Link to Sedona Facebook Pictures

We spent today in and around the Sedona area.  We definitely squeezed a LOT into a day, and got a pretty good workout doing so.  We started with the usual routine: wake up, break down the tent, pack up the car with the sleeping bags / pads / blankets, brush our teeth, hit the road.  The usual.  Today we were going to cross off some of those hikes that the forest ranger from yesterday was telling us about.

We started by going to possibly the most popular place to hike around Sedona, called Bell Rock.  We parked at the trailhead and started walking towards Bell Rock.  The trail ends shortly after ascending Bell Rock, but if you are daring, you can go as far up as you like.  Molly and I went about halfway, I’d guess.  It is like a steeper, more dangerous version of Stone Mountain.  There is no “right” or “wrong” trail, and you kind of have to figure out the best path as you go.  And naturally, the way down is harder than the way up.  At one point, I climbed up a little ways before Molly, and she waited for me to give her the “all clear” that it was a good trail.

When I got up there, there was a group of 5-7 teenagers, with one dad, climbing the rock.  They also had a kid with them, maybe about 8 years old.  All of them were scrambling up the steepest rock face I’ve ever seen anybody climb.  Keep in mind that we’re already pretty high up. These kids were sliding as they were climbing up.  I took some pictures of them once they reached a high area.  I was amazed that the dad, who was supposed to be in charge of this group of kids, was encouraging and even pushing them to go further!  I guess as I grow older, the reality of danger in certain situations hits me as the situations are unfolding.  At one point, they dislodged some softball-sized rocks by accident, and I just stood at the bottom of their path, ready to jump out of the way if they looked like they were going to hit me.  Luckily, they passed about 10 feet to the side of me.  Crazy stuff, though.

After hiking up and down Bell Rock, we started on a loop trail called the Courthouse Butte loop trail.  The park ranger told us to only go about 2/3rds of the way around the loop, then turn around and come back the way we came.  He said we would “know” when we reached the good stopping point.  We were a bit uncertain of where to turn around, until we found this huge round rock towering in the middle of the trail.  We both took turns climbing up it and taking pictures.  Right next to where you have to scramble up the rock, there was a cross, showing that someone had died here in the early 2000’s, I believe.  Eerie.  We were extra careful!

We hiked back to the car, and by this time it was around noon.  We were both starving and ready for lunch.  Luckily, yesterday we made a Walmart run and bought some food supplies – enough for two huge ham and Swiss cheese sandwiches.  We made those on the trunk of my car, and ate them inside the A/C in the car.  After lunch, we wanted to check out another trail.  We decided upon a mountain trail, called Doe Mountain.  The trail looked moderate – with a pretty good elevation gain, but with switchbacks and only 0.7 miles long.  It was pretty hard, especially after our first hike.  I am not used to being on trails that are literally on the sides of mountains.  If you slip and fall, it’s more than just a twisted ankle or a busted knee.  It makes you think twice before taking a step, and be extra cautious and aware.  

I am not totally used to Arizona yet, and I keep thinking that there will be a rattlesnake every-other step that I take.  I keep a close eye where I am stepping and try to take deliberate steps.  There are these little bugs, though, that make a loud buzzing sound when you walk by the bushes that they are in.  To me, they sound like a snakes hiss.  I semi-jumped a few times when they flew out..I think by the end of the hike I was finally getting used to hearing them.  The top of Doe Mountain is totally flat, with panoramic views in every direction.  We took some pictures and then headed back down.  By the time we reached the car, I think we went through about 2 liters of water..in only 1.4 miles of hiking.  This place requires lots of water – much more than I am used to!

After the hike at Doe Mountain, we wanted to check out a place called the Cathedral of the Holy Cross.  It’s a huge cathedral that’s built into the Arizona mountains.  Ironically, when we went up there they were having a service.  We stayed there for around 20 minutes and then headed on.

Next stop, a bridge called Midgley Bridge – also right off the road.  We took some pictures there and then headed to a huge recreation of a pueblo, called Tlaquepaque!

I guess we got there a little late, because although the weather was perfect, hardly anyone was there.  We walked around and got some really great pictures of all the little courtyards.  We took some fun pictures, too.  After that we went to McDonald’s to use the internet, and here we are now.  We’re both pretty damn tired, so we might call it an early night tonight.  I’m not sure what’s in store for tomorrow, but we want to put a few more hikes under our belts before we leave.