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| Red Rocks State Park |
Welcome to the first installment of my trip diary! More or less on a whim, I decided about two weeks ago to knock yet another item off my bucket list: Monument Valley, AZ/UT. I've wanted to visit Monument Valley for at least 15 years, if not longer, but it's not exactly the most convenient park in the country to visit. I knew if I wanted to see it, I'd need to make a longer trip out of it, so that's exactly what I did! Over the next six days, I'll start my journey in Phoenix, work my way through northern and northeastern Arizona, then scoot up eastern Utah to see some of the most incredible geology and topography this country...no, this PLANET...has to offer.
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| View from Airport Mesa |
This isn't my first solo trip to this area. About 15 years ago, I went to Sedona and the Grand Canyon on a solo trip and had a blast. However, I was very able-bodied back then. For this trip, I had to plan more carefully, and not just when it came to reserving handicap accessible rooms. I'll be driving through very remote areas on my own, so safety precautions are a must. My first
accoutrement was a Spot GPS device and extra batteries. These are used mostly by hikers and bikers who travel into canyons and places with no cell phone reception. It allows the user to send an "I'm OK" message to cell phones and emails, and can also request emergency assistance using GPS satellites.
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| View from Boynton Canyon |
My flight out of Orlando this morning was early, but fortunately uneventful. My scooter made it in one piece, and I had no trouble getting to the car rental place on Hertz's accessible bus/shuttle. My "horse" for the week? A sleek-looking Nissan Altima, which is bound to get a few bumps and bruises on the undercarriage in the next several days, is my trusty steed and will hopefully keep me safe the whole way to Salt Lake City on Friday.
I knew the weather was going to be spotty today, but I was hoping for at least a little bit of sun. I got ten minutes worth all in all, but it was better then nothing. The endless on-and-off rain started on my way to Sedona, but there was enough dry time for me to get some good photos from the car. My first destination was the Upper Loop Road through Red Rocks State Park. It's not long, but offers spectacular views of the red rock formations Sedona is so well-known for. And the leaves!! The fall color change is happening everywhere here, which you wouldn't expect since the assumption is Sedona is just as dry a desert as the rest of Arizona (which is another misconception). Because it takes longer for things to turn colder here, the trees are really in peak color right now and almost exclusively yellow. It's gorgeous!
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| Cathedral Rock |
Then it was off to Sedona proper, and drives to some of the famous rock formations that are said to be vortexes (Sedonans don't call them vortices, so I'm not flaking on my grammar) for energies rising up from the earth. If you've never heard of Sedona or been here, it's an ENORMOUS enclave and attraction for the more spiritually minded. I was able to see Cathedral Rock, Bell Rock, and Chimney Rock. Sadly, Airport Mesa--the best sunset view in town--was mostly a bust due to the rain. However, I was soon rewarded during my final loop visit through Boynton Canyon. The sun actually came out for ten minutes! And I got a rainbow! Very cool indeed.
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| The result of a 10-minute window of sun! |
The sun sets around 5pm now, so it was time to head to my hotel for dinner at the bar, some blogging, and an early bedtime. Tomorrow is going to be an even yuckier weather day, with temperatures dropping and maybe some snow in the morning. Which is why I'm getting pampered at the hotel spa before driving through all that crap to get to Monument Valley ;).
More to come tomorrow on Day Two!
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