I've talked about the magic of the Arizona desert before. It is magic and it is dangerous. It is quiet and like being inside of a living painting. It is the perfect place to space out. The wind just seems to carry off any stress-inducing thoughts and dissipates them into nothingness. Once your head is clear then you have space for creative ideas, pure positivity, and the time and gumption to ponder thoughts until the cows come home.
We started in Fountain Hills and road tripped our way through small towns Black Canyon City, Payson, Pine, and Strawberry (among others) to land in Sedona a few hours later. We hit a couple small snowstorms along the way, expanding on the magic and power of nature. It is humbling.
We went from desert lowland in the valley, etched with cactus and gritty, pebbled sand to climbing mountains, furried green and round. For a stretch it seemed that we were in the real America -- whatever that is but it seemed like a more innocent time and unwithered place where most people had a strength of character and respect for life. The mountains formed a barrier and ruled the roost. The road was narrow and long and the land on either side of that stretch was occasionally dotted with cows.
When we reached high plains we could look out over plateaus in a distance that was immense. It was a history lesson. Traveling higher, we wound through a forest (video to follow in the next blog post) and reached what I know now as the peak in our adventure. It looked and felt like I was literally level to the horizon. An untouched blanket of snow formed a panorama around us and the landscape was similar to that of the Texas Hill Country area.
Eventually, after numerous stops to photograph what caught our eyes and a visit to a wonderful antique shop we landed in Sedona, a 360 degree view of multi-colored and jagged red rock sandstone formations and deep southwestern colors.
The change in the landscape from the Sonoran Desert through the mountains and forest to the Northern Verde Valley in Sedona is powerful.
We started in Fountain Hills and road tripped our way through small towns Black Canyon City, Payson, Pine, and Strawberry (among others) to land in Sedona a few hours later. We hit a couple small snowstorms along the way, expanding on the magic and power of nature. It is humbling.
We went from desert lowland in the valley, etched with cactus and gritty, pebbled sand to climbing mountains, furried green and round. For a stretch it seemed that we were in the real America -- whatever that is but it seemed like a more innocent time and unwithered place where most people had a strength of character and respect for life. The mountains formed a barrier and ruled the roost. The road was narrow and long and the land on either side of that stretch was occasionally dotted with cows.
When we reached high plains we could look out over plateaus in a distance that was immense. It was a history lesson. Traveling higher, we wound through a forest (video to follow in the next blog post) and reached what I know now as the peak in our adventure. It looked and felt like I was literally level to the horizon. An untouched blanket of snow formed a panorama around us and the landscape was similar to that of the Texas Hill Country area.
Eventually, after numerous stops to photograph what caught our eyes and a visit to a wonderful antique shop we landed in Sedona, a 360 degree view of multi-colored and jagged red rock sandstone formations and deep southwestern colors.
The change in the landscape from the Sonoran Desert through the mountains and forest to the Northern Verde Valley in Sedona is powerful.
Death in the desert. I love it.
Crazy - a dead Saguaro cactus. Looks like a deflated cartoon character.
A white horse! A freaking magic unicorn high up in the distance! Mustangs! Wild, wild horses. Could drag me away.
El Encanto. Great Mexican in Fountain Hills.
Sofrita. Our favorite restaurant in Fountain Hills. Lovely tapas. We look forward to seeing Stephanie each time we visit. She's also a talented singer/songwriter. kniffinmusic.com
Yes, there is a lake in the desert.
