Trip Journal: Sedona 2018 - Morphing the Golf Trip into a Couples Excursion
Friday, April 6, through Saturday, April 14, 2018
How did this happen? Planning for this trip started in March 2017 during the annual golf trip to the Phoenix area. The original idea was simply to move the golf trip to Sedona for 2018, but half of the group (the House 2 guys) did not care for that idea. They countered by suggesting perhaps a day trip to Sedona like we have done in the past maybe even and overnight stay, but not the entire week. But David, Jeff, Mark and I (the House 1 guys) liked the Sedona idea and kept discussing options over the course of the next couple of days. We eventually evolved the idea from simply relocating the golf trip to include the wives and adjusted the timing to April to hopefully ensure better weather. We let the House 2 guys know that they were on their own for 2018 and started looking for lodging in Sedona. I focused the search in the Village of Oak Creek and found a few good looking options. Based on the places I found online, Jeff did a little scouting in Sedona the week after the golf trip (his wife came out to join him for an additional week in the sun). We all talked to our better halves while we were still in Phoenix and they all quickly bought into the idea of a spring trip to Sedona. Once home from the trip, I locked into two very reasonably priced VRBO houses that would each easily accommodate two couples and where just a few doors away from each other on the same street. Shoot, we were even able to decide on who was staying in each house based on the descriptions. David and Cathy and Mark and Betty Ann picked House 1 and Jeff and Jean and Lynn and I selected House 2, so that worked out without any issues. Lynn's thinking on the preference for House 2 was the back patio which was open and provided access to the wildlife that was reported to frequent the area. I called dibs on the upstairs bedroom knowing that Jeff and Jean would not want to deal with the stairs anyway.
Now that we had the couple’s trip set in terms of location and dates (the week of April 7th, Saturday to Saturday) and the lodging locked in, it was time to start looking at things to do as well as seeing if Lynn and I wanted to add any time to the trip. Maybe we could get lucky and work Phantom Ranch into the plan. We decided to give that a shot and add the Grand Canyon to the front end of the trip if we could score the highly coveted reservations.
We worked out a plan that had us arriving at the Grand Canyon on Sunday, spending a couple nights at the south rim, then hiking down to Phantom Ranch for three nights followed by a final night on the rim before heading to Sedona the following Saturday, just in time for our revised golf trip. So on April 1, 2017, we gave Phantom Ranch reservations a go, but sadly to no avail. We started dialing at 0900 sharp, and tried for over an hour with no success. After that we just tried again every 15 minutes or so. We were getting ready to go run errands so I tried one last time just before we left at 11:50 AM. That’s when we finally got through. Still took 20 minutes to reach a person on the other end (the message said there were 19 callers ahead of me). Angel was very helpful but there was no availability for the dates we had in mind. Oh, well, it was worth a shot. We'll just settle for the Sedona-only trip.
Getting ready to get ready…. Over the course of the summer and fall there was just sporadic discussion on the Sedona trip. For Lynn and me, we've been to the area several times so we are familiar with the things to see and do and have a good handle on our favorite dining options. So it was not really until mid-March that we started really discussing the details of the trip. I kicked it off with an email to the gang to provide some ideas based on our past trips.
The email started a little flurry of activity on things to see and places to eat. David mentioned that Cathy has some dietary restrictions and has been researching restaurants, but Sedona is a very health conscious area so there were many places that could accommodate her needs. She already had a list of places that she had contacted and I suggested a few others. David also mentioned that he and Cathy were very interested in a vortex and medicine wheel tour. OK, not really up my alley, but what the heck, it might be educational. It took me a little time to get Lynn talked into it but she did finally agree to tag along. A day trip to Jerome was on everyone's list. Plus the guys figured on two golf outings during the week. We agreed that a set schedule was not needed, that we would just play it by ear in terms of what we would do each day. We'll have Saturday evening and Sunday to discuss the options for the week; that time should also give the ladies some time to figure out what to do when the guys are hacking around on the golf course. Flexibility is a good thing.
As is our usual mode of operations, Lynn and I started getting our gear in order and packing for the trip the weekend before departure. I had already decided not to drag the golf clubs along, just my shoes and a couple sleeves of balls. As for hiking gear, hydration packs, yes, hiking poles, no. The only events that were scheduled was the vortex tour that David set-up for Wednesday morning and I made the tee-times for golf on Monday (Oak Creek Country Club) and Thursday (Sedona Golf Resort), both for around 8:15 AM.
The only remaining detail was the entry codes for the rental houses but that detail was taken care of via the VRBO/Homeaway app. I received emails with the access codes that provided all the details on the houses. Pretty darn slick. Everything that I needed was now on my phone. I passed the entry codes along to the rest of the gang so now we could all get in the houses. Looks like we are good to go.
On Thursday, April 5th, the day before Lynn and I were leaving, we awoke to more evidence that winter was not ready to abandon northern Ohio. It snowed again over night, just a light dusting at the house but a good inch around the base. Will this winter never end? Lynn and I discussed this during the drive in to work; it has not been a bad winter (short spells of really cold or heavy snow, but nothing lasted a long time) but it has been a long winter. Looks like next week will not be great in Cleveland weather-wise so good timing on going to Arizona as the weather there is predicted to be stunning (highs close to 80 F, lows in the 45-55 F range and mostly sunny).
We got home this evening and finished our chores and trip prep by about 7:20. I had plenty of time before checking in with Southwest so I had everything set up and ready to go. At 7:50, I clicked the "check-in" button on the website and scored slots A55 and A56. That seems like pretty good boarding positions.
Now that we had the couple’s trip set in terms of location and dates (the week of April 7th, Saturday to Saturday) and the lodging locked in, it was time to start looking at things to do as well as seeing if Lynn and I wanted to add any time to the trip. Maybe we could get lucky and work Phantom Ranch into the plan. We decided to give that a shot and add the Grand Canyon to the front end of the trip if we could score the highly coveted reservations.
We worked out a plan that had us arriving at the Grand Canyon on Sunday, spending a couple nights at the south rim, then hiking down to Phantom Ranch for three nights followed by a final night on the rim before heading to Sedona the following Saturday, just in time for our revised golf trip. So on April 1, 2017, we gave Phantom Ranch reservations a go, but sadly to no avail. We started dialing at 0900 sharp, and tried for over an hour with no success. After that we just tried again every 15 minutes or so. We were getting ready to go run errands so I tried one last time just before we left at 11:50 AM. That’s when we finally got through. Still took 20 minutes to reach a person on the other end (the message said there were 19 callers ahead of me). Angel was very helpful but there was no availability for the dates we had in mind. Oh, well, it was worth a shot. We'll just settle for the Sedona-only trip.
Getting ready to get ready…. Over the course of the summer and fall there was just sporadic discussion on the Sedona trip. For Lynn and me, we've been to the area several times so we are familiar with the things to see and do and have a good handle on our favorite dining options. So it was not really until mid-March that we started really discussing the details of the trip. I kicked it off with an email to the gang to provide some ideas based on our past trips.
The email started a little flurry of activity on things to see and places to eat. David mentioned that Cathy has some dietary restrictions and has been researching restaurants, but Sedona is a very health conscious area so there were many places that could accommodate her needs. She already had a list of places that she had contacted and I suggested a few others. David also mentioned that he and Cathy were very interested in a vortex and medicine wheel tour. OK, not really up my alley, but what the heck, it might be educational. It took me a little time to get Lynn talked into it but she did finally agree to tag along. A day trip to Jerome was on everyone's list. Plus the guys figured on two golf outings during the week. We agreed that a set schedule was not needed, that we would just play it by ear in terms of what we would do each day. We'll have Saturday evening and Sunday to discuss the options for the week; that time should also give the ladies some time to figure out what to do when the guys are hacking around on the golf course. Flexibility is a good thing.
As is our usual mode of operations, Lynn and I started getting our gear in order and packing for the trip the weekend before departure. I had already decided not to drag the golf clubs along, just my shoes and a couple sleeves of balls. As for hiking gear, hydration packs, yes, hiking poles, no. The only events that were scheduled was the vortex tour that David set-up for Wednesday morning and I made the tee-times for golf on Monday (Oak Creek Country Club) and Thursday (Sedona Golf Resort), both for around 8:15 AM.
The only remaining detail was the entry codes for the rental houses but that detail was taken care of via the VRBO/Homeaway app. I received emails with the access codes that provided all the details on the houses. Pretty darn slick. Everything that I needed was now on my phone. I passed the entry codes along to the rest of the gang so now we could all get in the houses. Looks like we are good to go.
On Thursday, April 5th, the day before Lynn and I were leaving, we awoke to more evidence that winter was not ready to abandon northern Ohio. It snowed again over night, just a light dusting at the house but a good inch around the base. Will this winter never end? Lynn and I discussed this during the drive in to work; it has not been a bad winter (short spells of really cold or heavy snow, but nothing lasted a long time) but it has been a long winter. Looks like next week will not be great in Cleveland weather-wise so good timing on going to Arizona as the weather there is predicted to be stunning (highs close to 80 F, lows in the 45-55 F range and mostly sunny).
We got home this evening and finished our chores and trip prep by about 7:20. I had plenty of time before checking in with Southwest so I had everything set up and ready to go. At 7:50, I clicked the "check-in" button on the website and scored slots A55 and A56. That seems like pretty good boarding positions.
I think the timing for this trip is pretty darn good. I've mentioned the length of this winter and that it looks like the poor weather in Cleveland will continue for at least another week, so being in Arizona will be a plus. But this week at work has been fairly sedate which allowed me to get some stuff done. A lot of folks have been out on spring break which gave me time to catch up on a few things and get ahead of the game in time for this trip. Now the chores are done and the packing is nearly complete, so by 8:00 tonight, we were basically all ready to roll. Just a few details to cover in the morning. Plus a little last minute internet research of hiking options and other things to do while Lynn loaded Atlantis in the DVD player. Ok, time for a Hop JuJu and to continue slipping into vacation mode.
Friday, April 6, 2018 - Travel day. For the most part, this was just a normal day, although vacation mode is starting to creep into our thinking, so we are a little slow on getting up and ready for one last day in the office before heading to Arizona. We got the final bits of cleaning, organization and packing done in the morning. I was ready to go at 7:10, but Lynn was still going through her morning routine. No worries, we'll get there eventually.
I did a little more research over the past couple days. Looks like the southwest restaurant we like in Jerome is still open, so if we go to Jerome that will be my suggestion. Also, it seems that Harry's Hideaway is on the safe list based on Cathy's dietary restrictions. I also emailed Alex about Serenitie since it looks like something else is in that spot. The report is that this is a very nice café called the Corner Table, reasonable priced with great food. Sounds like a winner and definitely within walking distance of our rental houses.
Since this is not a hard core hiking group other than Mark and Betty Ann, I suggested to Lynn that we might try a couple afternoon hikes, maybe after golf just to get more trail time in. We will see how that works out since the trailhead parking gets so packed later in the day. I am also leaning to trying a loop hike from Yavapai Point around Cathedral Rock rather than the point-to-point ending at the Baldwin trailhead. If we don't get that one in during this trip we'll certainly make it a priority for the next time we are in Sedona (and we're already thinking of our next trip to the area).
The weather is still looking great in Sedona, but it does cool down to upper 60s by the end of next week. Maybe windy on Thursday as well, so not ideal for golf. I hit the ball so high that the wind really effects my game. I'll keep an eye on that and maybe we will reschedule to Friday.
Friday, April 6, 2018 - Travel day. For the most part, this was just a normal day, although vacation mode is starting to creep into our thinking, so we are a little slow on getting up and ready for one last day in the office before heading to Arizona. We got the final bits of cleaning, organization and packing done in the morning. I was ready to go at 7:10, but Lynn was still going through her morning routine. No worries, we'll get there eventually.
I did a little more research over the past couple days. Looks like the southwest restaurant we like in Jerome is still open, so if we go to Jerome that will be my suggestion. Also, it seems that Harry's Hideaway is on the safe list based on Cathy's dietary restrictions. I also emailed Alex about Serenitie since it looks like something else is in that spot. The report is that this is a very nice café called the Corner Table, reasonable priced with great food. Sounds like a winner and definitely within walking distance of our rental houses.
Since this is not a hard core hiking group other than Mark and Betty Ann, I suggested to Lynn that we might try a couple afternoon hikes, maybe after golf just to get more trail time in. We will see how that works out since the trailhead parking gets so packed later in the day. I am also leaning to trying a loop hike from Yavapai Point around Cathedral Rock rather than the point-to-point ending at the Baldwin trailhead. If we don't get that one in during this trip we'll certainly make it a priority for the next time we are in Sedona (and we're already thinking of our next trip to the area).
The weather is still looking great in Sedona, but it does cool down to upper 60s by the end of next week. Maybe windy on Thursday as well, so not ideal for golf. I hit the ball so high that the wind really effects my game. I'll keep an eye on that and maybe we will reschedule to Friday.
It is a grey morning here in Medina. More like winter than spring. Only 36 F and damp, but not quite misty. The birds are singing, but that is really the only sign of spring. The home opener for the Tribe is scheduled for today and several folks from work are going. We'll see if they get the game in (they did, a 3-2 win over the Royals). As we drove north to work the skies were getting more blue which is a good sign. Looks like a pleasant day could be in the making. Still cold. A few animal sightings along the road: flock of turkeys, big Red-tailed Hawk, Waldo, Cochise and CB (our names for a cat and two horses we see regularly on the drive to work)…we won't include these for the trip critter count but it might be a good omen for sightings in Sedona.
Holy cow, what a day at work. I was thinking that I would cruise into vacation, but this ended up being a hectic day with a lot of time spent working issues on the phone and via email, but in the end I think it all got sorted out. It was probably after 3:00 before the excitement settled down, but now I can relax and start to wind down into vacation. I have earned a beer once we get to Hopkins. Speaking of beer, I noticed that Saturday is National Beer Day. Perfect day to start vacation.
We signed out at 4:25 and headed over to the airport. Bummer, the onsite Orange Lot is full so we continued over to the offsite parking on Snow Road (adds a few minutes but saves a few bucks). No lines anywhere in the process and we found ourselves checked-in and through security at 5:05. We wondered down to Bar Symon in the C Concourse and had beer in hand at 5:25. Exactly an hour from when we left work so not bad in terms of timing. The only downside is that Bar Symon was out of Headhunter. I tried a New England IPA from Platform that is brewed special for Bar Symon, the Simon Says Haze. It was very hazy and a decent beer. I opted for a short just in case. Good call as that allowed me to follow up with a White Rajah which was a much better beer. Here's a data point on airport costs: they charged me $12 for the 20 oz. White Rajah, compared to $5.85 for a 22 oz. High Five at Lagerheads. Go figure.
Holy cow, what a day at work. I was thinking that I would cruise into vacation, but this ended up being a hectic day with a lot of time spent working issues on the phone and via email, but in the end I think it all got sorted out. It was probably after 3:00 before the excitement settled down, but now I can relax and start to wind down into vacation. I have earned a beer once we get to Hopkins. Speaking of beer, I noticed that Saturday is National Beer Day. Perfect day to start vacation.
We signed out at 4:25 and headed over to the airport. Bummer, the onsite Orange Lot is full so we continued over to the offsite parking on Snow Road (adds a few minutes but saves a few bucks). No lines anywhere in the process and we found ourselves checked-in and through security at 5:05. We wondered down to Bar Symon in the C Concourse and had beer in hand at 5:25. Exactly an hour from when we left work so not bad in terms of timing. The only downside is that Bar Symon was out of Headhunter. I tried a New England IPA from Platform that is brewed special for Bar Symon, the Simon Says Haze. It was very hazy and a decent beer. I opted for a short just in case. Good call as that allowed me to follow up with a White Rajah which was a much better beer. Here's a data point on airport costs: they charged me $12 for the 20 oz. White Rajah, compared to $5.85 for a 22 oz. High Five at Lagerheads. Go figure.
After dinner, we made a lap through the airport then headed to gate B11. On time boarding. I snagged seat 2F while Lynn went further back to find an aisle seat. She told me after the flight that she scored an exit row seat. Bonus for her! We cruised to PHX on a new Boeing 737 Max. Smooth ride with an on-time arrival. As usual, baggage claim in Phoenix was very slow (it is always slow here no matter which airlines we fly).
After a short wait for the hotel shuttle, we were on our way and soon checked-in at the Comfort Suites Phoenix Airport in Tempe, less than a 10 minute ride from the airport, and in our room by 10:00 PM. We each took one of the queen sized beds; might as well, we're paying for them. Lynn took the one in front of the TV. Fine by me as I usually won't even turn it on when in a hotel. Lynn powered it up and we watched the end of Shrek and then called it a night at 11:00.
Saturday, April 7, 2018 - Phoenix Zoo then on to Sedona. I rolled out of bed at 0530. Feeling great the morning after a very refreshing night's sleep. Plus, we are in absolutely no rush this morning. Plenty of time to get ready and have breakfast before time to get the rental car.
We went down to breakfast right at 0700, figuring we would beat the rush by getting there when the buffet opened. That worked out pretty well as we quickly had our bagels and bananas before the crowd converged on the victuals. At 8:35 I left to get the rental car, which is just a short walk from the hotel (that's why I picked this hotel). We used this strategy last fall for the Page meet-up and it worked out great. Renting the vehicle from the off-airport location saved us a lot of money (couple hundred bucks at least) and it was no big deal to make the short walk from the very nice Comfort Suites to the Enterprise location. Plus, to drop the car back at the airport rental car terminal was only $35. Good plan all the way around.
The temperature is already 70 F when I started my walk to get the car. It will be toasty here in Phoenix today. But it is really pleasant at present and oh so nice to be out in the warm weather after the winter we've had in Ohio. I just enjoyed the walk. Quiet on a Saturday morning. Took me about 15 minutes to walk to the rental car place, so I was there a few minutes before it opened. There is a Ford Flex, a little Jeep and a huge Ford Expedition in the lot. I'm betting on the Jeep, but we'll see. At 0855 the employees started to arrive and more inventory rolled in. There's a little Nissan Rogue SUV now as well. One thing for sure, I will get a white vehicle. A few other clients have joined me in waiting for the office to open. A couple of the guys were chatting-up the cute employee who was opening up the office for the day. Turns out that those two guys as well as the other patron in line were all here to extend long-term rentals. The one guy was just exchanging his car since he has had it for three months and just wanted something different. He inquired about the Jeep, but that one has a windshield issue and it not going out today. OK, down to the Flex, the Expedition and the Rogue since I'm getting an SUV. Now thinking it will be the Rogue. I was first in line and the cute young lady quickly had my reservation pulled up on her tablet and we were walking out to the lot. Yep, we'll be Rogue One this trip. The check-in process was done in a matter of minutes; she did not try to sell be insurance, and just said to drop the car off with about the same about of gas as it currently has (which was only a quarter tank, so we'll have to fill up before heading north). Easy. I was cruising back to the hotel by 9:10. I love it when a plan comes together.
After a short wait for the hotel shuttle, we were on our way and soon checked-in at the Comfort Suites Phoenix Airport in Tempe, less than a 10 minute ride from the airport, and in our room by 10:00 PM. We each took one of the queen sized beds; might as well, we're paying for them. Lynn took the one in front of the TV. Fine by me as I usually won't even turn it on when in a hotel. Lynn powered it up and we watched the end of Shrek and then called it a night at 11:00.
Saturday, April 7, 2018 - Phoenix Zoo then on to Sedona. I rolled out of bed at 0530. Feeling great the morning after a very refreshing night's sleep. Plus, we are in absolutely no rush this morning. Plenty of time to get ready and have breakfast before time to get the rental car.
We went down to breakfast right at 0700, figuring we would beat the rush by getting there when the buffet opened. That worked out pretty well as we quickly had our bagels and bananas before the crowd converged on the victuals. At 8:35 I left to get the rental car, which is just a short walk from the hotel (that's why I picked this hotel). We used this strategy last fall for the Page meet-up and it worked out great. Renting the vehicle from the off-airport location saved us a lot of money (couple hundred bucks at least) and it was no big deal to make the short walk from the very nice Comfort Suites to the Enterprise location. Plus, to drop the car back at the airport rental car terminal was only $35. Good plan all the way around.
The temperature is already 70 F when I started my walk to get the car. It will be toasty here in Phoenix today. But it is really pleasant at present and oh so nice to be out in the warm weather after the winter we've had in Ohio. I just enjoyed the walk. Quiet on a Saturday morning. Took me about 15 minutes to walk to the rental car place, so I was there a few minutes before it opened. There is a Ford Flex, a little Jeep and a huge Ford Expedition in the lot. I'm betting on the Jeep, but we'll see. At 0855 the employees started to arrive and more inventory rolled in. There's a little Nissan Rogue SUV now as well. One thing for sure, I will get a white vehicle. A few other clients have joined me in waiting for the office to open. A couple of the guys were chatting-up the cute employee who was opening up the office for the day. Turns out that those two guys as well as the other patron in line were all here to extend long-term rentals. The one guy was just exchanging his car since he has had it for three months and just wanted something different. He inquired about the Jeep, but that one has a windshield issue and it not going out today. OK, down to the Flex, the Expedition and the Rogue since I'm getting an SUV. Now thinking it will be the Rogue. I was first in line and the cute young lady quickly had my reservation pulled up on her tablet and we were walking out to the lot. Yep, we'll be Rogue One this trip. The check-in process was done in a matter of minutes; she did not try to sell be insurance, and just said to drop the car off with about the same about of gas as it currently has (which was only a quarter tank, so we'll have to fill up before heading north). Easy. I was cruising back to the hotel by 9:10. I love it when a plan comes together.
Lynn and I have time to look around Phoenix since we can't get into the VRBO house until 3:00. We had already looked at several options and decided on the zoo since it was close by and would give us an opportunity to enjoy some fresh air and stretch our legs. Besides, Lynn likes looking at the critters. We were on the road before 9:30, after checking out of the Comfort Suites and having them hold our luggage. The zoo was only a few miles away, sort of north of our hotel in Papago Park. The joint was jumping already when we arrived. I think it opened at 9:00 and we got there well before 10:00 (more like 9:40) and the parking lot was nearly three-quarters full. I reckon folks just like to get an early start to beat the heat. The good news was there were no lines to deal with since there were several ticket booths open; we just paid the fee and off we went.
This is a very nice zoo. Very clean and open. The enclosures were very large and seemed to provide as natural settings as possible. Nice diversity of critters but there were of course several exhibits that focused on the desert wildlife. There were a couple of areas that were being updated and remodeled so currently closed, but that's OK. Always good to see investments being made along those lines. One of my favorite areas was where the Big Horn Sheep lived. Their enclosure encompassed some of the huge, dome-like red rocks of Papago Park, and the sheep being sheep were up on top, being kings of all they surveyed.
This is a very nice zoo. Very clean and open. The enclosures were very large and seemed to provide as natural settings as possible. Nice diversity of critters but there were of course several exhibits that focused on the desert wildlife. There were a couple of areas that were being updated and remodeled so currently closed, but that's OK. Always good to see investments being made along those lines. One of my favorite areas was where the Big Horn Sheep lived. Their enclosure encompassed some of the huge, dome-like red rocks of Papago Park, and the sheep being sheep were up on top, being kings of all they surveyed.
Of course there is always something to learn when walking around a zoo, either from reading the signage or listing to the keepers or a docent. The interesting tidbit today from the signage was about the desert regions in North America. Turns out there are four deserts and all four are represented within the boundaries of Arizona.
The bonus at the zoo were all the non-zoo critters scattered about. Mostly birds but a few rabbits as well. I overhead a zoo worker talking to other visitors about these "freeloaders" like the Night Heron and Pelicans that hung out around the zoo. We got a great start on our critter list for the trip:
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Perhaps the best find in the zoo, after the animals of course, was the craft beer vendor (shown on the zoo map as the Lakeside Lounge, I think). We spotted the stand as we made our way around one of the larger ponds and figured that might be a great place to end our tour. The posted menu listed a couple of IPAs so that will work well for us. It is National Beer Day after all. So we completed our lap around the lake, checking out the tiger enclosure then further on some very chatty otters and made our way back to the beer stand. With the beers we got a wrist band to indicate that we bought the beverages on-site and therefore could wonder around the zoo with them. Good deal. We had noticed some very nice seating along the lake shore just below the beer stand. Timing was right on this as the area had been closed for an event when we first walked through but that was now over but no one else had occupied the prime spots yet. So we got a great place on a couch under a tent-veranda set-up right along the lake where we could just enjoy the view, the waterfowl and the black-and-white lemurs lounging out on the island. Very relaxing. Nice setting to celebrate National Beer Day. I tried the Copper State IPA from Huss Brewing, a local brewer here in Tempe. Lynn had the Big Sky IPA out of Montana. Both were good but neither were great. Still it was nice just to sit and enjoy a beer and watch the birds swimming about.
Here’s the link to the Phoenix Zoo photo gallery.
After finishing our beers we started for the exit. We had to pass through the gift store to get to the exit (obviously strategically placed). I could not find a zoo pin for the souvenir board and Lynn was looking for a tee-shirt but did not see anything that she liked so we got out of there at no additional cost. We left the zoo about 12:40, so right at 3 hours to walk all the trails and enjoy a beer. We made a stop for fuel for the Rogue and a snack for me then back to the hotel for the luggage. We were heading to Sedona just after 1:00. Our ETA was about 3:15 due to traffic and accidents on I-17 north, so a good 30-plus minutes longer than usual. We did see a motorcycle down at mile marker 232 but fortunately the rider was sitting up and appeared alert. He was probably more worried about his bike than himself. After that there were no other significant slowdowns.
So the traffic that can plague this road notwithstanding, I think the drive between Phoenix and Sedona is quite nice. Heading north, we are gaining elevation so we got to watch the Saguaro cactus grow in numbers then abruptly disappear when we got above 3000 feet elevation. My favorite view along 17 is where the road crosses over into the Verde Valley. Just a wonderful vista and it provides our first glimpse of the red rocks that made Sedona famous. The drive also gives us time to talk about…whatever. These days the talk tends to turn to retirement, including where we might end up when we start that phase of our journey, and of course travel, all the places that we want to experience. Since we're heading to Sedona, we revisited the possibility of ending up in Red Rock County. Certainly has its pros and cons. It is beautiful, but expensive. What about the medical infrastructure? Probably pretty good in Phoenix but that is at least a 90-minute drive. We are already near to world class medical facilities in northeast Ohio with University Hospital and Cleveland Clinic. The weather would be more to my liking in the desert southwest, but Lynn is concerned about the heat in the summer. I told Lynn that if we do end up in Sedona that I think I'll buy a flute and serenade the red rocks. Oddly, she did not give me "the look" for that comment.
We rolled into the Village of Oak Creek just after 3:00 and were at our VRBO exactly at 3:15, just like Baby said. We are at the south end of town, just off the first round-about and directly across route 179 from the Sedona Golf Resort and Miley's Café. We'll be within walking distance of a couple good restaurants, including Miley's. Jeff and Jean were already at House 2, having just arrived as well. Took a quick tour of the house then grabbed our bags and tossed them in the upstairs bedroom. This will work nicely. We took a quick inventory of the kitchen; looks like there is left over coffee but not much else. OK, time for a trip to the grocery store to get some basic supplies. David and Cathy were pulling into House 1 as we were heading to Weber's. OK, three-quarters of the group is in town. We let them know where we were going in case they wanted to tag along. Once at Weber's I received a text from David; they can't find the lockbox for the house key. Just like at work, no one reads my emails. Only took a couple texts to get them in the house then I went in the store to catch up with the rest of the House 2 crew. We quickly bought the basics to hold us over for a few days, simple stuff for breakfast, some trail snacks and water. Then we made it to the beer and wine. This is the important stuff and took a while to find a couple promising IPAs. I ended up with a couple 6-packs and one triple IPA bomber. Jeff had an easier time, just grabbing a 6-pack of Coors Light. Well, at least it wasn’t Bud.
Back at House 2, we unloaded our supplies and settled in for a relaxing afternoon, beer in hand. I tried a Mango Mosaic pale ale from Breckinridge Brewing. Not bad. Certainly a fruity flavor but a bit on the light side. The House 1 bunch invited us over for a drink and cookies. Who could argue with that combination? Their patio house is on the opposite side of the street so while our patio is drenched in sun in the afternoon (and shaded in the morning at least at this time of year), the setting on their enclosed patio was quite pleasant. All the introductions are now in place and we settled into getting to know each other better. Granted, the guys have known each other for years, decades even through work, our professional society and of course golf. Plus we've met the wives (and they have met each other) briefly at some of the conferences we have attended over the years. But this is the first real opportunity for the entire gang to sit and talks and figure out who is who. We had some beer and wine, ate homemade chocolate chip cookies that Betty Ann brought from Texas and make some plans for the week, starting with dinner tonight. Easy enough, we'll try the Corner Table since it is just a short walk away and comes highly recommended by Alex and Frankie who live here in the Village of Oak Creek (unfortunately, they are out of town this week so we missed them during this visit). OK, locked in with reservations at 6:30. Tomorrow we'll start with breakfast at Miley's then spend the day in Jerome, the old mining town turned eclectic art community. We also decided to move our Thursday golf outing to Friday based on the current weather forecast; I hope we are not over thinking that point. David and Cathy are interested in seeing the Grand Canyon since they have not been; Jeff and Jean will also go on that excursion. That will give Mark, Betty Ann, Lynn and me a perfect opportunity for a nice hike somewhere in the red rocks of Sedona. We'll continue to evolve the plan as needed. Plus the girls will have to figure out what they want to do while us guys are working on the spherical projectile ballistic launch test range.
After finishing our beers we started for the exit. We had to pass through the gift store to get to the exit (obviously strategically placed). I could not find a zoo pin for the souvenir board and Lynn was looking for a tee-shirt but did not see anything that she liked so we got out of there at no additional cost. We left the zoo about 12:40, so right at 3 hours to walk all the trails and enjoy a beer. We made a stop for fuel for the Rogue and a snack for me then back to the hotel for the luggage. We were heading to Sedona just after 1:00. Our ETA was about 3:15 due to traffic and accidents on I-17 north, so a good 30-plus minutes longer than usual. We did see a motorcycle down at mile marker 232 but fortunately the rider was sitting up and appeared alert. He was probably more worried about his bike than himself. After that there were no other significant slowdowns.
So the traffic that can plague this road notwithstanding, I think the drive between Phoenix and Sedona is quite nice. Heading north, we are gaining elevation so we got to watch the Saguaro cactus grow in numbers then abruptly disappear when we got above 3000 feet elevation. My favorite view along 17 is where the road crosses over into the Verde Valley. Just a wonderful vista and it provides our first glimpse of the red rocks that made Sedona famous. The drive also gives us time to talk about…whatever. These days the talk tends to turn to retirement, including where we might end up when we start that phase of our journey, and of course travel, all the places that we want to experience. Since we're heading to Sedona, we revisited the possibility of ending up in Red Rock County. Certainly has its pros and cons. It is beautiful, but expensive. What about the medical infrastructure? Probably pretty good in Phoenix but that is at least a 90-minute drive. We are already near to world class medical facilities in northeast Ohio with University Hospital and Cleveland Clinic. The weather would be more to my liking in the desert southwest, but Lynn is concerned about the heat in the summer. I told Lynn that if we do end up in Sedona that I think I'll buy a flute and serenade the red rocks. Oddly, she did not give me "the look" for that comment.
We rolled into the Village of Oak Creek just after 3:00 and were at our VRBO exactly at 3:15, just like Baby said. We are at the south end of town, just off the first round-about and directly across route 179 from the Sedona Golf Resort and Miley's Café. We'll be within walking distance of a couple good restaurants, including Miley's. Jeff and Jean were already at House 2, having just arrived as well. Took a quick tour of the house then grabbed our bags and tossed them in the upstairs bedroom. This will work nicely. We took a quick inventory of the kitchen; looks like there is left over coffee but not much else. OK, time for a trip to the grocery store to get some basic supplies. David and Cathy were pulling into House 1 as we were heading to Weber's. OK, three-quarters of the group is in town. We let them know where we were going in case they wanted to tag along. Once at Weber's I received a text from David; they can't find the lockbox for the house key. Just like at work, no one reads my emails. Only took a couple texts to get them in the house then I went in the store to catch up with the rest of the House 2 crew. We quickly bought the basics to hold us over for a few days, simple stuff for breakfast, some trail snacks and water. Then we made it to the beer and wine. This is the important stuff and took a while to find a couple promising IPAs. I ended up with a couple 6-packs and one triple IPA bomber. Jeff had an easier time, just grabbing a 6-pack of Coors Light. Well, at least it wasn’t Bud.
Back at House 2, we unloaded our supplies and settled in for a relaxing afternoon, beer in hand. I tried a Mango Mosaic pale ale from Breckinridge Brewing. Not bad. Certainly a fruity flavor but a bit on the light side. The House 1 bunch invited us over for a drink and cookies. Who could argue with that combination? Their patio house is on the opposite side of the street so while our patio is drenched in sun in the afternoon (and shaded in the morning at least at this time of year), the setting on their enclosed patio was quite pleasant. All the introductions are now in place and we settled into getting to know each other better. Granted, the guys have known each other for years, decades even through work, our professional society and of course golf. Plus we've met the wives (and they have met each other) briefly at some of the conferences we have attended over the years. But this is the first real opportunity for the entire gang to sit and talks and figure out who is who. We had some beer and wine, ate homemade chocolate chip cookies that Betty Ann brought from Texas and make some plans for the week, starting with dinner tonight. Easy enough, we'll try the Corner Table since it is just a short walk away and comes highly recommended by Alex and Frankie who live here in the Village of Oak Creek (unfortunately, they are out of town this week so we missed them during this visit). OK, locked in with reservations at 6:30. Tomorrow we'll start with breakfast at Miley's then spend the day in Jerome, the old mining town turned eclectic art community. We also decided to move our Thursday golf outing to Friday based on the current weather forecast; I hope we are not over thinking that point. David and Cathy are interested in seeing the Grand Canyon since they have not been; Jeff and Jean will also go on that excursion. That will give Mark, Betty Ann, Lynn and me a perfect opportunity for a nice hike somewhere in the red rocks of Sedona. We'll continue to evolve the plan as needed. Plus the girls will have to figure out what they want to do while us guys are working on the spherical projectile ballistic launch test range.
We broke up the patio gathering to get cleaned up for dinner, then reconvened at house 1 at about 6:20 to walk across the street to the Corner Table. What a lovely evening. The evening glow on Courthouse Butte was just beautiful. We paused along here for Mark to get a group photo then continued on to dinner. The Corner Table is an upgrade over the last restaurant that occupied this location. Nice ambiance, excellent service, decent beer selection and wonderful food. Plus we had great company around the table and just continued the conversations from the patio. The food was indeed outstanding. I tried a Citrazona American IPA from Barrio Brewing out Tucson which had a nice aroma although it was a bit dark in color for an IPA but it had a nice bite at the end. I had the Loaves and Fishes, a dish that combined fish, shrimp and scallops in a puff pastry with a sherry sauce. Awesome. The only nit I had was that the chef left the tails on the shrimp (why is that? Seems to me that in a dish like this, the tails should come off; just makes it easier to eat. I guess I'm just weird). We all agreed that this was a great restaurant with excellent food and that most likely we would be here again before the week was out.
Live music this evening. I gentleman was playing an odd looking stringed instrument, looked sort of like a guitar but it certainly wasn't one. Mark found out that the musical gizmo was called a Chapman Stick which was invented in the 1970s. Whatever it was, the guy was quite good and provided a nice addition to the evening.
The party broke up after dinner. We just headed straight back to House 2 and hit the sack. It was only 8:00 PM, but it had been a long day but quite a nice start to our Sedona trip. Lynn crashed immediately. Lights out for me about 9:20 after working on trip notes and a couple puzzles to unwind.
Sunday, April 8 - Jerome. I was awake early, about 0420, but that is to be expected with the time zone shift. That was a good night's sleep. Lynn finally stirred a little after 5:00. No signs of life yet from downstairs, so we just got ready for the day. Lynn was at the kitchen counter drinking coffee and Jeff was sitting in the living room reading the paper on his tablet when I made it downstairs. I was out on the back patio at about 0630. Outside it was a very pleasant morning. Overcast to start but the blue sky is starting to take hold. A chorus of birds is at the feeders on either side of our yard which provided some entertainment. I only had the SX 710 with me to start but went back in for the extra reach of the SX50. A covey of Gambel's Quail scurried through the yards, rustling the leaves as they went. They are just comical to watch as the rush about, with only their legs going 90 miles an hour but their upright bodies stiff and seemingly just along for the ride. A Scrub Jay was bouncing between the feeders and apparently got too close to the hummingbird feeder as one of the little guys started chasing the much larger Jay but was successful in defending its territory Not sure what specific type of hummer it was as it was just a blur. Jeff and Lynn eventually came out and joined me on the patio. They weren't the only ones to join me, either. A snake crawled out of the rocks lining the patio to sun himself. It was a Glossy Snake. Later a big, black beetle with very long legs trekked across the concrete. We warned him about the snake, but he did not heed our advice. Fortunately for the bug, the snake did not appear interested. Best I can figure the long-legged bug was a Pinacate Beetle. Since the feeders were in the neighbors' yards, the birds were just out of reach for great photo ops. I did have a wren land on one of the chairs adjacent to me before Lynn and Jeff came out. It did not sit for a portrait, but I'm pretty sure it was a Bewick's Wren. Still there was a pretty good list of sightings (and these are just the ones that I could reasonably identify):
Live music this evening. I gentleman was playing an odd looking stringed instrument, looked sort of like a guitar but it certainly wasn't one. Mark found out that the musical gizmo was called a Chapman Stick which was invented in the 1970s. Whatever it was, the guy was quite good and provided a nice addition to the evening.
The party broke up after dinner. We just headed straight back to House 2 and hit the sack. It was only 8:00 PM, but it had been a long day but quite a nice start to our Sedona trip. Lynn crashed immediately. Lights out for me about 9:20 after working on trip notes and a couple puzzles to unwind.
Sunday, April 8 - Jerome. I was awake early, about 0420, but that is to be expected with the time zone shift. That was a good night's sleep. Lynn finally stirred a little after 5:00. No signs of life yet from downstairs, so we just got ready for the day. Lynn was at the kitchen counter drinking coffee and Jeff was sitting in the living room reading the paper on his tablet when I made it downstairs. I was out on the back patio at about 0630. Outside it was a very pleasant morning. Overcast to start but the blue sky is starting to take hold. A chorus of birds is at the feeders on either side of our yard which provided some entertainment. I only had the SX 710 with me to start but went back in for the extra reach of the SX50. A covey of Gambel's Quail scurried through the yards, rustling the leaves as they went. They are just comical to watch as the rush about, with only their legs going 90 miles an hour but their upright bodies stiff and seemingly just along for the ride. A Scrub Jay was bouncing between the feeders and apparently got too close to the hummingbird feeder as one of the little guys started chasing the much larger Jay but was successful in defending its territory Not sure what specific type of hummer it was as it was just a blur. Jeff and Lynn eventually came out and joined me on the patio. They weren't the only ones to join me, either. A snake crawled out of the rocks lining the patio to sun himself. It was a Glossy Snake. Later a big, black beetle with very long legs trekked across the concrete. We warned him about the snake, but he did not heed our advice. Fortunately for the bug, the snake did not appear interested. Best I can figure the long-legged bug was a Pinacate Beetle. Since the feeders were in the neighbors' yards, the birds were just out of reach for great photo ops. I did have a wren land on one of the chairs adjacent to me before Lynn and Jeff came out. It did not sit for a portrait, but I'm pretty sure it was a Bewick's Wren. Still there was a pretty good list of sightings (and these are just the ones that I could reasonably identify):
We drove over to Miley's at 9:00. I think this is the latest that Lynn and I have ever eaten here. The place was packed but the wait was only 15 minutes, probably ended up being less. Something for everyone on the menu here. I went simple with oatmeal and fruit as I was expecting a big meal at a southwest joint later in Jerome.
It was after 10:00 when we finished breakfast and got on the road to Jerome. Easy drive and not much in the way of traffic. Cottonwood has added several new roundabouts, several in short stretch along route 89 which made the instructions provided by Baby get a little repetitive, but I guess a phone does not care if it keeps saying "at the roundabout, take the second exit to stay on route 89A" over and over. We could see Jerome up on the hillside; funny, I remembered it being higher up. Funny how the mind works. Our first stop was at the Jerome State Historical Park to get the background on the old mining town. We arrived at 11:15. First we took in the views of the town up on the hillside above us and across the Verde Valley off to the east. Then it was off to get a little historical perspective on Jerome. Lynn and I had stopped in the museum during our first visit to Jerome in the fall of 2013, but we were more than willing to explore the history a little more. The Ranger at the information desk let us know that overview movie would be starting in just a few minutes, so we looked through a exhibits then went into the little theater. The movie was informative and hokie at the same time as it was presented from the point of view of a ghost of the mining days of Jerome but it did provide a nice overview of the history of the town from its founding to today. The museum is housed in the former mansion that was built by the owner of one of the mining operations, James Douglas. The place is just full of artifacts, photographs and displays that cover the mining history of Jerome. One of my favorite displays is a model of the extensive system of mine tunnels and shafts that were dug and drilled into the mountain below Jerome. It is amazing how many tunnels and shafts exist right under our feet. Here is a summary of the history of Jerome that I found on the Arizona State Park website plus a few items that I recalled from the museum movie:
History of Jerome: Jerome's modern history began in 1876 when three prospectors staked claims on rich copper deposits. They sold out to a group which formed the United Verde Copper Company in 1883. The resultant mining camp of board and canvas shacks was named in honor of Eugene Jerome, the venture's principal backer. Hopes for the enterprise ran high, but the costs of operating, especially for transportation, outstripped profits, and the company folded in less than two years.
It took the vision and vast financial resources of a new owner, William A. Clark, to bring in a narrow gauge railroad and reduce freighting costs. By the early 20th century, the United Verde was the largest producing copper mine in the Arizona Territory. Jerome was becoming a frame and brick town, and could boast two churches, an opera house, a school and several civic buildings.
In 1912, James S. Douglas purchased and began development of the Little Daisy Mine. By 1916, Jerome had two bonanza mines. Copper production peaked in 1929, but the Depression and low grade ore deposits reversed the fortunes of the town. The Little Daisy shut down in 1938. Phelps Dodge took over the United Verde in 1935, but loss of profits brought the operation and Jerome's mining days to an end in 1953.
The population of Jerome peaked in 1920 at 15,000. It was the fourth largest city in Arizona. The current population is about 400. Fires plagued the city, destroying large sections of the town during its early years. Because of this, the town was incorporated in 1899 in order to set up a fire department.
Jerome sits on Cleopatra Hill at an elevation of 5,200 feet. The hillside setting is a problem for the town as it is not completely stable and there have been several instances of subsidence that has damaged buildings. Jerome is sort of sliding down the mountain.
The Douglas Family: Douglas' grandfather began the family's involvement in copper mining in Canada. As an engineer and scientist, his father, James, traveled all over the world. Son James Stuart took to mining with gusto. It was in Nacozari, Mexico, that he acquired his nickname ("Rawhide") inspired by use of rawhide to reduce roller wear on a cable car incline.
During development of the Little Daisy Mine in Jerome, his men cut into an extremely rich ore vein just in time for the soaring prices of World War I.
His eldest son, Lewis, chose politics instead of mining. In 1922, Lewis left Jerome for Phoenix, where he served in the Sixth Arizona Legislature. His long career took him to Washington, D.C., and finally to England in 1947, as Ambassador to the Court of St. James. James, the younger son, carried on the family tradition. His worldwide career in geology brought him home for work on the Little Daisy in its last years.
The Douglas Mansion: James S. Douglas built the Mansion on the hill just above his Little Daisy Mine in 1916. Douglas designed the house as a hotel for mining officials and investors as well as for his own family. It featured a wine cellar, billiard room, marble shower, steam heat, and, much ahead of its time, a central vacuum system. Douglas was most proud of the fact that the house was constructed of adobe bricks that were made on the site. He also built the Little Daisy Hotel near the mine as a dormitory for the miners. The concrete structure still stands.
After meandering through the indoor displays, I wandered outside to look at the bigger pieces and take in the views. I ran into a few of the gang out there as well. David spotted three or four deer running through the valley between the mansion/museum and the old dormitory building. We eventually made our way back to the gift shop where we found the rest of the crew. It was time to move on to the sprawling metropolis of Jerome.
It was after 10:00 when we finished breakfast and got on the road to Jerome. Easy drive and not much in the way of traffic. Cottonwood has added several new roundabouts, several in short stretch along route 89 which made the instructions provided by Baby get a little repetitive, but I guess a phone does not care if it keeps saying "at the roundabout, take the second exit to stay on route 89A" over and over. We could see Jerome up on the hillside; funny, I remembered it being higher up. Funny how the mind works. Our first stop was at the Jerome State Historical Park to get the background on the old mining town. We arrived at 11:15. First we took in the views of the town up on the hillside above us and across the Verde Valley off to the east. Then it was off to get a little historical perspective on Jerome. Lynn and I had stopped in the museum during our first visit to Jerome in the fall of 2013, but we were more than willing to explore the history a little more. The Ranger at the information desk let us know that overview movie would be starting in just a few minutes, so we looked through a exhibits then went into the little theater. The movie was informative and hokie at the same time as it was presented from the point of view of a ghost of the mining days of Jerome but it did provide a nice overview of the history of the town from its founding to today. The museum is housed in the former mansion that was built by the owner of one of the mining operations, James Douglas. The place is just full of artifacts, photographs and displays that cover the mining history of Jerome. One of my favorite displays is a model of the extensive system of mine tunnels and shafts that were dug and drilled into the mountain below Jerome. It is amazing how many tunnels and shafts exist right under our feet. Here is a summary of the history of Jerome that I found on the Arizona State Park website plus a few items that I recalled from the museum movie:
History of Jerome: Jerome's modern history began in 1876 when three prospectors staked claims on rich copper deposits. They sold out to a group which formed the United Verde Copper Company in 1883. The resultant mining camp of board and canvas shacks was named in honor of Eugene Jerome, the venture's principal backer. Hopes for the enterprise ran high, but the costs of operating, especially for transportation, outstripped profits, and the company folded in less than two years.
It took the vision and vast financial resources of a new owner, William A. Clark, to bring in a narrow gauge railroad and reduce freighting costs. By the early 20th century, the United Verde was the largest producing copper mine in the Arizona Territory. Jerome was becoming a frame and brick town, and could boast two churches, an opera house, a school and several civic buildings.
In 1912, James S. Douglas purchased and began development of the Little Daisy Mine. By 1916, Jerome had two bonanza mines. Copper production peaked in 1929, but the Depression and low grade ore deposits reversed the fortunes of the town. The Little Daisy shut down in 1938. Phelps Dodge took over the United Verde in 1935, but loss of profits brought the operation and Jerome's mining days to an end in 1953.
The population of Jerome peaked in 1920 at 15,000. It was the fourth largest city in Arizona. The current population is about 400. Fires plagued the city, destroying large sections of the town during its early years. Because of this, the town was incorporated in 1899 in order to set up a fire department.
Jerome sits on Cleopatra Hill at an elevation of 5,200 feet. The hillside setting is a problem for the town as it is not completely stable and there have been several instances of subsidence that has damaged buildings. Jerome is sort of sliding down the mountain.
The Douglas Family: Douglas' grandfather began the family's involvement in copper mining in Canada. As an engineer and scientist, his father, James, traveled all over the world. Son James Stuart took to mining with gusto. It was in Nacozari, Mexico, that he acquired his nickname ("Rawhide") inspired by use of rawhide to reduce roller wear on a cable car incline.
During development of the Little Daisy Mine in Jerome, his men cut into an extremely rich ore vein just in time for the soaring prices of World War I.
His eldest son, Lewis, chose politics instead of mining. In 1922, Lewis left Jerome for Phoenix, where he served in the Sixth Arizona Legislature. His long career took him to Washington, D.C., and finally to England in 1947, as Ambassador to the Court of St. James. James, the younger son, carried on the family tradition. His worldwide career in geology brought him home for work on the Little Daisy in its last years.
The Douglas Mansion: James S. Douglas built the Mansion on the hill just above his Little Daisy Mine in 1916. Douglas designed the house as a hotel for mining officials and investors as well as for his own family. It featured a wine cellar, billiard room, marble shower, steam heat, and, much ahead of its time, a central vacuum system. Douglas was most proud of the fact that the house was constructed of adobe bricks that were made on the site. He also built the Little Daisy Hotel near the mine as a dormitory for the miners. The concrete structure still stands.
After meandering through the indoor displays, I wandered outside to look at the bigger pieces and take in the views. I ran into a few of the gang out there as well. David spotted three or four deer running through the valley between the mansion/museum and the old dormitory building. We eventually made our way back to the gift shop where we found the rest of the crew. It was time to move on to the sprawling metropolis of Jerome.
The time was now nearly 1:00 PM as we drove through Jerome so parking was going to be hard to come by. The town was packed. The lots in town and all the on-street parking were taken so we drove out the road past the fire station to the site of the United Verde Mine where there was plenty of parking available. It would have been an easy walk back to town, but there was also a free shuttle service so we called the number and took the bus. The lady driving the bus was very friendly, and gave us a quick overview of things to see and do in Jerome as well as a card with her number when we were ready for a ride back to the parking lot. Good deal. She dropped us just down the hill from the fire station, across the street from the Conner Hotel and Spirit Room. No wonder we could not find parking in the lots in town, the joint was jumping! There were a line of motorcycles arrayed in front of the hotel, at least thirty. Plus there were some vintage cars scattered about. Otherwise there was just a constant flow of cars on the road and pedestrians filling the sidewalks. That will make for some good people watching.
We sort of split up at that point. We'll meet back here at 3:00. David and Cathy headed off to find lunch at Grapes. Lynn and I were not yet hungry, but knew we would be eating at Vaqueros Grill eventually. That is where Mark and Betty Ann wanted to eat as well, but they were ready for lunch now. So we walked with them to locate the place. Yep, still open and looks just like I remember. Decent crowd, but it looks like there is room for Mark and Betty Ann. We split up here and continued around the block to check out a few shops.
We sort of split up at that point. We'll meet back here at 3:00. David and Cathy headed off to find lunch at Grapes. Lynn and I were not yet hungry, but knew we would be eating at Vaqueros Grill eventually. That is where Mark and Betty Ann wanted to eat as well, but they were ready for lunch now. So we walked with them to locate the place. Yep, still open and looks just like I remember. Decent crowd, but it looks like there is room for Mark and Betty Ann. We split up here and continued around the block to check out a few shops.
Jerome is an interesting old town. From the big picture perspective, it certainly looks like an old mining town. It reminds me of some of the coal mining bergs back in southern West Virginia. The streets are tight and steep, being built on the hillside. There is a rundown feel to many of the buildings, purposeful I think to maintain the ghost town aura. The variety of shops is quite intriguing. A little bit of everything is on sale here. Jewelry and art dominate the store fronts along with the eateries. We stopped into a selection of stores as we made our way around town. The salsa shop was open; we stopped in to buy a couple bottles of water but unlike our previous visit they were no offering samples today. Too bad as they had some really good stuff.
My phone started ringing a little before 2:00. It was Jeff. He was wondering where we were and if we were going to eat or have a drink or something. I let him know that we were working our way to Vaqueros and to meet us there. As we were approaching our destination we passed Mark and Betty Ann coming up the hill. I asked how they liked their lunch, since we had recommended the place; they both gave Vaqueros an enthusiastic vote of approval. Excellent, I hate to recommend a place then have folks not enjoy the meal, plus that means we should have a good feed as well. Jeff and Jean were waiting for us outside the restaurant. There was a pretty good crowd inside but there were still a few tables available. The guy behind the bar told us to sit anywhere.
This place has such an eclectic décor. Definitely plays homage to the Day of the Dead as well as being over the top in terms of the color scheme. It is a place that you just have to study for a while to appreciate all the details. And we had time to study since the guy behind the bar was apparently the only person in the dining area today; he was the maitre d', server, bar tender, busboy…he was all over the place. His tableside manner was a bit abrupt and slightly surly, but he was on top of, well, everything. Once he got to us he got our drink our out to us pretty quickly. The rest of the group went with margaritas, while I ordered one of the local beers that was on tap, the RoadRash IPA from THAT Brewery out of Pine, Arizona (which is over by Strawberry). Pretty good American IPA. First time that I can remember drinking out of a boot mug. The margs were a hit as well. Lunch was excellent; just as good as I remembered from our first visit back in 2013. I had the Shrimp Diablo Burro, Lynn the steak tacos and Jeff and Jean split a plate of nachos with shredded chicken. It was all excellent. This meal alone was worth the drive to Jerome.
My phone started ringing a little before 2:00. It was Jeff. He was wondering where we were and if we were going to eat or have a drink or something. I let him know that we were working our way to Vaqueros and to meet us there. As we were approaching our destination we passed Mark and Betty Ann coming up the hill. I asked how they liked their lunch, since we had recommended the place; they both gave Vaqueros an enthusiastic vote of approval. Excellent, I hate to recommend a place then have folks not enjoy the meal, plus that means we should have a good feed as well. Jeff and Jean were waiting for us outside the restaurant. There was a pretty good crowd inside but there were still a few tables available. The guy behind the bar told us to sit anywhere.
This place has such an eclectic décor. Definitely plays homage to the Day of the Dead as well as being over the top in terms of the color scheme. It is a place that you just have to study for a while to appreciate all the details. And we had time to study since the guy behind the bar was apparently the only person in the dining area today; he was the maitre d', server, bar tender, busboy…he was all over the place. His tableside manner was a bit abrupt and slightly surly, but he was on top of, well, everything. Once he got to us he got our drink our out to us pretty quickly. The rest of the group went with margaritas, while I ordered one of the local beers that was on tap, the RoadRash IPA from THAT Brewery out of Pine, Arizona (which is over by Strawberry). Pretty good American IPA. First time that I can remember drinking out of a boot mug. The margs were a hit as well. Lunch was excellent; just as good as I remembered from our first visit back in 2013. I had the Shrimp Diablo Burro, Lynn the steak tacos and Jeff and Jean split a plate of nachos with shredded chicken. It was all excellent. This meal alone was worth the drive to Jerome.
After lunch we meandered about the shops of Jerome a bit more before returning to the rendezvous point at 3:00. As predicted, the people watching was prime today. Of course the little town was just full of standard tourists, like us; folks just here to check out the history, the artwork and find a good meal. I reckon that's really what everyone is here for, whether they are a tourist, biker, gearhead or one of the several tattoo-covered kids we saw roaming about. Jerome is the main attraction but we are all part of the show. It is a fun town and has a cool vibe. Regardless of their exterior appearances, everyone seemed to be enjoying the day.
Us House 2 folks were a little early getting back to the meet-up site while the House 1 crew was nowhere in sight. Several of the bikers were warming of their rides, so it was rather noisy in front of the Conner Hotel (not to mention the one bike with the loud alarm that kept sounding), so we continued to look through a few more shops to escape the high decibel count. We ran into David and Cathy coming out of the gelato shop; apparently this is a favorite travel indulgence for David. He was texting a photo to a colleague who also has a fondness for Italian ice cream. Eventually we got the gang all back together. Rather than call the shuttle bus, we decided to walk back to the cars. We left Jeff and Jean in town so save them the effort since we had to drive right back through here. Easy walk from this point to the parking lot at the King Mine (about 0.3 miles). The House 1 crew was going to stop at a grocery store in Cottonwood. Jeff mentioned wanting to check out the Audrey head frame for the copper mines back at the State Historical Park, so we drove back there after we collected him and Jean.
Lynn and I did not stop at the Audrey Shaft during our last visit; I seem to remember that it was not open when we were here then. Glad that Jeff suggested checking it out as it was quite the engineering marvel. Here's the historical background for the signage near the site:
The Audrey Shaft and UVX Operations: State-of-the-art for the time, the Audrey shaft and headframe combination was the largest facility of its kind built by the United Verde Extension (UVX) Company during its years of operation. The shaft was constructed in 1918, only after the location of an extraordinarily rich copper deposit made the investment economically viable. The search for the "bonanza" had not been easy. James S. "Rawhide" Douglas had obtained an option of the company in 1912 and that the mine would never be profitable. Against all odd, Douglas persisted, and finally in December of 1914, with his corporate resources almost exhausted and much to the dismay of the mining world, his crews ran into the incredible deposit. It was not as large as that of United Verde, but it was twice as rich in copper per ton of material. From 1912 to 1916, the price of UVX stock jumped from $0.15 per share to $35.
The Audrey shaft was completed in 1918 as part of a complex operation plan that sought to maximize the amount of high-grade ore extracted, reduce fire risk (a major concern in the sulfur-rich ground), and optimize worker safety. The Daisy shaft was relegated to air supply, while the Edit served as the workhorse for the handling of materials. The Audrey shaft was assigned the task of hauling ore to the surface in its early life, and after 1919, to the 1,100-foot level. It was ten dumped in a specially constructed chute to the 1,300-ftt level where it was transported underground via electric trains to the now Clemenceau smelter, south of what is now "Old Town" in Cottonwood. The mining operation as a whole was considered one of the best designed and safest in America.
The shaft itself is made up of three independent, concrete-lined segments with major horizontal hubs at the 800-, 1,200-, 1,300-, 1,400-, 1,500-, 1,600- and 1,700-foot levels. The headframe consists of a structure of wood beams supporting three sets of pulleys over which cables ran that hoisted cargo cages. Cage guides on the headframe served as transitions from each of the shaft segments to the free air above ground.
The UVX operation in Jerome was concentrated in a fairly small area bordered by the Little Daisy hotel on the hill to the west, serving as a residence for miners, and the Douglas Mansion to the east. A complex of buildings and other structures were clustered next to the Edith and Audrey shafts. These included, among others, a power substation fed by TAPCO (Childs/Irving system), a machine shop, a warehouse, and two office buildings.
During the years from 1919 through 1938, the Audrey headframe lifted more that 3.6 million tons of ore, yielding 320,000 tons of copper, 190 tons of silver and 5.3 tons of gold. The profit was immense, averaging in excess of 70 percent, and continued at this pace until the price of copper fell precipitously in the early stages of the Great Depression.
While we were looking about the headframe area another vehicle pulled in, sort of an old style van. I ended up chatting with the couple from the van. They were from North Carolina. They were from near Mount Airy and they were familiar with my old stomping grounds of southern West Virginia. Good ol' down home folks. We chatted a bit as we looked around the area. I've been away from home too long as I really have to pay attention to understand that upper south twang, but it is always good to hear.
The shaft was covered with a thick sheet of Plexiglas (or some type of transparent material). Nope, not standing on that. Still cool to look down. 1900 feet. That’s a long drop. The marker adjacent to the shaft really puts in perspective. Nearly twice as deep as the Empire State Building is tall. Yikes. Yeah, I'm not standing on the Plexiglas.
Us House 2 folks were a little early getting back to the meet-up site while the House 1 crew was nowhere in sight. Several of the bikers were warming of their rides, so it was rather noisy in front of the Conner Hotel (not to mention the one bike with the loud alarm that kept sounding), so we continued to look through a few more shops to escape the high decibel count. We ran into David and Cathy coming out of the gelato shop; apparently this is a favorite travel indulgence for David. He was texting a photo to a colleague who also has a fondness for Italian ice cream. Eventually we got the gang all back together. Rather than call the shuttle bus, we decided to walk back to the cars. We left Jeff and Jean in town so save them the effort since we had to drive right back through here. Easy walk from this point to the parking lot at the King Mine (about 0.3 miles). The House 1 crew was going to stop at a grocery store in Cottonwood. Jeff mentioned wanting to check out the Audrey head frame for the copper mines back at the State Historical Park, so we drove back there after we collected him and Jean.
Lynn and I did not stop at the Audrey Shaft during our last visit; I seem to remember that it was not open when we were here then. Glad that Jeff suggested checking it out as it was quite the engineering marvel. Here's the historical background for the signage near the site:
The Audrey Shaft and UVX Operations: State-of-the-art for the time, the Audrey shaft and headframe combination was the largest facility of its kind built by the United Verde Extension (UVX) Company during its years of operation. The shaft was constructed in 1918, only after the location of an extraordinarily rich copper deposit made the investment economically viable. The search for the "bonanza" had not been easy. James S. "Rawhide" Douglas had obtained an option of the company in 1912 and that the mine would never be profitable. Against all odd, Douglas persisted, and finally in December of 1914, with his corporate resources almost exhausted and much to the dismay of the mining world, his crews ran into the incredible deposit. It was not as large as that of United Verde, but it was twice as rich in copper per ton of material. From 1912 to 1916, the price of UVX stock jumped from $0.15 per share to $35.
The Audrey shaft was completed in 1918 as part of a complex operation plan that sought to maximize the amount of high-grade ore extracted, reduce fire risk (a major concern in the sulfur-rich ground), and optimize worker safety. The Daisy shaft was relegated to air supply, while the Edit served as the workhorse for the handling of materials. The Audrey shaft was assigned the task of hauling ore to the surface in its early life, and after 1919, to the 1,100-foot level. It was ten dumped in a specially constructed chute to the 1,300-ftt level where it was transported underground via electric trains to the now Clemenceau smelter, south of what is now "Old Town" in Cottonwood. The mining operation as a whole was considered one of the best designed and safest in America.
The shaft itself is made up of three independent, concrete-lined segments with major horizontal hubs at the 800-, 1,200-, 1,300-, 1,400-, 1,500-, 1,600- and 1,700-foot levels. The headframe consists of a structure of wood beams supporting three sets of pulleys over which cables ran that hoisted cargo cages. Cage guides on the headframe served as transitions from each of the shaft segments to the free air above ground.
The UVX operation in Jerome was concentrated in a fairly small area bordered by the Little Daisy hotel on the hill to the west, serving as a residence for miners, and the Douglas Mansion to the east. A complex of buildings and other structures were clustered next to the Edith and Audrey shafts. These included, among others, a power substation fed by TAPCO (Childs/Irving system), a machine shop, a warehouse, and two office buildings.
During the years from 1919 through 1938, the Audrey headframe lifted more that 3.6 million tons of ore, yielding 320,000 tons of copper, 190 tons of silver and 5.3 tons of gold. The profit was immense, averaging in excess of 70 percent, and continued at this pace until the price of copper fell precipitously in the early stages of the Great Depression.
While we were looking about the headframe area another vehicle pulled in, sort of an old style van. I ended up chatting with the couple from the van. They were from North Carolina. They were from near Mount Airy and they were familiar with my old stomping grounds of southern West Virginia. Good ol' down home folks. We chatted a bit as we looked around the area. I've been away from home too long as I really have to pay attention to understand that upper south twang, but it is always good to hear.
The shaft was covered with a thick sheet of Plexiglas (or some type of transparent material). Nope, not standing on that. Still cool to look down. 1900 feet. That’s a long drop. The marker adjacent to the shaft really puts in perspective. Nearly twice as deep as the Empire State Building is tall. Yikes. Yeah, I'm not standing on the Plexiglas.
Not a lot of photos from our day trip to Jerome; here's the link to the gallery.
We opted not to stop in Cottonwood and instead just cruised back to the VOC. Not much in the way of critters, a few Vultures, a hawk, maybe a Red-tail and a Mockingbird. I've been watching for Roadrunners but so far no luck, well other than at the zoo. We made a quick stop at Weber's and were back at house 2 about 4:20. We just had a beer and chilled for a while. We moved the patio chairs around to get into the shade which ended up working out quite well. Lynn spotted a large bird with a white band on its tail while I was inside getting another beer. Not sure what it was, but probably a hawk of some sort but not a Red-tailed. Possibly a Harris' Hawk. We wandered down to house 1 about 6:00 and stayed until nearly 8:30. We talked travel, pro golf tour, AIAA, musicals and plans for tomorrow. The guys are playing golf in the morning and the girls will figure it out as they go. Cathy grilled chicken and made a few sides, but after that large, late lunch at Vaqueros neither Lynn nor I were that hungry. A couple cookies and another beer was more than enough.
We enjoyed the starry night sky on during the short walk home. Very nice evening, with a clear sky so pretty good display of stars. Not great but a lot better than we get back home. I guess there is still just enough light pollution plus some lingering haze from the prescribed fires that were taking place to take the edge off the stars.
Monday, April 9 - Golf, then what? I rolled out of bed about 0530. I've been catnapping since about 0400. Time to get up and ready for the day. I reckon I should shave since we are playing golf at a country club this morning; ought to look semi-presentable.
Breakfast consisted of a stale bagel. I could barely get the knife through it. But once it was toasted it was edible. But I do not think that I'll be eating the remaining one. I took my breakfast out on the back patio at about 0630. Brisk morning but crystal clear sky. Plenty of birds out again. The songbirds are making good use of the feeders and creating a lovely confusion of tunes. Basically the same types as yesterday. A woodpecker of some sort just cruised through. The quail are making their way across the wash, rattling through the dry grass. They just tickle me with their antics as they scurry about the open ground. There's a Scrub Jay squawking about the treasure he just found. Lynn came out to join me. She spotted a Javelina walking across the field on the other side of the wash. Big pig (OK, it's not really a pig, but it sure looks like one). We also saw a little, crested bird near the top of a nearby power pole. I was able to get a good enough image to identify it as a Bridled Titmouse. Hey, that's another new bird for our overall list.
We opted not to stop in Cottonwood and instead just cruised back to the VOC. Not much in the way of critters, a few Vultures, a hawk, maybe a Red-tail and a Mockingbird. I've been watching for Roadrunners but so far no luck, well other than at the zoo. We made a quick stop at Weber's and were back at house 2 about 4:20. We just had a beer and chilled for a while. We moved the patio chairs around to get into the shade which ended up working out quite well. Lynn spotted a large bird with a white band on its tail while I was inside getting another beer. Not sure what it was, but probably a hawk of some sort but not a Red-tailed. Possibly a Harris' Hawk. We wandered down to house 1 about 6:00 and stayed until nearly 8:30. We talked travel, pro golf tour, AIAA, musicals and plans for tomorrow. The guys are playing golf in the morning and the girls will figure it out as they go. Cathy grilled chicken and made a few sides, but after that large, late lunch at Vaqueros neither Lynn nor I were that hungry. A couple cookies and another beer was more than enough.
We enjoyed the starry night sky on during the short walk home. Very nice evening, with a clear sky so pretty good display of stars. Not great but a lot better than we get back home. I guess there is still just enough light pollution plus some lingering haze from the prescribed fires that were taking place to take the edge off the stars.
Monday, April 9 - Golf, then what? I rolled out of bed about 0530. I've been catnapping since about 0400. Time to get up and ready for the day. I reckon I should shave since we are playing golf at a country club this morning; ought to look semi-presentable.
Breakfast consisted of a stale bagel. I could barely get the knife through it. But once it was toasted it was edible. But I do not think that I'll be eating the remaining one. I took my breakfast out on the back patio at about 0630. Brisk morning but crystal clear sky. Plenty of birds out again. The songbirds are making good use of the feeders and creating a lovely confusion of tunes. Basically the same types as yesterday. A woodpecker of some sort just cruised through. The quail are making their way across the wash, rattling through the dry grass. They just tickle me with their antics as they scurry about the open ground. There's a Scrub Jay squawking about the treasure he just found. Lynn came out to join me. She spotted a Javelina walking across the field on the other side of the wash. Big pig (OK, it's not really a pig, but it sure looks like one). We also saw a little, crested bird near the top of a nearby power pole. I was able to get a good enough image to identify it as a Bridled Titmouse. Hey, that's another new bird for our overall list.
OK, this trip was originally the guy's golf outing, so we did plan for a couple rounds of golf during the week. This morning we would make our first ever trip to Oak Creek Country Club. Lynn and I stayed in a VRBO right on the course in 2015 for the UTAH meet-up plus our friends Alex and Frankie live right on the course and are members here, so I've heard a lot about the track. We waited until the last minute to reserve tee-times but had no problems getting the days and times that we wanted. This morning our tee-time was at 8:14. Jeff drove and we picked up the house 1 guys one the way at about 7:20. The club house is just a couple miles away, off the Verde Valley School Road, so we were there in no time. Jeff and Mark brought their clubs along, but David and I decided just to rent at the course. I could have drug mine along since there would have been no baggage charge on Southwest but for two rounds of golf it just was not worth the hassle. Besides, I have not played since the golf trip last year, so having my clubs over rentals will probably not make much difference.
Not too crowded this morning, but there were still several members on the range and practice green getting ready for their morning rounds. We were quickly checked in and David and I had our loaner clubs. These look just as good as any clubs. How do these work again? I think I hold the skinny end and attempt to smite the ball with the flat part. I'll figure it out. Range balls are included in the price of admission, so we'll get a little warm up. That sounded like a good plan but I aggravated my back while at the range. Perfect timing. But the good news is that I was able to hold it together for the round. I popped a couple pain killers that Mark had, so that probably helped. Let's see, rental clubs, sore back, never played this course; the line-up of golfing excuses is growing.
Not too crowded this morning, but there were still several members on the range and practice green getting ready for their morning rounds. We were quickly checked in and David and I had our loaner clubs. These look just as good as any clubs. How do these work again? I think I hold the skinny end and attempt to smite the ball with the flat part. I'll figure it out. Range balls are included in the price of admission, so we'll get a little warm up. That sounded like a good plan but I aggravated my back while at the range. Perfect timing. But the good news is that I was able to hold it together for the round. I popped a couple pain killers that Mark had, so that probably helped. Let's see, rental clubs, sore back, never played this course; the line-up of golfing excuses is growing.
Even though my back was tender, we had a great day on the links and we all really liked Oak Creek Country Club. We had ideal conditions for golf under a clear blue sky, no wind and very comfortable temperatures. The course is very playable and forgiving with ample room off the tee. More of a park course like we see back east, certainly not the desert target courses that we are used to around Phoenix. Pretty setting but not the huge vistas or dramatic views we see at Sedona Golf Resort. The overall consensus is that Oak Creek is a keeper, and is a great track for our level of golf. We played from the white tees to make the round more fun and keep our pace of play moving along. I was able to wrangle the guys together for a team photo on number 10 tee-box, our first hole for the day. Jeff and I rode together today. The pace of play was fine. We kept up with the threesome in front of us, actually had to wait on them a few times, mostly at the par 3s, and I don't think the group behind us ever had much of a delay. The course was in great shape from tee to green. And the red rock views were great. Not a lot of wildlife out this morning, just a few gone birds and some squirrels. There were some really nice houses lining several of the fairways. I pointed out Alex's and Frankie's place as well as the VRBO we rented in 2016.
This was a relaxed day on the course. We all out here just to have fun and enjoy the round. No one is worried about the score. There is no money on the line. This is just about hanging out with the guys. So we'll all take a mulligan or three off the tee, maybe re-hit a chunked chip and the gimme putts get longer as the round goes on. But we all had our moments of brilliance, with an occasional great drive or nice approach. Mark hit the ball well all day. He shot 80 including a one-over-par on the second nine. Jeff recorded the only birdie of the day on his way to an 83. David and I were both able to keep our scores under 100, so I'll call that a win. Plus no one lost a ball. Overall a good day on the course.
This was a relaxed day on the course. We all out here just to have fun and enjoy the round. No one is worried about the score. There is no money on the line. This is just about hanging out with the guys. So we'll all take a mulligan or three off the tee, maybe re-hit a chunked chip and the gimme putts get longer as the round goes on. But we all had our moments of brilliance, with an occasional great drive or nice approach. Mark hit the ball well all day. He shot 80 including a one-over-par on the second nine. Jeff recorded the only birdie of the day on his way to an 83. David and I were both able to keep our scores under 100, so I'll call that a win. Plus no one lost a ball. Overall a good day on the course.
When we were done at the course, we got in touch with the girls. They were out shopping, currently at Tlaquepaque Arts & Crafts Village. Timing was good to meet for lunch and they suggested Red Rock Café. I was thinking Oak Creek Brewing since the girls were already at Tlaquepaque...oh well. But Red Rock was close by (next to Weber's, so just around the corner from the golf course) and turned out to be a decent little diner for soup and sandwiches. Unfortunately their beer selection was horrid, so I drank aqua. No beer is better than bad beer.
After lunch, we stopped at Sedona Golf Resort to change the Thursday tee-time to Friday. The earliest we could get was 10:15 but we took it. The girls went with us so they could see the views from the clubhouse. If we knew we were going to make this stop, we should have just come here for lunch; nice view and good food plus they have better beer.
After lunch, we stopped at Sedona Golf Resort to change the Thursday tee-time to Friday. The earliest we could get was 10:15 but we took it. The girls went with us so they could see the views from the clubhouse. If we knew we were going to make this stop, we should have just come here for lunch; nice view and good food plus they have better beer.
Back at house 2, we have no real plans for the afternoon until dinner. Lynn suggested that we take a drive out to Garlands. OK, I know we have to go some time during our visit, so now is as good a time as any. Jeff and Jean decided to tag along. The more the merrier. Traffic was light going up 179 then through Uptown Sedona. I was expecting major slowdowns. We even snagged a prime parking spot when we got to Garlands. Lynn perused the wares in the shop but did not find anything that really spoke to her, so we left empty handed. OK, we still have some time to kill and we're already this far up Oak Creek Canyon so we decided to give Jeff and Jean a little tour since they have not been up this way. We drove up to Slide Rock State Park and took a short walk through the historic area and along the trail above the creek. Lots of folks here today, even though it was now past mid-afternoon. Lots of kids arrayed along the "beach" lining the creek. Looks like a good time is being had by all. There were a few folks hanging out up here along the trail. Turns out that dogs are not allowed down by the creek so if you are bringing your pooch you stay up here on the high ground.
We were back at house 2, beer in hand, about 4:15. We walked down to house 1 just a few minutes later to work out dinner plans. David made reservations at the Hideaway House for 6:00. That gives us all just enough time to get cleaned up. Not much in the way of parking at the Hideaway House, so I dropped Jeff and Jean at the door and Lynn and I went off in search of a roost for the Rogue. We had to drive into Uptown a short distance, but found a spot off one of the side streets near the fire station. Maybe a 5 minute walk back to the restaurant with the plus that we got to enjoy the red rock views that included Snoopy and Lucy.
We were back at house 2, beer in hand, about 4:15. We walked down to house 1 just a few minutes later to work out dinner plans. David made reservations at the Hideaway House for 6:00. That gives us all just enough time to get cleaned up. Not much in the way of parking at the Hideaway House, so I dropped Jeff and Jean at the door and Lynn and I went off in search of a roost for the Rogue. We had to drive into Uptown a short distance, but found a spot off one of the side streets near the fire station. Maybe a 5 minute walk back to the restaurant with the plus that we got to enjoy the red rock views that included Snoopy and Lucy.
This is handy, an informational sign posted at the scenic vista overlook telling us about the Javelina. We had this debate during our last visit, what exactly are these critters? The heading on the sign was “Javelina….none of the above!” which seemed appropriate. Here what we learned:
Pig…wild hog…giant rodent…what is it! None of the above, the JAVELINA (also known as “Collared Peccary”) is unique. From within the order of mammals, “Artiodactyla,” which includes deer, antelope and hippopotamus, Javelina diverged as a distinct family 38 million years ago. Javelina migrated from South America to Arizona in the eighteenth century. Adaptable and strong, they now range from the rain forests of Peru through the deserts of several southwestern states. Social animals, they often parade through Sedona’s backyards by the dozens, feasting on birdseed as well as various animals, insects, plants and prickly pear cactus. Nearsighted, they rely on as acute sense of smell and they warn with their own pungent odor. Playful with each other and generally non-aggressive toward humans, Javelina still can be dangerous. They may appear awkward, but Javelina are surprisingly agile and fast. They may seem shy and skittish, but Javelina are territorial and protective; threatened, they can quickly turn and attack. Seeing a Javelina is a real treat; admire this special Sedona treasure…but at a safe distance.
Once back at Hideaway House we found the rest of the gang had been seated out on the deck. Nice setting but no view (we later found out that there were plenty of other tables available around the corner of the terrace that would have provided nice views, so that was a bit of a disappointment). Just a nice, relaxed dinner; good company and decent food. Lynn had lasagna and I had a pizza with sliced meatballs and mushrooms. They had nothing spicy on the pizza topping options. C'mon, this is the southwest, at least have some banana pepper rings or a shaker of pepper seeds. But even without the heat the pizza was still tasty and went well with the Oak Creek IPA. Over dinner we worked out the plans for tomorrow. Half of the group (Jeff, Jean, David and Cathy) will be heading to the Grand Canyon. The rest of us will hike to Chicken Point. We finally agreed on 0830 for our departure time. Turns out that Mark has friends in driving through town tomorrow so they plan is to meet them for lunch. I texted Beth and she and Tommy will also join us. We'll converge at Oak Creek Brewing in Tlaquepaque at noon.
We were home a little after 8:00 PM. Lynn and I did a little star gazing from the back patio. Again the view was decent but still too much ambient light for a really dark sky. We called it a day at 8:45.
Pig…wild hog…giant rodent…what is it! None of the above, the JAVELINA (also known as “Collared Peccary”) is unique. From within the order of mammals, “Artiodactyla,” which includes deer, antelope and hippopotamus, Javelina diverged as a distinct family 38 million years ago. Javelina migrated from South America to Arizona in the eighteenth century. Adaptable and strong, they now range from the rain forests of Peru through the deserts of several southwestern states. Social animals, they often parade through Sedona’s backyards by the dozens, feasting on birdseed as well as various animals, insects, plants and prickly pear cactus. Nearsighted, they rely on as acute sense of smell and they warn with their own pungent odor. Playful with each other and generally non-aggressive toward humans, Javelina still can be dangerous. They may appear awkward, but Javelina are surprisingly agile and fast. They may seem shy and skittish, but Javelina are territorial and protective; threatened, they can quickly turn and attack. Seeing a Javelina is a real treat; admire this special Sedona treasure…but at a safe distance.
Once back at Hideaway House we found the rest of the gang had been seated out on the deck. Nice setting but no view (we later found out that there were plenty of other tables available around the corner of the terrace that would have provided nice views, so that was a bit of a disappointment). Just a nice, relaxed dinner; good company and decent food. Lynn had lasagna and I had a pizza with sliced meatballs and mushrooms. They had nothing spicy on the pizza topping options. C'mon, this is the southwest, at least have some banana pepper rings or a shaker of pepper seeds. But even without the heat the pizza was still tasty and went well with the Oak Creek IPA. Over dinner we worked out the plans for tomorrow. Half of the group (Jeff, Jean, David and Cathy) will be heading to the Grand Canyon. The rest of us will hike to Chicken Point. We finally agreed on 0830 for our departure time. Turns out that Mark has friends in driving through town tomorrow so they plan is to meet them for lunch. I texted Beth and she and Tommy will also join us. We'll converge at Oak Creek Brewing in Tlaquepaque at noon.
We were home a little after 8:00 PM. Lynn and I did a little star gazing from the back patio. Again the view was decent but still too much ambient light for a really dark sky. We called it a day at 8:45.
Tuesday, April 10 - Little Horse Trail. Up early again, about 5:30 (well, it is early local time at least). I had a couple business emails and phone calls to take care of but that was quickly completed so I'm done with work stuff or the day (actually that is all that I had scheduled to address in terms of work stuff so I should be done for the rest of the trip). I spent much of the morning out on the back patio. Lovely colors for sunrise today. It was brisk when I first went out, with the temperature at about 55 F, but it was warming up nicely. Looks like a great day for a hike. Plenty of birds out at the feeders. All the usual suspects. Lots of hummers buzzing about this morning. They are very territorial little dynamos and seem to be constantly chasing each other. Of course it is spring as well, so some of the frenetic behavior maybe be trying to chase down a girlfriend. Whatever the reason, they are fun to watch but next to impossible to photograph. Jeff and Jean left about 0735 for their trip to the Grand Canyon with David and Cathy. Lynn and I still had nearly an hour to chill before collecting Mark and Betty Ann for our hike.
Based on our previous visit to Sedona over Thanksgiving in 2016, I was a little worried about getting a late start for the hike as parking at the trailhead tends to fill early. But today there was no problem as there was plenty of parking at the Little Horse Trailhead lot when we arrived about 8:40. We got geared up and I started our track on Ramblr at 0847.
Ideal day for a hike in Red Rock Country. Mark and Betty Ann are hikers as well, so we moved along at a good pace. But they are hikers just like Lynn and me, that is they like to stop and enjoy the views and look at the details along the trail. One thing that they do a better job of than Lynn and me is getting photos that include themselves. Their new pose is the "thumbs -up" which is exactly what it sounds like and is their happy salute to retirement since Betty Ann just retired and Mark's last day is at the end of April. Good on them! Lynn and I will be there soon.
Based on our previous visit to Sedona over Thanksgiving in 2016, I was a little worried about getting a late start for the hike as parking at the trailhead tends to fill early. But today there was no problem as there was plenty of parking at the Little Horse Trailhead lot when we arrived about 8:40. We got geared up and I started our track on Ramblr at 0847.
Ideal day for a hike in Red Rock Country. Mark and Betty Ann are hikers as well, so we moved along at a good pace. But they are hikers just like Lynn and me, that is they like to stop and enjoy the views and look at the details along the trail. One thing that they do a better job of than Lynn and me is getting photos that include themselves. Their new pose is the "thumbs -up" which is exactly what it sounds like and is their happy salute to retirement since Betty Ann just retired and Mark's last day is at the end of April. Good on them! Lynn and I will be there soon.
This is just a great hike, one of my favorites in the Sedona area. Lynn and I first made this hike on Thanksgiving Day during our last visit here in 2016. There are wonderful views all along the trail. I told Mark that this is one of those trails that every ten yards you will need to stop for a photo. And we did stop quite often. There are nice views of Cathedral Rock along the early part of the trail then again as the trail climbs up to the twin formations known as The Nuns. The Nuns tower over the trail for the entire hike and provide an easy guiding mark for where we are headed. Plus they are very willing to pose for portraits. The same is not true for the wildlife. Not that we saw a lot along the trail today, but mostly the critters were gone birds and lizards that scurried quickly out of sight (so I reckon these would be "gone reptiles"!). I did manage a few critter photos. Early on there was a little grey bird sitting in a dead snag that I later identified as a Rufous-crowned Sparrow, a new addition to our overall sightings list.
The Chapel of the Holy Cross was in view off to our left. We noted the intersection with the trail that leads over to the Chapel figuring that we might make that detour on our return. We'll figure that out on the way back.
While the views are amazing along every step of this trail, the real payoff is at the end of the hike at Chicken Point. This is the high point of the trail and offers wonderful views in all directions. Once we wound our way through the final turn of the trail we were on the red rock table directly behind The Nuns and a cool set of hoodoos. There were a couple of Pink Jeeps parked in the area and a couple dozen tourists meandering about snapping pics. We did the same. I finally got an opportunity to use the new gimbal attachment for my Gorillapod to take a couple of group photos of our little hiking crew. Fortunately there is a conveniently situated boulder that we used as a platform first for the camera then as a place to pose with the red hoodoos as our background. Mark and Betty Ann are taking "thumbs-up" images to celebrate their retirements, so we got one with that theme as well.
While here at the end of the Little Horse Trail we chatted with a couple folks including a local lady who was just tickled to be back out on the trail. She was, well, let's just say well past retirement age and lives over near the Chapel of the Holy Cross. She was telling us that she is just getting back out on the trail after getting her new hip. Three months since the surgery and she is back out hiking. Hat's off to her!
There was more traffic today than when we hiked here on Thanksgiving Day. Not being a holiday and the slightly later starting time probably both contributed to the higher traffic, but still the neither the trail nor the vantage point here were that packed. More mountain bikers on the trail today, and a couple of them were up on the rock formation that made the foundation for The Nuns. They were sizing up trying to ride around the formation along one of the white lines the circled around the base. The lighter rings reminded be of the contour lines on a map, but they led quickly to some very steep and significant drop-offs. No place to be attempting to ride a bike in my opinion. Were we about to witness a colossal stupid-people trick? They dismounted and walked along their intended path for a bit, discussed their options, got back on their bikes and…retreated. Maybe that's why this place is called Chicken Point. But that was the smart move; sense is getting killed. Yep, watching the people is often just as interesting as enjoying the scenery or finding critters.
The Chapel of the Holy Cross was in view off to our left. We noted the intersection with the trail that leads over to the Chapel figuring that we might make that detour on our return. We'll figure that out on the way back.
While the views are amazing along every step of this trail, the real payoff is at the end of the hike at Chicken Point. This is the high point of the trail and offers wonderful views in all directions. Once we wound our way through the final turn of the trail we were on the red rock table directly behind The Nuns and a cool set of hoodoos. There were a couple of Pink Jeeps parked in the area and a couple dozen tourists meandering about snapping pics. We did the same. I finally got an opportunity to use the new gimbal attachment for my Gorillapod to take a couple of group photos of our little hiking crew. Fortunately there is a conveniently situated boulder that we used as a platform first for the camera then as a place to pose with the red hoodoos as our background. Mark and Betty Ann are taking "thumbs-up" images to celebrate their retirements, so we got one with that theme as well.
While here at the end of the Little Horse Trail we chatted with a couple folks including a local lady who was just tickled to be back out on the trail. She was, well, let's just say well past retirement age and lives over near the Chapel of the Holy Cross. She was telling us that she is just getting back out on the trail after getting her new hip. Three months since the surgery and she is back out hiking. Hat's off to her!
There was more traffic today than when we hiked here on Thanksgiving Day. Not being a holiday and the slightly later starting time probably both contributed to the higher traffic, but still the neither the trail nor the vantage point here were that packed. More mountain bikers on the trail today, and a couple of them were up on the rock formation that made the foundation for The Nuns. They were sizing up trying to ride around the formation along one of the white lines the circled around the base. The lighter rings reminded be of the contour lines on a map, but they led quickly to some very steep and significant drop-offs. No place to be attempting to ride a bike in my opinion. Were we about to witness a colossal stupid-people trick? They dismounted and walked along their intended path for a bit, discussed their options, got back on their bikes and…retreated. Maybe that's why this place is called Chicken Point. But that was the smart move; sense is getting killed. Yep, watching the people is often just as interesting as enjoying the scenery or finding critters.
We did not linger long at Chicken Point and retraced our steps back down the Little Horse Trail. There were more folks coming up the trail. Most everyone was chipper and had a cheerful greeting as they passed by. The bikers were all courteous and tried to provide some warning of their approach. Little Horse certainly gets a high Friendliness rating. Lynn and Betty Ann were leading the way while Mark and I were following and taking a few photos as we descending the trail. Good thing that Mark was paying attention as the girls and I zipped right on by the spur trail leading to the Chapel. We're here so let's take the side trip and check out the church. This trail looks like it should be fairly flat from Little Horse over to the Chapel but it is a little deceiving with ups and downs as it follows the contours of the terrain below The Nuns. But it was worth the time and effort. We spotted a few lizards, including one that was well over a foot long, but most fell into the gone reptile category.
The trail dumped us out in the parking area below the Chapel. There was a wood fence along the edge of the parking was sort of odd, but there was a door that allowed to go right through. The lot was jammed with cars and there were a few folks walking up to the Chapel. We made our way up the winding concrete walk to the chapel to take in the views. The area right around the little church was packed with tourists and there were many inside as well. I just took in the views from outside. We didn't stick around too long as we were getting close to lunch time and we had places to be. But we still had an enjoyable hike back to the trailhead. We spotted a tiny hummingbird not long after getting back on the trail. It would not pose for a portrait so I have no idea what type of hummer it was. We also ran into Hip-replacement Lady taking a break along the trail. She had run out of water and her husband had gone on ahead to bring some back for her. I thought I recognized him back along the trail. She said they live near the Chapel so he'll be back soon and she will be fine, so we said goodbye and kept on hiking.
The trail dumped us out in the parking area below the Chapel. There was a wood fence along the edge of the parking was sort of odd, but there was a door that allowed to go right through. The lot was jammed with cars and there were a few folks walking up to the Chapel. We made our way up the winding concrete walk to the chapel to take in the views. The area right around the little church was packed with tourists and there were many inside as well. I just took in the views from outside. We didn't stick around too long as we were getting close to lunch time and we had places to be. But we still had an enjoyable hike back to the trailhead. We spotted a tiny hummingbird not long after getting back on the trail. It would not pose for a portrait so I have no idea what type of hummer it was. We also ran into Hip-replacement Lady taking a break along the trail. She had run out of water and her husband had gone on ahead to bring some back for her. I thought I recognized him back along the trail. She said they live near the Chapel so he'll be back soon and she will be fine, so we said goodbye and kept on hiking.
We were back at the trailhead just before noon. It took us just over 3 hours to cover the 5.5 miles on the trail, but this was time very well spent as this is just a great hike. Here's the link to photos from our hike along the Little Horse Trail. But we were already running late for lunch. I texted Beth to let her know we were on our way. No worries, they were still enroute as well. I think we all sort of arrived at Tlaquepaque about the same time. We caught up with Beth and Tommy walking up to the second floor entrance of the brew pub. Mark's friends, Jack and Jennie got there just before us and were already at a table in the pub waiting for us. Introductions, hugs and handshakes all around then we settled in at the table. The IPA de jour was the Snake Charmer. I've had this one at least once before, and recalled it was pretty tasty. A well-deserved reward following a morning on the trail. I also figured that I had earned a burger based on the hike. Just feels right. And Oak Creek had the perfect option for me, the El Fantasma; ghost pepper jack cheese, Hatch peppers, pineapple salsa. Yep that should do nicely. WOW! What an amazing collection of flavors and heat. A lot of heat. It was killer! That is definitely a two pint burger. Good thing that Oak Creek has a better than average IPA (I rated the Snake Charmer a 4.0 on untappd.com). The fries were great as well; nice seasoning. Overall it was a great time relaxing and visiting with friends.
Somewhere in the mix I caught a text from Jeff. Their morning was not going as smoothly as ours. They got as far as Flagstaff where they were having breakfast when Cathy got to feeling ill, so they had to scrap the Grand Canyon excursion and were on the way back to Sedona. We did later find out that they at least found a great place for breakfast in Flag, a place called Northern Pines. We'll keep that in mind for future reference.
After lunch we looked about Tlaquepaque a bit before heading back to the rental houses. After dropping Mark and Betty Ann at house 1, Lynn and I ditched our gear at house 2. We decided to take a turn around Uptown Sedona (hey, she likes the shops and I like to watch the tourists, so not a bad way to spend a couple hours). We parked in the public lot behind the Matterhorn Hotel and made a lap around through the shops along the main drag. We walked through Lynn's favorite shops and galleries, starting in the Sedona Arts Center. There is really quite a nice assortment of beautiful pieces here, the landscape photos and the paintings of various southwest subjects are my favs. We trudged through several more shops, primarily at Lynn's discretion. I'll often just stay outside the shop and let her browse in peace. But she's quick and can size up a store, moving through each one in short order. The only store I went in was the Life is Good place in search of a hat. Alas there was nothing that caught my eye. While Lynn is interested in the better quality shops, the touristy gift shops often provide a chuckle from the cartoons on the tee-shirts. One in particular caught my eye as it was spoofing the stick-figure families often adorning minivans and SUVs. We were able to avoid the sidewalk vendors trying to sell Jeep tours and horseback rides, but we could not resist one very overt selling technique. Near the end of our lap we were walking past one nondescript storefront when we were attacked by the most delicious aroma. Oh, deep breath and drink that in! Chocolate! We were right by The Sedona Fudge Company and they must have been venting the smells from making their fudge directly out to the sidewalk. Now that's just not fair, but it was certainly effective. Lynn's olfactory sense were also on alert and we were both drawn into the shop. This is great! We left with a nice size slab of dark chocolate fudge, big enough for sharing with the gang.
Somewhere in the mix I caught a text from Jeff. Their morning was not going as smoothly as ours. They got as far as Flagstaff where they were having breakfast when Cathy got to feeling ill, so they had to scrap the Grand Canyon excursion and were on the way back to Sedona. We did later find out that they at least found a great place for breakfast in Flag, a place called Northern Pines. We'll keep that in mind for future reference.
After lunch we looked about Tlaquepaque a bit before heading back to the rental houses. After dropping Mark and Betty Ann at house 1, Lynn and I ditched our gear at house 2. We decided to take a turn around Uptown Sedona (hey, she likes the shops and I like to watch the tourists, so not a bad way to spend a couple hours). We parked in the public lot behind the Matterhorn Hotel and made a lap around through the shops along the main drag. We walked through Lynn's favorite shops and galleries, starting in the Sedona Arts Center. There is really quite a nice assortment of beautiful pieces here, the landscape photos and the paintings of various southwest subjects are my favs. We trudged through several more shops, primarily at Lynn's discretion. I'll often just stay outside the shop and let her browse in peace. But she's quick and can size up a store, moving through each one in short order. The only store I went in was the Life is Good place in search of a hat. Alas there was nothing that caught my eye. While Lynn is interested in the better quality shops, the touristy gift shops often provide a chuckle from the cartoons on the tee-shirts. One in particular caught my eye as it was spoofing the stick-figure families often adorning minivans and SUVs. We were able to avoid the sidewalk vendors trying to sell Jeep tours and horseback rides, but we could not resist one very overt selling technique. Near the end of our lap we were walking past one nondescript storefront when we were attacked by the most delicious aroma. Oh, deep breath and drink that in! Chocolate! We were right by The Sedona Fudge Company and they must have been venting the smells from making their fudge directly out to the sidewalk. Now that's just not fair, but it was certainly effective. Lynn's olfactory sense were also on alert and we were both drawn into the shop. This is great! We left with a nice size slab of dark chocolate fudge, big enough for sharing with the gang.
We made a run out to Basha's before returning to the house; just some basic breakfast supplies and more questionable beer for Jeff. I will give him credit though; while he continues to drink the mass produced swill like Bud Light and other "sex in a canoe" beers, he is willing to sample the craft beers that I bring home. Maybe there is hope for him.
Once back home, we started texting with the House 1 crew about dinner. Cathy was feeling better but we figured we should keep things simple tonight. First option was the Corner Table, since it is close and we know the menu. David called for a reservation but they are closed this evening (not their usual schedule; turns out they are cleaning the floors or doing some similar maintenance task). OK, how about carryout pizza? That should work. So we convened at House 1 and worked out the details. There were a couple choices here in the Village of Oak creek but we decided on Pago's Pizzeria and Italian Restaurant based on the TripAdvisor and Yelp reviews. Excellent choice! We got a couple different mixes of toppings, so something for everyone. The Sicilian crust was great. There were no leftovers tonight. The conversation here in the enclosed patio of house 1 again meandered through a variety of topics although musicals and plays seemed to be at the top of the list for a while. That's not a subject in which I am well versed. We also finalized our plans for tomorrow. Most of us are going on the vortex tour. Mark and Betty Ann are hiking so Lynn and I gave them a few options. Sounds like they will try the Bell Rock Loop. The party broke up about 8:30. Nice stars out tonight. We marveled at the night sky for a few minutes then called it a day.
Wednesday, April 11 - Vortex Tour then a Hike. I was awake at 0530. I worked through a few emails, got mostly ready for the day and then went downstairs for a bagel at about 6:15. I took my breakfast out to the patio. Blue sky again but brisk like yesterday. The birds are hard at work. A Scrub Jay was chasing everyone. The hummers arrived a little after 7:00, once the sun was really starting to warm the backyard. These little dudes are very territorial, chasing and fussing at each other and any other bird in the area. They are too small and moving too fast to get any decent photos, but one did have a bright red throat. Guessing that was an Anna's. A woodpecker flew in for breakfast at the neighbor’s feeder; I got a couple nice images of him on the suet. I later identified it as a Ladder-backed Woodpecker, so another new bird for the list. A very blue bird also came quickly cruising through; that may have been a Mountain Bluebird since it was white underneath.
Lynn was enjoying some solitude on the upstairs balcony. I joined her there to get my morning photo of the red rock view. There were good bird sightings here as well, the best being a Loggerhead Shrike that was more than willing to pose for the camera.
Once back home, we started texting with the House 1 crew about dinner. Cathy was feeling better but we figured we should keep things simple tonight. First option was the Corner Table, since it is close and we know the menu. David called for a reservation but they are closed this evening (not their usual schedule; turns out they are cleaning the floors or doing some similar maintenance task). OK, how about carryout pizza? That should work. So we convened at House 1 and worked out the details. There were a couple choices here in the Village of Oak creek but we decided on Pago's Pizzeria and Italian Restaurant based on the TripAdvisor and Yelp reviews. Excellent choice! We got a couple different mixes of toppings, so something for everyone. The Sicilian crust was great. There were no leftovers tonight. The conversation here in the enclosed patio of house 1 again meandered through a variety of topics although musicals and plays seemed to be at the top of the list for a while. That's not a subject in which I am well versed. We also finalized our plans for tomorrow. Most of us are going on the vortex tour. Mark and Betty Ann are hiking so Lynn and I gave them a few options. Sounds like they will try the Bell Rock Loop. The party broke up about 8:30. Nice stars out tonight. We marveled at the night sky for a few minutes then called it a day.
Wednesday, April 11 - Vortex Tour then a Hike. I was awake at 0530. I worked through a few emails, got mostly ready for the day and then went downstairs for a bagel at about 6:15. I took my breakfast out to the patio. Blue sky again but brisk like yesterday. The birds are hard at work. A Scrub Jay was chasing everyone. The hummers arrived a little after 7:00, once the sun was really starting to warm the backyard. These little dudes are very territorial, chasing and fussing at each other and any other bird in the area. They are too small and moving too fast to get any decent photos, but one did have a bright red throat. Guessing that was an Anna's. A woodpecker flew in for breakfast at the neighbor’s feeder; I got a couple nice images of him on the suet. I later identified it as a Ladder-backed Woodpecker, so another new bird for the list. A very blue bird also came quickly cruising through; that may have been a Mountain Bluebird since it was white underneath.
Lynn was enjoying some solitude on the upstairs balcony. I joined her there to get my morning photo of the red rock view. There were good bird sightings here as well, the best being a Loggerhead Shrike that was more than willing to pose for the camera.
At 8:20 or so we were loaded up and rolling toward the meeting spot at Basha's in west Sedona. This is where our tour was set to begin. We eventually caught up with David and Cathy who had connected with our guide for the day, Miguel. Nice kid. We were quickly organized and loaded into his SUV. There was just enough room for the seven of us.
Miguel toured us through three locations, starting at Airport Mesa where he provided more of the background on why this area is believed to have special powers. That all dealt with the type of rock, the magnetic lines, etc. This part of the tour was what I was expecting, more of a historical and educational perspective about the energy that supposedly emanates from the earth here in Sedona. He pointed out some of the key features that tie into this energy, including the lines that run from point-to-point and the intersection of these lines. Those intersection points were of particular importance for the folks who believe in the spiritual connections to the vortexes and their energy. OK, that's all fine. For me, the high light were the panoramic views of the red rocks arrayed north of Sedona.
Miguel toured us through three locations, starting at Airport Mesa where he provided more of the background on why this area is believed to have special powers. That all dealt with the type of rock, the magnetic lines, etc. This part of the tour was what I was expecting, more of a historical and educational perspective about the energy that supposedly emanates from the earth here in Sedona. He pointed out some of the key features that tie into this energy, including the lines that run from point-to-point and the intersection of these lines. Those intersection points were of particular importance for the folks who believe in the spiritual connections to the vortexes and their energy. OK, that's all fine. For me, the high light were the panoramic views of the red rocks arrayed north of Sedona.
The content of our next two stops changed from informational to more "spiritual." The first stop was near the water tank below Coffeepot Rock. This is a point where two of the main energy lines intersect. We took a short walk along a trail to a point just above a small alcove. Miguel indicated that this alcove was used by Native Americans as a shelter. He gave us some more background but also led us through some exercises to try to feel and focus the energy. OK, open mind…besides I've already paid for this excursion so what the hell. So he put us through some exercises that put me in mind of Balthazar (Nicholas Cage) trying to teach Dave how to create energy balls is The Sorcerer's Apprentice. But it was a very pretty location and there were trails in the area, so another item to log for future use. For me the best part of this little stop, in addition to the view, was getting a couple decent bird sightings, including a good image of a Brown-crested Flycatcher, another new additional to the overall list.
Our final stop was at the Amitabha Stupa and Peace Park. What an eclectic place this is. I had no idea such a place existed in Sedona, but I guess I should not be surprised given the interest in the energy and spiritual flavor of the area. There were a fair number of people in the park, some were just tourists but most seemed to be here to mediate and reflect. Miguel had two main places to show us, the Stupa and the Medicine Wheel.
We started and ended our time at the Peace Park at the Stupa. According to the signage, "Stupas are beacons of compassion that multiply and broadcast the power of prayer. Stupas are considered to be the very embodiment of all the Buddha's wisdom and compassion in the world." The structure itself is filled with "millions of prayers, as well as holy texts and sacred objects."
We spent most of our time at the Medicine Wheel. While the Stupa was tied to Buddhism, the Medicine Wheel seems to have its roots in Native American beliefs and customs. A medicine wheel is defined as "a stone circle built by North American Indians, believed to have religious, astronomical, territorial, or calendrical significance." OK, that fits the story that Miguel has told us. He led us through an actual ritual in the medicine wheel. Miguel was singing, we were shaking rattles or clacking rocks as we marched around the circle. I'll just chalk this up to an educational experience in terms of how the Native Americans use such a place.
Our final stop was at the Amitabha Stupa and Peace Park. What an eclectic place this is. I had no idea such a place existed in Sedona, but I guess I should not be surprised given the interest in the energy and spiritual flavor of the area. There were a fair number of people in the park, some were just tourists but most seemed to be here to mediate and reflect. Miguel had two main places to show us, the Stupa and the Medicine Wheel.
We started and ended our time at the Peace Park at the Stupa. According to the signage, "Stupas are beacons of compassion that multiply and broadcast the power of prayer. Stupas are considered to be the very embodiment of all the Buddha's wisdom and compassion in the world." The structure itself is filled with "millions of prayers, as well as holy texts and sacred objects."
We spent most of our time at the Medicine Wheel. While the Stupa was tied to Buddhism, the Medicine Wheel seems to have its roots in Native American beliefs and customs. A medicine wheel is defined as "a stone circle built by North American Indians, believed to have religious, astronomical, territorial, or calendrical significance." OK, that fits the story that Miguel has told us. He led us through an actual ritual in the medicine wheel. Miguel was singing, we were shaking rattles or clacking rocks as we marched around the circle. I'll just chalk this up to an educational experience in terms of how the Native Americans use such a place.
After completing the ritual at the medicine wheel and making a final stop at the Stupa, we loaded back into Miguel's vehicle and headed back to Basha's. We said our farewells to Miguel then headed back to the houses to regroup for the afternoon. Here are a few photos from the vortex tour. Lynn and I opted to get a hike in this afternoon. The rest of the gang was going for lunch at Miley's, so this gave Lynn and me some time on the trail for just the two of us. We decided to try the Bell Rock Loop, if there was parking available at the trailhead. But first we had a little quiet time on our upstairs balcony, just us, a couple beers, the view and the birds. I think we both needed to work through our existential excursion of this morning. The beer was very helpful in that regard. For the record, I had a Tail Chaser IPA from Sleepy Dog Brewing. The can stated 50.2 IBU. Nice bite for a low IBU IPA.
It was now a little after 2:00 and time to hit the trail. I was thinking that we were going to get shut out in terms of parking at the Bell Rock Trailhead based on our experience during our last visit. You have to get to the popular trails early in order to secure parking. But surprisingly there was plenty of space at the Bell Rock parking area. I guess we're going to have the trail pretty much to ourselves today. We got our packs, hats and cameras and I started recording our hiking track about 2:15.
Perfect day to be out on the trail. Even though it was mid-afternoon, the temperature was very pleasant under a nearly cloudless azure sky. We hiked the exact route that we did back in 2016, taking the Big Park Trail wide out around the main formations and continuing counterclockwise along the Courthouse Butte and Bell Rock Trails to make the loop (there are a maze of trails in this area, just crisscrossing the landscape, but there are plenty of trail markers and maps posted so no way to get really lost). We focused more on the hike and chatting today and less on photos, although I think I got a few good shots. Not much in the way of critters, just a few gone birds and a lizard or two. The most interesting animal sighting was on the backside of Courthouse Butte when we saw a couple ladies on horseback. I broke the ice by complimenting the one rider on her hat; basically a standard helmet for trail riding but it had a wide, snap-on brim that was perfect for the sun here in Sedona. They were just stopped along the side of the trail enjoying the view so I knew that we would be stopping to pet noses, as long as the riders said that was OK. And it was. We chatted with them a few minutes. They were locals. I mentioned that I was surprised that the trailhead parking was not packed this late in the afternoon to which they replied that we just missed the hordes of tourists out for spring break. It had been crazy crowded in Sedona the past two weeks. Seems our timing was perfect. Well, that was just pure dumb luck (5 points for Gryffindor!) Hey, just like my golf game, I would rather be lucky than good!
Perfect day to be out on the trail. Even though it was mid-afternoon, the temperature was very pleasant under a nearly cloudless azure sky. We hiked the exact route that we did back in 2016, taking the Big Park Trail wide out around the main formations and continuing counterclockwise along the Courthouse Butte and Bell Rock Trails to make the loop (there are a maze of trails in this area, just crisscrossing the landscape, but there are plenty of trail markers and maps posted so no way to get really lost). We focused more on the hike and chatting today and less on photos, although I think I got a few good shots. Not much in the way of critters, just a few gone birds and a lizard or two. The most interesting animal sighting was on the backside of Courthouse Butte when we saw a couple ladies on horseback. I broke the ice by complimenting the one rider on her hat; basically a standard helmet for trail riding but it had a wide, snap-on brim that was perfect for the sun here in Sedona. They were just stopped along the side of the trail enjoying the view so I knew that we would be stopping to pet noses, as long as the riders said that was OK. And it was. We chatted with them a few minutes. They were locals. I mentioned that I was surprised that the trailhead parking was not packed this late in the afternoon to which they replied that we just missed the hordes of tourists out for spring break. It had been crazy crowded in Sedona the past two weeks. Seems our timing was perfect. Well, that was just pure dumb luck (5 points for Gryffindor!) Hey, just like my golf game, I would rather be lucky than good!
Other than the ladies on horseback, we only passed a few other hikers and no bikers until we got back to Bell Rock. Then the number of folks started to pick up. Mostly hikers but there were a few mountain bikers as well, a few flying along the trail but also some more timid folks, like the family of four with the two young daughters out for a ride. Dad had the older, more adventuresome girl. Mom was coaching the younger daughter who was obviously still getting the handle on biking the trails. Hey you have to learn sometime, right. Seems like Mom has it under control.
Just over two hours to complete the 4.3-mile loop around Courthouse Butte and Bell Rock. Ahh, a little red dirt therapy always does the trick. OK, maybe I'm not buying the vortexes and the spiritual energy the way that Miguel described it, but for me, there certainly is something therapeutic in hike through the red rocks of Sedona. Here are a few photos from our afternoon hike.
Just over two hours to complete the 4.3-mile loop around Courthouse Butte and Bell Rock. Ahh, a little red dirt therapy always does the trick. OK, maybe I'm not buying the vortexes and the spiritual energy the way that Miguel described it, but for me, there certainly is something therapeutic in hike through the red rocks of Sedona. Here are a few photos from our afternoon hike.
Another good bird sighting on the drive back to the house. We spotted a hawk soaring over the round-about where we exit 179. Our neighbor with the bird feeders told Lynn that there is a Sharp-shinned Hawk that is a common visitor to the backyard. That makes sense as that is a target rich environment for a raptor! And that matches what the bird we saw looks like (had to be a Sharp-shinned or a Cooper's) so we'll go with that for the identification.
Back home we got cleaned up then had a beer out on the back patio. Maybe that was two beers. I tried a couple more Arizona IPAs. First was the MoonJuice IPA from SanTan Brewing; decent but nothing special. But it was better than the Ponderosa IPA from Prescott Brewing. That one was simply bland. We went over to house 1 at 6:30 to figure out dinner options. Reservations at the Corner Table for 7:00. OK, several of us are working on a beer (the Torpedo DIPA that Mark was serving was excellent), so we took our chances with open containers on the walk to dinner. No issues. The Corner Table is quickly becoming a favorite. This was another great meal. I had the stuffed catfish. Very good but the Loaves and Fishes was better. Betty Ann suggested that we all share the stories of how each couple met. Good ice breaker. Jeff and Jean met the old fashioned way, in a bar. Mark and Betty Ann basically met through work, David and Cathy in college (he was at Virginia Tech and she went to Radford, which is basically across the road). Lynn and I also met at school (WVU), but were the only ones who met in a wind tunnel. Dinner was great, the conversation was fun but we were still home early by about 8:40. Sadly we are out of beer so a run to the store will be on the to-do list for tomorrow. I called Harry's for reservations for tomorrow but had to leave a message so hopefully they will get back to me. The fudge is very good.
Back home we got cleaned up then had a beer out on the back patio. Maybe that was two beers. I tried a couple more Arizona IPAs. First was the MoonJuice IPA from SanTan Brewing; decent but nothing special. But it was better than the Ponderosa IPA from Prescott Brewing. That one was simply bland. We went over to house 1 at 6:30 to figure out dinner options. Reservations at the Corner Table for 7:00. OK, several of us are working on a beer (the Torpedo DIPA that Mark was serving was excellent), so we took our chances with open containers on the walk to dinner. No issues. The Corner Table is quickly becoming a favorite. This was another great meal. I had the stuffed catfish. Very good but the Loaves and Fishes was better. Betty Ann suggested that we all share the stories of how each couple met. Good ice breaker. Jeff and Jean met the old fashioned way, in a bar. Mark and Betty Ann basically met through work, David and Cathy in college (he was at Virginia Tech and she went to Radford, which is basically across the road). Lynn and I also met at school (WVU), but were the only ones who met in a wind tunnel. Dinner was great, the conversation was fun but we were still home early by about 8:40. Sadly we are out of beer so a run to the store will be on the to-do list for tomorrow. I called Harry's for reservations for tomorrow but had to leave a message so hopefully they will get back to me. The fudge is very good.
Thursday, April 12 - Morning hike, afternoon winery tour. I slept in until 0600 then dispositioned a few emails before heading downstairs just after 0630. It is warm this morning but overcast, mid-50s but no wind at present. We moved golf from this morning to Friday morning due to the weather forecast but that has now changed so we might have erred on that point. Time will tell. But we have a plan in place for today. I just need to get reservations lined up for Harry's and all will be in order.
I had my bagel out on the back patio again. It is a little subdued out back this morning. Plenty of birds singing, but not as much activity. No quail so far but once it warmed up a bit there were several song birds flitting about. Spotted three mule deer in the wash behind the house at about 0740. The sun is breaking through so it is warming up, but the breeze is also picking up as well. It was basically still when I first got out here. Maybe moving golf to tomorrow was a good idea after all.
So the plan for this morning is a hike up Wilson Canyon. Beth and Tommy are joining us, in fact they are collecting Lynn and I in their Jeep for the drive to the trailhead at Midgley Bridge. Now this is the great issue when vacationing with a group: What time do we get going? Lynn and I are of the opinion that the earlier the better (although my definition of "early" is generally earlier than Lynn's). Of course being from the Eastern Time zone and vacationing in Arizona makes that easier for us. Mark and Betty Ann were more in favor of a later start time. We eventually comprised, more or less, departing at 0900. OK, but I'll be amazed if we find parking spots at Midgley Bridge at that relatively late time.
Tommy and Beth were on time. I chided Tommy that his Jeep was way too clean for an off-road capable vehicle in Red Rock Country. We threw our packs in the back of their Jeep and were off. Jeff and Jean took a pass on the hike. The house 1 folks were just a few minutes behind us. Only David, Mark and Betty Ann were hiking from house 1 this morning as Cathy had some work actions to address and stayed home. Not a lot of traffic through Sedona at 0900, so we made good time to the trailhead. OK, I'm amazed, as there were still a handful of parking spots available at Midgley Bridge even though we did not arrive until 9:15. Tommy pulled in and there were still three or four slots open. Mark was just a couple minutes behind us and parked right next to Tommy's Jeep. OK, that worked out a lot better than I expected.
We got our packs and started for the trailhead. Steamboat Rock towered over us from the other side of the canyon. I think Mark came up with the idea to hike this trail. The thinking was that hiking in a canyon would keep us out of the wind. Good thought. This was not a trail that I was familiar with so I was not sure exactly where we were going. For whatever reason, I initially thought we were heading down onto a trail that went into Oak Creek canyon below the bridge, but the real plan was to hike up the smaller canyon that Midgley Bridge crosses. But I got this all sorted out this morning when I did a little searching on the Internet about the Wilson Canyon Trail. OK, now it all makes sense. We took a quick gander at the bridge then headed to the upper end of the parking area to the trailhead.
I had my bagel out on the back patio again. It is a little subdued out back this morning. Plenty of birds singing, but not as much activity. No quail so far but once it warmed up a bit there were several song birds flitting about. Spotted three mule deer in the wash behind the house at about 0740. The sun is breaking through so it is warming up, but the breeze is also picking up as well. It was basically still when I first got out here. Maybe moving golf to tomorrow was a good idea after all.
So the plan for this morning is a hike up Wilson Canyon. Beth and Tommy are joining us, in fact they are collecting Lynn and I in their Jeep for the drive to the trailhead at Midgley Bridge. Now this is the great issue when vacationing with a group: What time do we get going? Lynn and I are of the opinion that the earlier the better (although my definition of "early" is generally earlier than Lynn's). Of course being from the Eastern Time zone and vacationing in Arizona makes that easier for us. Mark and Betty Ann were more in favor of a later start time. We eventually comprised, more or less, departing at 0900. OK, but I'll be amazed if we find parking spots at Midgley Bridge at that relatively late time.
Tommy and Beth were on time. I chided Tommy that his Jeep was way too clean for an off-road capable vehicle in Red Rock Country. We threw our packs in the back of their Jeep and were off. Jeff and Jean took a pass on the hike. The house 1 folks were just a few minutes behind us. Only David, Mark and Betty Ann were hiking from house 1 this morning as Cathy had some work actions to address and stayed home. Not a lot of traffic through Sedona at 0900, so we made good time to the trailhead. OK, I'm amazed, as there were still a handful of parking spots available at Midgley Bridge even though we did not arrive until 9:15. Tommy pulled in and there were still three or four slots open. Mark was just a couple minutes behind us and parked right next to Tommy's Jeep. OK, that worked out a lot better than I expected.
We got our packs and started for the trailhead. Steamboat Rock towered over us from the other side of the canyon. I think Mark came up with the idea to hike this trail. The thinking was that hiking in a canyon would keep us out of the wind. Good thought. This was not a trail that I was familiar with so I was not sure exactly where we were going. For whatever reason, I initially thought we were heading down onto a trail that went into Oak Creek canyon below the bridge, but the real plan was to hike up the smaller canyon that Midgley Bridge crosses. But I got this all sorted out this morning when I did a little searching on the Internet about the Wilson Canyon Trail. OK, now it all makes sense. We took a quick gander at the bridge then headed to the upper end of the parking area to the trailhead.
The first part of the trail is open and exposed but provides good views of the canyon. The trail here is fairly wide and well maintained. While the parking area was almost full, it is not a large lot, so we did not see hardly any other hikers this morning. I did have an interesting optical delusion during the early part of the hike. The trail crosses the course of utility lines that are mounted on wooden poles; nothing unusual about that. As we were nearing that point, I at the back of the pack (nothing unusual about that either), just taking in the scenery, when I noted a bright object in the sky. At first glance I figured it was an aircraft. But as I continued along the trail, the object did not move as like an aircraft. In fact, it did not seem to be moving at all. It was just a long, thin shiny thing seemingly hanging in the sky. I studied it for a while as I continued along the trail. Just odd. Finally, I got the light at the angle so that I could now see all the power lines. Ahhh, now I get it. The shiny gizmo was a splice in one of the lines but the way the light was I could only make out the splice and not the line itself. Now that I have all the date it makes perfect sense. OK, back to looking at rocks.
It is not a long hike but a very nice one. The trail sort of reminded me of West Fork only much shorter. We crossed the creek bed about a half dozen times but the creek was dry as a bone so no worries about slipping or getting wet feet. The trial was shaded for the most part, which kept it pleasant. There were some nice views along the way; not the huge panoramic vistas but more the close in views with a few glimpses of the red rock formations that make up the canyon walls. They key, and this came from the Internet investigation this morning, is to continue just beyond the "End of Trail" sign and make the easy scramble out of the wash to get the best views looking both up and down the canyon. Mark was the first to make the climb but he quickly signaled the rest of the group to come on up, indicating that the views were worth the effort. He was right. At this time of day the rocks up the canyon were well lit and provided more of that Sedona-Red-Rock look. Tommy and I speculated the coming here in the afternoon would provide good light on the far side of Oak Creek Canyon. We climbed around the area to get better views. There were a few sprigs of bright red Indian Paintbrush growing here as well as a few other wildflowers. I also got the group organized, more or less, for a team photo.
It is not a long hike but a very nice one. The trail sort of reminded me of West Fork only much shorter. We crossed the creek bed about a half dozen times but the creek was dry as a bone so no worries about slipping or getting wet feet. The trial was shaded for the most part, which kept it pleasant. There were some nice views along the way; not the huge panoramic vistas but more the close in views with a few glimpses of the red rock formations that make up the canyon walls. They key, and this came from the Internet investigation this morning, is to continue just beyond the "End of Trail" sign and make the easy scramble out of the wash to get the best views looking both up and down the canyon. Mark was the first to make the climb but he quickly signaled the rest of the group to come on up, indicating that the views were worth the effort. He was right. At this time of day the rocks up the canyon were well lit and provided more of that Sedona-Red-Rock look. Tommy and I speculated the coming here in the afternoon would provide good light on the far side of Oak Creek Canyon. We climbed around the area to get better views. There were a few sprigs of bright red Indian Paintbrush growing here as well as a few other wildflowers. I also got the group organized, more or less, for a team photo.
After a while, the gang started working their way back down the hillside back into the trail in the wash. Tommy and I were the last ones down; we're always looking for that one last photo. The group was using this little pause in the action to have a snack. Good idea so I extracted a lemon Luna bar from my pack. The words of wisdom on the wrapper were "do something today that your future self will thank you for." I guess maybe this hike counts.
There were a few interesting occurrences on the return hike.
Photo gallery from the Wilson Canyon hike.
There were a few interesting occurrences on the return hike.
- Did you know that Ponderosa Pines smell like butterscotch? Tommy pointed this out, and knowing Tommy I wasn't sure that it wasn't just a ploy to get us to look silly while sniffing the bark of a big pine tree. But several of the group did just that and everyone confirmed that the tree smells like butterscotch. OK, I'll bite. I stuck my nose out to the tree, so I looked silly, but yes indeed that's butterscotch. Who would have thunk that?
- There were a few butterflies flitting along the trail, several Swallowtails and a Painted Lady or two.
- We spotted a great example of hillbilly engineering, although it was a bit disconcerting in the high wind. Apparently one of the utility poles along the trail had rotted off near the ground, but rather than replace the entire pole, a new foundation pole was planted in the ground and the old pole that still supported the power or cable lines was bolted to the new pole. This configuration really swayed in the wind. OK, there were too many engineers in this group so we had an ad hoc design review. Probably could have used at least one more bolt.
- Tommy and I were near the back of the pack when we neared the trailhead, so we existed the trail and tried to find some views of the bridge. While we found a good vantage point, the light was not the best at this time of day.
- When I caught up with the gang, Lynn was chatting with some folks. Seems they were Grand Canyon aficionados and were providing some pointers on hiking options and Phantom Ranch.
- Our little hike this morning covered 2.6 miles roundtrip and took us almost 2.5 hours. It was a pretty steady climb but gradual, gaining a little over 300 feet in elevation.
Photo gallery from the Wilson Canyon hike.
Back at the vehicles, we were rehydrating when a text came through from Jeff. He and Jean were in Uptown Sedona and they asked if we wanted to meet for lunch. Sounds like a good plan. I replied that we would be there in 15 minutes and got their location. They are at Sedona Pizza, across the street from the Matterhorn. Perfect, we were able to get parking in the public lots behind the hotel and soon caught up with Jeff and Jean at Sedona Pizza. Good pizza even though I prefer a thicker crust but I wish I had avoided the roasted veggies. I did not read the details that the mix included zucchini and squash. I tried the Chateau Americana, a Belgian Pale Ale from Wonderlust Brewing. If the server knew anything about beer, I could have avoided this malty train wreck. But we had a nice lunch and had some additional time to visit with Beth and Tommy. We also worked out our plan for the rest of the day. We'll do some winery exploring this afternoon. I also got a call from Adele at Harry's Hideaway to confirm our dinner reservation. The only time available was 5:00 but that will work for us. The house 1 team did the winery research and decided to start at Page Springs. That one is just up the road from where we stayed when we visited in 2013.
Tommy dropped us back at house 2 right about 2:00. It was great seeing our friends from the UTAH Herd. We said our goodbyes and were off to get ready for our next adventure. We quickly got cleaned up then piled back into the Rogue for the drive out to Page Springs. The house 1 crew was obviously ready for some wine as they were on the ready well ahead of us. By the time we got there, the rest of the gang were already seated and had their wine flights ordered. We got the last open table on the patio. The sad realization for me was that there was no beer at this establishment so I just became the designated driver for the afternoon. That's OK. Everyone seemed to be enjoying their wine flights and it was very pleasant out here on the patio in the shade. Due to their head start, the house 1 crew finished before the wine drinkers at my table. They decided to scout out another winery so we said we would just meet them at Harry's. After the wine was gone from our table we walked around the grounds and took in the view from the picnic deck overlooking the creek. That would be a great location to have an event. We ended up relaxing on the front porch of the winery until dinner time. The house 1 crew did find another winery, based on the recommendation of the staff here at Page Springs and texted us a photo or two of their new location. Well, there's not that much time until dinner, so we just stayed put.
Harry's Hideaway was just a few minutes away from the winery, so we arrived right on time at 5:00. No crowd at all in the parking lot. We were ahead of the house 1 crew, but we figured that would be the case as they indicated that they had wine to finish. Adele greeted us when we walked in and quickly had us seated on the converted back porch. She had us at a round table of four, so we asked where the rest of our group would be seated. The plan was that they would be at a four-top diagonally across the small room so we suggested that she seat us at the adjacent four-top so that we would be next to the rest of the party. That worked for her, so we grabbed our water glasses and got rearranged. We had time to get our drinks before the rest of the gang arrived.
Lynn and I really like Harry's Hideaway. Alex and Frankie had first suggested Harry's to us a few years ago and we've eaten here several times since (multiple times during our 2013 trip). This one of the places that we highly recommended to our gang during this trip, so hopefully everyone will enjoy it. Sure, Harry's is not much to look at; it is small and sort of on the rundown side; let's just call it rustic or maybe eclectic. But the service is outstanding and very personal. Adele and the ladies waiting the table are very friendly and really seem to enjoy interacting with the guests. But the real draw is Harry's cooking! I have never had a bad meal here. And tonight was no exception. Everyone seemed to enjoy the meal and dessert. I had fish and chips. Yeah, I know, that is hardly southwest fare, but it just sounded good. And it was! Lynn ordered the crab cakes and I got a taste; excellent! I accompanied my dinner with a Modus Hoperandi IPA from Ska Brewing (I remembered this one from Mesa Verde). We split the apple tart for dessert. Hey, when you come to Harry's, come hungry and have dessert. Harry's was a hit. But this might be our last time eating here as Harry and Adele are transitioning into retirement it seems. Good for them, but sad for those of us who like great food at small town restaurants.
We just enjoyed the desert scenery on the drive home and called it an evening once we were back at house 2.
Friday, April 13 - Sedona Golf Resort. A sunny but chilly start to the day. Well the forecast did predict cooler temperatures for the end of the week. I was awake well before 0500 but waited for Lynn to stir. Finally up at nearly 0600 and got ready for our last full day in Sedona. During the drive back from Harry's last night, Jeff and I talked about skipping golf today due to the weather being predicted for cool and windy. We texted with the House 1 guys to get their opinion. They were all for playing golf so we opted to stick with the plan. OK, I reckon we over thought this by moving our second round from Thursday as originally scheduled.
I popped out on the back patio for a while, but too chilly to stay out too long at one sitting. The sun felt good but the air temperature was just below the comfortable level and when the slight breeze kicked up it was just freaking cold.
Since our adjusted tee-time is now mid-morning we have time for a more substantial breakfast so we went over to Miley's (where else) at 8:30. We were in before the morning rush. Betty Ann and Jean joined the guys. Lynn said she was still full from dinner last night and would be happy with a bagel. I had a short stack of blueberry pancakes which were great as always.
We went straight to the course after breakfast. It is starting to warm up a little now but is still on the chilly side. The guy at the counter asked us where we were staying, to which I replied that we have a couple of rental houses just across the street. So he gave is a bit of a deal on the rate by including the local hotel discount. Sweet! I'm sure we'll spend that savings on beer on the course. The guys setting up the carts got our rental clubs. Decent set of sticks, sort of an oddly matched set of Titleists. The deal included two sleeves of balls as well. While did not lose any ammo at Oak Creek Country Club we are certain to leave a few orbs scattered about today. While the Sedona Golf Resort is not a real tough course it is full of bad bounces that direct balls into the desert and waste areas, not to mention the well placed water hazards. Still it is a fun track even if a couple of holes are sort of tricked-up.
David and I rode together today. We headed over to the range to warm up a bit. Mark was already there. Jeff was putting behind the pro shop. I was taking it easy on the range, trying to slowly warm up. My back is feeling good so far and I'm actually hitting some decent shots. Too bad that my range game never translates to the course. Just keep the swing short and compact and keep your head down. Keys for today. The good news this is all for fun.
We headed over to the first tee a little before our appointed start time and got organized. We decided to keep this nice an easy today and played from the gold tees, which is only 5652 yards on the par 71 track, but again, this is all for fun and if the wind does pick up those extra yards will be just that much tougher. We again had a threesome in front of us, a young couple and another guy that the starter grouped together. The young lady was preggers (OK, so maybe they were a foursome after all), but was moving right along. The young guys was one of the tall lanky kids with a big swing and a lot of leverage. He walked directly to the back tees, took a couple of nice practice swings, addressed the ball and crushed it. Unfortunately, he was way right but stayed within the bounds of the course. His wife hit one right down the middle, not long but easily findable. The kept this up all day and we never came close to pushing them.
This is a fun course to play and certainly one of the prettiest in terms of the setting and the scenery. The advantage that the Sedona Golf Resort has over Oak Creek is elevation. While Oak Creek is the better and more playable golf course, it is set on the floor of the valley. Sedona Golf Resort, on the other hand, works its way up the hill side to get those beautiful red rock views. In places the course is sort of jammed together but overall it is a fun track.
Tommy dropped us back at house 2 right about 2:00. It was great seeing our friends from the UTAH Herd. We said our goodbyes and were off to get ready for our next adventure. We quickly got cleaned up then piled back into the Rogue for the drive out to Page Springs. The house 1 crew was obviously ready for some wine as they were on the ready well ahead of us. By the time we got there, the rest of the gang were already seated and had their wine flights ordered. We got the last open table on the patio. The sad realization for me was that there was no beer at this establishment so I just became the designated driver for the afternoon. That's OK. Everyone seemed to be enjoying their wine flights and it was very pleasant out here on the patio in the shade. Due to their head start, the house 1 crew finished before the wine drinkers at my table. They decided to scout out another winery so we said we would just meet them at Harry's. After the wine was gone from our table we walked around the grounds and took in the view from the picnic deck overlooking the creek. That would be a great location to have an event. We ended up relaxing on the front porch of the winery until dinner time. The house 1 crew did find another winery, based on the recommendation of the staff here at Page Springs and texted us a photo or two of their new location. Well, there's not that much time until dinner, so we just stayed put.
Harry's Hideaway was just a few minutes away from the winery, so we arrived right on time at 5:00. No crowd at all in the parking lot. We were ahead of the house 1 crew, but we figured that would be the case as they indicated that they had wine to finish. Adele greeted us when we walked in and quickly had us seated on the converted back porch. She had us at a round table of four, so we asked where the rest of our group would be seated. The plan was that they would be at a four-top diagonally across the small room so we suggested that she seat us at the adjacent four-top so that we would be next to the rest of the party. That worked for her, so we grabbed our water glasses and got rearranged. We had time to get our drinks before the rest of the gang arrived.
Lynn and I really like Harry's Hideaway. Alex and Frankie had first suggested Harry's to us a few years ago and we've eaten here several times since (multiple times during our 2013 trip). This one of the places that we highly recommended to our gang during this trip, so hopefully everyone will enjoy it. Sure, Harry's is not much to look at; it is small and sort of on the rundown side; let's just call it rustic or maybe eclectic. But the service is outstanding and very personal. Adele and the ladies waiting the table are very friendly and really seem to enjoy interacting with the guests. But the real draw is Harry's cooking! I have never had a bad meal here. And tonight was no exception. Everyone seemed to enjoy the meal and dessert. I had fish and chips. Yeah, I know, that is hardly southwest fare, but it just sounded good. And it was! Lynn ordered the crab cakes and I got a taste; excellent! I accompanied my dinner with a Modus Hoperandi IPA from Ska Brewing (I remembered this one from Mesa Verde). We split the apple tart for dessert. Hey, when you come to Harry's, come hungry and have dessert. Harry's was a hit. But this might be our last time eating here as Harry and Adele are transitioning into retirement it seems. Good for them, but sad for those of us who like great food at small town restaurants.
We just enjoyed the desert scenery on the drive home and called it an evening once we were back at house 2.
Friday, April 13 - Sedona Golf Resort. A sunny but chilly start to the day. Well the forecast did predict cooler temperatures for the end of the week. I was awake well before 0500 but waited for Lynn to stir. Finally up at nearly 0600 and got ready for our last full day in Sedona. During the drive back from Harry's last night, Jeff and I talked about skipping golf today due to the weather being predicted for cool and windy. We texted with the House 1 guys to get their opinion. They were all for playing golf so we opted to stick with the plan. OK, I reckon we over thought this by moving our second round from Thursday as originally scheduled.
I popped out on the back patio for a while, but too chilly to stay out too long at one sitting. The sun felt good but the air temperature was just below the comfortable level and when the slight breeze kicked up it was just freaking cold.
Since our adjusted tee-time is now mid-morning we have time for a more substantial breakfast so we went over to Miley's (where else) at 8:30. We were in before the morning rush. Betty Ann and Jean joined the guys. Lynn said she was still full from dinner last night and would be happy with a bagel. I had a short stack of blueberry pancakes which were great as always.
We went straight to the course after breakfast. It is starting to warm up a little now but is still on the chilly side. The guy at the counter asked us where we were staying, to which I replied that we have a couple of rental houses just across the street. So he gave is a bit of a deal on the rate by including the local hotel discount. Sweet! I'm sure we'll spend that savings on beer on the course. The guys setting up the carts got our rental clubs. Decent set of sticks, sort of an oddly matched set of Titleists. The deal included two sleeves of balls as well. While did not lose any ammo at Oak Creek Country Club we are certain to leave a few orbs scattered about today. While the Sedona Golf Resort is not a real tough course it is full of bad bounces that direct balls into the desert and waste areas, not to mention the well placed water hazards. Still it is a fun track even if a couple of holes are sort of tricked-up.
David and I rode together today. We headed over to the range to warm up a bit. Mark was already there. Jeff was putting behind the pro shop. I was taking it easy on the range, trying to slowly warm up. My back is feeling good so far and I'm actually hitting some decent shots. Too bad that my range game never translates to the course. Just keep the swing short and compact and keep your head down. Keys for today. The good news this is all for fun.
We headed over to the first tee a little before our appointed start time and got organized. We decided to keep this nice an easy today and played from the gold tees, which is only 5652 yards on the par 71 track, but again, this is all for fun and if the wind does pick up those extra yards will be just that much tougher. We again had a threesome in front of us, a young couple and another guy that the starter grouped together. The young lady was preggers (OK, so maybe they were a foursome after all), but was moving right along. The young guys was one of the tall lanky kids with a big swing and a lot of leverage. He walked directly to the back tees, took a couple of nice practice swings, addressed the ball and crushed it. Unfortunately, he was way right but stayed within the bounds of the course. His wife hit one right down the middle, not long but easily findable. The kept this up all day and we never came close to pushing them.
This is a fun course to play and certainly one of the prettiest in terms of the setting and the scenery. The advantage that the Sedona Golf Resort has over Oak Creek is elevation. While Oak Creek is the better and more playable golf course, it is set on the floor of the valley. Sedona Golf Resort, on the other hand, works its way up the hill side to get those beautiful red rock views. In places the course is sort of jammed together but overall it is a fun track.
This ended up being a good day on the course. The wind was not bad at all, just a little breezy toward the end of the round but the high winds held off until after we got off the course. The course itself was in great shape. The greens were quick. There is just so much contour and break in these greens that three-putts are very common. But we all played well, at least from time-to-time. Mark recorded the round of the day with a 79 and the lone birdie. Jeff shot 87, I had a 93 and David an even 100. I was fine as long as I stayed out of the bunkers. But I had a couple nice drives and a few decent approach shots (I was hitting my wedges well). I managed a bogey on the signature hole, the par 3 number 10 with the glorious background view of Cathedral Rock. Plus a very nice tee ball on the short par three number 16, but the birdie putt would not fall into the cup. On the 18th tee we had a decision to make. This is a short, downhill par 4, only 288 yards from these tees. Driver or a more strategic club? Well, as Jeff likes to say, I didn't come all the way to Sedona to lay up! Driver it is. And amazingly, it worked! Right down the middle, just a chip to the green and a two-putt par. Good end to the round. I did not take a lot of photos during either round of golf; here's the combined gallery.
We were off the course by 2:30, so right on the clock for 18 holes of golf. Somehow I was missing a wedge from the rental set. We reported this when we turned in the cart but the cart guy said it would show up so not to sweat it. We decided to have a beer on the patio. We called the girls to come join us, which they did. They had been out exploring for most of the day, checking out Red Rock Crossing and Buddha Beach (here are Lynn's pics from their excursion). The wind kicked up briefly just before they arrived; a dust devil rumbled across the practice green just below us which was kind of exciting, but then died away. Most of the conversation focused on options for a possible trip for next year. San Antonio is leading candidate, then San Diego and Santa Fe. For Lynn and me, Alaska is already on the schedule for 2019, so the travel budget and Lynn's vacation time are stretched to the max. Not saying no, but highly doubtful. Still it is fun to plan. Well if we can't go with this group in 2019, perhaps we can resume in 2020.
We also talked dinner plans. Since we have only had on real southwest meal this trip, Lynn and I suggested El Rincon in Tlaquepaque as we found that to be a very good Mexican restaurant. Betty Ann was immediately in with that idea! We reconvened there at 5:00 and had a great meal. The food here is outstanding and the service is very good. The only downside is the beer selection, mostly brews from south of the border but just the standard stuff. Let's see, what would be the best of this list? Medelo Negro, please. I'm not sure that I even finished it. But I cleaned my plate, of that there was little doubt. Just a great combination of flavors.
We also talked dinner plans. Since we have only had on real southwest meal this trip, Lynn and I suggested El Rincon in Tlaquepaque as we found that to be a very good Mexican restaurant. Betty Ann was immediately in with that idea! We reconvened there at 5:00 and had a great meal. The food here is outstanding and the service is very good. The only downside is the beer selection, mostly brews from south of the border but just the standard stuff. Let's see, what would be the best of this list? Medelo Negro, please. I'm not sure that I even finished it. But I cleaned my plate, of that there was little doubt. Just a great combination of flavors.
After dinner we meandered through Tlaquepaque heading generally back to the parking area. We were able to get another tourist to get a group photo of us in one of the plaza areas. Our makeshift photographer had some fun with the opportunity, taking several shots from various vantage points. I reckon the timing of the shot was appropriate as we got a group shot on the way to our first dinner and another on the way from our final dinner of the trip. The gang converged on our house, as the house 1 folks had not been down it see it. We just hung around the living room or stood around the bar in the kitchen area and worked on finishing the beer and wine. I liked house 2 as a place to stay, it was perfect for two couples, but house 1 was more open and set of better for hosting a little bigger group. David and Cathy left early but Mark and Betty Ann stuck around for another beer. I finally pulled out the bomber of Hop Juice, the triple IPA from Left Coast Brewing, and shared that with the group. I thought it was great; bitter but not as harsh as I was expecting. Lynn did not like it at all. Even Jeff, our Bud Light guru tried it and said it was very good. Hey, Mikey, he likes it! The bad news is that we are now out of beer, but the good news is that we are now out of beer. The end of our final night so good timing. Yeah, I might have had one more, but I really did not need it. But now that the beer is exhausted the company left.
Lynn and I went upstairs at 9:20. I did a little packing just to get a jump on the morning, not that we have much to pack, and besides we won’t be in a rush tomorrow. Lynn showed me her special purchase from today. A Flute! Now we just have to figure out how to play it.
Saturday, April 14 - Heading Home. I rolled out of bed at 0515. I was showered and mostly packed by 0615. I took the final shot from the front balcony at 0618. It was 39 F but there was a lovely red glow on the formation across 179 from Courthouse Butte. I sat out on the back patio for a few minutes to enjoy the peace of the morning and check critters. The usual feathery suspects were out plus a rabbit. Recorded a few clips of the calls. Maybe I can figure out the identity of those birds calling to each other.
Lynn and I went upstairs at 9:20. I did a little packing just to get a jump on the morning, not that we have much to pack, and besides we won’t be in a rush tomorrow. Lynn showed me her special purchase from today. A Flute! Now we just have to figure out how to play it.
Saturday, April 14 - Heading Home. I rolled out of bed at 0515. I was showered and mostly packed by 0615. I took the final shot from the front balcony at 0618. It was 39 F but there was a lovely red glow on the formation across 179 from Courthouse Butte. I sat out on the back patio for a few minutes to enjoy the peace of the morning and check critters. The usual feathery suspects were out plus a rabbit. Recorded a few clips of the calls. Maybe I can figure out the identity of those birds calling to each other.
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Packing and the final cleaning chores did not take long. We were done and ready to roll for the most part well before breakfast. Most of the crew was heading to Miley's and would be leaving from there. Lynn and I walked over. Robert's special omelet was quite tasty. We discussed Jeff's upcoming award (citizen of the year in Berea) and the declining number of volunteers in the service organizations. We said our goodbyes to Mark and Betty Ann who were driving back to Texas by way of Carlsbad Caverns. Jeff and Jean were also heading straight out since they have to return their Turo rental car, but we'll see them at the airport as we are on the same flight back to Cleveland.
We were back at the house just after 0800. House 1 looked to be quiet so David and Cathy must also be on the road. We finished the final packing and cleaning details and I loaded our stuff in the Rogue. I packed the luggage crosswise in the cargo hold this time and everything fit without dropping the back seat. I will have to remember that detail for the next time we get a Rogue (we've ended up with this model several times over the past couple of years). We were on the road at 0845. Nice day for a drive. The Rogue is a nice vehicle and comfortable. The temperature was up to 59 F when we pulled away from the house. We spotted a couple Black-tailed deer on the road as we approached the traffic circle; one more critter for the list. Here's a collection of photos from time around the house and randomly throughout the trip.
Speaking of traffic circles, most folks driving through Sedona and VOC are clueless on how to navigate them. Listen people, “yield” does not mean “stop.” The whole idea is to try and keep traffic flowing as much as possible. Oh, well. We have the same issue with the traffic circles in Ohio.
The drive to PHX gave us some time to talk. We chatted about our week in Sedona. A very good time this week. We also looked ahead to our upcoming trips as well as the proposed San Antonio adventure with this group. Might be tough on the pocketbook since we have committed to the Alaska trip in June, plus I will have some work trips in that same timeframe. We'll stew on that one a bit.
Tons of traffic on I-17 north bound, but going south was fairly light. In fact we had no issues and only one slow down due to a big RV passing an 18-wheeler on the steep climb out of the Verde Valley. Otherwise smooth sailing all the way through to the other side of security at Sky Harbor. I agree with the article I read yesterday that hypothesized that the real backup at security is after the screening process is complete and folks are crowded around the conveyer trying to get their stuff and get redressed and repacked. A better exit strategy might help speed up the process. We found Jean and Jeff at the gate. On time departure out of PHX. We could not score exit row seats from our A49/50 boarding spots but still got choice seats in row 10, Lynn on the aisle and me with a window seat in 10F. Easy flight back to CLE. We did have to take an extra lap around the airport since the plane on approach in front of us slowed down more than expected causing our plane to get too close and have to circle one more time before landing. Not a big deal at all. Seems it was all weather related somehow. The only slowdown in the travel process was waiting for the bags at CLE. Back in the day, it seemed that the bags were waiting on us when we arrived at Hopkins (they were always the quickest), but these days it is hurry up and wait. Then a short wait out in the cold for the shuttle to Park Place, but we were the first ones off the bus, so that worked out OK.
Home at 8:30, so only about an hour since our scheduled arrival time at CLE (even with the one extra lap around the airport due to the weather-induced mulligan on the approach). We unloaded the bags, fed the cats, checked the mail then off to Lager Heads for a burger and a beer. Their new IPA is not as good as the High Five but it was still the best beer of the week. We'll unpack and start working on the photos tomorrow but tonight we just crashed.
Another trip in the books. That was a fun excursion with some great folks. Lynn and I did a thing or two that we probably would have done experienced without the group, so we expanded our horizons. And I hope that our past experience in Sedona benefited the rest of the crew. We hiked some, played a little golf, explored the history and culture of the area, found some great restaurants and fit in some time just to relax. All the things we like to do!
We covered a lot of ground over the past week; hiking, golfing...vortexing (I guess that is now a word). The map shows the area that we covered and most of the landmarks from our time in Red Rock Country (click the map to get a larger image).
We were back at the house just after 0800. House 1 looked to be quiet so David and Cathy must also be on the road. We finished the final packing and cleaning details and I loaded our stuff in the Rogue. I packed the luggage crosswise in the cargo hold this time and everything fit without dropping the back seat. I will have to remember that detail for the next time we get a Rogue (we've ended up with this model several times over the past couple of years). We were on the road at 0845. Nice day for a drive. The Rogue is a nice vehicle and comfortable. The temperature was up to 59 F when we pulled away from the house. We spotted a couple Black-tailed deer on the road as we approached the traffic circle; one more critter for the list. Here's a collection of photos from time around the house and randomly throughout the trip.
Speaking of traffic circles, most folks driving through Sedona and VOC are clueless on how to navigate them. Listen people, “yield” does not mean “stop.” The whole idea is to try and keep traffic flowing as much as possible. Oh, well. We have the same issue with the traffic circles in Ohio.
The drive to PHX gave us some time to talk. We chatted about our week in Sedona. A very good time this week. We also looked ahead to our upcoming trips as well as the proposed San Antonio adventure with this group. Might be tough on the pocketbook since we have committed to the Alaska trip in June, plus I will have some work trips in that same timeframe. We'll stew on that one a bit.
Tons of traffic on I-17 north bound, but going south was fairly light. In fact we had no issues and only one slow down due to a big RV passing an 18-wheeler on the steep climb out of the Verde Valley. Otherwise smooth sailing all the way through to the other side of security at Sky Harbor. I agree with the article I read yesterday that hypothesized that the real backup at security is after the screening process is complete and folks are crowded around the conveyer trying to get their stuff and get redressed and repacked. A better exit strategy might help speed up the process. We found Jean and Jeff at the gate. On time departure out of PHX. We could not score exit row seats from our A49/50 boarding spots but still got choice seats in row 10, Lynn on the aisle and me with a window seat in 10F. Easy flight back to CLE. We did have to take an extra lap around the airport since the plane on approach in front of us slowed down more than expected causing our plane to get too close and have to circle one more time before landing. Not a big deal at all. Seems it was all weather related somehow. The only slowdown in the travel process was waiting for the bags at CLE. Back in the day, it seemed that the bags were waiting on us when we arrived at Hopkins (they were always the quickest), but these days it is hurry up and wait. Then a short wait out in the cold for the shuttle to Park Place, but we were the first ones off the bus, so that worked out OK.
Home at 8:30, so only about an hour since our scheduled arrival time at CLE (even with the one extra lap around the airport due to the weather-induced mulligan on the approach). We unloaded the bags, fed the cats, checked the mail then off to Lager Heads for a burger and a beer. Their new IPA is not as good as the High Five but it was still the best beer of the week. We'll unpack and start working on the photos tomorrow but tonight we just crashed.
Another trip in the books. That was a fun excursion with some great folks. Lynn and I did a thing or two that we probably would have done experienced without the group, so we expanded our horizons. And I hope that our past experience in Sedona benefited the rest of the crew. We hiked some, played a little golf, explored the history and culture of the area, found some great restaurants and fit in some time just to relax. All the things we like to do!
We covered a lot of ground over the past week; hiking, golfing...vortexing (I guess that is now a word). The map shows the area that we covered and most of the landmarks from our time in Red Rock Country (click the map to get a larger image).
As is the case with any trip, there are some numbers to share. Why? No real reason, I don't do anything with them. Just numbers.
Here’s our critter list for the trip and the link to the wildlife photos:
- How many times have we been to Sedona? Since I keep track of our travels I have that answer. Lynn and I have visited Sedona seven times, starting back in 2003. A couple of these were just overnight stays. Our longest stay was 11 days in 2015 as part of the UTAH meet-up. In addition, I've been to Sedona four other times as part of the golf trips. In fact, the first visit back in 2000 was what sparked the idea to vacation in the area with Lynn. Now Red Rock Country has become a regular destination for us.
- We took 983 photo files straight out of the camera (mostly photos with a half dozen movies to capture the birds singing in the back yard of VRBO #2). This was the total before any culling, editing or creation of panoramas. That is a very low total for us for a week-long trip, but we were not out on the trail as much this week. By the time I was done with the editing, the total was at 1,017.
- We only got in three hikes (Little Horse plus the spur to the Chapel, Bell Rock Loop and Wilson Canyon). Total of 12.4 miles. Obviously, this trip was quality over quantity on the trails.
- We added five new birds to our overall list: Bridled Titmouse, Brown-crested Flycatcher, Ladder-backed Woodpecker, Rufous-crowed Sparrow and a Sharp-shinned Hawk. The complete list of critter sightings is included below.
- I also tried ten or so new beers, mostly all IPAs of some fashion. Top honors go to the Snake Charmer and the Hop Juice.
- Trip journal: 33 typed pages.
Here’s our critter list for the trip and the link to the wildlife photos:
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Never did see a Roadrunner. Or a Coyote for that matter. Well, other than at the zoo, but that does not count.
We also received a couple hiking recommendations for our next visit. Tommy said that the Sherman Mountain Vista is a great short trail. Our vortex tour guide, Miguel, told us that one of his favorites is the Hangover Trail, near Munds Wagon Trail. OK, let's start planning the return trip. We've got hiking to do!
We also received a couple hiking recommendations for our next visit. Tommy said that the Sherman Mountain Vista is a great short trail. Our vortex tour guide, Miguel, told us that one of his favorites is the Hangover Trail, near Munds Wagon Trail. OK, let's start planning the return trip. We've got hiking to do!