What We Do In Sedona

I know, I blog about Sedona every year and you are weary of it. But we aren't so we keep taking photos and wanting to share the experience. So there. The photos show why we return year after year...

This year we are staying at Los Abrigados which is THE perfect location, attached by a parking lot to Tlaquepaque and a quick step to Uptown.
Every day we go on a hike/walk. I usually choose wilderness trails because it feels like we are the only people out there, and we usually go in the morning for the same reason. In the afternoon we hang out, shop, whatever and then have an equally relaxing evening with some wine and good food.
Yesterday after our 2 hour trek around Court House Loop trail I whipped Jim at mini-golf. The truth is that I won by one stroke on the last hole only because he let me redo a stroke thanks to some arcane golf rule. BUT, I got two holes in one to his one (never mind that only one of them counted!) 

It's Still Grand!

Sally mugging for the camera

And I have never seen a photo or painting that does it justice. The scale is just off the charts and it seems a bit wrong to try to contain it in an image; but we always do try. I can't remember how many times we've been to GC but it never fails to invoke that "holy s*%t" response. The area is high desert, about 7000 feet, so there are forests all around. Try to imagine what the Spanish explorers said and thought as they came upon this giant hole in the ground after miles of ambling through the woods.
The day we were there last week it was COLD. It was only about 5C and there was a very brisk wind blowing. We over-nighted in Grand Canyon Village and it was 0C when we set out the next morning, downhill for warmer climes. But so worth the cold...

first timers Sally & Alan

the Colorado River below

Unnecessary Beauty

I mentioned a while ago that the concrete barriers in and around Phoenix/Scottsdale are pretty darned gorgeous. Sally & Alan, visiting us in AZ, challenged me to post some photos so today we tried to get some. It's not easy when you are whizzing by at 70mph (not kph!) and we didn't get some of our very favourites, but here's a sample. It doesn't solve world peace or even make sense the crazy Republican primaries, but it makes for a very attractive commute.The detail is astonishing. For instance, driving down AZ51 South, the mesh barriers on the overhead roads reflect either the mountains in the distance or the the patterns on the side walls. Astonishing isn't too strong a word to describe the designs and, moreover, the political will and money that is going into making really beautiful concrete sound barriers as well as jobs. And there is no graffiti. It's impressive.