Sedona, AZ

“Sedona is supposedly a mystical and spiritual place”, I was told by my perky hotel receptionist when I first arrived.  I was already forewarned of the colony of  baby-boomer hipsters inhabiting the area. You know the forty to fifty-five year olds still wearing tye-dye tees and “pot” bumper stickers  plastered all over their hybrid cars (by the way marijuana is approved for medicinal use). However, the main reason I decided to travel to Sedona was to get a little solitude but  after  about three hours of day hiking I began to realize that other people had the same idea in mind. So much for solitude. Funny the more I travel the more I realize, true solitude is becoming as rare as clean air. Back to Sedona. Nestled in between rust- colored butes (finger like monoliths common in Utah and Arizona) and green valleys, Sedona  is truly awe-inspiring.  The “Red Rock”  hiking trails are unique to this area in Arizona so plan plenty of time to see it up close. First I must recommend some experienced guides before just going at it alone. Realize that Sedona is still very isolated and it is still relatively untrodden. The landscape may look smooth and even, but once on foot (hopefully in sturdy boots) you will experience dips and bumps not seen from your vehicle. The soil is loose and gravely so pace yourself and look out for loose rocks that can cause sprained ankles. The weather was perfect. Sedona boasts a 330 out of 365 days of pristine sunshine year round. It has a cool and arid climate not hot like southern Arizona. I must  now address the scientific reason behind why my bubbly hotel girl stated that Sedona is a “mystical” place. During my time in downtown Sedona I had the opportunity to chat with the locals about their town’s famed reputation. One resident confided that they really have no clue why people say it. He chalked it up to excessive marijuana smoking which would make anyone feel spiritual. Another resident convincingly stated due to the natural minerals found in the soil and the atmosphere that one will experience a “pulling” sensation in the body when standing on top of a mountain peak. ” Like literally someone is holding fifty magnets against your body”, as my tour guide explained it. I need not go through such lengths to achieve a feeling of euphoria, but I admire the residents of Sedona nonetheless. I liked the openness and whacky little things they do just to get a spiritual high, I found it amusing. They march to their own tune and have no desire to return to the rat-race many of us still have to endure. They [Sedona residents] have essentially said goodbye to urban not to mention suburban life all together. They have built their customized homes in the rugged  natural terrain, some of these homes costing  well into the millions. So you could say Sedona is definitely an expensive place to live. Aside from the quarky observations of the people my favorite memories were of the land itself. The mountains were gorgeous. The silence was pretty awesome  too; a  person could really be alone with their thoughts. You could actually hear the wind blow, if wind had a sound I imagine.  The sky was so vast and  blue it seemed like the ocean was  above instead of below. Little desert lizards scurried past trying to find a cool rock for some shade. Coyotes howled with the setting of the sun and cacti bloomed in the distance breaking up the brown with splashes of pink and purple. Sedona is a must see for anyone trying to find some reprieve in this chaotic world. It may not last as long as you’d like but it’s truly worth it. Remember that Sedona is a  unique desert community, so it’s useless to keep comparing things there to “back home”. That is the whole point of traveling I believe: to experience something different. I encourage anyone to go see for yourself how truly “different” Sedona is. 😉

*If staying in the Phoenix/Scottsdale area and you want expericenced tour guides check out Detours located in Chandler. Guillermo aka Memo, was my guide and he was patient and kind plus  he knew so much about native  history and takes you to see some ancient Native American ruins on the way to Sedona! Click on www.detoursaz.com and select a full day trip to Sedona.