Sedona cont'd

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Sedona, cont’d…

A hot day - in the high 90’s- but I did not do what I knew I should which was go hide in shade until later…
Next stop: the Palatki Red Cliffs heritage site - the ruins of a cliff dwelling and some cliff art. Driving down a dirt washboard road (my poor car… it still has to go across the country!) The picture is at least one shot of the ruins -very cool, 900 years old. I could walk inside the rooms. The volunteer from the forest service is a retired archaeologist and was just full of information and history. He found some of their woven fibers and he had recovered pottery pieces and an obsidian blade that day! (or at least that is what he told we gullible people). I was holding 900 year old pottery!!

The other trail was over to the pictographs - I am trying to include only the best pictures here. The volunteer there was also full of a lot of information, letting us know what they thought the drawings meant - the black pictographs are from an “animal scene” that was in an agave pit, where they roasted the agave, a main source of food and the fiber for rope/string.

It was incredibly hot and dry but I could not just go back to the hotel, even though I need some spa time… following a map I had from the hotel, I went on a couple of scenic loop drives and then on to a vortex site. Sedona is known for being a “hot spot” for so-called energy vortex sites. Supposedly these areas have a lot of energy - described in so many different ways depending on your source. Do an internet search for more in depth info… the scientific version is that there is a lot of metal in the soil causing magnetic foci in some areas - although it is not exactly scientifically supported... The large number of new age people here describe it as areas of energy, some spiraling inwards, some outwards. According to them, some people can feel these energy areas and even if you can’t feel it, they are supposed to be great healing places and can also help you to focus your thoughts either outward (energy to the universe) or inward (introspection and self-exploration). It was said that some trees grow in weird formations in the vortex areas.. there is a picture of one here - If you think this is weird anyway.

I took the trail because it leads to great photos of Cathedral rock - the shot here is supposedly one of the most photographed in the U.S. - of course I have heard that a few times already on this journey. It’s still a beautiful shot.

A lot of people build rock cairns here. I don’t know the exact significance because I think the original idea was for the cairns to be a trail marker. I suppose the cairns started with people marking the spot they had a vortex/energy experience? Maybe? As you can see from at least one of these pictures, people went a little crazy with it. It is sort of cool looking but wasn’t there a cairn like this in the Blair Witch Trial? (shudder). These are all obviously more artistic in nature and I have a lot of pictures of them because I would find more and more I thought were interesting. They were everywhere! And I saw someone building another one as I was walking out.

I am not going to say whether or not I think I felt the energy - that will be for individual conversations if anyone is curious. I did however get off the trail I was supposed to take (I think - at least there was no one else on this trail…) and found this really wonderful little area that was so peaceful. I put in a pic here. I had to include Buzzy in this shot since he was not in a lot of others… I couldn’t really pull him out on the jeep tour or in either of the ruins sites.
Honestly I am tempted to go back to this place tomorrow. It was just one of those perfect little places that I will always think about. And now I have pictures. But there is another trail that beckons to me tomorrow causing me to extend my stay… I am showing just a small bit of that spot with Buzzy sitting next to his very own cairn. He was feeling spiritual.

After I dragged myself away from my peaceful spot I went to an overlook for the sunset but was so tired at this point I just snapped a few “prior to sunset” pictures and left. The other vortex spot I wanted to check out was completely packed full - maybe I’ll try that one at sunrise tomorrow. I need some healing, I managed to get a bit of sun poisoning today (and yes I did have on my sunscreen, and a shirt with sleeves and a hat).
At the risk of sounding “new-agey” myself, this trip has given me a lot of mental healing.
I am excited for tomorrow and this trail I am going to take. Maybe I’ll just stay here…

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Photos

Palatki Cliff Dwelling
I could go inside these dwellings - through that larger door in the front.

Twisted tree
There were actually quite a few trees in this area that were twisted in a like manner.

Most photographed
This is that popular shot.

Cairns!!
See what I mean? They were everywhere!

Spiritual buzzy
Buzzy with his cairn

900 yr old pottery
The volunteer forest service guide said he had found these just that day... an old corn cob, some pottery pieces and obsidian

More pictographs
This was an "animal scene" on the wall of an agave roasting pit.

Lizard
They just loved me - always posing for photo's. Isn't this one pretty??

Red Rocks at sunset
They absolutely glow at sunset. Gorgeous.

Comments

[Pat]

Those cairns were popular in Hawaii a few years ago, but now they have fallen out of favor. I am glad Buzzy got out to see things too.