into the ATVs for the last leg of their journey to the ranger cabin.
The trip went quickly and they pulled to the side of the trail to examine the map before turning right and heading down a smaller trail to a meadow. In the center of the clearing sat the cabin. They parked the ATVs facing away from the cabin and examined the area. There was a hand-operated water pump directly to the east of the cabin, and an outhouse on the other side. The front of the cabin had a picnic table and four plastic lawn chairs.
“I never thought I would think of an outhouse as a luxury,” Mary signed.
“Me either,” Ann agreed.
“Let’s get a look inside.”
They walked to the porch of the cabin and Ed opened the door. As they entered the cabin, they saw that it was, in fact, very small. There were two single beds, one against each wall, a dinette with two chairs, and a small kitchen. The entire cabin was one room, with a kitchen against the back wall. The kitchen had a camp stove on the countertop, a sink, and a plastic camping cooler on the floor.
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