Day 13(4/13)
Among the beauty and the quiet . . .
After breakfast and on Nanci’s advice, we drove up the hill to the airport. It serviced mostly helicopters and small planes – no 747s will be landing there. It also provided a spectacular view of west Sedona where most of the residents lived, as well as the hills beyond to the north.
Back down in town, we stopped to get a cup of coffee at Starbucks. On the way from where we had parked the van a young fellow in booth engaged us in conversation. He was trying to get us to go to Holliday Inn sales spiel, but when he heard where we were staying, joined in the chorus about Elote, the restaurant. While sitting on the patio enjoying our coffee, we discussed which of the amazing number of nearby hikes we should take. Both of us were still sore from the hike up to the Bonito Overlook in Chaco Canyon, especially Connie. We finally decided on the Court House Butte Loop hike.
The trail circles Court House Butte and Bell Rock, a smaller, more pointy topped butte next to it. It is only about 4 miles long and relatively flat, but, like I said, we were in no mood to do a lot of climbing. At the Grand Canyon in ’85, Connie talked about how that kind of natural beauty calls out to be walked through and how not being able to can be frustrating. I have called it the Grand Canyon effect ever since and it was good to be able respond to it in Sedona. The walking was easy, the trail well marked and, once we were away from the trailhead area, the quiet embraced us. The weather was clear and the temperature just right. We met some hikers along the way - including a couple who, in the course of our conversation, told us we had to eat at Elote - and, on the road side of the buttes, the occasional mountain bike rider. It was a really satisfying walk and just the right length for the day.
Back in town, we rushed to get ready for dinner and I ran over to get in line. There were about 15 people already in line. After Connie joined me, we engaged young women in conversation. She was on the last leg of moving her and her husband’s household from Durham (where Sharon, Jess, Taylor and Emery live) to Irvine. She was driving across country by herself – hubby and most of their stuff being in California already. We asked her to dine with us and we all had a delightful time. She had been working as a chemist in pharmaceutical company but quit to become a flight attendant. She currently flies out of JFK but is hoping to transfer to LAX. We each ordered a different entrée and tasted each other’s. The restaurant lived up to its reputation.
After dinner there were hugs all around and best wishes and then Connie and I walked around for a while. When we went back to the hotel, we watched the Warriors make history with their 73rd win of the season. Tomorrow, on to Zion.
Among the many brochures, maps & guides available on the streets of Sedona is a map of the local vertices. These are founts of particularly strong spiritual “energy” spread around the area and are the reason many people come to visit Sedona. I think easy access may also have something to do with it. It’s not too far from the more heavily populated areas to the south and west, and in an emergency, a quick flight to Flagstaff, hour Uber ride and you’re there. Voila, instant New Age Mecca complete with 5 star hotels with spas and great restaurants.
Certainly the red rock cliffs and buttes surrounding the town are inspiring. But they are just one jewel among a vast trove of geological formations and vistas that are awesome (in the true sense of that word) that are prevalent all over the great Southwest and that have been inspiring Americans since they first came here all those thousands of years ago. I find it easier to honor spiritualism standing next to the ruins of a Great House in Chaco Canyon, or in the shadow of Shiprock or in the crumbling ancient Hopi village of Oraibi than among the crystal vendors in Sedona. But that’s just me.