i have wanted to come here since i was a senior in college. to see the colors of the canyons. to feel the energy of the vortexes (vortices?) to relax and bask in the warmth of a place renown for it's healing properties and spiritual influence.
my journey started well with an upgrade on my flight to first class! well, at least the first leg of my journey. and the shortest leg of my journey. but from dulles to chicago? i was living the good life! complimentary bloody mary? don't mind if i do!
there's not much to post about my first night in sedona. after a very long day of travel, and a bit of a sniffle, i didn't have the energy to do much more than check in to the hotel and crash. i decided to keep my strength so that i could explore the next day!
i began my first full day with breakfast at the local spot next to my hotel. "the coffee pot". this was a kitschy little diner-ish joint with over 100 omelettes on their extensive menu. named for one of the local landmarks, it does live up to it's namesake, and puts a full pot of coffee at every table. for that alone, i love them.... i would definitely recommend to anyone who comes through this area!
i spent the morning on the south-west side of town. i started at red rocks state park. not the most exciting trails here, but they are known to be well marked and relatively easy terrain. it was a good way to get my bearing and get used to the landscape of the area. i opted for the "javelina" trail, the one that skirted the outermost edge of the park and offered the best views of the local mountains.
the colors here are impossible to describe. greens, blues, reds unlike i have seen anywhere else. the pictures don't do mother nature's palette justice.
i was pretty much on my own for most of this hike. except for this guy. he followed me for a little bit. pretty sure he was trying to get to my trail mix.....
not far from red rocks state park is red rocks crossing. this is considered to be one of the "four great energy vortexes" in sedona. i can't say that i felt a surge of swirling energy, but i can say this place is stunningly gorgeous. stretches of flat red rock that follow along oak creek offering an amazing vantage of cathedral rock (the most famous of sedona's formations). i will say there was a profound sense of peace walking amongst this awe inspiring place.
no one can say for sure causes the energy vortexes in sedona. some say it's the layer of quartz crystal beneath the dirt. some say it's the amount of oxidized iron in the soil. some say it has to do with intersecting fault lines. maybe it's a combination of all?
scientists that have studied these spots say there is a marked increase of magnetic energy. spiritualists say that there is a psychic "power surge" standing on these spots.
apparently it's become a tradition to place these stacks of rocks at the various vortex sites. when i asked the park ranger about them, he said it comes from some misguided notion that the native americans would mark these spots with columns of rocks. what the tourists where actually seeing, were stone cairns set out by the rangers to mark the trails. nonetheless, it has become a sort of natural graffiti for people to set up these little towers.
i decided i had enough energy left in me for one more hike. so off i went to "devil's bridge". a hike that winds up the north west side of town to view sedona's largest arch formation. not quite as striking as the arches in southern utah, but arches are always a beautiful site!
my journey started well with an upgrade on my flight to first class! well, at least the first leg of my journey. and the shortest leg of my journey. but from dulles to chicago? i was living the good life! complimentary bloody mary? don't mind if i do!
there's not much to post about my first night in sedona. after a very long day of travel, and a bit of a sniffle, i didn't have the energy to do much more than check in to the hotel and crash. i decided to keep my strength so that i could explore the next day!
i began my first full day with breakfast at the local spot next to my hotel. "the coffee pot". this was a kitschy little diner-ish joint with over 100 omelettes on their extensive menu. named for one of the local landmarks, it does live up to it's namesake, and puts a full pot of coffee at every table. for that alone, i love them.... i would definitely recommend to anyone who comes through this area!
i spent the morning on the south-west side of town. i started at red rocks state park. not the most exciting trails here, but they are known to be well marked and relatively easy terrain. it was a good way to get my bearing and get used to the landscape of the area. i opted for the "javelina" trail, the one that skirted the outermost edge of the park and offered the best views of the local mountains.
i was pretty much on my own for most of this hike. except for this guy. he followed me for a little bit. pretty sure he was trying to get to my trail mix.....
not far from red rocks state park is red rocks crossing. this is considered to be one of the "four great energy vortexes" in sedona. i can't say that i felt a surge of swirling energy, but i can say this place is stunningly gorgeous. stretches of flat red rock that follow along oak creek offering an amazing vantage of cathedral rock (the most famous of sedona's formations). i will say there was a profound sense of peace walking amongst this awe inspiring place.
no one can say for sure causes the energy vortexes in sedona. some say it's the layer of quartz crystal beneath the dirt. some say it's the amount of oxidized iron in the soil. some say it has to do with intersecting fault lines. maybe it's a combination of all?
scientists that have studied these spots say there is a marked increase of magnetic energy. spiritualists say that there is a psychic "power surge" standing on these spots.
apparently it's become a tradition to place these stacks of rocks at the various vortex sites. when i asked the park ranger about them, he said it comes from some misguided notion that the native americans would mark these spots with columns of rocks. what the tourists where actually seeing, were stone cairns set out by the rangers to mark the trails. nonetheless, it has become a sort of natural graffiti for people to set up these little towers.
i decided i had enough energy left in me for one more hike. so off i went to "devil's bridge". a hike that winds up the north west side of town to view sedona's largest arch formation. not quite as striking as the arches in southern utah, but arches are always a beautiful site!
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