Chris and I took our first spring break without the kids, and it was so easy. Nobody dragged their feet getting out of bed and making the chances of getting a parking spot at the trailhead slim-to-none. Nobody argued about what kind of food we should have for dinner. Nobody complained about the steep hike up the mountain (at least, not aloud). In full honesty, however, I did find myself remarking, “Oh, our kids would’ve loved this four-foot-tall Connect-4 game when they were little…” Or, “Edwin would be so excited about these plants if he were here…” and “This hike is so much like the one we took when Maxine slept the whole way in her sling.”
We landed in Phoenix Sunday morning and quickly escaped the parched sprawl as we drove north to Sedona. Once we were about a half-hour from our destination, we started noticing green valleys filled with cottonwood trees and rushing creeks. Vineyards dotted the whole stretch of the Verde Valley. This is not the Arizona I had imagined (I hadn’t even heard of the Verde Valley). I was excited about the hikes we would be taking through Red Rock Country, and this was an added bonus.
We quickly learned that getting up early was crucial in beating the throngs of other tourists for pretty much anything you wanted to do, whether in town or at the numerous trailheads. The heart of Sedona feels almost Disney-esque, but you can easily forgive this if you have your eyes open: the place is breathtaking.
Of the several hikes we did, my favorite was the 5-mile trek up and down Bear Mountain. I couldn’t stop gawking at the scenery and saying things like, “This is what I came here for!” and “Can you believe this? I mean, really! How would you ever get used to this?!”
After our strenuous morning hike, we rewarded ourself with huaraches and ceviche from a family-owned restaurant in Cottonwood followed by a wine tasting at Page Springs Vineyards in Cornwood.
I love that this country still has so much to surprise me with, so many places I have yet to see.
My Corner of the Village 