Off road day today! We’ve actually got breakfast included where we are staying so we mosey over to the reception . Breakfast is a revelation, first of all now that the weather has changed and the outside area is too cold to sit in first thing the four small tables inside are not really enough for all the people who want to eat. Fortunately we ask an American couple if we can share their table and they are Ok with that. This gives us a: a place to sit and eat breakfast and b: some great conversation. Second thing everything is disposable, cups, bowls, plates, cutlery and napkins. The pile of trash is enormous. Our American friends at the table are really enthusiastic about the food but it seems a strange mix to us but it does get the day off to a decent start.
Off into town for our tour. First challenge is to find somewhere to park. All the free parking areas have a 3hr max and we will be gone much longer than that but we manage to find a parking lot by a wellness centre where we can park all day for $10. Go to check in and the lady says sorry but we have no record of you. Now we have the confirmation voucher and I rang them last Saturday and confirmed so I’m not particularly worried. Lots of to-in and fro-ing, tapping of keyboards and phone calls until at last the mystery is solved. Somebody can’t spell as we are in their system as the Goodards 🥴. By now though we have missed our 10:00 tour so are put on a 10:30 one which as it turns out is a real bonus as there is only an elderly Indian couple from New Jersey and ourselves on it. So off we go in our bright pink jeep (again). The first bit out of town is tarmac but it soon changes to unpaved road which gets progressively worse as we go further up the valley. All I can say is that I’m pretty certain all of my internal organs are now pretty much back to their original positions and there does not appear to be too much damage to my fillings. Bonnie our guide is again super having a lot of local knowledge as well as scientific and historical knowledge of the landscape. Turns out that they have a senior USGA geologist come and keep all the guides up to date. Now thats good preparation.
Just to give you an idea of what the road is like. This is actually one of the smoother sections (honest). Not a Pink Jeep 😉
Autumn colours just starting to show.
A smooth bit of road, when it got rough it was hang on for dear life time.
View from the top. Can you see the cars below?
Parked next to our jeep when we came down from the top. Please Sir can I have one?
After the tour we head into town to grab lunch. Now on our previous rambles I had seen a steakhouse with an outdoor patio so we went there for a very nice lunch with the most spectacular view and a 1960s and 70s playlist. I could have stayed there all day in fact they do offer Husband daycare see the photo below.
Sedona looks a bit like a wild west town at times but what views. I wonder if the people who live here still look at them and go WOW or if they no longer really look.
There was one place I really wanted to take Chris which is the Chapel of the Holy Cross which is built into the side of the hill. Now despite the crowds of people it is a very serene place and we sat inside for a while with our thoughts.
Not a bad location for a Church.
I love the way that the chapel fits into the landscape despite the fact that it’s design is diametrically opposite the natural world around it. It is just perfect. A wonderful place for worship.
Back to the hotel to sort out the suitcases yet again. This time to make sure we have sufficient clothes to get us to New Orleans without having to open the really big case. And of course to write this blog.
XX🌳🧚🌳XX