SEDONA  AND THE GRAND CANYON

April 23-27, 2006

After leaving Payson on Sunday morning we made a stop at Montezuma’s Castle where we visited the museum and toured the grounds.

We arrived in the village of Oak Creek and followed the directions to Canyon Mesa and found the townhouse with no problem.  Our new home is just wonderful.  The townhouse is all on one floor, and is quite spacious and comfortable.  We have a wonderful king sized bed and our bedroom window has a beautiful view of green trees, red rock and blue skies.  We have the same wonderful view from the deck and spacious living room.  The house is on the golf course, but very private with screening plantings all around.

After unpacking the car, starting the laundry and settling into our new home we decided to go out for some groceries and to check out the Sedona area.  We found that the little town of Sedona, which used to be so quiet and cute, is now a bustling tourist town full of pooh-pooh (tourist souvenirs) shops.  We are very happy to be in the Oak Creek Village, which is still quiet and cute, and much more scenic.

Our first night was very comfortable and we woke to see the wonderful bright blue sky setting off the very red rocks out our bedroom window.  After breakfast we set out on our bikes to explore the area.  After a visit to the nearby bike shop, (Bike and Bean), which had a great relief map with several bike routes detailed, we rode out along Verde School Road to the stream Oak Creek, and along the slick rock for a bit.  Then home for lunch and a rest.  In the afternoon we hiked around Bell Rock and Courthouse Rock, exploring and looking for more cycling opportunities.  Dinner was filet mignon and tossed salad.  Nice day!

Each day we grew to appreciate our location more.  The scenery and proximity to the Red Rock Park can’t be beat.  Tuesday we again rode out in the morning and did the Park Loop, a nice path through the Red Rocks again.  In the afternoon we drove south to Jerome, and old copper mining town, and Tuzigut, a Sinagua ruin.  Then we stopped by the home of Nancy (Milch) and Steve.  Nancy was a high school friend of Don’s.  It was fun to visit them and hear about their past 40 years, their family, hobbies, etc.  We took a hike up the hill in back of their house and enjoyed a lovely view of the valley.

Wednesday we again rode out Verde School Road and then went off road on the Turkey Creek trail.  We took the main trail/fire road out to the spring and then took a nice single track back to the road.  It was a fun ride, with some technical challenge.  I think my sons would be surprised to see their 62-year-old mother riding the dirt and slick rock.  My technical ability is not great, but I don’t see any other grandmas, or grandpas for that matter, out here riding the dirt!

Thursday we had to pack up and clean up and leave.  Don woke up very early and wiggled around so much he woke me up too, so we got up at 5am and were ready to leave by 7.  Good-bye to our comfortable home, and thanks again to Mary Ann and Bob for working things out with us on such short notice.

We said goodbye to Sedona and drove up Oak Creek Canyon, reminiscing about the trip we took with DJ and Gary back in 1975.  Gary was only 6.  We flew to LA, took the train from LA to Flagstaff, then rode our bikes south through Sedona and on to Montezuma’s Castle, then back up to Sedona and up Oak Creek Canyon.  Gary was quite the little sightseer and rode off the edge into the ditch on the way down the hill.  Don had to follow him and coax him up through Oak Creek Canyon.  But, looking back on it now, he did a great job considering he was only 6!  Then, after that ride, we hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon!  Don and I were having so much fun remembering that trip as we meandered up the hill, through the green canyon, that we called Gary to tell him how great he is.

After gassing up in Flagstaff ($2.95/gal) we made our way to the Grand Canyon rim.  We rode our bikes from the parking lot. The view, as always, is awesome.  Because it is springtime the canyon walls are greener that I have seen them before and it made the view more beautiful and interesting than ever.  We rode along the new bike path and stopped off at several of the view points, chatting with a wide variety of tourists, from the couple from Illinois who were on a motorcycle to the octogenarian from England who told us all about when she rode a mule to Phantom Ranch.

The howl of a train whistle lured us away from our plan to ride out to Hermit’s Roost.  We rode over to see the arrival of the train from Williams.  It had about 20 cars and seemed to be pretty full of passengers.  Seeing the old vista dome cars brought back a lot of fun memories for us.

The clouds, black and heavy, began to roll in and the wind was picking up, so we decided to cut the bike ride short and head on out.  We stopped at every viewpoint along the route because the light kept changing and making for interesting photos.

After passing by Flagstaff again we stopped at the wonderful Walnut Canyon Park, which has the most interesting and comprehensive cliff dwellings.  We were too late to do the hike down into the Canyon, so we just toured the museum and viewed the dwellings from the huge picture window.

Standin’ on the corner in Winslow, Arizona, Takin’ it ea-ee-sy…. We are on Highway 40, but it used to be Route 66.  Spent the night in Winslow and will be off to visit Dave Vieira and family tomorrow.