Don Senneville and Jim White
That is the question. However, with the desert blooming and the lake calling, there is no question. Fueled up at the Bashas’s Starbucks, and with a half-gallon of half n half, we hit the road. As we roll by Desert Mountain, we ponder what coffee must be like in that enclave. We need a connection to that world, please. Do they take bitcoin? Coffee at the Chiricahua? Sacred Ground. What will Desert Mountain ruins look like? Coffee to go is working.
On the way to Sears Kay Ruin we pass the Raven’s View Cafe and salute the Totem. Too early for coffee there; however our gallon of to-go dark roast brew is still going – with us. Sitting in the desert we finish the last taste, pondering the Hohokam Ruins. This was the perfect coffee bar spot for the early morning. The indigenous people here probably ground up jojoba and mesquite beans and watched the same sky 1200 years ago. No half n half. What would their morning Cup of Joe have been? Don wondered if they had dogs. We wondered what they did for fun out here. Coffee water would come from the river below.
Descending back into Carefree, thinking about dogs and fun, an interesting idea was born: What if we had a Sundial Dog Show at the Carefree Gardens? Sponsored by The CUP! There would be very few rules and no entry fee and no real reason to do it at all, except to have fun. Dog and Human Walker would show up at the appointed time, walk the path designated in the Gardens, pass the student judges who would scrutinize contestants on the categories that they think are cool. Examples include “best hairdo”, “best behaved”, “most unrecognizable breed”, “most expensive”, “best trick” . . . most charisma, coolest bling, look-alike human handler, unique personality, buff-athletic, working dog, strollers – it could be endless! Student-created doggy awards will be presented to the ‘wieners’. Coffee to the humans.
But then we thought about the potential problems. For example, could people staying in the Hampton Inn show their dogs? Or would it just be for permanent residents? But what is a Carefree Permanent Resident? Who would be the judge(s)? We started wondering if judging might become too political. What if people running for Carefree Town Council entered the show? Or what if they didn’t? Is there a Dalmatian at the Fire Station?
However, upon further study we find the benefits outweigh the problems. Dogs accompany most Carefree walkers in the early mornings. The Sundial Dog Show would give a nod to these faithful companions and give them the recognition they deserve. Should Carefree have dog lanes like bicycles do, and fire hydrants that they can go to? We will keep you posted on the events planning progress. Meanwhile snowbirds flee, coffee shops become cooling stations, and ROC2 Cold Brew seems like an option.
Send us your thoughts and ideas to The CUP at [email protected].
