Sedona

We’ve spent eleven days in Sedona and are beginning to get a pretty good feel for the town (this is our fourth visit). We love this place. If you get a chance, come here and spend some time hiking. There are very easy and rewarding hikes, and the moderate hikes can be truly amazing. Unlike hiking in the dense forest, you get great views almost every step, and since the terrain is rocky and undulating, the views are constantly changing with each step and with the changing sun angle.

We were able to spend some time with Bob’s son and in-laws who came down from Olympia and Portales, New Mexico. Bob and Matt mountain-biked on some tough trails in the red rocks, and the men got to play golf while the women shopped, and Mary got that much delayed laying-in-the-sun time. Mary and Bob also got to mooch on the in-laws’ hotel pool and hot tub.

We are staying at the Rancho Sedona RV park, a very nice place in a grove of cottonwoods along Oak Creek. The creek is running pretty full for this time of year. We’ve been spending our time hiking up into the red rocks and exploring along the creek. The yucca and wildflowers are blooming now in Sedona. It has been awesome to follow the blooms as we travel through various latitudes and altitudes. Last time we were in Sedona we didn’t know the names of any of the cacti, succulents, wildflowers and critters. This time, thanks to our extensive travels, and visits to museums and parks, we are well versed in the flora and fauna of the southwest.

A flock of great blue herons (yes herons) are nesting in the cottonwoods directly above our RV. There are at least seven nests and maybe more. You can hear the juveniles “clacking” for food almost constantly. The parents swoop in and out attending to the chicks. We didn’t expect to see herons in the desert southwest. We also noticed some blackberry bushes along a creek while we were hiking yesterday, another surprise!

The views of red rock mesas and monolithic rock formations surrounding the town, and the accessibility via numerous trails that start almost right in town, make this a very rare and special place. There is greenery in the form of juniper, cypress, sycamore, and pinyon trees, as well as cacti, ocotillo and cholla. The green mixed with the red, orange, and tan of the rocks, and the deep blue of the sky, seem to put a perpetual smile on your face as you hike, or even walking through town as you round a corner and see a new vista.