FISH FRY ON THE BLACK

When the days of May begin to grow long and a welcome warmth of spring dissolves the last patches of snow from the shadow-side of highland mountains and canyons, many city-worn business men will shake the mental cobwebs from tired, overtaxed minds with a dose of "Doc Simms Special Spring Tonic." This prescription for restoring clear thinking is not patented, but is as simple as old-fashioned sulphur and molasses and likely far more effective.

"THE BLACK RIVER" BY ALLEN C. REED. The Black River originates in the White Mountains of Arizona. It flows well over a hundred miles through highly scenic back country to where it joins the White River to form the Salt River. Camera data: Speed Graphic, Optar lens, 4x5 Ektachrome, on tripod, 1/10 sec. at f16.

PHOTOGRAPHS BY THE AUTHOR OPPOSITE PAGE

Doc Simms' mental panacea is dispensed neither in pill form nor in a medicine bottle, but is compounded in one of nature's great stone mortars, the canyon of Arizona's Black River, with a pestle of initiative and good will toward fellow men. The wonderworking ingredients are a blending of mountain sunshine and pine scented air, the music of a canyon stream echoing between majestic cliffs, the reflection of tall trees, blue sky and white clouds at your feet in a quiet pool, the clusters of fresh violets on a grassy bank, the twang of a trout line snapping taut by the flash and splash of a scrappy rainbow, the grace of a great bald eagle floating overhead on the canyon breeze, the squeak of saddle leather and the fragrant smoky scent of a campfire accompanied by the sizzle of trout dipped in cornmeal and turning golden in the big skillet. All this bonded together with good talk, light humor and much laughter makes a powerful potion that puts a man in his due place with a refreshed sense of values and a mental outlook clear and bright as a newly minted coin.

Now, who is Doc Simms and who are his patients? He really isn't a doctor at all-just a regular businessman with an extra special appreciation of nature at its best. He could be any successful businessman anywhere who has an annual vacation, a love for the out-of-doors and the desire to share this with others. His so-called patients are not real patients either but likewise are merely fellow businessmen, friends, and strangers: executives, doctors, attorneys, editors, etc., from all over Arizona and other parts of the land as well, who as Mr. Simms' guests gratis, experience the thrill of back country camping that most city men are generally "too busy" to take time for, since way back when they were boy scouts.Marshall L. Simms spends most of the year overseeing

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"WHERE RESERVATION CREEK JOINS THE BLACK" BY ALLEN C. REED. At the base of the great stone mountain in the center of the picture, Reservation Creek like many other small streams spills its waters into the Black River. Camera data: Same as photo on previous page.

an oil company distributorship and contributing to the betterment of his state as a public spirited citizen and state representative from Greenlee County. Then suddenly it's spring. "Executive-legislator" Simms disappears and "mountain man" Simms might be seen in levis and a floppy western hat astride his favorite cowpony, dropping off the rim at remote Wild Cat Point with a string of saddle horses and pack burros, to travel an isolated trail through miles of scenic mountain wilderness, bound for his annual camp site on Reservation Creek where it joins the Black River. For two or three days he and a helper will be busy organizing camp; putting up cook and supply tents, checking over the pole corral that he constructed many years before, stretching out a half mile of electric fence for the horse pasture along with many additional necessary preparations. All must be in efficient order for, of the approximately forty visitors he can generally expect over the four weeks, he seldom knows from day to day if his camp will be host to two or twenty at any one meal time.

Not content to just ride and fish and rest up himself, on his vacation, the entire four weeks are spent packing in and out, cooking for and guiding many delighted guests who choose to try their hands at roughing it a spell. Though the guests pitch in with a helping hand at chore time this is still quite a man-sized bite of work, to say nothing of the cost. However, the Simms theory is, "Not only do welcome new friends drop in each spring but you can work all year with old friends and associates and never get to know them nearly as well as in a few days of roughing it in the back country. This brings out the best and it brings out the worst, but best of all the magnificent mountain and canyon splendor of God's country inspires inspires a fellow to really shake out the mental cobwebs and do a lot of good, clear thinking. Whether they drop in for a day or a week, they all seem to go back with a fresh slant on life."

With this May, the Simms spring tonic will have been happily dispensed in the Black River Canyon for 17 consecutive years. Therefore, its proven formula seems worthy of passing along. The nicest part of all is to know that the wonderful ingredients are not a guarded secret, but as public domain can be enjoyed by anyone, most anywhere.

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