Phoenix, Sedona & Flagstaff

The adventure continues! It was wonderful to visit Kristal and her precious dog, Nani, in Phoenix. The 104-degree, super dry temperatures were a shock to the system and even after dark the heat hovered in the mid-90's. While it seems extreme, Arizonians are happy to trades a few weeks of extreme heat for year-around mild temps perfect for outdoor adventuring!





We enjoyed the views atop South Mountain(Phil got his first up close view of a Cactus), enjoyed attending the Cathedral in downtown Phoenix, took Nani to play in one of many dog parks in the area, enjoyed some shopping, sun bathing and grilling. It was great to spend time with Kristal!










On Monday, we took a quick 2-hour drive up to Sedona, home a plethora of red rock formations. It was gorgeous and a perfect, slightly overcast day for adventuring. Phil and I went on our first hike together! We started off with a light hike around Bell Rock, a formation that resembles a handbell resting on the canyon. We toured some of Sedona then climbed Cathedral Rock, a more challenging route, that gave us views of the entire canyon. We met a number of great hikers and while touring the Holy Cross Chapel, a Catholic Church built right into the side of a red rock formation, we met a couple that had been married there 47-years prior!


In the evening, we took an incredibly scenic drive out of Sedona and into Flagstaff. Well-forested switchback roads built up to incredible mountaintop views as we climbed out of the canyon. The desert has so very many faces, each with surprisingly unique characteristics. Today, we're off to the Grand Canyon!