TUESDAY TRAVELS

SWMBO and I took a drive the other day, after a shopping trip to Costco, into the Prescott National Forest on Walker Road.

Our destination was Lynx Lake, just a few miles south.

It had been quite a while since we'd visited the tiny lake and I'd forgotten how pretty it is with the pine trees surrounding it.

One of its arms is a favorite spot for anglers.

A group of ducks were playing and splashing around not far from shore.  

They're in the center of this photo though they're difficult to make out.

It's an idyllic spot but it was quite busy on this weekend so we only stopped for a moment, then headed out again.

We decided to drive a bit further south to the small vacation-cabin community of Walker.

When I decided to turn around we found ourselves at an intersection with a curiously-named road.

The reason for the name was quickly obvious just a few yards away.

The ancient and motorless auto, according to local lore, was once owned by a doctor who was also known as the town drunk.

When he rolled it once nearly 80 years ago he just walked away and when his insurance paid him for it he just abandoned it.

Someone painted it pink and there it sat when a developer began building cabins in the area.

Supposedly he asked the road grader operator to haul it away but was told that it was a landmark used by the power company, the telephone company, local residents.

So it stayed and when the road was put in the developer told them what to name it.

About five years ago the car disappeared one dark and stormy night.

(Well, I don't know about the stormy bit . . I was just overcome with literary aspirations for a moment.)

Amid much consternation the car was located and was discovered to have been the victim of a high school prank.

It was returned to its former location and there it sits today, somewhat bullet riddled but frequently getting a fresh coat of paint by residents of the area.

Pink, of course.