TRIP TO SEDONA

Mom at the Sedona Library.

Just got back from a trip to Sedona, Arizona - a place of jaw-dropping, naturally sculptured landscapes. My mom had two speaking engagements there and she thought it would be fun to make a motor home trip out of it - she was right. 






It took us about 12 hours to get there from our (upper) SoCal home. (I think people in cars can do it in less time and if you don’t need to stop very often.) June can be sweltering in Sedona, but we lucked out, weather was just about perfect. We stayed at Lo Lo Mai Springs Campgroundl in Cornville, just a few miles south of Sedona proper. Mom had her speaking gigs on Tuesday and Saturday, and participated in a friend’s writing group on Thursday, the rest of the time we enjoyed Sedona’s sites and even had a nice visit with a nephew who lives in Prescott and stopped by. We (well, Mom and I, not sure about Dad and Mike) had fun shopping along the stores on Highway 89An, took a Pink Jeep Tourt, and ate a “cowboy” dinnerv. Spent a lot of time driving around in our tow car “gawking” because Sedona is a place where there is plenty to “gawk” at. You can see beautiful “red rock” scenery and natural monumental bluffs as you drive along Highway 179 but we did pull off to see The Chapel

of the Holy Cross­z . On the southern section of   89A, we stopped at Red Rock State Park£. Of course, like just about every trip we take, I’m     hoping to go back to see the things I missed        this time around. Believe it or not, I do research a place before we go to learn about all the “must see” places but once I get, there I always discover something I missed.    

(To read more about the places I mentioned here, see the matching symbol below.)


Archie spent most of his time at the camp ground and as long as he was making friends, he didn’t mind a bit. As usual, he enjoyed his new “home” of the week but the creek running through the camp ground was his favorite location where it didn’t take him long to find golden retriever fans, as you can see.  Then he met other kids at the duck pond; once they found out Archie could “high-five,” they thought he was more interesting than the ducks!

Just so you can see, Archie doesn't just like young girls -  here he buddies up with some older ones:

Notes: l I liked Lo Lo Mai Springs Campground www.lolomai.com), it was well kept, the people (who ran it and fellow campers) were friendly, appreciated animals (wild and domestic), and there were nice camp amenities. The campground has a duck pond with a resident otter (not sure on that, I saw it but not an expert on those kind of things and that’s what another camper told us) and stream running through it with Oak Creek running beside it. One evening walk, in front of our flashlight, we spotted what we think was a porcupine but before we could tell for sure, a skunk approached from our left and we made a hasty retreat. There’s also a nice pool and Jacuzzi but we couldn’t seem to find the time to try it out, unusual for us when the weather is so nice. There are a few items for sale near the camp office (cash only for purchases), but there’s not a big variety, so come fully stocked or prepared to drive a bit to get to a store. Wi-fi is available with a good connection at the club house. (My mom's service did not work at all; mine only worked at the club house - at a certain spot on a certain table.) As for cell phone service, Mom's never could pick up a signal but mine did work if you crossed the road from the motor home. Spotty connections are not an unexpected situation when traveling, especially in more remote areas.) The portion of Oak Creek that is located by the camp ground is truly beautiful. (2 pics) Many campers enjoyed the natural water - some brought tubes, others brought folding chairs to sit in the water. The only negative experience at the camp ground was a neighbor’s rooster that insisted on waking everyone up at 4:22am and a kamikaze bird who spent two early mornings pecking at my bedroom window at first light. (I think he didn’t like his reflection.) Unexpected wake-up calls are part of the RV-ing experience; just wish I could’ve captured that bird on camera.

n Was especially happy to find a Sedona T-shirt made in the USA at Western Trading Post (aka Cheers of Sedona, www.cheersofsedona.com). I don’t usually purchase souvenir t-shirts, but made an exception here. Also enjoyed eating at the Cowboy Club (restaurant, www.cowboyclub.com) where we tried rattlesnake, buffalo and cactus. Had a great waiter, Felix, who helped us make our selections from the menu.
t Thoroughly enjoyed the Pink Jeep Tour (www.pinkjeap.com), which was fun; great scenery was complimented by our driver, Joe, who knew a lot about the area and didn't mind answering our questions. (We took the Coyote Canyon Tour, the easiest one, which had been suggested for my parents.)
vThe cowboy dinner was in Cottonwood at the Blazin' M Ranch (www.blazinm.com). We had been to a cowboy dinner in Colorado a couple of hears ago and while we were there, all I could think of was how much my dad would've enjoyed it. So, here was our chance. Have to admit, when we drove up, I was a little disappointed with the ambiance but the performers/serviers and the food more than made up for it. I wasn't expecting the flavorful cold corn salad that had so many fresh tasting ingredients, ribs that practically fel off the bone, a BBQ sauce that was some of the best I've tasted, as well as chicken, baked beans and "thrown" biscuits. Everyone who worked there seemed to really get into the spirit of the show, even the younger ones who acted interested in the guests, interacted and didn't seem bored with their work. Once the show got under way, I was surprised to see many of the perfomers had been involved in other chores beforehand. I'm not usually that crazy about Western music, but this group was harmonious and their sound was smooth. They had special affects with the "Ghost Rider" number and a comic who added just the right touch of corniness - you couldn't help but laugh.
zThe Chapel of the Holy Cross (www.chapeloftheholycross.com) is a small but serene Catholic chapel (very ecumenical) set in the the scenic vista in such a way that it almost seems to be a part of the natural landscape. There are some natural rock formations in back of the chapel, one even looks like the Madonna and child.
^.£ We spent one afternoon at Red Rock State Park which was beautiful. There are lots of hiking trails but we didn’t try them out this time around. We did check out their display of wildlife and flora/fauna below the gift shop and watched the DVD in their little theater. My dad enjoyed it so much, he bought a copy. (Note: No dogs allowed in this park; very fragile ecosystem.)

We also found an interesting little store, Desert Market, at the end of Paige Springs Road (1160 South) in Cornville. It had some health food and local beer and wine and the clerk there was happy to answer my questions about their honey.

In case you are planning a trip to Sedona, also want to suggest a stop at Tlaquepaque. It is worth visiting just to see how it was designed and built around the natural landscape that was already there.

Hey - Don't Wreck It for the Rest of Us!

We visited Yellowstone National Park last year and we weren’t home long before there were TV news reports of bison charging people. It didn’t surprise me, having seen how some tourists act around them.

The landscape in Yellowstone is awesome and, sometimes, includes wild animals. Don’t worry about missing an animal near the roadway as you drive along; traffic comes to a complete stop if there's anything to see. Since bison don’t usually stroll through our neighborhood, we were happy to stop, too. However, some tourists didn’t take as much precaution as I would with a stray dog.

There was a mother with several young children, crouched behind a bush to get a closer look at one bison munching away on the other side. Did she think that bush would provide protection if he decided he really wanted to be alone while he ate? At another section of the park, people walked on a boardwalk while, a few feet away, a bison ambled along beside it. We thought maybe they knew bison don’t like to walk on boards. Wrong! The beg fella just stepped right on up and over to the other side - after using the boardwalk for a chin scratch.

I think we're safe up here, don't you?

Ahh, that feels good!

Bison are magnificent animals, easily ascertained from the relative safety of your car; you don’t need to get out and examine them. Young men seem to have an uncontrollable urge to leave their vehicles and walk beside bison - at least we kept seeing them do that. Are they performing some age-passage ritual? This behavior could have had a real impact on us since we were stuck in the gawking traffic. If the bison had become agitated and charged, we would have been collateral damage since, at the time, we were sitting in our tow car which is probably smaller than most of the bison in direct line of impact.

One day, as we drove to different geothermal sites, we came to an area full of deserted trucks and equipment. Everything looked like it had been quickly abandoned, which it had been, due to a “buffalo” break. One big bison had wandered over to check out the job they were doing and the workers quickly got out of his way. Now, if people who are in the park daily and see these animals on a regular basis scramble for cover, shouldn’t tourists?

Garrett & Peyton demonstrate the safe way to approach wildlife - in the museum.

  Many people who get “up close and personal” with the wildlife, usually do so to get a better picture. With today’s cameras and computer programs, just how close do you need to be to get a “good shot?”

Archie knows the only wildlife
you should approach. 

The news clip stated that the stomped-on camera-holder, the recipient of one charge, was on the mend, thankfully, but mentioned there had been three other recent bison attacks in Yellowstone, each one a result of tourist actions. Considering the number of people who cruise through there each year, that is actually a relatively small number. However, any violent run-ins between wildlife and humans are going to make an impact on innocent bystanders who happen to be there and see it. So, please, think before you get out of your car; don’t wreck it for the rest of us.

All pictures of bison displayed in this blog were taken from a safe distance in my car.