February 21, 2014

And so we left the sadly used London Bridge and disappointing Lake Havasu behind and headed for what many people (who follow those things) regard as one of the most spiritually powerful spots on earth - Sedona, Arizona. But first we had to get there...

It was a relatively short ride up to Flagstaff and then only forty miles south to our destination. About ten miles after leaving Interstate 40 and heading towards Sedona,  we begin seeing these large and serious yellow signs about the eighteen mile, 6% downgrade we are about to start down.  Trucks use low gear, no passing, runaway truck lanes ahead and Mary Ellen is ready to curl up in the fetal position next to Daisy under the dashboard. I try to reassure her that we've done this before, etc. but she sees through my lie. On top of the downgrade, there is a fierce wind blowing directly across the road (winds so strong that later on we learn were the top story on the local news stations.) I stay in the right lane with the fully loaded tractor trailers, the wind is pulling the wheel to the left and towards the steep drop off that fortunately Mary Ellen can't see from where she is sitting. Now for the best part: cars, tractor-trailers and other RVs are FLYING past us as if on a suicide mission, all determined to crash through the guardrail and disappear into the sagebrush and boulders far, far below. It made the northbound parkway during the A.M. rush hour look like everyone is doing 20 MPH. But we make it down to the town of Camp Verde and arrive at another Indian casino RV park and turn in early for our full day in Sedona.

For those into extrasensory and para-normal activities, Sedona is supposed to be one of the most powerfully spiritual places on earth. I had also heard that it was a town filled with aging, ex-hippies, none of whom were growing old gracefully. Consequently I wasn't expecting much when we headed up to town and rounding a bend got our first glimpse of what it is really famous for:

Everywhere you look, the scenery is beyond spectacular. I only wish these photos could present these buttes and mesas in their actual glory.

Herself doing the Ansel Adams routine

 

 

  

 

  No matter which direction you choose to look in, sights like these are what you see.

 Now for the highlight of all the wonderful sights in this beautiful valley:

This is an actual Catholic Church, the brainchild of a sculptor who later teamed up with Frank Lloyd Wright to make it a reality. It was completed in 1955 and has a full Sunday mass schedule.

The road up to the chapel

How would you like to live in this neighborhood?

Climbing the ramp up to the chapel

The entrance plaza

How's this for a place to get married?

 

The Stations of the Cross are done with nails only.

On the way back down, Mary Ellen spotted this eagle's head - see it? 

A view of the entire town from the highest point available

So, that's the real Sedona. For those of you who want the fancy restaurants, spas, trendy boutiques, touristy souvenir shops or just the t-shirt, there is plenty of that to fill a week with. But no matter what your tastes, go to Sedona for the scenery. Wherever you are in the southwest, make the effort; these photos only give a hint of the glowing feeling Sedona leaves you with. Perhaps that's the real spirituality of the town.

Tomorrow we begin the nearly thousand mile journey to San Antonio to do the River Walk and see the Alamo. It will be a three day trip through northern Arizona, down through New Mexico (and of course, Roswell) and then into west Texas. It should be a hoot!