Ode to Halloween

　

LITANY FOR HALLOWEEN

From ghoulies and ghosties, Long-leggety beasties, And things that go bump in the night, Good Lord, deliver us. -Anonymous

　

　

　

　

　

　

THE GHOST OF A FLOWER

"You're what?" asked the common or garden spook
Of a stranger at midnight's hour.
And the shade replied with a graceful glide,
"Why, I'm the ghost of a flower."

"The ghost of a flower?" said the old-time spook;
"That's a brand-new one on me;
I never supposed a flower had a ghost,
Though I've seen the shade of a tree."

-Anonymous

　

Salem’s Haunted Happenings

Well today was the day I planned to go to Salem but life got in the way. I had some unexpected expenses come up so I after much soul searching I decided I would have to miss it this year. Part of the problem in this instance is the distance.. When I used to go regularly I lived on the north shore, for a time right next door in Lynn. Now that I’m way down in Taunton, it is a hike.

My plan was to combine the Haunted Happenings event with the Maritime Museum so I could make the most of the long jaunt. What prompted me to check my disposable income was a news report about parking in Salem during the Halloween festivities. The report was warning that parking was a minimum of $20.00 / day (CASH) and up IF you could find any parking at all.. They recommended that you head to Salem by “T”. Ok I’m willing…just how do I get there from here???

I headed to the MBTA web page and entered Taunton to Salem and got back 2 itineraries. The first one would take approximately 90 minutes each way...not too bad, probably less than driving and cost $14.50 round trip.  It involved getting to the Quincy Adams Station….(add 30-45 minutes drive time to the 90 minutes & don't forget to inlcude the parking fee  to the trip cost ) then take redline to orange line to commuter rail and walk the last 15 minutes. Whew!

Itinerary 2 was 2 hours (126 minutes) again starting from Quincy Adams T station. Red line to orange line then change to a bus and walk 4 minutes . Travel time is more, round trip fare is less…only $11:00 plus parking.
.
Taking the commuter rail from Lakeville wasn’t any faster or cheaper or easier. You start with the Old Colony line to the red line to the orange line . At North Station it’s back on the Commuter rail, this time the Newburyport/Rockport line. Once at Salem Station finish with a 15 minute walk to downtown Salem. Cost for this convenience…$30.00 round trip.

If I weren’t looking for the least expensive way to Salem I would probably have headed to Braintree to the red line into Boston then walked to Long Wharf and taken the Salem Ferry. Round Trip Ferry ticket…$19.00.

In fact, this sounds so good that I think I will put it on my list for this summer! .Salem is a great destination even if it’s not Halloween. In fact it’s not as crowded at other times of year.

So, Sorry Haunted Happenings, maybe next year.

photo from Woman's World Magazine 　
　

More Jack-O-Lanterns

Thousands upon thousands of Jack-O-Lanterns along the Pumpkin Trail...here are a few more for your enjoyment.

Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular, Roger Williams Park Zoo

Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular

As I explored local topics for the holidays, I received an email from AAA offering a discount to the Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular at Roger Williams Park Zoo in Providence.

I searched the event on-line and found out that you could even enjoy an all-you -can -eat BBQ buffet before the trail opens up. Unless you have a group you can’t make a reservation and tickets are on a first come/first served basis.

Seating is limited to a maximum of 250 people so it sounds like a good idea to get there early. Since today dawned bright and sunny and unseasonable warm, I decided that today was the day to try to get in. According to their web site, Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday are slower than the end of the week. Of course we are in the week before Halloween so all bets are off. I am going to get there EARLY!

The web site offers this description: From Oct 7-31^st the Zoo will be transformed into a night-time wonderland with thousands of intricately carved and illuminated pumpkins every evening from 6pm-10pm. It takes a team of professional pumpkin carvers six weeks (working around the clock) to create this magical, memorable experience that has grown into one of Southern New England’s most popular autumn traditions.Sounds like a must-see to me.

I headed out at 3:30 and was at the entrance by 4:00. The ticket booth opens at 5pm so I had an hour to kill. Even though I was really early, there were already people lining up. I was 2^nd in line behind a young woman who said her 3 kids and her mother were waiting in the car. The kids were young and were napping so she was waiting in line for the family. She said she attended last year and the wait was over 2 hours so that was why she decided to get there early too.

I must say the Zoo is punctual. About 4:45 they began setting up railings and the booth attendant started setting up his computer. Still they didn’t open until exactly 5pm. By then there was a line for the BBQ from the booth to the parking lot . The other side of the entrance was also filling up with families that were just doing the pumpkin trail even though those tickets didn’t go on sale until 6pm.

At the window I presented my AAA card and received a $2.00 discount. They also had senior discounts but you can’t “PIGGY BACK” discounts (and I'm not 62 yet)so the AAA discount was fine with me.

As you enter the park you are met by a volunteer. They wait until there are about 20 people in line and then take the group to the Jambo Junction Serengeti Deck. As you walk along the path you see signs.. “You are 1 hour from the trail” then “you are 30 minutes from the trail”, the 15 minutes and so on. A nice perk of the BBQ is that when you are finished eating they let you cut in line. I confess, my motivation for going to the BBQ was that I knew if I let myself get settled in for the night that I wouldn’t go out at all and would end up missing the whole thing!
　
The BBQ was good and geared toward the kids. Even the fussiest child should be able to get their fill here. They had mashed potatoes, butternut squash, chicken wings, pulled pork, chicken fingers, hamburgers and hotdogs, 3 bean salad and corn bread.

For dessert they had really decadent brownies, hot apple cobbler, pumpkin cheesecake (that looked more like a chiffon than a cheese cake)and ice cream. They also had hot apple cider and hot chocolate along with sodas, coffee and tea and milk. I almost forgot , they had a creamy carrot ginger soup but I had plenty so skipped that. Some of the folks sitting at my picnic table said it was quite spicy.

About 7pm I headed out onto the pumpkin trail.

 Almost immediately volunteers began circulating through the crowd telling everyone “NO FLASH Photography”. When they were ignored someone turned on the PA system to make the announcement. For the most part the people around me complied. I did see some flashes but not a lot. Since there was also a prohibition on tripods getting clear pictures became quite a challenge. I used both a point and shoot and my DSLR. I got some usable pictures but they don’t do justice to the displays at all.

The trail from start to finish was probably about ½ hour and filled with a lot ooooh’s and aaahhhh’s. They had jack-o-lanterns on display everywhere, in the trees , on the pond, everywhereyou looked. There were thousands, each display more elaborate than the one before it!

Did you know there are professional pumpkin carvers? I sure didn’t but since I was never able to carve a pumpkin as a kid, I doubt if my skill level would be any better now. I think I’ll skip that as a possible sideline.
The web site gives these tips for carving a great Jack-O-Lantern

　
How to Carve a Spectacular Jack-O-Lantern at Home
Probably the most frequently asked questions about the Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular have to do with carving technique – what are the secrets of the Spectacular’s expert carvers? Here are some tips from the experts on how to get crafty with pumpkin carving.
Carve the hole and gut your jack o’ lantern from the bottom of the pumpkin, not at the top. This will provide more stability for your jack o’ lantern as it gets softer and it will make it much easier to light.
Use the features of your particular pumpkin to your advantage. For example, if the pumpkin has a long, curly stem, place the pumpkin on its side and use the stem as a nose.
Use a specialized carving tool, such as those used in ceramics, to peel the pumpkin skin in different thicknesses to make for more detail, rather than just carving holes into the pumpkin.
Practice peeling more or less of the skin away. By peeling different thicknesses of the rind away, you can create a 3-D shading effect when the light shines through.
Use markers to draw your design before you carve and to provide detailing to the finished carving.
To help your pumpkins stay fresh longer, spray the outside with a diluted bleach solution. (Of course, this means there will be no pumpkin pie made from that pumpkin later!) All in all this could easily become a Halloween tradition. I do wish they would have “photographer’s Night” where they let us use Tripods and different flash techniques. A lot of much photographed sites are starting to do that because of the growth of the hobby. If they do that that can definitely count me in!

Day Trip to Chatham

I have to admit that this summer of 2010 was just about a perfect summer for sun loving, hot weather seeking people like me. I’m not sure how many weeks we went without rain but I do know that except for 1 week I had sun and nice temperatures on all my days off. Can’t beat that.

Of course all that warm weather had some unexpected consequences. The waters off Cape Cod got warmer earlier than usual and with the exploding seal population on Monomoy Island, Cape Codders, especially in Chatham, began to hear reports of Great White Shark sightings. As the summer heated up, so did the reports. It got so there was at least one report a day and eventually some of the Chatham beaches were closed to swimming.

I’ve always had an interest in marine biology so I followed these reports with interest and finally decided that a trip to Chatham was in order to see what this was all about. I confess that although I’ve lived in Massachusetts for 30 years and own a time share in Dennisport, I don’t go to the Cape too often and when I do it’s usually to the Eastham National Seashore to hike the trails there so I wasn’t familiar with Chatham.

I thought that Monomoy island was a remote island that was reached only after a long boat trip. Ok all you native Cape Cod folks. You can stop laughing now. Anyway, I headed down to the Chatham fish pier to see what I could find out and maybe see a great white for myself.

When I arrived at the pier there was a little open boat tied up to the dock, nothing that looked like an excursion or tour boat. I asked about the Seal Watching Tour and the captain of that little boat told me he hadn’t seen them around all day. He explained that he ran a shuttle service out to Monomoy Island and he would take me out to the seals for the price of the shuttle, $15.00. That seemed pretty reasonable to me so I hopped on board with another family that was going to the island for the afternoon.

The captain took us by the tip of the island first so everyone could see the seals. I couldn’t believe all the noise! The seals don’t seem to be that loud in captivity but there was no shortage of grunts and brays and honks and barks out here. Once again I was reminded how different animals can be when we see them in their natural environment instead of a zoo or aquarium.

We didn’t linger because this was a shuttle and the family needed to be dropped off.  They arranged a pick up time for the shuttle to come back, the capatin "grounded " the boat on the beach  and were soon they were on their way up the beach. We or if I am honest, the captain, pushed us back off (I stayed in the boat) and we headed back out to the seals.

The Captain explained that Monomoy Island is part of the Monomoy National Wildlife Refuge. He said Monomoy Island used to be a peninsula until a few years agon when a big winter Nor’ Easter eroded part of the barrier away. The folks in Chatham hoped that another storm might fill it back in but chose to let nature be the deciding factor. Subsequent storms only served to widen the breach so now they have Monomoy Island. I could see little houses or “shacks” on the Island and was told that these were originally privately owned but when the government took over the land as part of the refuge, they took most of the buildings by eminent domain. Once they realized the cost to either maintain or demolish the buildings, they gave them back to the original owners to use on a temporary basis. That temporary “stay” has expired but the government hasn’t made any move to change the status quo. As the buildings crumble and rot, they cannot be rebuilt so it is just a matter of time before they will all be gone anyway.

By now we were back off the tip of the island and there was the seal colony. These are mostly gray seals and the difference in head shape between the males and females is quite pronounced. My captain said sometimes they are called “horse head” seals because the males have a very horse shaped head. The females are just plain cute ansd seemed to be the more inquisitive. As we sat quietly drifting on the swells they would swim up to the boat and pop up for a look and then duck back under and swim away only to pop up again a few yards away.

I spotted one large male that seemed to be entangled in a fishing net. When I commented on it the Captain said it was a sad truth that the seal would probably die if it couldn’t free itself. He said rescue efforts usually fail because they have to tranquilize the seal. Unfortunately the drug doesn’t work fast enough to keep the animal from getting back into the water. Once in the water, when the drug takes effect, it knocks the seal out and it drowns. That made me feel terrible, sad, angry, helpless…Man strikes again!

As I watched the animals, I didn’t see any Great White Sharks. The captain said we were in the “Inner” harbor and the shark sightings were outside the harbor on the seaward side of the island. His shuttle doesn’t go there. A fog bank began to roll in so the Captain said it was time to head back in to the pier. It was well worth the $15.00 but I figure if I want to see a great white I’ll have to find someone who was going out of the harbor next time.

I had a lunch at the Fish Pier that was the freshest fish and chips I can remember having. It was outstanding! I sat at a picnic table near the take out and was soon joined by a couple from England. I asked them how our fish and chips measured up to Jolly old England’s and they said quite favorably.

I hung around for awhile after lunch and watched the fishing boats coming in and unloading their catch. By now the fog had lifted and the sun was back out. As I made my way back to the car I couldn’t help thinking how such a simple afternoon turned out to be one of the best days of the summer!

Coming up

I have more travels to share but since we are coming into the holiday season, I thought I’d try to cover some points of interest here in Massachusetts and Rhode Island.

Roger Williams Park Zoo has a Halloween Festival which I plan to attend and of course there’s Salem, Ma known as Witch City. I’d like to try to get there this week but we’ll have to see how the week goes.

I missed the Cranberry Festival & King Richard Faire but coming up in Carver will be the Festival of Lights in December at the Edaville Railroad.

Plus how can I ignore Plimouth Plantation with Thanksgiving right around the corner.

Other places to see and things to do might be Buttonwood Zoo, New Bedford; Capron Park Zoo, Attleboro, Franklin Park Zoo, Boston, Stone Zoo, Stoneham, the Whaling Museum, New Bedford and the many historical sites related to the revolution and our early history.

I haven’t walked the Freedom trail in a long time…probably won’t get there right away….

Or how about Old Sturbridge Village or the Boston Common & Public Gardens all decked out for the Holidays?

I’m sure I will find plenty of “local” color but as always I welcome suggestions.

I still have South Dakota to tell you all about. I think that will kick off the New Year and of course all my followers will have a front row seat while I plan my return to Sedona in May.

Also, if anyone has been on a trip and would like to “Guest Blog”, let me know. Let me share your vacation J
So lots of things to come!

　

Sedona Summary

Before I finish up this series of posts, I thought I would address some of the questions that have come up over this series.

First, the weather:

Sedona is 4500 ft above sea level and is a 4 season vacation destination. They do get snow during the winter. During the summer they do not get the heat that the southern part of the state experiences. It is moderated by the elevation. Sedona boasts 300 sunny days /year!

2010 Statistics

(updated weekly)

This years Extremes

	DATA.		DATE(S)
HOTTEST DAY	106.8	ºF	7/18
WARMEST NIGHT	76.5	ºF	7/16
COOLEST DAY	39.3	ºF	1/23
COLDEST NIGHT	26.0	ºF	1/24
HIGHEST TEMP CHANGE	45.1	ºF	6/23
LOWEST TEMP CHANGE	4.6	ºF	1/22
MOST PRECIPITATION	2.60	"	1/21
MOST SNOWFALL	1.0	"	1/22
HIGHEST AVG HUMIDITY	89.5	%	1/22
LOWEST AVG. HUMIDITY	14.4	%	6/24
HIGHEST DEW POINT	76.8	ºF	7/20
LOWEST DEW POINT
WINDIEST DAY
NIGHTS BELOW 32 ºF
DAYS ABOVE 100 ºF

　

　

At the moment I am planning to return in 2011 in mid- May. The National weather service lists average temperature in Sedona in May & June:
　
　

May	High	82
	Low	50
	Average	66
June	High	92
	Low	58
	Average	75

Flora and Fauna

The whole time I was in Sedona I heard about rattlesnakes and tarantulas. I didn’t see any snakes of any kind although I did watch my step as I know this is their habitat. As far as tarantula’s are concerned I am extremely happy to report that I didn’t see any of those either as I am extremely arachnophobic! I don’t mind reptiles but I am definitely not a bug fan!

I searched Sedona wildlife and Sedona Flora and Fauna and found tons of information on javelinas, Mule deer, mountain lions, even an animal called the Ringtail but no warnings about rattlesnakes and tarantulas so although I am sure they are around, I wouldn’t skip a trip just to avoid an encounter. When hiking in rocky areas that might be rattlesnake habitat I would just step carefully. A walking stick would be helpful as well as sturdy hiking boots.

Sedona has topped various lists of the most beautiful places in America and everyone from the vendors to shop keepers to tour guides go out of their way to help you have a vacation to remember. Within an easy drive to the South Rim of the Grand Canyon, Sedona should be a must-visit for everyone at least one time.

I welcome comments, questions and suggestions and will try to answer all as honestly and thoroughly as I can. I have a few more Sedona posts as I plan my 2011 return visit so if you have heard of some place in Sedona that you think I should visit, please post the comment! I’ll see what time allows me to include.

as of October 14th

http://www.sedonaweather.net/stats.htm

Heading Home, Farewell Sedona

Well my vacation is coming to an end. I was up early and loaded the car, one last walk through of the condo to be sure I hadn’t left anything behind and too soon it was time to point my car south to Phoenix.
I didn’t expect anything today . My whole goal was to get to the airport and return the rental without getting lost. But as if the area was giving me one last reason to remember this trip, as I headed out of Red Rock Country, there on the horizon were the Hot Air Balloons. I had looked into taking one of the rides but they had been booked but now I had a chance to see them sailing over the desert just north of Cottonwood.
Since I had allowed myself plenty of time to get to Phoenix, I pulled over and took some pictures. Just south of Clarksville I spotted another balloon. This one was lower and closer and headed right toward me. I had to stop and grab a few shots of that one too. This one passed over me so close that I could hear the whoosh of the heater. What a great sight to end my trip!

As I continued south to Phoenix I saw the desert change as we headed into the low desert. Here being hotter and dryer the vegetation was different. Soon I began to see the Saguaro. I had seen it when I arrived on the drive north  but it didn’t make the same impression on me then as it did now. Maybe I was more attuned to the area. South of Phoenix is Saguaro National Park but I would have to settle for these views this trip.

The day before I was mailing a postcard with a large Saguaro Cactus crushing a car. A man in line at the post office with me told me that the picture was probably real. He said the Saguaro has a very shallow root system and after a rain when they are full of water they can weigh up to 6 tons! Certainly enough to crush a car if it falls on it.
　
Just outside of Phoenix I topped off the gas tank in preparation for the car return. That was the only “fly in the ointment”. When I turned the car in it seemed that the original attendant hadn’t indicated that she had given me a complimentary upgrade. Once again I thanked my lucky starts I had the foresight to allow lots of time because it took quite awhile to get that straightened out. In the end, the discount was applied.
Now It was off to the airport and my flight home. I was flying Delta this trip and it was uneventful. We left Phoenix on time, arrived at Cincinnati on time , changed planes and took off on time and landed in Providence …yup, on time. What a pleasure!

I was home within an hour after landing where my fuzzy room mates greeted me at the door. I love traveling but coming home is pretty good too!



http://www.nps.gov/sagu/

Elk & Meteor Crater

　Well this morning dawned clear but COLD and it was WINDY with a capital “W”! It was the first day of my Arizona Vacation where the weather was less than perfect. I kind of liked it. Everyone was talking about it. They were calling it a “rainless” hurricane. Winds were being measured at 80-100 mph! It was definitely not a day to go swimming at Slide Rock Park. I also counted my blessings that I went on the helicopter tour yesterday because they would never have been able to fly with winds like this!

So, time to rethink my day. There was no shortage of things I could do so after studying the maps of the area I chose to head out to Meteor Crater. To get there I would be headed up RT 89 to Flagstaff. During my wandering the day before, I was told that the Elk herds were starting their annual migration and that one herd had settled into an area near Lake Mary and Mormon Lake. It didn’t look too far on the map so I planned a small detour to check it out.

That decision out of the way, I grabbed my jacket and headed to the car to tackle the curves on RT 89a again.

I found the turn off to the lakes area and found both Mormon Lake and Lake Mary. The area is truly beautiful and much more lush than the other places I’d been. There was a pull out with a view of a huge meadow but I didn’t see anything there. I took the binoculars and started trying to check it out more closely but the winds were just too strong. Plus this area was a higher elevation and it was quite cold. The wind cut right through my fleece jacket like I didn’t even have it on.

Satisfied that there were no Elk near where I could see them I hurried back to the car and headed on my way. Back in Flagstaff, I located RT 40 east and headed off in the direction of Winslow, AZ.( Meteor crater is located about 20 miles west of Winslow.)

It didn’t take long for the road to flatten out and turn into a long straight ribbon with the mountains near Flagstaff behind me. Out here where there was nothing to break up the winds the car was taking a real buffeting. I now know what a real tumble weed looks like! They were everywhere being tossed all over by the wind. At one point I was behind a tractor trailer truck and it was being blown across the lanes of traffic. The driver would pull back to the right lane but at the next gust he’d be pushed into the left lane again. It was scary to watch and I backed off to give him plenty of room to maneuver.

Meteor Crater is in the middle of no where!. There are signs and as you follow them the road turns to a dirt road which at the moment seemed to be as much in the air as on the ground. In the distance I could see a line of red clouds above the horizon. It was dust. That must have been what it was like in the dust bowl days. The road continued up a slight rise and then you are in the parking lot.

At this point the wind was so strong that I thought it would rip the door off my car when I opened it and I had to really lean into it to get to the entrance. There was also a loud roaring sound. The closest I can come to describing it would be a fighter squadron flyover. I actually looked up to see if there were planes flying low over the area. Turns out that it was the sound of the wind as it blew over the rim of the crater.
The staff was trying to keep it “business as usual” but they had to close the rim because the winds made walking out there unsafe. They were also having issues with the electricity so the lights kept going off and coming back on. They recommended that guests not use the elevators because if the electricity went out and didn’t come right back on, you would be stuck.

Now this may all sound awful but I was actually having a great time with it. I thought it was quite exciting. I’m glad we had this bizarre weather. I may not have been able to walk around the rim of the crater but I could see it out the big windows and there was a cement walk way next to the building that they did not close off, so it wasn’t a total bust. If it had been calm I wouldn’t have heard the crater “roaring”, so I have absolutely no complaints!

I attended the movie and explored the museum. Besides the crater, there is a courtyard with the Mercury capsule and a wall called the American Astronaut Wall of Fame. It would have been nice to sit out there and eat lunch but today was impossible with the wind. I didn’t know that they had the space memorabilia here so that was a bonus.

I picked up some post cards in the gift shop and had some lunch in the cafeteria style shop while watching the dust cloud progress. Since there wasn’t much more to do with the Crater Rim closed, I headed back to the car.

The key to a good vacation if being flexible. When I went on the Grand Canyon Tour there wasn’t time to get to the visitor center. They have a movie in an IMAX theater that I wanted to see., so it was back to the Grand Canyon…but I avoided the edge in this wind!

The Grand Canyon Movie in IMAX is really excellent. I definitely recommend it. I think the Canyon is even more impressive after you see the film. I finished off the day by browsing the gift shop and grabbing dinner in the visitor Center before I started the long drive back to Sedona.

On the drive back I finally saw a pretty sunset. With all the dust in the air the high winds had stirred up, we had something for the setting sun to reflect off to create a beautiful “cowboy sunset”. Unfortunately I was on a highway doing 70 mph and I didn’t see any place to pull over to take a picture. Well, at least I have the memory.

Tomorrow will be another early morning. It’s my last day of vacation and I will be driving back to Phoenix to catch my flight back home. It’s been such a busy week, it’s hard to believe it’s almost over. Even harder to believe I almost didn’t come!
　
http://www.meteorcrater.com/

A Complete Cowboy Evening

One of the things I really wanted to do while “out west” was go horseback riding. It’s something I haven’t done in years, and after I let my weight get out of control I couldn’t find any place that would let me ride. All had weight limits and I exceeded those limits by more than a couple of lbs. But when I researched the area online I found one ranch in the Sedona area offering trail rides with no weight limits. I even emailed them to verify this.

It seems they specifically breed their trail horses to be larger, cross breeding with draft horses to result in larger, stronger, saddle horses. They explained that over the years they had seen the average weight of the tourist they were servicing rise so rather than turn people away, they bred larger horses to accommodate the load. They said it has nothing to do with “fat” but people are just larger in general, taller, broader and yes in some cases, fatter but not always.

As with everything else I’d encountered in Sedona, there were choices to be made. How long a ride, did I want morning or afternoon, a package with lunch or dinner? Did I want to add a jeep tour? In the end I decided to keep it simple. I hadn’t ridden in years and was bound to be rusty so I chose a package with a short trail ride and the Cowboy Cookout. That was on the agenda for today.

Finishing up at the airport I had the rest of the morning and the early part of the afternoon before I had to meet the group in upper Sedona for the ride to the M Diamond Ranch.

I could have headed back to the time share for that visit to the pool but preferred to do some more exploring in Sedona. I’d been up and down the main street but I hadn’t had a chance to walk any of the side streets. I found benches and fountains and more little shops. I bought post cards and chatted with shop owners about their favorite places in Sedona. In no time the morning had passed and it was time to meet the tour bus for the ride to the ranch.

The M Diamond ranch was established in 1908 and is a combination of 110 deeded acres and a 44,000 acre grazing allotment from the US forest Service. Because using the land for grazing requires so much space, most Arizona ranches are a combination of owned land with leased grazing rights. The M Diamond is not just a tourist ranch, I hesitate to say Dude Ranch because it is definitely not that, but is an actual working ranch with a commercial herd of cross-bred black angus cattle. They also buy, train and sell working ranch horses.

Because the ranch covers such a huge area, there is plenty of room for wild “critters”. I was told those wild residents of the ranch include elk, mule deer, pronghorn antelope, white tail deer, javalinas, turkeys, Gambel’s quail, western bluebirds, eagles and hawks. Occasionally mountain lions and black bear wander through plus there are rattlesnakes and tarantulas.

Finally at the ranch I made friends with the resident mouser and got a “kitty fix” since my two cats are being spoiled by their cat sitter while I’m away. I watched as the wranglers brought out a bunch of horses and got them saddled up. Then they lined us up and began assigning horses.

Now what happened next is both embarrassing and , in retrospect, very funny. At the time, I was glad no one had a camera but now I kind of wish someone had got a shot.

This is what happened. I am comfortable around horses but I like to “introduce myself” to any horse I’m going to ride, take a minute and pet them, let them smell me and so forth. Well, there wasn’t much time allowed for animal introductions and I was being shoved to the horse’s side to mount but he was a HUGE horse. He was so big I couldn’t reach the saddle horn or get my foot in the stirrup. I’ve ridden some big horses but I’ve always been able to reach the saddle horn! I asked for a mounting block and was told they weren’t allowed to use them due to insurance restrictions. The wrangler told me to take a hold of the rope that was tied to the saddle horn and use that to pull myself up. Before I even had a grip I felt 4 hands on my but and I was unceremoniously lifted onto the back of this enormous horse by two other wranglers. It must have been a sight! At the time I was really embarrassed but as time has passed I’ve found myself chuckling over it more than cringing. J

Back to the mounting block. The reason they don’t use it is because if something were to happen on the ride and the guest falls off or dismounts, there wouldn’t be a mounting block on the trail and the wranglers have to be able to get the guest back on the horse. If they take someone out who they cannot get on the horse and something happens, their insurance won’t cover them. So they play it safe and don’t use the block.

Anyway, now that I was properly mounted up, we all got in line and headed out. The wrangler had warned me that “Maxy” as my horse was named, was not trained to neck rein. Now to me that is like driving a car without power steering. “Maxy” was a sweet horse and put up with me trying to get his attention but basically did what every other trail horse in the world does…followed the one in front of him. I finally gave up and just let him do his thing only intervening if I thought he was going to run into the horse in front who loved to stop quick to try to graze. If I was having a problem, the guy on the horse in front of me had no control at all, which made it harder on me, but at least I had enough control that I didn’t have to be “rescued “ by the wrangler like he did... I don’t think my bruised ego could have taken that!

The trail was very dry and covered with loose rocks that rolled under the horses hooves so that they stumbled sometimes. I couldn’t help comparing the difference between riding here in the desert to that in the east on trails of soft soil and pine needs or leaves. I couldn’t imagine galloping the horses across this terrain even though they all do it in the westerns.

We didn’t see any elk, deer or mountain lions but we did see a couple of hawks circling and some Gambel’s Quail scooting out of our way. Then we were back at the corral where we started. The wranglers came over to give us each a hand down. They took my picture with my camera before I dismounted. I am pleased to say I completed the dismount with far more grace that I mounted so may have partly redeemed myself.
With everyone off the horses we loaded onto a flatbed wagon pulled by two beautiful , black, percheron draft horses for the ride to the “mess hall”.

It was a short ride and they had a big fire going. We all got in line to pick up our plates of beans, corn, steak and baked potatoes. We sat in a covered area at picnic tables and enjoyed another singing cowboy. He took requests and we tried to play “stump the entertainer” but he actually had more songs in his repertoire than any of us knew. No one could come up with anything obscure enough to fool him. His favorites seemed to be the old standards and most of us knew at least some of the words and sang along. All in all, it was quite fun.

It was full dark when we loaded back into the van for the trip back to Upper Sedona. After picking up my car, I headed back to the condo. Tomorrow I was not setting an alarm or a wakeup call. I wanted to go back out to Slide Rock Park but this time with my bathing suit.
　
http://www.mdiamondranch.com/

Arizona Helicopter Adventures

Ah, the sound of the ringing phone for the wake up call. I’ve never had so many wakeup calls on vacation before but today I need to be at the Sedona Airport bright and early.

On the way I stop at the local McDonalds for a quick breakfast. No “Golden Arches” here. The Sedona zoning laws prevented them somehow so this Micky”D’s: has Green Arches! I just get such a kick out of that!

　
Anyway, after that quick stop it was on to the airport. The concierge had set me up for the tour so I don’t remember now which one it was , but I can tell you that it was great. There are a lot of different ones to chose from, varying by length and cost depending on where you want to go. They can also be combined with jeep tours and picnics. They did offer a Grand Canyon tour but it was a bit pricy for me. Maybe someday I’ll get a chance to do that.

The folks at Arizona Helicopter Aventures were great. I was a little worried about my weight since I had to publicly get on the scales when we took the plane tour in Hawaii. I figured it would be the same here. Instead the clerk just handed me a piece of paper and asked me to write down my weight and hand it back. If I didn’t know it, there was a scale off in a hallway were I could check it, privately. While we waited for the pilot and helicopter to get ready we all stood around chatting about what to expect. All very causal and relaxed. Definitely a great atmosphere. There was another couple and the pilot’s son going up. I think they were using the son to balance the load. The husband was a really big man so I guess I offset him and the son offset the wife. I didn’t feel so bad that way.

Once settled in the ‘copter, we put on headsets that both muted the noise and allowed us to talk to the pilot and each other. The pilot’s son was seated next to me and he would prove to be quite the excited flight companion! When he was calling for his Dad to do a maneuver again, I was making sure I knew where to find the air sick bag…just kidding. My stomach only flip flopped once or twice...kind of like the sensation you get in an elevator when it first begins to move. The ride was exciting enough to make up for any momentary discomfort.

I had my little point and shoot and I am so glad I brought it. The scenery from the air is just breath taking. Even with the window in the way shooting through the glass, I was able to get some decent photos (for me and my skill, great photos). The pilot kept up a running commentary about the things we were seeing. He told us about the Indians that originally settled the area and pointed out some of the cliff dwellings in the area. We flew over RT 179 out of Sedona, which is one of the many roads I had driven and then RT 89 where the trestle bridge crossed Oak Creek Canyon, another road I was very familiar with by now.

Of course we flew by Cathedral Rock and Bell Rock, landmarks of the Sedona area, and into Boynton Canyon ( I think that’s what he said it was) and then it was time to head back. Time really does fly!

When we landed the crew came out and took my camera so I could have a picture to commemorate the trip. I also bought the souvenir DVD which was much better than the one given to us after the Hawaii plane ride.
I whole heartily endorse this tour! It wasn’t as scary as I expected and the sights were beautiful. Our pilot was knowledgeable about the area and very personable. The ground employees were terrific, all in all a great experience. I would definitely do this again.

When I get back to Hawaii again I am definitely going to take the Helicopter tour over Kilauea!
　
http://azheli.com/

Blazin’ M Ranch

Back at the Train Depot I retrieved my car and tried to follow the detailed directions to the Blazin’ M Ranch. I admit, these were really good directions but trying to read them in the dark, drive and look for the landmarks, road signs and turn offs was an exercise in futility. Yup, you guessed it, got lost. Getting lost on vacation isn’t normally a big deal. I find some of the neatest sights when I’m lost, but in this case I had a deadline if I wanted to get there in time for the Dinner Show, which was the whole point!

When I realized I must have missed a turn somewhere, I turned around and retraced my steps, very slowly, pulling over to let other cars pass me so I didn’t have to worry about holding the locals up from wherever they were going.

Finally I spotted the Blazin’ M sign with an arrow and realized where I’d missed the turn.
Back on track I felt like I drove forever even though the directions said it was only a mile. That’s how it always seems when you have no idea where you are, especially in the dark and there was nothing around.
Finally I spotted lights and a parking lot and there was the Ranch sign. I breathed a sigh of relief and headed to the door. They told me dinner was being served but the show hadn’t started so I was able to join the dinner line.

Dinner was served on tin plates and  everyone was seated at long tables. I was tacked onto a table that held another tour group. Once again, they were happy to "adopt" me for the evening.  You passed through a buffet line that had servers to load up your plate. There were biscuits, beans, steak, salad, baked potatoes, chicken, applesauce! As I recall, if you wanted desert (after the all-you-can eat buffet) there was a desert wagon but it wasn’t included in the ticket price, an extra add on. The meal alone made it a great value but there was still the show and the lights were going down to indicate it was about to start.

I remember going to traveling western shows when I was a kid and this was about the same idea. There were the western songs, jokes, the town fool character and lots of laughs and good fun but the best part of the whole show was something I had not seen before. The finale was a rendition of “Ghost Riders in the Sky”. The lights went out and the strobe lights mimicking lightening flashed . Through the big windows we could see a ghost riding a wild steed! As the strobe flashed the horse raced by from window to window and back again, tossing it’s head, rearing and looking, well, wild. The “ghost rider” on his back wore a white ghost sheet that whipped and blew as if in a wind. It was an awesome and totally unexpected end to the night!

After the lights came back up the crowd began to leave and there was the rider and the horse. They waited in the courtyard for the guests to come over , pet the horse, offer tips, pose for pictures and receive kudos for a great job.

The courtyard was something I missed out on by getting lost. I was able to walk around but only one or two shops were still open and they were in the process of closing for the night. The courtyard is made up a series of shops and activities. You can play horseshoes, try your skills in a shooting gallery, have your picture taken in the jail or shop for boots, cowboy hats and other western wear if you get there early enough.

It wasn’t a bad drive back to the condo and I was feeling pretty exhilarated after that finale. Still, it was time to wrap for the night especially since tomorrow I am going to do something I never thought I would ever try. Tomorrow morning I am taking a helicopter ride over Sedona.
　
　
　

　
　
　
　
　http://www.blazinm.com/

Verde Canyon Railroad

Leaving Out of Africa behind I retraced my steps until I saw a sign for Cottonwood, AZ. From Cottonwood I followed the signs to Clarksdale and once in Clarksdale the signs to the Verde Canyon Railroad.
I pulled into a spacious parking lot and crossed the street to a modern depot with restrooms, picnic tables, snack bar, museum and gift shop . There was a long line for tickets but everyone was in a good mood and time passed quickly. At the window it was a simple matter of showing my receipt and they handed me my ticket and dinner pass for the Blazin’M Ranch.

Once I had my tickets in hand, I changed lines to the snack bar where I ordered typical vacation fare, hamburger, onion rings, soda. All of the tables on the shaded patio were taken but since I was alone, it was easy to get a seat at the end of one of the picnic tables with some very nice folks. They were taking their 2^nd trip on the train and couldn’t say enough good things about the ride.

For all of you train buffs out there, here’s a little bit of history for you. The Verde Canyon Railroad is a standard gauge railroad and has always played an important role in the community and the development of the Verde Valley. Originally built to support the mining activities in Jerome, the original railroad was a narrow gauge called the United Verde & Pacific Railroad but it was abandoned in 1884 because of a series of mishaps including mine fires. In 1888 William Clark purchased the United Verde Mine and within 7 years was netting a substantial profit. . The 38 mile Verde Canyon Railroad was one of 3 lines of standard gauge railroads built and financed by Senator Clark. The railroad was operated by the Santa Fe, Prescott and Phoenix Railroad and was completed in 1 year! Clarksdale is named for Senator Clark.

The Santa Fe Railroad serviced the Phoenix Cement Company until 1988 when it was sold to the Clarksdale Arizona Central Railroad. The Verde Canyon Railroad is the excursion operation on the line. There are still shipping operations on other trains that use the same line.

My seat was in the Cottonwood car. Each passenger is assigned to one of the rail cars and attached to each rail car is an open air viewing platform so if the weather is bad or you just want to sit back and relax, you can sit inside. If you want an unobstructed view of the scenery, then you can go out to the viewing platform. There are metal bench seats in the center of each platform but most people just stood at the rail. A commentator was assigned to each viewing platform and his role was to point out the sights and any animal life and give us the history of the area.

Once we boarded and took our seats in the assigned car, a conductor collected our tickets and explained what to expect on the trip.

Part of what appealed to me about this railroad trip was that Verde Canyon is known to be home to our National Symbol, the American Bald Eagle and I was really hoping to see one or two. The Verde Canyon is tucked between 2 National Forests and there are no roads to the interior of the canyon.

When we first pulled out of the station things looked pretty flat, no sign of the rugged canyon terrain. . Our Commentator pointed out the old mining town of Jerome, about ½ way up the side of the mountain. Copper was mined here and the ore brought down to Clarksdale for smelting before it was shipped out to the Santa Fe main line to head to various destinations around the country.

A little over a mile out from the station we pass Sinagua cliff dwellings clinging to the cliff face about ½ way up the canyon wall.. These peoples are classified as pre-Colombian by the archeologist who first studied them north of Flagstaff. It is believed that some of the Sinagua moved into the Verde Valley around 1100 AD. They disappeared around 1400 AD. Why they left and where they went remains a mystery today in spite of many legends and folk tales that seem to cover everything from war to space travel to cannibalism.
As the train continues along the canyon begins to deepen and the Verde river is entrenched below the tracks in a narrow steep -walled canyon.

The Verde river is home to many different types of wildlife, mule deer, antelope, and javelina to mention a few. Occasionally they say a fox or coyote can be see. This is also mountain lion country but they are seldom seen and this trip was no different. Darn! I would have loved to spot a rare animal or, at the rate I’m going, any animal!
　
As the train approached a trestle bridge we were alerted so we could take pictures. The bridge is over the S.O.B. Canyon , the bottom of which is 150 ft below us. Across the valley is a line of demarcation where white limestone buts up against red sandstone. Our guide explains that this point marks the edge of a prehistoric lake that once covered this area. I’ve been on many tours where the guides try to point out such lines of demarcation but seldom have I seen any so clearly defined. High up on the cliff wall is the home of Black & Decker, a pair of Bald Eagles that have made the canyon home for over 10 years. We searched the cliff and the sky but didn’t see them even with binoculars.

At about the half way point the train passes through a man-made tunnel that is 680 feet long and curved. This makes it impossible to see the exit when the train starts into the tunnel. Keep hands and heads inside! The walls are very close to the train itself!

As the train leaves the canyon, the walls drop away on both sides and the train crosses a steel bridge into the Perkinsville valley. In the 1960’s a few scenes from How the West Was Won were shot in Perkinsville.
At this point the engines are uncoupled and run around the cars on a siding to be recoupled at the front for the return trip and a chance to see anything that might have been missed the first time.

The afternoon shadows were beginning to stretch across the canyon and I was hopeful that as the air cooled and the shadows grew the animals might decide to cooperate and come out for us to see them. I kept my eyes peeled but nothing was stirring, not even a mouse. But then, what to my wondering eyes should appear…not a miniature sleigh but 2 majestic bald eagles soaring above the cliffs, silhouetted against a brilliant blue sky. Anyone with binoculars was peering at the sky and after spotting the elusive birds generously sharing their binoculars with those around them, even strangers!

This got everyone talking and the gentleman next to me told me about viewing hundreds of bald eagles during their migration through Oregon. That’s a spectacle I’d like to see!.

We didn’t see any other animals even though we looked but we did get one more bald eagle sighting that was one for the books. As we neared the end of the canyon, there perched in a tree top that was just about the same height as our viewing platform was a bald eagle. It was as if it was watching us, maybe getting a front row seat for people watching. I grabbed for my camera but too late, we were past him and the opportunity was gone.

The rest of the return trip was more beautiful scenery but no more animal or bird sightings. As we pulled into Clarksdale Station at the end of the line it was dark. Now I just had to find my car and find the Blazin’ M. Ranch for the Chuck wagon Dinner Theater.

Coming up, Gunslingers and Flyin’ Biscuits!
　

　
www.verdecanyonrr.com
　
　
　
　

Out of Africa in Arizona

Morning dawned bright and clear and cool, just like every morning so far. After a quick breakfast I headed out to the rental to head south to Camp Verde and the Out of Africa Wildlife Park.

I found the park without a hitch. In fact, I was so early that the gates hadn’t even opened. I wanted to get there early because most animals are more active in the morning before the heat of the day. I was the first car in line at the gate and soon more cars began to line up behind me. After waiting for about ½ hour, a truck pulled up on the other side of the gate and the driver got out, came through a door to the side of the gate and told us all they would be opening shortly. Then he pointed out some of the animals that we could just see from here in the distance. I remembered the binoculars this time and what a difference they made.
About 15 minutes later the gates swung open and we drove down the dirt road to the dirt parking lot. I assume they were setting the stage.

The Out Of Africa Wildlife Park is 104 acres where visitors can interact with 400 animals from around the world…or at least that’s what the brochure says. After you purchase your ticket you are directed to wait for the Serengeti Safari where you will have a chance to see animals like giraffe, zebra, and wildebeest, the non-lethal animals right outside your open windows.

The bus that lumbered up looked like it was right out of Africa! They certainly earn points for ambiance. Our driver was a personable young man from South Africa by the name of Sean. I loved his accent!
He would drive the bus to a huge enclosure with a double set of gates, stop it, get out to open the gates, drive the bus in, get back out to close the gates in back of the bus, open the 2^nd set of gates in front of the bus, drive the bus through those, get back out and close the 2^nd set of gates. This was the procedure whenever we drove into a different enclosure. This arrangement prevented the animals from either escaping or getting animals mixed together which might not be compatible.

As we drove through the enclosure animals came right up to the bus. Sean would stop the bus and feed the animals sweet potatoes so we had plenty of photo ops. Some of the animals even tried to hitch a ride and an amorous giraffe gave sloppy kisses to anyone who would offer her a treat. We also passed other enclosures containing the predators, lions & tigers, but the bears were later (Oh my). The Ostriches were fenced off too due to their penchant for biting and kicking.

I will give the Safari Ride high points. It wasn’t Africa but with the desert climate of Arizona and a little imagination I guess you could say it was the next best thing to being there. It was certainly a lot cheaper than going to Africa!

Back at the start everyone was unloaded off the bus so the next group could go, and I began to explore on foot. Events were announced over the PA and just after I exited the bus they announced “Tiger Splash” at the pool. I’ve seen “tiger Splash” events on television in shows like the Awesome Pawsome, a story of Tigers raised by keepers in Australia, so I was thrilled to get to see this in real life.

The Tigers they worked with here were still cubs, although definitely big enough to cause serious damage if they wanted to. The pool area was surrounded with a large chain link fence to separate the spectators from the keepers and the tigers. The show got underway and everyone was enjoying it when a Dirt Devil sprang up right at the corner of the bleachers. That caught everyone’s attention, even the tigers. It lasted several minutes and was kind of exciting, like being right next to a mini tornado.

When it finally dissipated the keepers picked the show right back up. The tigers jumped in the pool and swam with the keepers and chased the balls the keepers threw just like a pet housecat (on steroids?).
When the show ended, I walked over to the snack bar to get something cold to drink. It wasn’t cool anymore. The sun was fully up and it was hot! While I was sitting at the picnic table a little kid ran by yelling for his mother to look at the tiger. He kept pointing at me. Sometimes I’m not too bright and it took me a few minutes to figure out he was pointing behind me. Sure enough there was a huge tiger right next to me. There was a chain link fence between us for which I was very glad. I think I would have been cat food if we had been in the wild!

Following my “close encounter” I walked the dusty roads around the park to see the rest of the animals that weren’t on the tour. They have a lot of tigers here, and several young grizzly bears. I’ve never been much of a bear fan but these were really cute. I can see where the idea of stuffed teddy bears came from. They also had Hyenas and a very sad looking grey wolf. 2 desert tortoises were making a weird growling or grunting noise. I really don’t know how to describe it and at first I didn’t know where it was coming from. I kept searching what at first appeared to be an empty enclosure but after a few minutes the tortoises moved out from behind a bit of scrub brush and it became clear what the noise was. It must have been mating season. In all the nature shows I’ve seen on PBS, I’d never run across this.

By now the sun was high and it was time to head out. One of the guides told me I would want to stick around for the Predator Feed but that was in the afternoon and I already had tickets for the Verde Canyon Nature Train, so I would have to miss that.

I was satisfied with the morning and looking forward to my afternoon and evening plans.
　
http://www.outofafricapark.com/

Red Rock Jeep Tour

After lunch, once again at the Canyon Breeze, I headed back to the time share. The Red Rock Jeep company picks you up at the reception area of your hotel or time share. I parked my car, retrieved the camera I had left charging, and started walking down to the main office. That’s when I spotted the little road runner.
The cartoon caricature is so close to the real thing that I almost imagined it said Beep beep! He is quite speedy too. I couldn’t get the camera to shoot fast enough to get a picture. Best I could do was buy a post card. That’s one of my frustrations with the little point and shoots, too much shutter lag. It’s ok if you’re just taking pictures of landscapes or friends standing around, but when you need speed…it just doesn’t have it. But anyway, I was really thrilled to see the little bird as it raced along.

Promptly at 4:30 the Red Rock Jeep pulled up in front of the Sedona Summit. I was sitting on the curb outside. They had already been to another hotel/time share and picked up another group so I got the front seat next to our “Cowboy” guide, Randy. I guess when you’re in the west, everybody is a cowboy. He was wearing a very big gun. He assured us all that it was real and that he had it in case he had to shoot a “rattler”. He said in Arizona everybody had the right to own and carry a gun, no license required. Ok then, don’t think I’ll mess with this guy!

The tour was an “off-road” adventure called “Soldiers Pass” There were stops at the 7 Sacred Pools and the Devil’s Kitchen. I’ve never been much of an “off-road” enthusiast and I think Randy figured that out right away as he seemed to take a perverse pleasure in taking the scariest routes. He loved telling me to “breathe” as the right front tire hung out over nothing.

Anyway, we made it to the first stop which was the 7 Sacred Pools. Sure enough there were 7 pot holes with some nasty looking stagnate water. Randy explained that if you are in the desert with no water , this might look pretty good. The Indians of the region considered the pools sacred because they never go dry, not even in the worse drought.

It’s hard to get a handle on how vast the distances are. Like the Grand Canyon, it can be very deceiving. While we were at the 7 Sacred pools taking pictures, I happened to spot someone on the other side of the ravine taking pictures of our side. He was just a tiny toy sized figure. Yet just looking over there it didn’t seem that huge without him in the picture for perspective. I’ve posted the picture on my photo stream. Coffee Pot Rock is in the background.

There was another rock formation called the Sphinx that made a nice backdrop to the 7 Sacred Pools. Randy took my picture with it in the background. The setting sun was hitting the formation full on so the rocks look very light colored when they were actually the famous Sedona Red.

Randy also pointed out the Juniper Trees that were growing in the area. It’s berries are used to make alcohol for “medicinal purposes.” Seems Like all of the native plants are used to make alcohol!

The next stop was Devil’s Kitchen, a large sink hole formed by water eroding the limestone beneath it. Randy says that it got it’s name because of the way dust boils out of it when pieces of the rock collapse and fall into the hole. He said a big slab collapsed in 1989 during the San Francisco earthquake. That was the earthquake that caused a 10 day delay in the World Series. Your can find more information about this earthquake by searching World Series Earthquake or Loma Prieta earthquake. Of course that led to a discussion of the frequency of earthquakes in the region and I gather they have many tremors all the time. Most are so small that no one notices or pays any attention to them.

Leaving Devil’s Kitchen we picked up a paved road. As we came to an intersection a funny little pig raced across the road in front of us. Randy slowed down for us to watch it disappear into the scrub by the side of the road…Too fast for the camera again! He told us they were called Javelina, also called the peccary. It’s the only pig-like animal native to the Americas. As we sat stopped by the side of the road a woman coming the other way stopped her car to yell at us for “disturbing” the poor javalina. She said there were babies in the brush and told us to move on but to do it slowly. Then she drove off. We all got a good laugh out of that.

The rest of the ride was pretty uneventful. It was almost dark and getting pretty cool. Randy told me I would need to change from my shorts into jeans and grab a jacket before going back out. Dinner was on the outdoor deck of the Olde Sedona Restaurant & Grille. Absolutely marvelous. There is no better atmosphere than sitting on a deck under the stars. The few other patrons seated on the deck with me and the waiter spent most of the evening telling me that I would be back. They bet that I’d return within 2 years. One couple even assured me I could move my cats across country as they brought theirs out. We will just have to see what the future has in store.

The evening caught up with me. It had been another full day with all the hiking and off-roading, it was time to head back to the condo and hit the hay. Did I say something about sitting by a pool? Not likely!
Tomorrow I was heading south to Camp Verde. I plan to start the day at the Out of Africa Wildlife Park, then head to Clarksdale to catch the Verde Canyon Railroad, and wrap up the night with dinner at the Blazin’ M Ranch. So with another full day on the books, it was time to say good night.J
　
www.redrockjeep.com
　

　
　
　
　

Slide Rock Park

My morning is free today so I wanted to go back up 89a to see what those curves were like in daylight. Just north of Upper Sedona as the road enters Oak Creek Canyon, there is a pull out where you can safely park your car. From this vantage point you can see Elephant Rock in the distance. The canyon itself is filled with brush and trees so it’s depth is deceptive. Looking north you can see a trestle bridge over Oak creek. I traveled it twice yesterday, once in the morning and then coming back from Williams and never realized it! Back in the car I headed north to see if there were any other spots where I could get pictures. Along the way I passed the entrance to Slide Rock State Park. I’d heard about this park and seen brochures so after crossing the trestle bridge and rounding a few of those sharp corners, I found a place to turn around and head back to Slide Rock.

The park is beautiful. When you first park there is a picnic area and farther along are rest rooms and a volley ball area. There is also a small “market” but when I visited , it was closed. The rocks clearly show the different colored layers that make up this area. Cement steps lead down to the creek where swimmers and sunbathers were enjoying the warm air. Unfortunately I didn’t pack my bathing suit. Slide Rock is known for the 80 ft natural water slide from which it gets it’s name.

Since I didn’t have my suit, I chose to take the high road, literally! There is a trail along the top of the cliff. I followed this for awhile being careful where I stepped as rattlesnakes are common in the area. Luckily, I didn’t find any. The trail has benches along it where you can sit and look into the canyon. Eventually the trail became more primitive and started to climb. Discretion being the better part of valor, I decided to turn back. Hiking alone is never a safe practice but hiking alone in unfamiliar territory when no one knows where you are and no one is around to miss you, is just stupid. I might hike alone if a ranger knows my plans but no one even knew where I was going this morning so, I skipped the rugged upper end of the trail.

The elevation at Slide Rock is about 5000 ft. At the time of my visit, parking was $8.00 for the day as this is a State Park. . In addition to the cliff trail that I walked , there are other trails that lead into the Coconino National Forest. The whole area is managed on a pack-it-in, pack-it-out basis. Pets are allowed as long as they are kept on a leash and are not left alone. The one place they aren’t allowed is the swimming area.
Slide Rock is a often photographed area and you see it’s image on many postcards in all seasons. As I returned to my car I spotted a sign on the market that made me chuckle. Hanging there was a board reading “Red Neck wind chimes” and hanging from the board were 3 empty soda cans.J

By now it was time for lunch so I headed back into Upper Sedona for more exploring, lunch and then my Red Rock Jeep tour.
http://www.azstateparks.com/