Sedona Arizona - 2006

This trip came up quite by surprise.  In a very timely phone call to my friends John and Lucy whom I met in Europe last fall, we talked about future travel plans.  Lucy told me about her upcoming trip to Vietnam, then John mentioned that they were going to Sedona in May. In less than 30 seconds I had an invitation to join them at their time share for a full week!  It took me less time to say "Yes". 

Not only was I thrilled about the prospects of spending time with them, but the icing on the cake was our destination, our common interests of hiking, meandering, and taking in fun and interesting new sites.  I knew they were great traveling companions.  I had gotten a glimpse of Sedona returning from a trip to the Grand Canyon - Christmas, 1984. 

Unfortunately, a couple of days before our departure, Lucy called to say that they had to cancel.  BUT, she said, they would be very happy if I could use the timeshare.  Unable to find a last minute travel companion, I decided to go alone.  Knowing that Sedona was a small resort city and needing a break from work, this was a no-brainer.  How could I pass this up? Driving from Phoenix, in the distance the hills (They didn't look quite like mountains to me coming from Colorado) were barren and not at all attractive.  Making the turn from Interstate 17 onto Hwy 179, the landscape started to change dramatically.  Entering the Village of Oak Creek, magnificent red rock formations appeared magically - Bell Rock, Courthouse Butte, Castle Rock, and Chapel of the Holy Cross perfectly cut into the rocks.

to be continued . . .

Here are the galleries - Gallery 1 | Gallery 2 | Gallery 3 | Gallery 4 | Gallery 5x