Saturday, 5/21/2016
We continued on from the Flag Staff, Arizona area to our next destination of Sedona. A place we love to visit; a beautiful winding mountain ride that leads into the very interesting red rock mountain terrain of the infamous Sedona land. I always get excited as we reach the bottom of this mountain to see Slide Rock.
Years ago when we came through here on a family road trip with our daughters, Lindsey and Laurie, we had our first experience on slide Rock.
Slide Rock State Park provides a very popular swimming experience along the Oak Creek Canyon where there is a long series of natural water sliding FUN. I will provide a picture, as it is really indescribable.
We have been on some interesting motorcycle rides in this area and Al also loves the hiking here. I hike until I find a comfortable place to just sit and relax while Al hikes on….and then comes back to retrieve me. I sit and have interesting conversations with passer by hikers or I read and just enjoy the views. There are MANY serious hikers in the Sedona Red Rock and Forrest surrounding areas, it is simply a very beautiful interesting terrain of land.
But….when we rode in yesterday the crowds were massive just as when we were at Big Sur just a few days ago. SCHOOLS OUT and the crowds are everywhere in the bigger tourist attraction areas. Our plan was to leave early enough in May to beat the crowds and not so early as to be in the yet cold climates. That is a narrow margin in time. And my sprained knee docked us a week. But it is what it is.
Cars lined the side of the road as we neared the Oak Creek water attraction of Slide Rock. As we drove by we could see the multitudes of people sliding away, all along the creek bed as the water rushes them all along. So much FUN.
Well, we drove on in and went to figure out a good camping area. Long story short; every camp ground was full. Al and I had never seen Sedona so full of people. It was a beautiful Saturday and every one came. We did walk around down town, ate a very late lunch, got the T-shirts and then headed to look for a campsite.
We finally were directed by a nice fellow at one of the campgrounds to an over flow, “primitive” tent camp area, where we set up camp.
We were set up by 5pm with both of us exhausted. We bedded down early in our coziness, complete with wiring off Al’s bike as we always hook up and recharge our devices (Phones, iPads and helmets). We even have service on this mountain we are camping on. So there we lay watching Netfix together on my iPad in the twilight of a very full moon, tucked into our huge cloud like queen size sleeping bag. The only disturbance were the strong gust of winds rushing through the trees and also blowing our rain flap. Winds must want their own season around here.
And that was the ending of day 16.
The pictures I am going to provide will be fabricated from Mr.Google.
happytrails2U 