On this section of the trail from Roosevelt Marina to Pine we passed through the Four Peak Wilderness and the Mazatzal Wilderness both within the Tonto National Forest. This was a difficult week as we had to bypass a rest day at Roosevelt as there were no showers or laundry and the options for food were junk. So we sat around waiting for our hand washed socks to dry for a few hours before starting towards Pine. Rest days are essential we discovered. The simple act of having a shower and putting on fresh clothes can totally change your headspace. As we marched on we found ourselves getting hungry. The feeling didn’t source from grumblings in the belly but rather a drainage of body energy. Fortunately we were carrying extra day snacks so we doubled up on their consumption. Jobie began asking the question,” We aren’t out here trying to starve ourselves are we? “It does make sense that when you ask more work from your body then you have to fuel it up….which is exactly what we are doing on our rest day in the town of Pine…EATING ALOT!!
This area of the Mazatzal Wilderness had exciting and drastic soil colour changes within a short few miles. On the top of this mesa it started out cinnamon then turned to vanilla and then to cocoa puff coloured dirt with rocks that looked like skulls! When the trail was rock free I felt like it was a cake walk but when sections of the trail were laden with rocks varying from the size of your foot to the size of your fist the passage became an ankle twister. Sometimes this hazard lasted for long miles.
We made it half way! 
450 Miles In 
Sometimes we had to walk through cow pastures. We mooed along the trail. 
The Mazatzal Wilderness 
Sometimes the rock was a rainbow!
Zip and Jobie Go Hiking 