Trip 114

Trip 114. Our 49th anniversary to Sedona, Arizona.

We decided to celebrate the 49th in one of our favorite places and headed to Sedona--by air. If we took the time to drive it would have been Labor Day by the time we arrived there, a wee bit late for the 49th.

The plaque at the left was a gift from our daughter on our last anniversary.

There might be the full blow by blow of the trip later if we can remember to write it up. We didn't do our usual trip log because, after all, it was our anniversary.

Here we are ready to leave for the airport at 3 AM, that's three o'clock in the morning, or zero three hundred hours, or too damn early.

Nan Lou was in charge of hauling the big bag while I merrily went and parked the car. I thought it was a fair deal.

For some reason we sat and rested at the Phoenix airport car rental location which is a long shuttle ride from the airport. They had an interesting window treatment in this area. Naturally our photos couldn't do it justice.

The little village of Oak Creek is about 9 miles south of Sedona. At this point you can start seeing the big red rock formations this area is famous for.

This one is called Bell Rock. I never did hear it toll.

We stayed at a really nice place called Sky Ranch Lodge. It is on top of the mesa where the airport is. The grounds are beautiful and the rooms are quite nice.

The view from our room was one of the best views of Sedona and the rock formations in town.

And of course, the view into our room was spectacular too.

Nan Lou and I are on our patio awaiting the sunset. I am not visible, I am the Shadow.

Oh, there is the sunset. As nice as it was for our stay here I didn't think it could compare to the sunsets into lake Michigan or Lake Superior. BUT, the rock formations here are much better.

Well, OK.

It is pretty nice.

More views from our patio.

OK, back to the important things. We had a nice breakfast at the Airport restaurant. The view was nice if you like aeroplanes. These were a couple of charter jets.

We later took the plunge, not quite a very descriptive word, and went for a helicopter ride.

Our eating experiences were not quite 100% great. This one was OK, it had nice cold drinks on these 97 degree days.

On a trip back to Oak Creek we found a cute little deli called the Blue Moon Cafe.

After one bad eating experience in Sedona we again headed back to Oak Creek to a tiny sushi restaurant. It was one of the best places we dined.

Another fine restaurant, the Thai Palace, just a half block from the main drag. We ate outside under the watchful eye of Buddha.

Minami Japanese Restaurant.
Do not miss it.

And naturally here in the great west we had to eat at the Cowboy Club, on The Main Drag. It was another nice meal.

That's enough about eating, although it is one of our favorite pastimes.
Following are photos of the scenic variety.

Half way between Sedona and Oak Creek is a very unusual church; Chapel of the Holy Cross.
It is built into the rock formation and even though it is decidedly angular and not a bit natural for its surroundings I think it fits perfectly.

Near the Mesa Grill at the airport we saw the helicopter sightseeing business. We've been to Sedona before but have never tried this. So we did.

Anasazi dwellings or storage places
from the helicopter.

More from the whirly bird.

Nan Lou had some flying lessons, I think she said her instructor was named Orville something. That gave her the authority to direct the pilot, she said.

More Anasazi ruins we could only see
from the helicopter.

Yes, one more from the whirly bird.

After three days at the Sky Ranch we moved down from the mesa to a bed and breakfast right in town. It was very cute, exceptionally clean, and the hosts were great. If all B&Bs and motels were like the Baby Quail and the Sky Ranch I would send the Dragon into semi retirement.

There we are flanking our host, Mr. Dick Curtis. Dick was originally from Indy and even grew up in the same neighborhood as Nan Lou. He moved on to Hollywood for a 60 year career in movies ans TV.

At breakfast he visited us with many tales of his days in Hollywood. The walls of the breakfast room are covered with memorabilia from those days. It was just perfect for us old folks.

Of course we had to shop. Garlands, a few miles north of Sedona is a must stop. We even bought an old watch bracelet cuff with an old ticker that is right twice a day.

On our first day NL spotted this heart rock laying on a pile of rocks. On our last day we liberated it. I think I got a hernia lifting it.

Time to head home. Here we are boogieing on down to our flight at the Phoenix aerodrome. The fellow on the right was so smitten with our dance he joined in. I learned later he was our pilot.

Stay tuned for more exciting adventures of, "A Dragon."