Mystical, Beautiful Sedona

Just back from 4 days in Sedona with Peggy.

Hiked Boynton Canyon, climbed Bell Rock, biked past Cathedral Rock. Drove to the Grand Canyon one day and spent at least five minutes at the South Rim, again. And tried to figure out what a "vortex" is.

Flew to Phoenix, rented a Nissan Murano (very nice little SUV) and drove the 2 hours north to Sedona. Stayed at the Hilton Resort in The Village of Oak Creek, 8 miles south of Sedona. The short drive into Sedona includes spectacular views and it was a pleasure to begin and end every day with such a scenic drive.

Rented the mountain bikes at a little place less than 1/4 mile from the Bell Rock trail head. Think it was called Bike & Bean. ("Bean" because they have a little coffee shop inside, too.) That was a lot of fun. Took that picture with a self-timer. Had to lay a little flat rock on the fork of a horizontal tree branch to provide a platform for the Canon Elf camera. (Next time, I'm going to have one of those cool little bendable tripods.)

Fantastic meal at Heartline Cafe...gorgonzola tort, spinach salad, pecan-encrusted trout (the house speciality), a bottle of Cakebread Sauvignon Blanc and yes, for desert, Kahlua mouse and coffee. I highly recommend it. Also had dinner at the Cowboy Cafe in "uptown." It was a good meal.

Sedona has become synonymous with vortexes, which are specific locations where human energy and spirtuality are supposedly enhanced.

I've come to the conclusion that the word "vortex" - now inexorably linked with "Sedona" - is basically a marketing term devised about 40 years ago by some local philosopher and promoted by the Chamber of Commerce. They claim there is something magical about certain locations - vortexes - that create within us amplified feelings of emotion and spirituality. I don't buy the attempts to scientifically measure increased magnetic or electical energy at those locations. Or that there are specific places where you can stand and "feel" the energy. But there is truth in the basic concept. These majestic surroundings do tend to lead you into a kind of soulful reflection about the important things in life. They tend to amplify whatever is going on inside you - for better or worse. Sedona definitely has the surroundings that lead to that kind of inward thought, but it doesn't have a corner on that market. The same thing happens to me standing on a beach at sunset watching the waves crashing ashore. What really causes that to happen to us? Hum.

OK, so I only made it to the second posting on my new blog before I tried to explain the meaning of life...as I see it. I'll try to keep it lighter and more materialistic from now on.