We took a little day trip up to Sedona today for a little break from the heat. It's still in the low 100's in the city but was in the 90's up in Sedona.
The road into town. I love coming around that turn and being blasted with this view. I imagine if I lived here I would try to take this road everywhere I went just so I could be wowed as often as possible. It makes me feel so small with it's vastness. I love that feeling and it helps me keep things in perspective. Like when I can't figure something out on my computer and it starts to feel like a BIG problem. Matched up against these rocks it seems absurd.
Last time I was here was for a wedding about 5 years ago. It was held right at the base of Bell Rock and was gorgeous. We were living in California and it was the first time we ever left the kids overnight with Oma. Seems ages ago.
For lunch we were really wanting to eat rattlesnake and all excited about it. When we got to the cowboy saloon they gave us the bad news- sold out! So we got buffalo instead. We did try prickly pear cactus french fries, which none of us had tried before and they were quite good. A sort of cross between fried zucchini and tempura green beans. It cracked me up to see that even the cowboy saloon has succumb to the modern pressures of removing 'deep fried' from their menu and replacing it with the gentler 'tempura style.' Funny. I mean there was no panko on the cactus - it was just battered, breaded and deep fried! Very tasty though- and definitely worth the food hangover we'll all have tomorrow.
Natures water park. Rock Slide Park, just a few miles north of Sedona is one of my favorites.
This kid is nuts! Look closely at the boy doing a flip. After he landed he smiled at me and said, 'Did you get it?" I offered to email him a copy and he said, "Nah, what would I do with it?" I love him.
I always think of kids like this during the Olympics when the announcers say, "The best divers in the world." I think, 'ya, except for the kids who live near tall cliffs and bodies of water.'
The girls started slowly. The water was freezing! Seriously, my feet were in for about a minute and were numb. This time a year they say it's about 55 degrees and we think a pool at 85 is cold.
Then the big sister is in! so brave!! I was really proud of her since I was far too wimpy to get that wet- up to my knees is all I could bear.
And she's off! down the slide she goes.
The little sister takes after me I guess, since this is as wet as she got today.
A good, fun and relaxing day.