Day trip to Sedona

This weekend I took a drive up to Sedona after many people suggested it.  The key word here is "up."  Nobody really explained what getting there and getting around there entailed.  Had they done so I likely would not have gone.  I noticed right away that Arizona drivers are aggressive.  They make crazy Chicago cab drivers look like grandmas going for a Sunday drive.  The speed limit is 75 which means you are supposed to go 90.  Back home I go 75 when I am speeding so...I stayed in the slow lane.  So there is my first problem...the drivers and the speed.  Then came the elevation changes.  I knew it would be interesting when I saw the sign saying "stop ahead and check your brakes and load."  Right.  Then I saw the runaway truck lane.  "Runaway Truck Ramp."  This is when I really got worried.  That can't be good.  The drivers that were used to this flew down those curves and I crept down in my Hyundai Sonata rental car praying the brakes were in good shape and thinking I should have Googled how the hell to drive on a mountain.  Then came the sign that said "strong crosswind area."  I filed all this away to Google later.  

 I finally made it into Sedona and thought I was in the clear.  I guess my brain thought I could look at the rocks from the bottom of them.  I would soon learn I was mistaken. Sedona on a Saturday is a hot spot.  The town was absolutely packed.

 I stopped in the Chamber of Commerce and talked to a sweet older man from Illinois who told me the best way to see Sedona in a day by car.  I wandered around town a bit after leaving there but it was too packed with people and it was really just touristy shops.  So I jumped in the car and proceeded to get completely lost on side streets.  I finally reached the main road and was heading the opposite direction than intended but that was ok because was of the stops on my list was the airport trail...so back to driving up a mountain.

 This one wasn't too terrible and wasn't far.  I started down the Summit trail not realizing Summit meant up a darn rock.  But there were some stairs.  At first.  Then there were rocks that served as stairs along with a rope to hold onto.  I made it up and went straight to the center and sat down.  My stomach sank at the thought of going back down.  Like really sank.  A lot of people were all over near the edge of the rock and I was anxious enough in the middle.  Not a fan of heights.

 After 10 or 15 minutes I worked up the courage to get back down.  I figured I just saw a pregnant lady do it I probably could too.  My plan was to drive 17 miles to scenic overlook then on the way back make my other stops.  In retrospect I should have thought "Scenic overlook probably means you have to get up to a higher location somehow...like oh, maybe drive up another mountain."  Nope, definitely would not have done this one had I known this drive that awaited me.  The mountain was high and steep and...a mountain.  Again some of the drivers were aggressive.  One guy even passed me and another car.  On a mountain. Seems like a bad idea.  Now the drive is beautiful.  Had I had a passenger they surely would have enjoyed it.  I was too busy making sure I stayed on the road to look around.  Eventually my thoughts about my rental changed from the brakes to wondering if I could even get enough power to get up the damn mountain.  Eventually I made it and took the photo above.  While pretty and all...that photo was not worth the stress of getting there.

I cut my trip a bit shorter than I had planned.  The traffic made getting to any of the locations quite lengthy and well...I just didn't want to after that mountain.  I was over it.  I am not a mountain driver.  I also didn't want to make the drive back in the dark because that drive is bad enough when I can see.  So...they are pretty but I am going to need a chaeuffer to take me on any site seeing like that in the future!

After returning to my hotel I Googled info on the drive including what the crosswind sign meant.  That means basically the wind can cause your car to rollover and for mountain driving you shouldn't ride your brakes or they can go out quicker.  I was thankful to be back in my hotel room and off the roads.

Sedona is stunning and would be neat to see for sure.  I just had to much stress with the drive.  However...aside from the drive I so recommend it!

Plan B

When you get to your hotel pool and find out it sits right in front of the hotel restaurant window like art...you move on to Plan B in an attempt to not be the subject of the restaurant attendees people watching.  

 Plan B: Desert Botanical Garden.  Plan B was a success.

I arrived around noon AZ time today after having enough of crammed planes and people with no airplane etiquette.  I wanted to make use of the afternoon and the garden was a great way to spend the afternoon experiencing Arizona.

 I found Alvin.  He was cute and seemed to like me.

 I found all sorts of blooming cactus. What is the plural of that...cacti?

 I finally got to experience the "dry heat."

 I loved the butterfly garden.

 These guys were all kinds of fluttery.

I really do like exploring solo.  Especially after a morning of traveling.  And I have no shame in taking my solo exploration selfies as I do it!

Molly's Miles 5k

Last weekend was another fun 5k called Molly's Miles held in honor of fallen law enforcement.  

It was the first time this race was held and there were over 800 people.  It was a huge turnout.

The first part of the run was a gradual, long uphill which felt like dying a slow death but the rest of the course was mostly flat.  It ended up being a fairly warm run.  I was happy to cross the finish line and down a bottle of water.

This was a fun one and I will definitely do this one again.  My next one is in a few weeks in Arizona.  That'll be a fun change of scenery!  I'll be sure to take a lot of photos.  I plan to do some hiking in addition to the run while I'm there!