Red Rocks of Sedona

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How tragic a day we had on November 12. We were still inDeming, NM when we saw a sudden decline in our sweet companion, Harley. She could no longer stand and was not drinking. At age 13 ½ we knew that we could not put her through invasive tests and treatments so we made the difficul tdecision of putting her down. She had been with us throughout ALL of our RVtravels, showing us the best path on our hikes, loving each new RV park with its unique smells and new friends, and offering the love we so appreciated. Harley was a family dog in that she was given to us by our son Aaron and family. It has been a difficult loss for all of us. Harley, we will never forget you.

We left Deming for Cottonwood, AZ and the red rocks of Sedona, between Flagstaff and Phoenix. There is not a town anywhere we have visited in the Southwest with a more beautiful setting than Sedona. The rosy sandstone rocks provide the background for unforgettable sunsets. We learned that the Sedona red rock color is hematite or iron oxide. So rust is looking really good! With national forests surrounding the city there is access to the outdoors with trailheads everywhere.

We’ve tried for a hike a day and have never been disappointed. While hiking we discovered The Chapel of the Holy Cross, a small and striking contemporary church built right into the rocks. We hiked the beautiful Fay Canyon and Doe Mountain, Courthouse Butte, and Teacup Mountains. We spent Thanksgiving Day in the park where we stayed in Cottonwood. The park provided a dinner which we all supplemented with our favorite dishes. We ate too much and enjoyed every bite.

Another memorable hike was at Spruce Mountain, closer toCottonwood. We enjoyed the 11 mile SLOW ride on a dirt and bumpy road because it took us right through the desert. The hike along a river was beautiful thanks to the trees and foliage at their full height of color.

We are trying to be patient with another breakdown. Our refrigerator cooling unit failed (again) and while we are awaiting a replacement we are using dry ice in the frig. It will be nearly 2 weeks of limping along but we’re nearly there.

Now southward to Benson and the Tucson areas. Warmer is good!

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