Sedona

---

On Monday we had our long drive day. We drove from Yucca Valley to Sedona Arizona. It took about 8 hours. You would think that we would be exhausted but when we arrived we knew something special was waiting for us. Our campsite (Cave Springs) was surrounded by oak and pine trees but abutted a 500 foot cliff of red and grey sandstone. This was just a taste of things to come. We decided to drive into Sedona (about 8 miles). Tiny Oak Creek has carved out one of the most beautiful places on earth. Sedona is surrounded by massive sandstone formations on all sides. They rise out of the desert and climb 2000 feet strait up. There is every shade of red that you can imagine but there are also greys and pinks. The sandstone formations are in every shape from columns to huge mesas. The people around here call this the vortex because of it spiritual and healing powers. You can almost feel the energy. Debi and I got back to camp late again. We had another dinner by lantern.

Yesterday (Tuesday) we were up at 5:30 and hiking at the Brins Messa trail through one of many canyons. We hiked for 5 hours. The scenery was truly out of this world. Every time you looked up there was another sandstone formation. But it was not only the rocks, it was the high desert with the flowers, Yucca and cactus in bloom. There are many varieties of cactus and yucca but the most amazing plant we came across was a Green grey yucca with beautiful black tipped leaves. We later learned it was a flowering Agave. A sugar substitute is made from it and it is no wonder that the ants loved it. It sent out a stock 6 to 8 feet tall and 4 inches in diameter that look like a giant asparagus. The fate of this magnificent plant to wither and die after it flowers (we only saw one in bloom).

We came back to camp and had a quick lunch and of course a nap (some things are sacred) and then back for another hike down into Oak Creek Canyon that ended with a beautiful cloudy grey sunset. We walked 5 miles through the canyon and then climbed to bluff and had great views of Sedona nestled in a sea of sandstone formations. We had another late dinner.



Everyone should go to Sedona at least one time in there life!!

Today we regrettably have to leave Sedona. We are headed to Flagstaff and a night in a hotel.

---