Sedona; Mariposa; Soldier's Pass Trail; A Really Big Sinkhole; Desert Flora; Cucina Rustica; Blowing Beer

Our last day in Sedona was memorable. We started with a great lunch at Lisa Dahl's Pisa Lisa. Here is My Lovely Bride delicately sampling the Bufalino pizza...












After lunch, Lisa took us to see her new restaurant, Mariposa, under construction at one of the most scenic locations in all of Sedona. The site's landowners, Michael and Kathie Stevenson, just happened to be there with their family, so we got to hear all about the long road getting city approval for this huge enterprise.











Fueled up, we then went on a three hour hike on three connecting trails, up to Soldiers Pass, along Brins Mesa, and across Cibola Pass back to the trailhead. The scenery was fabulous, typical spectacular Sedona red rock.













Folks back in Florida know about sinkholes, right? Well, this one could swallow up most of a city block. The big hunk of rock at upper left is about the size of a small house! This spot is a popular day hike destination, being only a quarter mile from the trailhead. After leaving the sinkhole, we didn't see another hiker for the duration of our hike. It was nice having the trail to ourselves.









Suzanne enjoyed this hike as much as I did; she bathed in the spiritual energy here in Sedona's backcountry while I was again moved by its unique natural beauty.















We came across several of these very tall desert cactus with yellow and orange flowers.The height certainly keeps the blossoms away from deer.














The grey branches of these dead manzanita bushes made a beautiful contrast to the green and red background colors of the desert landscape.












The maroon bark of this tree caught Suzanne's eye. We encountered only a handful of trees like this on our hike.













The sky and clouds above the trees provided an ethereal contrast to the often stark landscape.


















This prickly pear reflects a typical quality of desert flora (and some people) - a beautiful flower protected by razor-sharp spines. Caress at your peril...











After a shower to wash off desert sand and dust, we headed to the nearby village of Oak Creek for dinner. Sunset found us alongside this spectacular butte halfway to our destination, but we had to stop for a photo op.









Cucina Rustica was our destination, where we enjoyed a special gourmet Italian meal with owner Lisa Dahl, Scott Yates, and Lisa's lovely mother Dorothy. (Unfortunately, the photo of all five of us didn't come out, due to a problem with my pocket camera - I had dropped it on a rock on our hike, and it failed at a most inopportune moment). Thank you, Lisa, Dorothy and Scott, for an unforgettable evening. By the way, Scott is an incredibly talented photographer; he treated us to an exhibition of his amazing work from a recent trip to Argentina, Uruguay and Chile which he and Lisa made to lay the foundation for the cuisine Lisa will create at Mariposa, her new restaurant.






Finally, I will faithfully relate the following story as it occurred, leaving out the location to protect the guilty parties... We had departed Sedona enroute Zion National Park, but due to the stress of driving in high crosswinds, had parked at an Elk's lodge about halfway for the night. We rarely go inside the lounges, but decided to thank our hosts by having a drink with the members. One couple who may have been at the bar for some time was very chatty, but Suzanne was taken aback when the lady referred to her husband twice as "You Dumbass!" Fortunately, he laughed it off. The next night while enjoying pizza and beer in the coach, I jokingly made a somewhat sarcastic remark about something My Darling had done earlier in the day.  She replied without missing a beat, "If you don't watch it, I'm going to shove this pizza in your face, you Dumbass!"  Hearing these foreign words from my sweet, kind, and considerate (but now very red-faced) wife caused the sip of cold Corona I was savoring to almost come out of my nose.  Travelling is supposed to be educational, but this is not what I had in mind for My Lovely Bride.

A Technical Trail; The Meditation Queen of Sedona; The Restaurant Queen of Sedona

As many of you are aware, My Lovely Bride and I enjoy mountain biking. This sport can range from mellow rides in flat Florida pine forests to more challenging (dare I say masochistic?) routes in real mountain terrain. MLB suggested we try a route in Flagstaff, Arizona, with a 994 elevation gain in 3 miles. That's not too bad when you're hiking at sea level, but riding a bike over rocks from 7,500 to 8,500 feet is another matter. Here is MLB traversing one of the admittedly more difficult "technical" sections. "Technical" means it is hard for teenagers, cruel for 40-somethings, and near-suicidal for guys my age. Again, this was her idea!

Back at the trailhead, we found a mountain bike practice area with more civilized trails, with only small rocks, roots and occasional deep sand to slow you down. The air is very dry here, about 5% humidity, and we had to carry extra water to keep hydrated. The mountains north of Flagstaff host popular ski areas in winter, and Ponderosa pines are the dominant tree here. The skies at night are exceptionally clear, and the famous Lowell Observatory is on a mountain in Flagstaff. It was a special stop on our previous visit, when we got to look at Saturn's rings through a powerful telescope.






Just before we finished our ride, I felt something wrong with my helmet. The plastic cover and brim had fallen off, possibly because of old age (the helmet's, not mine) or continuous jarring over rocks and roots. My ever-thoughtful and innovative bride suggested I duct tape the errant cover back on, with the duct tape passed under my chin to make sure it stayed put. She is such a card...









After our bike ride and showers, we headed into Flagstaff to find some real grass for Rudy and Gretchen to play on, since our campground was very dusty and rocky. It was a warm day, in the high 80s, and Suzanne flopped down with the puppies, expressing a need to ground herself after the jarring bike ride. 









Our next stop was Sedona. We set up camp in a grove of eucalyptus trees with scenic Oak Creek babbling just 50 feet behind us. We were here to get reacquainted with friends - Suzanne had met noted Sedona meditation teacher and fellow Hay House author Sarah McLean a couple of years ago in Scottsdale through their mutual friend Catherine Chiesa from Chicago, and Sarah, her entrepreneur husband Marty, and his daughter Danielle dropped by The Coach for drinks. Suzanne had "coincidentally" just picked up a new book, The Field, by Martin Birrittella, not realizing that Marty was the author. We also learned that Danielle, a Los Angeles-based jewelry designer and singer (stage name Dia), is about to embark on a performing tour of the Northeast. You can find out more about Danielle's jewelry line at www.ellapoe.com and her music at www.daniellebirrittella.com. If you want to get better at meditation, or if you're even thinking of visiting Sedona for spiritual purposes, see Sarah's web site, the McLean Meditation Institute, at www.sedonameditation.com.



At the request of Catherine Chiesa, a few months ago Suzanne gave a highly evidential reading to Lisa Dahl, whose son Justin came through from the other side with stunning evidence. Lisa's three restaurants offer the best dining in Sedona. We had a fabulous dinner last night at Dahl and Di Luca, her flagship location. Suzanne had hand-made pasta with goat cheese and portobello mushroom ragout, while I opted for the cioppino, with scallops, lobster and prawns. Both were exquisite entrees, and our server Tony provided exceptional service.










Lisa is probably the busiest person in Sedona, and had several events going on yesterday, but she graciously found a half hour to sit with us and chat. She is also immersed in designing and building a new restaurant, Mariposa, which will feature South American cuisine with spectacular views of Sedona's signature Red Rock formations. See http://dahlanddiluca.com/ for more info on Lisa's fine dining and popular catering option.

Albuquerque; Heading West; Churchrock; Boxed In; A Long Distance Cyclist; Ty and Lady Gaga? An OMG Moment

On Tuesday, we arrived in Albuquerque, New Mexico, for our next tour event. We set up camp at Kirtland Air Force Base, only 5 miles south of Unity of Albuquerque. It was about 93F, very hot in the scorching sun, when My Lovely Bride suggested we get in a run before her presentation. As she jogged off, I wussed out, using the excuse that, "Sweetheart, I have too much to do right now. I'll run later when the sun goes down." I actually did have to load all the books, DVDs, audio visual equipment, screen, etc., that she needed for her talk, so it wasn't a totally lame excuse. Really.


Rev. Jude and Rev. Gordon showed us wonderfully warm hospitality at their Unity Church on Candelaria St., and we had a great turnout of very enthusiastic folks, many of whom were not even members at that particular church.








After her talk, there were many people lined up for book signings. I have to relate one incident that struck me as particularly significant. A woman was waiting to have her copy of Messages of Hope signed. Suzanne was just handing the book to her when she did a double-take, and said, "You've had a loss; it's a man." The woman appeared quite startled, and said, "Yes, I have." Suzanne then asked the woman to email her, and they spoke the next day. Suzanne has been a medium for several years now, and I have watched her throughout the process, but I continue to be amazed at her attunement to higher consciousness and her compassion to those who have lost loved ones...

The next morning we got underway, heading west yet again. I-40 took us across high desert for an overnight stop in Las Vegas (New Mexico, not Sin City, Nevada), and on to Red Rock Park in Churchrock, NM. The wind was blowing a gale, and sand was pelting The Coach so hard I was worried about the paint being blasted off... nevertheless, when My Lovely Bride said she was exhausted from the night before, and needed a nap before dinner. I took the opportunity to go for a hike, and discovered why Churchrock has that name....








The trail up toward the peak had several arms, two of which I followed into box canyons with steep walls at the end. These were used by Navajo and Zuni Indians as killing places for game like deer and elk, and by ranchers later on as convenient natural corrals. 










The trails got progressively more and more narrow, until I was climbing over rocks and wondering if a cougar was waiting around the next bend for an unsuspecting desert sheep or solo hiker. (This is where the husband sends his wife ahead to recon...)

The red sandstone here is about 200 million years old, and was laid down in the age of the dinosaurs. At sunset and sunrise, the rock is a beautiful shade of pink, and takes your breath away. The stables at lower right are used for rodeos held near the campground.

When I was walking Rudy and Gretchen Thursday morning, I met Stefan, a bicyclist from the eastern sector of Berlin, Germany, who is taking six months to travel across the USA. A former physics and mathematics teacher, he is enjoying his trip, saying that everyone he has met has been very friendly. He started in Los Angeles 11 weeks ago, and pedaled up to Yosemite and across Death Valley into Arizona and New Mexico. (Hey, if he made it safely through L.A. traffic, he's golden!)








I had a very amusing email from our good friend and spiritual artist Barry Mack in Portland, Oregon. He had noted that my Google listing showed over one million views, and said that I must be a rock star like Lady Gaga. If he only knew how many nights I stayed up until 0300, hitting refresh on the blog hundreds and hundreds of times to get my numbers up like the girl at left...    ;-)








Finally, Suzanne had a real OMG Moment today as we were crossing Interstate 40, almost giving Your Faithful Correspondent a heart attack. Click here for more details.

A Great Haircut; A Healing Gift; Hail! Greenland? New Friends in Colorado Springs; An Angelversary

While in Fort Collins, I needed a haircut. My Lovely Bride looked up the closest one on her iPad - Floyd's, what I expected to be a one-chair shop with a pot-bellied retired Army barber and a stack of Field and Stream and Deer Hunter magazines. A few minutes later I walked into "Floyd's - The Original Rock 'N Roll Barbershop", and was stopped in my tracks. Instead of Floyd, the chubby old Army barber, there were eight lovely young women barbers, several with colorful skin art and short skirts, Kelly Clarkson booming out of speakers around the shop, posters of rock singers on the walls, etc... "Thank you, Suzanne!"   It was a little bit pricey:  $21 for the haircut, and $30 for the tip to Kiersten.  Smack! Smack!



While Bob and Jan were visiting, we used the campground's showers because our holding tanks would have filled too quickly with four people showering daily. Suzanne was just walking out of the bathroom and shower building when a young girl about six came up to her and told her proudly that this was her very first camping trip and that she was staying in a tent. "Are you staying in a tent, too?", she asked. Suzanne replied, "No, I'm staying in that bus over there", pointing at our 42 foot motor coach. The little girl looked thoughtful for a moment and then asked, "Don't you have a bathroom in there?"




On Sunday, I was blessed to receive a powerful energy healing from our good friend Debbie Svitavsky before we departed Fort Collins. Debbie is an amazing healer, author and speaker whose gifts allow her to unite your mind, body and spirit. She approached Suzanne after MLB's presentation the day before and asked if I would be open to a healing session, because my daughter Susan had appeared to Debbie and suggested that she work with me.  I had experienced a few such sessions back in Florida when trying to heal my back, but none had the deep emotional and spiritual impact that this session did.  For the first time in my life I felt the waves of energy that Suzanne has been talking about for years.  I left feeling like I was walking on air, and much more peaceful and balanced. For some reason, Suzanne is giving extra thanks to Spirit for my going to the session and the results.  I don't know if I should be insulted or not.  I keep telling her that I am a New Age Kinda Guy.  Thank you, Debbie, for your generous, loving and transformational gift on the anniversary of my daughter Susan's passing. You can find out more about Debbie at www.vibrantspirit.net.

We loved Fort Collins, but we had to get moving onto the next stop on our summer adventure. We got underway on Sunday afternoon for an overnight stop in Colorado Springs. On the way we encountered some nasty rain, and drove through the remains of a hailstorm (note the white stuff on the side of the road) that had passed only an hour before. The temperature was in the 40s, and it was windy and miserable. This is summer in Colorado?









I knew we had made a wrong turn when I noted a highway exit sign for Greenland... "Hey, Suzanne, I thought you were supposed to be navigating!"












 

We spent the night parked outside the home of Sally Meadows and her husband Bob Shanks in Colorado Springs. Sally is the sister of our good friend Catherine Cote in The Villages, and she attended the grief workshop that Suzanne did on Saturday in Fort Collins. Bob is a retired airline pilot who flew KC-135 tankers in the Air Force. They graciously hosted dinner at their home for us; their longtime friend and Air Force general's wife G.G. was also there, and is one of the most delightful ladies you'll ever meet. We enjoyed a gourmet dinner, and traded Navy and Air Force stories for hours.







I had to add a photo of Sally's exceptional sorbet, fruit and cookies dessert complete with sprigs of fresh mint that Bob harvested from the yard. I was ready to have thirds, but didn't want to look like a little piglet...

As we were leaving, Sally took us into her living room where she showed us a candle that she had gotten to light to remember our Susan, whose Angelversary was that day. I was very touched at her thoughtfulness and kindness. Sally's candle and Debbie's healing earlier in the day had both given me a lift when I really needed it, and I felt Susan and Liam's presence and love throughout the day.

An Army-Navy Game Dinner; Singin' and Dancin'; Stopping Robbers; Fort Fun; A Bella Sparks Event; An Udder Feeding Frenzy

One of the joys of having taught at the US Naval Academy was attending the Army-Navy game, one of the most long-running sporting rivalries in the world. Both Suzanne and I taught at Annapolis, albeit in different decades. We always loved the excitement of Army-Navy, regardless of who won, although it was always more satisfying if the Midshipmen of the Severn beat the Black Knights of the Hudson. It was with some glee that when Army Colonel "Crusty" Cunis bet on the game last year, wagering lunch with My Lovely Bride, to be made good when we came to Fort Collins this summer. Why glee on our part? Navy had beaten Army the last eleven games, and we were confident that the streak would hold; we were elated last November when Navy won 34-7. Crusty and His Lovely Bride Elaine made good on the bet with class, hosting a gourmet Italian feast catered by Biaggi's Restaurant for us, Bob and Jan, and Cara Blake (Suzanne had given Cara a reading and she lived nearby). Army fans should be praying daily that this drought is broken next year!


The photo at left requires some explanation. I was washing up in the kitchen, and a familiar song came on the radio. I started singing in my very melodious voice, and loud guffaws were heard from My Lovely Bride and My Good Friend Bob; thankfully, Jan was so impressed by my singing that she jumped up and started dancing. I was gratified that at least one person there was appreciative of my musical talents.









This sign on a bank door in Fort Collins amused me... I am sure that all bank robbers entering the Great Western Bank will follow instructions to the letter and remove his/her hat and sunglasses before entering the lobby, thereby facilitating their arrests.















Fort Collins is evidently also known by its nickname, Fort Fun. (We learned this from Bob and Jan, whose son Chris had attended Colorado State University here). One of the popular night (and day) hangouts on College Avenue is the Crank n Stein, a combination bicycle shop, coffee shop and beer joint. There is even room to lock up a dozen or so bikes inside the shop/bar. It was going great guns when we passed... just leave your dog at the door, Dude.








Friday night was Suzanne's first event of a double-header in Fort Collins, a panel discussion on grief with Donna Visocky, Sarina Baptista and Sue Frederick. Sponsored by Bella Spark Productions and held at Unity of Fort Collins, it was very well received.

Saturday saw these same four women giving presentations on their chosen topics. Suzanne gave her Meaning in the Messages talk, followed by book signings. Thanks to Donna and Sarina for inviting Suzanne to this special event, and to each of these women for their efforts to help those suffering from losses. (Of note, all four presenters had lost children.)

After the day-long conference, we were all invited to dinner at the home of Anne and Dale Smigelsky. It was a lively and laughter-filled feast. Here are Bob and Donna Visocky, Suzanne, Anne and Dale, Debbie Svitavsky, and John and Sarina Baptista at the table. It was a splendid evening; many thanks to Anne and Dale for their wonderful hospitality. I felt sorry for Dale; a renowned Fort Collins golf pro, he had to be up by 0400 to organize and host a golf tournament!





Finally, as were driving to our campground the other day, I had to stop and take a picture of an Udder Feeding Frenzy... about 100 cows were lined up for dinner, their heads sticking through a fence to get the fresh hay that was their dinner. At first I had taken a photo from the other side of the fence, but I thought it might be inappropriate to display 100 dairy-airs in a G-rated blog.

Forced March! Breaking Rocks; Saddle Texting; Almost a Ballerina; Trail Ridge Road; To the Tundra!

Yes, Wednesday was the Dreaded Forced March, led by My Lovely Bride, AKA the Drill Sergeant. Early reveille (was the sun even up?) and a big bacon and egg breakfast got us to a quick start on one of the prettiest trails in Rocky Mountain National Park, up to Cub Lake. Here are Bob and Jan, our Intrepid Hikers from Florida, with trekking poles in hand. These handy adjustable-length aluminum poles are essential for navigating steep and/or rocky trails. Bob and Jan have barely had time to catch their breaths in the thinner mountain air at our 7,500 ft elevation campground. We would be making our start from the trailhead at 8,080 feet, and climbing up to 8,620 feet at the lake's edge.





The trail initially skirted a lush meadow formed by beavers damming up a creek, and a small herd of elk grazed peacefully in the far distance. Lodgepole pines dominate here, with a significant proportion infested by the pine beetle, an insect about the size of a grain of rice, which has killed millions of pines in the west over the past 15 years.








The scenery was livened by thousands of wildflowers; it seems that we had hit the right week or two for maximum mountain floral beauty.











This was one of the prevailing wildflowers; identification assistance would be greatly appreciated from any knowledgeable sources, wild or otherwise...












Those of you who know My Lovely Bride know that she prides herself on being strong. She once won a Navy base pushup contest and still lifts weights once or twice a week. Here we see her breaking rocks... one large rock, anyway... although I'm not sure the National Park Service will be very happy with her...  (Full disclosure: she did not actually break this boulder... it was probably split by the force of ice over decades of melting and freezing, but I like the other story better.)






The steep trail was shared with equestrians. For the uninitiated, that means people riding horses. Here we see the only horsie group that we passed. Note the young woman on horse number 2... it appears that she is texting in the saddle. Sigh...








The trail got steeper and steeper, with occasional crossings of snowmelt-fed streams. Here we see Hiker Bob discussing the hydrologic cycle of this particular mountain stream.













When we finally reached Cub Lake, our Intrepid Hikers celebrated. Unfortunately, I had forgotten the champagne... "Hey, guys, how about a Clif Bar?"



 







As you might surmise, the trip down the mountain was somewhat easier than the trip up. Nevertheless, there were moments of concentration and danger. Here we see Hiker Chick emulating Prima Ballerina Dame Margot Fonteyn, delicately and adroitly making her way through the cataract. (Alas, her twin left-footed husband is no Rudolph Nureyev. Why this particular analogy? I had the good fortune to attend one of their elegant performances of Swan Lake. It was sublime.)







MLB asked that I enclose a photo of Your Faithful Correspondent to prove that I actually made this trek. Here he is, with MLB, at a rest stop. It may have been somewhat restful, but granite wasn't particularly comfortable on my delicate derriere.

After conquering the Cub Lake trail, our tour director Suzy (AKA the Drill Sergeant) had us prepare for arctic conditions on a trek (thankfully in a motorcar) up above 12,000 feet on Trail Ridge Road, one of ten America's Byways and a nationally designated All American Road. Here is the view from one viewpoint about 11,500 feet, just above treeline. The air is crystal clear, so much so that visitors are advised to use sunscreen because of the more intense UV radiation received there.

A little higher and we see that the snowpack was relatively deep here, and this was after much had melted. Look at the height of the roadside markers!These poles are necessary because there are almost no guardrails, and some parts of the road are very narrow, with "significant exposure". That's a euphemism for "if you drive off the road, it's a thousand feet or more until you come to a very rapid stop."







Like Glacier National Park's Going to the Sun Road, Trail Ridge Road takes one from montane forests of aspen and pine, past glacial moraines, through subalpine forests of spruce and fir, and finally above treeline to frigid, windswept subarctic tundra. There were actually snow removal operations ongoing during our visit, and the water in the 12,476 foot high visitor center was turned off because the pipes were still frozen. The view from the top was worth the drive. Here we are looking toward the Never Summer Mountains.  (Gee, I wonder why they are called that?)






But lest you think that this is a frozen wilderness road, let me show you otherwise. I was prudently dressed in blue jeans, shirt and fleece sweater. The rest of our party risked frostbite and hypothermia and opted for tropical attire... showoffs. Nevertheless, they survived the risks unscathed. Lucky for them the winds were light and the sun warm; but just wait 'til next time!