In 2008, I spent 2 months driving across the USA from Maryland to California, taking the southern route. Check out my road trip adventures.
Recently, I found out my in-laws were embarking upon a trip of a lifetime to explore the Grand Canyon and drive around Arizona. I couldn’t help but insert myself into the conversation. SEDONA! You must see Sedona! The Grand Canyon is of course beyond incredible, but Sedona is something you don’t hear as much about, or get to see in movies. And since there is so much hype about the spiritual energy in the vortexes and about the possible extra-terrestrial activity, Sedona is a place you must experience if you have the opportunity. I was fortunate enough to feel the magic of Sedona on my 2008 road trip and again in 2009 when I came back for vacation to meet up with my mom and Uncle B.
You may have heard the sob story that I lost all content in my previous blog, but I found a word document on my old computer where I had written down some adventures and luckily Sedona was one of the few places I had chronicled! Here are my own words, unedited, from 2008.
This has to be one of the most beautiful spots in the US. It’s fairly small and tucked away between Phoenix and the Grand Canyon. We were absolutely spoiled by Velora and Chuck. We stayed at Sedona Pines in a gorgeous condo designed like a luxury RV. We did plenty of hiking with pups Durga & Kali. As you can see from the pics, I love dogs! For yet another birthday dinner for me, we celebrated at the Red Cabin Inn (part of the Cowboy Club) where we ate buffalo, rattlesnake, cactus, duck, wild boar, venison, and prime rib all in one meal. Of course there was a humongous piece of birthday cake as well. So delicious. We even went back to the same place later for buffalo burgers with sweet potato fries. Chuck took us on an unforgettable hummer tour. The hummer can climb 2-ft high rocks and suspend on 2 wheels. The sunsets and the red rock mountains in Sedona make up some breathtaking views. It’s very serene, spiritual, and artsy. It’s such a fantastic place to get away. Who cares if there’s no beach? We had a wonderful vacation there and most importantly we got to spend quality time with friends who are like family (including the 2 coolest dogs in the world).
In 2009 while I was living in San Diego, my mom, my uncle, and I had the opportunity to meet in Sedona for some R&R. On this trip, there was more hiking, a psychic experience, and massages at the Sedona School of Massage. We also drove to the Liberty Theater in Jerome, AZ, a mining town with a tiny film museum in an old theater. This was right up my alley and of course I will jump on any chance to get my picture taken with Marilyn Monroe.
My flight to SD was leaving out of the tiny airport in Flagstaff and the car ride from Sedona was so cool because of the altitude changes. Suddenly there were snow-capped mountains. I think there were like 20 seats on that plane, which was not awesome. One of my favorite things about traveling is that you can be in different weather and scenery within hours.