SCHNEBLY HILL EXPEDITION

 Before I went to Sedona, Arizona, a hiking buddy who had been there, told me to be sure and do the Schnebly Hill hike, and so I was delighted to find out that  area was where my Road Scholar group ( www.RoadScholar.org ) was planning on spending the last full day of our six-day trip.  What made it even better was that it was the only hike we took where I was able to get a photograph of those majestic red rocks, being reflected in a pool of water!

 Our group followed the Mund's Wagon Trail, which was once a cattle trail, and meanders beside Schnebly Hill Road.  Theodore Carlton Schnebly was the first post master of this area, and the town is named after his wife, Sedona Schnebly.  Schnebly Hill Road used to be the main highway between Sedona and Flagstaff.  It still serves as a connector road between Interstate 17 and Sedona.  However, it is not paved, and one needs to be in a high clearance vehicle to safely travel over it.

 This photo shows not a cattle herd, but a "hiker herd" making their way up the mountainside, through the cactus and manzanita. 

 The higher elevations gave us striking views of the Coconino National Forest and Red Rocks Country.  I used what the locals call "mountain driftwood" (dried up manzanita bushes) as the foreground of the photo. 

 Just when we thought we could climb  no further, our leaders urged us onward and upward to the "saddle" of the rock formations.  As in all the hikes, I was "bringing up the rear", all the while snapping as many photographs as possible, without getting too far behind the group.

 This interesting formation was visible from the mountain top, and is called a rock "window".

 After we arrived at the saddle of the rock formations, three of us ladies decided we had quite enough climbing, and decided not to continue any further upward with the rest of the group.  I asked them to give me a big "V" sign for victory, as they continued on up the steep rock formation.

 The little specks of color you can see in the middle of this photo are the brave hikers that continued to scale the rock face.

 I was quite content to stay at this lower elevation, and it gave an opportunity for Andrea and me to take photos of each other, using our respective cameras, with the canyon beneath and behind us.

 Fortunately for us, the way to proceed on the sandstone bluffs was marked with white painted dashes, so we would not walk, by mistake,  down into a difficult-to-negotiate ravine.

 This photo of Andrea navigating along a narrow trail of the sandstone cliff, gives you an indication of the elevation change that we had already accomplished at that point.

 Once we arrived at a lower elevation, we found ourselves hiking through a well-worn path, through groves of evergreen trees.

 The conversation of we three ladies probably would have amused a bystander, as we discussed the trail marker that Lynn is pointing to in the upper left corner of this collage.  The sign said "Equestrian Bypass".  With my medical background, the first thing I thought of when I saw that sign, was a horse having heart surgery.  But between Andrea, with her background in computer software/languages, and Lynn's background as a college professor with a Ph.D, we came to a consensus that the sign meant for those on a horse not to take the trail ahead---it was only suited for those of two feet, not four!

 The nice thing about us three ladies not continuing to climb up the mountain, was that we had more time for photography and observation, on our return trip.  Our leader had pointed out a type of mistletoe that grows in the desert (see left side of photo).  What is interesting is to see the way that mistletoe has adapted to appear more like the evergreen tree that is its host (see right side of photo).  I realized that desert mistletoe looks completely different from the mistletoe seen growing in the oak trees of the Ozark Mountains.

 Lynn, Andrea, and I also came across two mountain bikers who were set up to do a photo shoot.  The photographer (on right side of collage) was videotaping his biker friend (on left side of photo) as he jumped his bike over a small ravine.  Amazingly, the biker made the jump without falling!

 Besides going through evergreen forests, our trail (called Mund's Wagon Trail) followed a stream bed for an extensive distance.

 I read one review of hiking this area that suggested hikers start out very early in the morning, and use the Schnebly Hill Road to go up the mountain, before the jeep traffic gets heavy.  Then, when the popular dirt road is "jeep-infested", the hiker can use the adjacent Mund's Wagon Trail through the forest, to make the descent back to the starting point. 

 There is a less likely chance that a hiker could get lost on the Mund's Wagon Trail hike, because you are almost always within a few hundred yards of the well-traveled Schnebly Hill Road, even though the road is seldom visible from along the forest trail.

 I like this photo because it illustrates to me, that sometimes a person just needs a helping hand to get them over a difficult spot in life.

 When I was reviewing all the photographs I took on this particular hike, I spotted the undeniable outline of a cross on a distant rock formation.  It reminded me of the Luke 19:40  verse from the Holy Bible where Jesus says, "I tell you, if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out."   Seeing such a "sign from above" made me end this post about my experience along Schnebly Hill Road with "Miles of Smiles"!    Tricia

CATHEDRAL ROCK EXPEDITION!

  Cathedral Rock is located just outside the city limits of Sedona, Arizona, within the boundaries of Coconino National Forest ( www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/coconino/ ) and has a summit at 4,921 feet.  Because it is on forest service land, a federal parking pass is required for this location, and that information is explained in detail on the aforementioned website.  

 Because Cathedral Rock is one of the most popular tourist locations to explore around Sedona, (see www.VisitSedona.com for other popular hikes), there is an automated "vending machine" located at the trail head, where visitors can purchase the required parking pass.  One of the reasons this trail head is so popular, is that the road leading to it is completely paved (as opposed to dirt roads that go to many other area hiking trails), and it even has a paved parking lot!

 A short distance up the trail, you will have the option of continuing on the Cathedral Rock trail, which takes hikers up to the three "saddle points" or gaps between the various sections of cathedral rock. 

 Since there is such an expanse of exposed red sandstone to cross before getting to the appropriate access point to continue one's ascent, trail markers have been erected that assist newcomers.  Such a trail marker is shown in the middle of this photo, and consists of a wire basket, about the size of a 50-gallon barrel, filled with large red rocks.  Our leader told us (with tongue in cheek) that the rocks are in the wire basket to keep them from getting "sucked into a vortex" that some people believe exists in Sedona.  (I did not feel such a vortex, personally).

 Our group enjoyed our ascent on this beautiful day, towards a sky without a single cloud in it.  Another thing our leader told us (again, with tongue in cheek!), was that as long as none of us said a "discouraging word", the skies would not be cloudy all day; he was obviously referencing the famous Western tune, "Home on the Range".  Since the area is called "Cathedral Rock", as a reference to the majesty of God's creation, it is appropriate that our songs would be joyful, not containing a "discouraging word."  In fact, there is a reference in Scripture that says, "Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs."  Psalm 100:2

 In this photo, you can see our group strung out over an expanse of level sandstone, that was leading to the Templeton Trail.

 We were able to see other groups of hikers starting their ascents up to the saddle of Cathedral Rocks.  Although this is quite a steep climb, a few "steps" or foot holes have been carved into the side of the rock to make it a bit easier to go up. 

 However, on this day, our Road Scholar group took the Templeton Trail to the right, and started to descend into the deciduous forest that is adjacent to Cathedral Rock.

 The trail gave us a good view of the county's Verde Valley, which is becoming well known for its vineyards and wineries, all of which welcome visitors for tastings.

 I tried to be very careful where I stepped on all the hikes, and as I watched where I stepped on the Templeton Trail, I started noticing the variety of hiking boot prints left by previous walkers.

 I was especially intrigued by someone's hiking boots that left heart-shaped prints in the red sand, and I determined when I got home, I would play around with those heart shapes, and see what I could create.  Hence, this photo that means, "I love Sedona".  However, when one of my fellow hikers saw me taking photographs of the dirt, he was pretty convinced I was suffering from sun stroke, and that I needed to be rehydrated!

 So, I quit taking photos of the dirt, and looked up to see this beautiful scene of yet another of Sedona's landmark rock formations in the distance.

 I want to thank Jeff of New York for offering to take a photo of me with Cathedral Rock in the background.  I was especially glad to get this photo because the metal hiking medalion that I purchased to remind me of Sedona (which I will nail into my wooden hiking stick) has the Cathedral Rock formation on its logo.  The metal hiking stick I was using in Arizona has the advantage of folding up so that it can be put into a backpack when not in use. 

 Templeton Trail follows alongside Oak Creek for quite a distance, and was very scenic. 

 As I was taking photos of the creek, I spotted a single rock cairn, balanced precariously on a rock out in the water.

 Closer examination of the nearby shore line made me realize there were dozens of the rock cairns covering this space.

 I nicknamed the place "Joshua's Beach", remembering the story from Joshua 4:1-24 in the Old Testament.  That is where God told Joshua to lead his men to build a memorial made of stones by the Jordan River, to help them remember how God had miraculously delivered them in their time of need.  The story also specifies that we are to tell future generations that the stones were placed there, to remind us of God's saving nature.

 Speaking of future generations, I am posting this photo to thank my son and his wife for giving me the Canon Powershot camera I used throughout this trip.  The black strap I have around my neck attached to a wrist lanyard on the camera, that was easily removed, when I wanted to hand the camera to someone else to take a photo.  Then, when the camera was reattached to my neck lanyard, I could slip it into my front pocket, to be safely stowed away until the next photo opportunity!  It worked much better than carrying a big, bulky camera, and of course, did not weigh as much!

 The reflections I was seeing in Oak Creek, are a reminder of the reflections of gratitude I have for the Road Scholar leaders and participants that I met on this first-ever Road Scholar trip ( www.roadscholar.org ).

 This photo shows our program leader, Mike Young ( www.UnconformiTees.com ) and his local guide/helper, Peter Baenziger.  Under the auspices of Northern Arizona University, over 90,000 participants have been hosted on adventures throughout the Southwest since 1983.  For more information on the programs  operated by Northern Arizona University, visit  www.nau.edu/roadscholar or phone 800-411-3086.  They will help you plan an expedition that will give you "Miles of Smiles"!  Tricia

LOY CANYON EXPEDITION IN RED ROCK COUNTRY

 Loy Canyon is a remote area, several miles outside Sedona, Arizona.  In fact, it is so remote that while our Road Scholar hiking group ( www.roadscholar.org ) was there, we did not see another human being.  I hesitated before publishing this blogpost, thinking perhaps it was supposed to be some type of "hiker's secret".  However, when I googled "Loy Canyon", there were 519,000 links that appeared.  One of those links was the official government website ( www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/coconino/recre ) which can give you the exact driving directions to get there.

 Although the access road is not paved, one does not need a four-wheel drive to get to the trail head.  Our group traveled comfortably in these two 12-passenger vans. 

 The trail head is adjacent to the gate to the Honanki Ruins entrance.  Our group did not go to the Honanki Ruins, as our leader said that was an outing we could easily do on our own.  However, there is limited access to these ruins of the Sinagua Native Americans, so it is recommended that a visitor phone the Red Rock Ranger District at 928-282-4119 to make a reservation for your visit, and to assure that the access gate will be open when you go. 

 The trail into Loy Canyon has lots of twists, turns, and elevation changes, so our leader, Mike Young, made it a point to go over the trail map with the group, to give us a sense of where we were headed.  If you are interested in hiking in the Sedona area, but prefer a less remote experience, there are plenty of easier trails to explore.  You can find out more about such hikes (including maps)  by clicking on www.VisitSedona.com

 At the very beginning of our hike, we saw this yucca plant in bloom, which was the first of many colorful wildflowers and native plants, that we would see along the trail.

 Clusters of blackfoot daisies (shown in lower right of this photo) were covering the rocky terrain as we started into the canyon.  The fence to the left of the hikers borders the private property of Hancock Ranch.  The canyon gets its name from the Samuel Loy family that lived in the area in the 1880's.  The trail we were on was used by the Loys to move their livestock to and from summer pastures on the rim. 

 We saw several bushes of blooming Cliff Rose, and our leader squished up the blossoms between his hands to show how it could be used to form a lather for bathing, or removing odors. 

 This dog diligently guarded the private property which contained the old homestead and former vineyard of previous residents.  The dog was in that exact same spot when we hiked out of the canyon about seven hours later!!

 After hiking a while, we were rewarded with some rock art called "pictographs", which means they were painted symbols on the rock face.  It seems everyone got out their camera or phone to record these creative renditions of early inhabitants.

 Our leader pointed out how the artist had depicted motion of the shaking end of a rattlesnake by drawing several simulated "rattlers" at the end of the snake. 

 This hike through Loy Canyon took us through several mansanita thickets.  My son ( www.grovers-journey-journal.blogspot.com/ ) came up with a term for such maneuvers, which he calls MANZINEERING.  I would like to think that the trips to DisneyWorld and Epcot we took him on when he was a youngster, where we learned the word "Imagineer", had an influence on his coining this new mountaineering term.  (Perhaps the fact that he has a Master's Degree in engineering is also a factor, however!)

 The manzanita plant has red berries that look like apples, hence the name, as manzanita is the Spanish diminutive of manzana (apple).  Therefore, the literal translation is "little apple".

 Our goal for this hike was to get to the saddle of Loy Butte, and at this point we had just about made it to the first mesa, before going further up to the end of the trail.   The reason for this photo was more to catch my breath, as pointing the camera at my fellow hikers gave me an excuse to stop for a moment and rest!

 I was fascinated by a type of agave plant we saw growing in Loy Canyon.  During the early stage of its growth, it looks like a large asparagus spear (shown on left of collage).  A later stage of its growth reminded me of the "Jack and the Beanstalk" fairy tail, because of the extreme height it attained! (right side of photo collage).  Our leader told us that the stalk shown on the right side (the inflorescence) is sometimes dried and used to make didgeridoos (a wind instrument commonly associated with Australia).  Agave nectar is sometimes used as a sweetener. 

 Leader Mike Young is shown in this photo telling us about the cholla cactus.  Mike is on the staff of Northern Arizona University, that administers this particular Road Scholar program.

 Our hike through Loy Canyon included not only manzineering, but also bouldering, as shown in this photo. 

 This photo shows the variety of packs that various hikers used to carry their water, snacks, and other supplies.  The instructional material sent to us when we registered for this Road Scholar program advised each hiker have what is called a "day pack", with both a waist strap and a chest strap.  They also recommended it be equipped with a "bladder" connected to a suction tube, so that the hiker is able to access water at any point, without having to search through their pack for a water bottle.

 I was SO ELATED when I reached the top of Loy Butte that I asked Mike to take a photo of me giving the victory symbol, to embed in my memory this accomplishment!

 This photo shows the top of Loy Butte, where we had our lunch break.  It occurred to me that this was a TRUE "Hard Rock Cafe", and we even had a "centerpiece" of red blooms on our "dining table"!

 At the section of our hike where there was a natural amphitheater, sheltered from the sun by a large overhanging bluff, Mike told us all to find a comfortable spot, and line up against the wall.  I had no idea what he was going to tell us, but it turned out he was leading us in a very spiritual experience.  He told us for the next three minutes, we were not to talk, not to laugh, not to move, not to rattle our backpacks or snacks or water, and to be perfectly still---to soak in the experience of being in this remote canyon, away from all civilization.  After quieting my mind for several moments, the verse from Psalm 46:10 came to mind:  "Be still and know that I am God;  I will be exalted among the nations, and I will be exalted in the earth."   The period of solitude made me aware that we were truly seeing "the greatest earth on show", which is God's creation.  That experience is one I will cherish forever, and will give me "miles of smiles" in the days ahead!  Tricia