2021 RECAP

INTREPID TRAVELERS

Despite the promises made by the government to defeat this COVID pandemic it has raged on for yet another year, quelling much of our hope for distant shores. With variants of this deadly disease cropping up it was no wonder our travel was largely domestic, though we did manage a trip to Jamaica and then Janet traveled to England in October. The rest of our travels were in the United States. Ours is a vast country and we saw just a bit of it. 

Arizona

We drove down the Delmarva Peninsula to stay in Virginia Beach for a week. We drove to the New Jersey beach town of Sea Isle City to vacation for a week with our extended family. And, we flew to the Red Rock Country of Sedona, Arizona, taking a side trip out to the Grand Canyon one day.  

We wanted to do more and had planned to do more, and Lord knows we did our part to keep healthy; getting vaccinated as soon as possible and boosters as soon as they were available. Difficulty in traveling won out though and it was so much easier to stay in the United States. 

PROTOCOL SPEED BUMPS

Our lone international trip to Jamaica was relatively easy because of the Sandals Resort staff. This was our third time staying at a Sandals and we value the attention to detail they give their guests, which in this particular case was providing free COVID testing for the return and promising to put us up free of charge if we had to quarantine first. They even contacted us to ensure the paperwork required by Jamaica was properly filled out.

Seals Memorial,
Virginia Beach

A LONG AND WINDING ROAD.

Negotiating COVID protocol rules that have been changing weekly by oneself is a difficult task. We had wanted to travel to Malta and then to England, but discovered quickly the headaches of testing and quarantining for two separate countries. Plus, the normal flight that we take from Philadelphia to Manchester England had been cancelled by American Airlines forcing us to fly in and out of London, which was another whole set of logistical problems. So, we decided instead of Malta and England together, Janet was off to see the grandkids on her own. That way if she had to quarantine she had a place to stay for free. And, even traveling to England by herself was quite difficult because of the testing England required of her before and after her arrival. Without help from the English family members finding tests for her it would have been extremely difficult. 

Sandals Jamaica South Coast

YOU CAN'T GET THERE FROM HERE

There's nothing more discouraging than finding a great deal and not being able to take advantage of it. We had found a half-price sail from Variety Cruises though the Seychelles, but then the Omicron variant from South Africa broke out. We had sailed with Variety in Costa Rica and Panama and knew it would have been a great experience, but that outbreak stopped us in our tracks. 

REBOUND YEAR?

So, 2021 was a long malingering crapshoot and there's no guarantee '22 will be any different. But, fingers crossed, we are planning plenty of international trips this year. We are traveling to the Canary Islands in April, Barbados in May, and Fiji in September. We'll keep you posted! 

Thanks for reading

love Janet and greg

© 2022 by Greg Dunaj  

JEEP TOURS IN SEDONA

IT’S GONNA BE A BUMPY RIDE
The Sedona, Arizona Chamber of Commerce estimates that an average of 3 million tourists descend on this city yearly. Lured by the majestic scenery of the Red Rock Country, and the history, and the thriving art community, and perhaps the chance to espy a UFO or to seek personal enlightenment is such a draw for hikers, artists and spiritualists that it threatens to overwhelm the 10,000 residents of Sedona. Despite the traffic congestion and overcrowding it all has a positive economic impact of roughly $1 billion per year and supports 10,000 area jobs.

WANT TO GET METAPHYSICAL

There are certainly plenty of activities in Sedona to choose from. Hiking for us was the main draw of Red Rock Country and trails ranging from easy to difficult are everywhere in the immediate area. Download the AllTrails app to find a trail that suits your interests.

AllTrails

Not to get into the details of Sedona’s Vortex, but these spiritual energies that evidently course through the Sedona area and the several vortices supposedly found in the area are a huge tourist draw. Whatever your feelings about what some consider pseudo-science, people do gravitate towards these phenomena and claim to experience tingly skin, or vibrations emanating from the ground whenever they enter a vortex. They come here for spiritual healing or rejuvenation and these “emanations” generate a lot of tourist revenue.

In Sedona there are plenty of crystal shops and healing centers and tours that support those on these spiritual “new-age” hadj and all it takes is a couple of keystrokes in an internet search to find that cure all tour.

FOLLOW THE RUGGED ROAD

Spiritually sound we opted instead for a good old standard rugged jeep tour to help us explore this beautiful Red Rock Country and in Sedona there are plenty of tour companies to choose from. The ubiquitous though oddly named Pink Adventure Jeep or Pink Jeep Tours was recommended to us by friends, so we went with them, and were happy for the choice.

Pink Jeep Tours is a massive presence in Sedona, with the main “office” in the heart of Uptown, though we booked our Scenic Rim 2.0 tour for Thanksgiving Day at their kiosk at the Tlaquepaque Arts and Crafts Village. The company is well organized and courteous. When we had to postpone our tour until Saturday it took just a phone call and it was done. In writing this article I had a question and phoned the main number of Pink Jeep Tours. They were gracious and had all our information and necessary answers at the ready!

Worlds colliding, Sedona, AZ

Pink Jeep Tours is one of several tour companies in Sedona, but they also operate at the Grand Canyon, Las Vegas and in the Great Smoky Mountains in Tennessee, and would consider them for any future excursions.

PINK JEEP TOURS

HIGHWAY TO HELL!

Perhaps the most fascinating part of Sedona is that everything is RIGHT THERE! Despite the crowded Uptown area of Sedona with all its restaurants and shops and art galleries, you don’t have to go very far to get away from it. We had parked our car at the Los Abrigados the sister resort to our Sedona Summit Resort and walked up to the Pink Jeep tour center and all along the way the beauty of the Red Rock Country was off to our right, the Oak Creek below. Across the street commerce brimmed, but to our right were the rock formations that have lured outdoorsmen like Kit Carson, and artists like Max Ernst, although you would be hard pressed to find Sedona represented in this surrealistic painter’s art, but it was easy to see how all this beauty made for great scenery in countless Hollywood westerns.

MOVIES SHOT IN SEDONA, AZ

The beauty we admired as we walked was the Bear Wallow Canyon and it was where our jeep tour went.

The tour went on a road that was once used to transport goods to and from Flagstaff. It’s called Farm Road 153 or Schnebly Hill Road, which starts innocently enough in Sedona at a traffic circle, but soon becomes a steep, twisting unpaved road of rocks, ruts and washboard ripples. It’s definitely only for high clearance 4-wheel drive vehicles especially in the lower part of the road.

SCHNEBLY HILL ROAD

Schnebly Hill Road was first laid out as a way of getting produce and wares to Flagstaff and this road eventually does connect with Route 17 which is a major highway, but those 12 miles are as treacherous as the scenery is spectacular. 

Our tour took us as far as Merry-Go-Round Rock (one of them there vortices), which is evidently a great place to see sunrises, sunsets and stargazing, although I would not want to drive on this road at night. We snapped some pictures, although they would never do the vista justice before picking our way along the rugged road back to Sedona.

Along Schnebly Hill Road, Sedona

We purposely sat in the back of the Jeep and as we bounced in our chair and drooled over the stunning landscape our guide told us the history of the area, the different animals and the varied uses of plants by the indigenous people. The trip was fun and educational. It was a Saturday on a holiday weekend though, so there were a lot of vehicles also enjoying the late afternoon drive. There were several other tour jeeps, and people in their private vehicles, either OHV (Off-Highway) or 4-wheel drive plying the road. There were smiles everywhere, although we did pass one disabled vehicle and the owner looked despondent because it looked like a broken axle!  

The Pink Adventure Jeeps are specially outfitted for the terrain, so we had no such concerns.

PRICKLY PEAR

Prickly Pear Cactus

Afterwards we waded into Uptown and had drinks and dinner at 89Agave Cantina. We had margaritas, but instead of tequila we had them mix our drink with smoky mezcal! Janet had her “mezcal margarita” with Prickly Pear syrup, which they called the “Funky Cacti!” Our tour guide had mentioned the Prickly Pear and how the fruit of this flowering cactus makes a sweet drink.  They made guacamole right at our table and street tacos for food. A nice way to end the day.

89Agave, Sedona 

Drinks and guacamole at 89Agave

Merry-Go-Round Rock

Max Ernst - Nature Dawn

Thanks for reading

Love Janet and greg

© 2021 by Greg Dunaj

STARGAZING IN SEDONA

KISSES THROUGH THE MILKY WAY

A number of years ago Janet went white water rafting on the Colorado River and had stopped at the Phantom Ranch to drink a beer and to send me a postcard. The postmark had stamped on it “mailed by mule” from the bottom of the Grand Canyon, and in the postcard, she wrote that she was sending me kisses nightly through the Milky Way. 

Now, for a boy who grew up in Harrison, New Jersey, a scant 9 miles from Manhattan, the closest I had ever gotten to a Milky Way sighting was the candy bar.

Ever since that time I have expressed an interest in finally seeing the “real” Milky Way.

On our recent trip to Sedona Arizona Janet made it happen…of course!

WOULD YOU LIKE TO SWING FROM A STAR?

Though stargazing was not our original intent in traveling to Arizona, Arizona happens to be a GREAT place for stargazing. The desert climate there is low in humidity so there are clearer skies. Wide open expanses of land offer unobstructed views of the night while distant mountains shield the dark skies from any residual urban glow.

And, at 4,300+ feet in elevation the desert of Red Rock Country in Sedona is not as blisteringly hot at night during the summer months and the winter temperatures are more tolerable that in other colder destinations.

Plus, Sedona Arizona, and the nearby town of Oak Creek, just happen to be “Dark Sky Communities”. They are just two of a number of communities in Arizona that have shown an exceptional dedication to the “preservation” of the night sky and are recognized for their efforts by the International Dark Sky Association or IDA. Part of the efforts of these two communities to limit sky glow pollution is by fitting street light fixtures with directional hoods and using lower luminescent lighting.

Stargazing in Sedona is a thriving industry and there are several tours available and online guides to lead you to the best places to take in every clear night to see the heavens brimming with stars and planets. 

Here’s the website for IDA

INTERNATIONAL DARK SKY

Here’s a list of places around the Sedona area that are great places to stargaze if you want to go out on your own.

STARGAZING SPOTS AROUND SEDONA

MONSOONS AND HABOOBS

Not to belabor you all with scientific thingamabobs and such, there are a few months where the Arizona weather may not fully cooperate with stargazing. Roughly between July and August is monsoon season, and thunderstorms and strong winds are regular occurrences, making it difficult to see clear skies….or to breathe! 

Haboobs by the way are “dust walls” generated by thunderstorm activity.

If you’re interested in reading more about this here’s a good website.

SEDONA MONSOON?

Want to get up close and personal with a haboob? Watch this video first!

EXPLORING THE DARK SIDE

Now, you may think it’s easy to look up at the night sky and say “wow,” but it’s quite another thing to know what you’re looking at! Wanting to get jiggy with Jupiter isn’t quite that simple if you can’t find it. Of course, some celestial displays can be easily pointed out. Turns out the Milky Way is a vast hazy band of light where individual stars cannot be seen with the naked eye and there it was stretching across the night sky mocking me and my quest to see it. Or, Orion’s Belt, with its three aligned stars, is easily pointed out, as are certain constellations like the Big and Little Dippers.  

But, it’s quite another matter to see the bands of Jupiter, the rings of Saturn the Orion's Belt Nebula where new stars are being born, much to an astronomer’s delight! So, between the “wow” factor and gaining knowledge of the heavens it’s best to go with a tour guide. 

taken by the Hubble Telescope

FLY ME TO THE MOON 

We went with Sedona Stargazing. Each “tour” is limited to 8 groups or pairings and each group has its own high powered GPS auto positioning computerized telescope. The astronomer has two assistants and they provide chairs where you sit while your eyes adjust to the dark and caution all to stow away all cellphones because one flash of light will force the adjustment process to begin again. Later the crew gives instructions as to how to punch in the coordinates to focus the telescope on what the astronomer is talking about. (Make sure you bring your reading glasses! Although they will gladly assist.) With the proper coordinates the telescope whirrs into position and soon you’re looking at Saturn and its rings or the Andromeda Galaxy or the bands of Jupiter!  Especially fascinating for me (apart from the Milky Way) was the Orion Nebula that appeared astonishingly bright through the telescope!

OH, WHAT A NIGHT

Instructions to the tour site were very specific and warned of exceeding the speed limit with spirited officers policing the dark roads and nocturnal animals meandering all over. We were given latitude and longitude coordinates as well as directions to follow and we were the first to arrive at the appointed spot, a gravel lot. As we waited, we heard the howling of coyotes and a dog in a nearby neighborhood answering them. Although it felt like we were in the middle of nowhere, we were actually on the edge of a small community. The stargazing took place on the pitch of the Verde Valley school ball field.

The weather all the week was roughly mid-60’s to low 70’s, but we made a point to pack winter coats for the stargazing. It was cold and we were glad to have our coats. 

We made our original reservation for the stargazing early in the week, Tuesday, just in case the weather would force us to postpone. It would have been awful to miss our chance for stargazing if we scheduled on the back end of the trip. Sure enough, Tuesday was rainy and cloudy and Sedona Stargazing called us to reschedule for later in the week.

There are two tours nightly. In November the first one begins at 7:30 the second at 9:00 pm. Check the website for current prices and schedules.

It was a night I will never forget.

SEDONA STARGAZING

Thanks for reading.

Love Janet and greg

© 2021 by Greg Dunaj

GRAND CANYON DETOUR

PLAN B
Our week in Sedona, Arizona was planned out quite nicely. Hiking on one of the countless trails in the immediate Red Rocks Country was foremost. We were going to go stargazing one night. Wine drinking another day. A Pink Jeep Tour along the rugged hills overlooking Sedona was another planned excursion. Exploring Uptown Sedona and her art galleries and shops was on our list as well, as was a drive to the ghost town of Jerome located on Cleopatra Mountain overlooking the Verde Valley.

Entering the week Thanksgiving was a toss-up, no pun intended, as to where we were going to eat, but we never got to plan for that because of our illness.

Believe it or not, the Grand Canyon was not on our initial list of activities, although it is a little more than a two-hour drive north to the South Rim from Sedona.

PINK JEEP TOURS     

HUMPHREY'S PEAK

CLINGING TO THE EDGE

Janet was ill throughout the night after spending the day on the couch. The wine tasting tour she had arranged was definitely out for us, but she begged me to consider driving off to the Grand Canyon at least by myself just so I could see this very popular National Park. Estimates have 5.9 million people visiting the Grand Canyon every year, second only to the Great Smoky Mountains in Tennessee / North Carolina.

Because of the popularity of the Grand Canyon National Park, it is wise to get there early before it fills up. Popular times are sunrises and sunsets, to watch the sun glow over the rocky edifices, but I decided to leave around 7 a.m. for the trek. In the morning though Janet announced she felt well enough to share in this experience with me. I was very thankful she was able to rally. Admittedly I might not have gone without her, so I was happy she decided to come along.

A couple of years ago Janet had rafted through the Grand Canyon along the Colorado River and despite still feeling weak wanted to see GCNP from the other angle and I was excited to share this vision with her.

HEADING NORTH RT 64

A JOURNEY AS LOVELY AS THE DESTINATION

I often take the scenic routes to places because I have always believed the journey equals the destination in experience. Janet believes in direct drives because the destination to her is all important.  Well, a drive from Sedona to the South Rim entrance to the Grand Canyon National Park is a win / win for us both. The 120+ mile trip is beautiful; the landscape changes from arid desert in the Red Rocks Country around Sedona, to forest glades along the Oak Creek Canyon, and rises to 8,000 feet in elevation to meet the flat tundra of the Mogollon Rim, which is the southernmost part of the Colorado Plateau, topped with groves of Ponderosa Pines. It drives by the largest peak in Arizona, Humphrey’s Peak, snow capped at 12,600+ feet.

Even the Interstate, Highway 40 and then Route 64 from Williams to the national park entrance are swift moving arteries holding promise and offer grand views of unending country with mountains in the far distance forever beyond reach. 

Leaving early was a good choice. We had the road to ourselves. We picked up Route 89a which goes right past our resort in nearby West Sedona and drove through the still empty Uptown portion of Sedona, where all the shops are located. Janet remarked it looked like a boardwalk at a New Jersey beach town. It gets very crowded here during the day and Sedona receives a lot of visitors throughout the year. The commerce of Sedona suddenly ends at a traffic circle at the north end of town and descends into the forested beauty of the Oak Creek Canyon Scenic Drive.

Considered by some as one of the most scenic drives in the country we did not know this was even here (clueless, huh) and we marveled mouths agape at the old growth forests that edged the winding road. Some call the Oak Creek Canyon a miniature version of the Grand Canyon! 

Here's a short film of the West Fork Trail in Oak Creek Canyon on Youtube:

As we were alone on this picturesque route, I was able to slow at times to catch a glimpse of a rock outcropping or glade, but Janet had a better view of it all as a passenger. Had the Oak Creek Canyon drive been our final destination there were plenty of places along this 14-mile stretch of beauty to explore and hike. Even the U.S. government website about the Oak Creek Canyon Scenic Drive says it can take a couple of hours, or, all day.

On the return later in the afternoon with many more cars on the road, the twisting roads were not as pleasant to drive along, but the sun now dappled the pavement and many people were in the area. It would be a great area to explore in the future, including the very popular West Fork Trail. There are fees involved and although we have an Interagency America The Beautiful Pass (senior) we still have to pay the full price of $11.00! AllTrails lists several other hikes in the area of the Oak Creek Canyon.

ALLTRAILS OAK CREEK CANYON 

COCONINO NATIONAL FOREST

OAK CREEK CANYON DRIVE 

OBSERVATION CARS

GRAND CANYON RAILWAY

The Grand Canyon Railway operates from Williams to the Grand Canyon and we briefly considered taking one of their restored, classic train cars the final 60 miles, but we figured we had already driven quite far from Sedona and taking the train would give us only three hours at the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. The train leaves Williams at 8:30 am in November, arrives at the South Rim at 11:45 am and departs at 3:30 pm. Currently, there is only one daily round trip excursion from Williams to the GCNP, although their website says there will be two trains daily in 2022; COVID notwithstanding.

The train ride isn’t simply a commuter line, but a touristy event that includes live music aboard, a wild west shoot-out and the chance to ride in several types of train cars from a Pullman to an Observation Dome.

We made a great choice about driving, even if gas was $4.43 a gallon at the time, the highest this scribe has seen in at least four years! There is much to explore at the South Rim and having such limited time there would have been stressful. Also, our inclement constitutions wouldn’t have lasted that long and the interminable wait for a departure would have wreaked havoc on our psyches! 

GRAND CANYON TRAIN

THEME PARK 

"Leave it as it is. You cannot improve on it. The ages have been at work on it, and man can only mar it. What you can do is keep it for your children, your children's children, and for all who come after you, as the one great sight which every American should see" - Teddy Roosevelt about the Grand Canyon 

There is no discounting the majestic beauty of the Grand Canyon. The earth falls away, carved by the timeless flow of the Colorado River leaving behind striated rock formations from prehistoric times. It is beautiful and vast and I was very fortunate to see it. And, it seems, everyone had the same idea about seeing the Grand Canyon. Worried there would be limited parking we left Sedona early and arrived just past 9:00 am and there were people everywhere. We moved in a crowd through the parking lot, to the comfort facilities, to the closed (due to COVID) information area now manned outside by Rangers, to Mather Point, where we jostled with countless others for an unobstructed view. Thankfully rails edging the abyss prevented eager photojournalists from falling to their deaths. Signs alerted everyone to wear masks despite their vaccination status.

The Grand Canyon is big, a mile deep, 18 miles wide and 277 miles in length. Although the National Park doesn’t include the entire canyon this amazing, great expanse of land does cover 1,904 square miles…larger than Rhode Island which encompasses a measly 1,212 square miles.

Given time and stronger constitutions it would have been wonderful to explore and hike some of the rim. When I found out we were ”near” the Phantom Ranch, an oasis at the bottom of the canyon and the only lodging beneath the rim of the canyon and where Janet slaked her thirst with a cold IPA while rafting down the Colorado a number of years ago, the pained look she gave me suggested projectile vomiting when I thought we could hike it. Besides, the Bright Angel Trail is over 9 miles DOWN, considered difficult and takes 2-3 days and there’s a lottery for lodging at the Phantom Ranch with a long interminable wait.

FOOLHARDY SOULS

THE PHANTOM RANCH 

Yeah, we enjoyed the grandeur of the canyon like many in our theme park contingent, shuffling to the buses that took us to different focal points, like the Geological Museum and Yaki Point which is evidently an especially coveted spot to experience sunrises and sunsets. There was only one couple who got on the bus that were there for the outdoor experience, with full backpacks and smelling of a campfire. All the rest of us were prepared for a stroll in the park.

THE SILVER BRIDGE 

It was at the museum a guide told us we could glimpse the Colorado River from a certain vantage point. Armed with my binoculars we could see a sliver of this waterway, and the Silver Bridge, a pedestrian (and mule) bridge that allows hikers a chance to cross the Colorado. We could not see the Black Bridge, another pedestrian span, located several hundred yards upstream, but we could see rafters on the banks of the river. Janet had been in this very spot! We were both very excited to see this and it was the highlight of our trip to the Grand Canyon.

BTW these two spans are the only crossings available for hundreds of miles along the Colorado, allowing hikers to safely cross where it once was very dangerous and cost many lives.

From our great distance we could not tell how treacherous the river was, but Janet assured me that at times the Colorado River can get very ornery.

There are several lodges at the rim and even a shopping market and tavern. There is the train depot and more buses to take, a blue line and a red line. We took the blue line which was choked with passengers and when we reached the red line we saw that there were hordes of people waiting for that bus, so we decided to just take the blue bus to the main area, to our cars and to home.

On the way out the traffic entering GCNP stretched at least a mile. We had breezed through this morning. It was 2:00 when we left There is a $35 fee to enter the park, but as we had an "America The Beautiful" pass that we had purchased last year in Shenandoah National Park, we had free entry..

Thanks for reading

Love Janet and greg

© 2021

By Greg Dunaj

SICKNESS IN SEDONA

CANCEL CULTURE

Before anyone gets worried about our health or my misappropriation of a current trendy term, know this, we have saved a lot of money malingering in our deluxe one-bedroom suite at the Sedona Summit Diamond Resort. It's big enough that we were able to sequester in our preferred corner and only meeting up when we both needed the bathroom at the same time. The stomach bug went through us over the course of three days and our Thanksgiving Repast was oatmeal, saltines and chicken bouillon. 

We started cancelling or rescheduling excursions Tuesday morning. Don't worry there are no COVID concerns here as we both have our booster shots on top of our vaccines!

STORMY WEATHER 

Tuesday was a dreary cold wet day and Sedona Stargazing, the outfit we selected for our much anticipated star-gazing expedition contacted us and rescheduled for Friday when the weather was more conducive to viewing the heavens. Janet laid on the couch all day while I fetched Imodium and Pepto Bismol from Basha's. 

WINE NOT

I was still feeling well enough on Tuesday, but Janet figured it was best we cancel the wine tasting tour she had scheduled us for the next day, Wednesday. Sadly I had to agree with her. I phoned the tour and said it was a no go for us.

Later we decided to drive to the Grand Canyon on Wednesday. Janet said that if she felt better she would ride with me, but had suggested I should at least go see it myself. I had never seen the Grand Canyon before, but Janet had rafted down the Colorado River a couple of years ago. At certain spots where there were crowds the wearing of masks was required by the NPS.

I felt good all day at the Grand Canyon and surprisingly Janet was doing well enough, but on the way back I started feeling under the weather. On our return we both fell into bed and slept until morning. 

IT'S GONNA BE A BUMPY RIDE  

On Monday after our hike and obviously before we got sick, I booked a Pink Jeep off-road tour for Thanksgiving morning. Pink Jeep Tours came highly recommended by several friends, but that would have probably destroyed us. We called, explained our situation and they thankfully allowed us to reschedule for Saturday.

We spent the holiday hoping nothing would come up and watched football in our deluxe one-bedroom suite in the Sedona Summit Diamond Resort.

Our deluxe one-bedroom suite has, by the way, a fake fireplace that kinda looks okay, but throws off no heat.

PYRAMID TO SCORPION

After three full days we left our home away from home weak and disoriented from the bright sunlight and decided to go on a short, moderately difficult hike and we found one literally across the street from our resort. To reach the Pyramid to Scorpion Trail Loop we left the resort and drove down the road a bit and there it was. Even in our emaciated state the stunning views of the landscape were enough to lift our spirits and near the end of the 2 mile hike we were graced with Cathedral Rock views. We went counter clock wise on the route, with the steeper potion on a descent. This way too we could see the majestic Cathedral as we hiked and not have our back to it.

DAY OF THE DEAD

Perhaps emboldened by finally seeing sunlight for the first time in three days we didn't want to return to our deluxe one-bedroom suite and decided to take a short drive down to Cottonwood, Arizona. It's old town looked like a mini version of the main drag in Sedona, but with more rustic buildings. Plenty of bars restaurants and shops. 

We stopped for a hearty lunch at Calavera's a Mexican Family Restaurant. Big tasty portions that we could not finish.

Calavera's, Cottonwood, Arizona

We're on the mend! Don't worry. A Margarita is a great reward. 

Thanks for reading.

Love, Janet and greg

© 2021

By Greg Dunaj

 

SEDONA, ARIZONA HIKING

DOE MOUNTAIN

On the ascent at Doe Mountain

Before we left for our hike we explored the resort. We wore hiking pants. We worked up a sweat finding all the pools and spas and changed back into shorts. 

Janet picked the Doe Mountain trail about 5 miles outside of town. It's a moderate hike but big on views. The trailhead is on the north side of the flat topped mesa. A series of switchbacks clamoring over rocks and a sometimes disappearing trail leads to an incredible panoramic view of the surrounding Red Rocks Country's area. Janet had downloaded the AllTrails map of the Doe Mountain Trail and it helped us get back on course a couple of times. If you download the map you can use it on your iPhone without need for service. 

DOE MOUNTAIN

ALLTRAILS DOE MOUNTAIN ARIZONA

When we finally climbed to the top we had lunch on the north rim of the mesa before heading to the south side to see distant landmarks like Chimney Rock and closer points of interest like a cul-de-sac with some massive homes threatening to climb up the mountain itself. 

GOOGLE EARTH VIEW OF DOE MOUNTAIN

SOUTH VIEW FROM
DOE MOUNTAIN 

WHAT ARE WE MISSING?

It was a short drive from our resort to Doe Mountain but we passed several evidently much more popular trailheads along the way. For at least a quarter mile in either direction the shoulders were choked with cars. Doe Mountain's trailhead was very quiet in comparison. Learned later it is something called the Boyton Pass Vortex. What may you ask is a vortex? Why, it's believed by some as a "special spot on the Earth where energy either is entering the planet or projecting out of the Earth's plane".

HUH? I lifted that last bit from a blog about Sedona vortexes or vortices.

WHAT IS A VORTEX

Evidently vortices are found throughout the world and have a spiritual cleansing transformative effect on visitors and if you decide to wade through the crowds you will probably encounter people meditating or yoga, or "energy cleansings". 

Timid about going into this whole thing alone there are several tours offering advice and guidance including this one called: 

SEDONA  ANGELIC / UFO AND VORTEX TOURS I'm sure you'll get a rise out of that one!

VORTEX TOUR 

BACK TO DOE MOUNTAIN

At Doe Mountain's trailhead there was a pay station for daily and weekly passes, at $5.00 per day and $15.00 per week. We have an Interagency America The Beautiful (senior) pass that we paid $80 for at Shenandoah last summer. We left the pass on the dashboard and thankfully no ticket on our return.  Actually the NPS website confirms this.at

NPS DETAILS

ATOP DOE MTN.

REWARD

There's no hiking without a beer involved and our reward was the Oak Creek Brewery in Sedona proper. We were able to park at the Los Abrigados Resort in town, another Diamond Resort in Sedona. We had tried but failed to get a room here. Seeing the area we were thankful  because of all the traffic and commotion downtown our visit to Sedona would have been completely different. 

From the resort it was a very short walk to the Tlaquepaque Arts & Shopping Village. We scored a couple of seats at the bar and had Imperial sized (20 oz) beers for $8.00 each. Janet had their Hefeweizen and I had their Snake Bite IPA. Both were good. We munched on meaty chicken wings for $17.00. We always order chicken wing sauce on the side, and they only had one type of hot sauce.

OAK CREEK BREWING

MORE REWARDS

Stopped at the Bashas’ again for tequila, limes and popcorn, and headed to the Mesa hot tub back at the resort in the hopes of catching the sunset. There is an open infinity pool area obviously designed for this, but the winter sun set further off behind the buildings, but at least we watched the mesas glow from the waning light of the day. 

It was a great first day.

Thanks for reading.

Love Janet and greg

© 2021

By Greg Dunaj

SEDONA, ARIZONA NOTES

DAY ONE IN THE DESERT 

We took a 6 am, 5 hour nonstop flight out of Philadelphia that was crowded. The rental car building is a 10-minute courtesy bus ride from Phoenix Sky Harbor airport and started off for Sedona nearly 120 north.

Flagstaff is much closer to Sedona, but flights are more expensive there and the rental car costs more too. Total extra cost would have been approximately $500 more. This way we at least got to see some of the beautiful country.

CHICKEN AND WAFFLES, SAGAURO CACTUS AND COTTONWOODS  

Definitely very low humidity, my eyes felt very dry just a few minutes into the warm air of Phoenix. Mid morning and it was in the low 80 degrees, but before we started out on Route 17 we stopped for a hearty breakfast at a Country Boys Restaurant, a small chain of Phoenix area diners. Yep, chicken and waffles for me! Janet had a spinach omelet that came with a massive biscuit and gravy.

COUNTRY BOYS RESTAURANT 

Despite the great distance between Phoenix and Sedona it was a quick ride. The speed limit varied from 55 to 75 mph with traffic pushing into the 80's. The desert landscape changed as we headed north and rose in elevation. Phoenix is about 1,000 feet in elevation and Sedona rests at 4,300 feet. Stoic, gigantic Saguaro Cactus filled the sides of the highway at the "lower" elevation and arid climate of the Phoenix area. They only grow in this area of southern Arizona. Janet read off some facts about the Saguaro as we sped along. 

SAGUARO FACTS NPS

The road climbs and the elevation rises to over 5,000 feet at times. The Saguaros disappear and Mesquite, Juniper and Cottonwoods now dot the arid landscape. 

We passed an ominous sign advising travelers to avoid overheating by turning off the air conditioning in the car. Average Phoenix temperatures in July are around 106 degrees! Sedona's average temperatures in November average 68 degrees.  

We stopped to admire the austere beauty of the desert at Sunset Point Rest Stop where the vending machines are caged to prevent looting. The stop offers an unending view of a ridge line, grey and foreboding.

SUNSET POINT REST STOP

RED ROCKS OF SEDONA  

North of here the desert changes again with the red rocks of Oak Creek and Sedona rising majestically from the floor like vast ships. Colors of the striations in the rock and the different hues of green adorning the sheer cliffsides was very beautiful and thankfully as we neared the towns the speed limit and the several traffic circles slowed us down enough to gawk. 

We tried to park at the Broken Arrow Trailhead, but as it was a Sunday and the start of a busy holiday season it was extremely crowded. We inched around the little circle long enough for Janet to snap some pictures.

SEDONA SUMMIT RESORT 

We are staying at a Diamond Resort again, courtesy of Janet’s step-mom, and late father. This is our third visit and second one this year. I would never buy into a timeshare, but if anyone wants to unload points that are about to expire if not used, please send them our way! 

Before checking in to the Sedona Summit Resort by Diamond Resorts International we stopped the tourist board in town for maps and hiking advice and then at Bashas’ a local grocery store for supplies. Our deluxe one-bedroom suite comes with a full kitchen.

The resort is a cluster of apartments scattered over a spacious property. There are several heated pools and spas. The place caters to families with several grills dotted all over and thankfully there’s one adult only pool and spa and another, called the Mesa pool set away from all the rest with a brilliant unobstructed view of the red rocks. Hopefully we can see the sun set from a heated spa!

Thanks for reading.

© 2021

By Greg Dunaj

SEDONA, ARIZONA?

 YES, DEAR!

“YES DEAR!” 

They are the two most important words a man could ever utter. It could mean a matter of life or death, or at least a happy marriage...

“Yes Dear!”

Usually followed by an effusive nodding of the head, “yes dear” can make your life easier, because we all know a happy wife means a happy life, and rather than fight the inevitable beat down into submission it’s best to just say….”yes, dear!”

Of course, I say all this in jest, but truthfully Janet IS the captain of this ship. Detailed oriented and tenacious Janet works out everything, finds the best deals and when she proclaims we are good to go I say “Yes, Dear.”

Seriously. She revels in details. Comparatively, I am an idiot.

MALTA

But, even her head for details can explode when there are too many variables. We had hoped to travel to Malta and then to England this past October, but because of the COVID protocols in place at the time, there were too many loose ends like quarantining and testing, so we decided (she did) that it would be best if she traveled to England by herself to see her grandchildren.

That was a very easy “Yes, Dear” for me. I got to stay home and for two weeks I didn’t have to put the toilet seat down OR make the bed.

Malta was an alluring destination, and I really enjoy visiting Nantwich, Chesire, where her family lives, but given the COVID issues at the time it was easier this way.

JANET KNOWS ALL

So, instead of an exotic destination Janet has planned us a trip to Sedona, Arizona over the Thanksgiving Holiday. “Yes, Dear,” I say and I know better than to interfere. Though Sedona would never be on my travel radar Janet has researched and planned the trip to the smallest detail. Flights, rental cars, side trips once we’re there; Janet has planned it all. 

THE MILKY WAY

One night we are going to go star gazing with a guide. Hopefully I will finally get to see the Milky Way. Arizona, by the way has 6 of the 16 Dark Sky Communities in the country. Dark Sky Communities are those committed to keeping light pollution to a minimum….and one of them is Sedona.

Another day we’re going on a wine tour and there’s talk about taking a train to the edge of the Grand Canyon. I’ve never seen that either.

More than once, she has said I will be pleasantly surprised by this trip.

And to that I say, “Yes, Dear!” and this time I truly mean it.

Thanks for reading. Have a great Thanksgiving Holiday. We’re double empty nesters; our children are scattered across the globe, so rather than sitting home trying to figure out how to carve a turkey properly we are going on this trip.

Love Janet and greg

© 2021 by Greg Dunaj

TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS HAVE EASED

IN CASE YOU’RE WONDERING

Despite the seemingly unending threat of death from COVID and its dastardly variants that seem to spring up constantly like all those never-heard-of-before family members if you’re lucky enough to win the lottery, the United States is now accepting “legal” visitors. The country has never stopped allowing illegals in, but now, if you’re fully vaccinated with the approved list of vaccines and a negative test within 72 hours of your arrival, you are welcome. Have passport (and all those other things) and you are good to come.

This is great news for the future of your favorite adventurous VACATIONS FROM HOME traveling tandem, who quite frankly are getting tired of being “HOME”. Sure, I grew enough peppers in our humble garden this summer and made so many variations of hot sauce I may have to call it COVID VARIATIONS HOT SAUCE…maybe I should leave out the COVID in the title?

Yeah, the world is open to us, but the sticker shock is alarming. Costs are way up for travel. Inflation has raised the price of gas and food to the point of being debilitating to planning anything. Everything costs more, but gosh we can leave the house!

Yeah, I know this entry is hedging on political, but inflation is the highest it has been in 30 years and it has us the meager traveler in a stranglehold.

But the good news, in case you were wondering, our dog is much better. TLC from Daddy while Mom was in England! 

 © 2021 by Greg Dunaj