Sedona, all day!
Slept in
We were all a bit tired and decided that we would sleep in. We had coffee on and breakfast ready as everyone woke. We enjoyed bacon, egg and cheese biscuits as our start. We also fixed turkey and cheese sandwiches to bring to enjoy as we hiked. We headed out around 9:30.
Chapel of the Holy Cross
Our first stop was Chapel of the Holy Cross. This was a perfect first stop. It is a slow approach as it is a popular stop for visitors. We slowly creeped up on the church. We all hopped out of the Expedition and walked up to view the church while Dean slowly drove to the top, turned around and was going to drive back down where we would meet him. Parking was impossible as there were limited spots and very few people leaving. As it turns out, on his descent, a gentleman motioned to him to have his spot, so he was able to park nearby and come meet us at the chapel. It is a small chapel, but it is so beautiful. We all entered and sat silently in prayer. It was the second anniversary of my parents passing (yesterday and today) so we lit a couple of candles in their honor. We've all had losses that were weighing heavy on our hearts and this location just seemed to soothe us.
We got a few great pictures of the surrounding landscape and made our way back to the truck.
Raven Caves Trail
We were planning on hiking Cathedral Rock today but that was not an option. It is a very popular hike and we would have needed to be there earlier in the day. A quick check of the All Trails app revealed a trail that was just ahead of our location so we decided to give it a try. Raven Caves Trail was unassuming in regards to the parking lot (maybe 6 spots) and there was not even a sign of any sort.
We unloaded and started out. The trail was under a mile long, but took us through a couple of small caves at the highest elevation. We also hiked down to Oak Creek and spent some time there. It was not a planned hike but one that we all thoroughly enjoyed.
Once we finished our hike, we sat and ate our turkey and cheese sandwiches.
Bell Rock
After lunch we drove to a hike near the area. Bell Rock was just that. Of course, the parking lot was completely full, resulting in Dean having to circle a few times. The three girls needed the restroom, so we hopped out as soon as the circling began.
There were two 'toilets' in the parking lot to be used. Becky went in one, Kecia attempted the other, but quickly turned around and decided to wait for Becky to be finished. We were laughing and gagging all at the same time. A gentleman walked up, needing the restroom also. We told him the second one was available. He commented there must be a reason that you guys are not using it, so I'll wait also. We all had a good laugh. As it turns out, he and his family were leaving after the restroom break. We made a deal- he could go ahead of us to use the restroom and he would give us his parking spot! Score!
It was a busy day on the trail but we went out and did our thing. We all hiked up Bell Rock. Clint went the closest to the top. Once we were all done hiking up, we found a great spot to sit and enjoy the views and some Bourgeois beff jerky. Becky also had a great idea for a photograph of she and Steven. It was quite amusing. I captured some video of them 'in action.'
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| Something isn't right with my hoody....lol |
We headed home after that hike. It was an amazing afternoon taking in all of the views. Dean had been suffering with a slight back ache, so Clint needled him on the living room floor before dinner. It's great to have such knowledgable friends!
Mariposa
Months ago, Steven made reservations for us at Mariposa. As it turns out, the restaurant was just a couple minutes away from the holiday house. What an amazing experience! We had empanadas, salads, filets, potato au gratin, mashed potatoes with lobster scampi, sautéed mushrooms, roasted cauliflower, and brussel sprouts.
