Driving, stopping, looking, absorbing
On one hand, I wished I was riding my bike, and on the other, I was glad that I wasn't crawling up that hill! I left Phoenix on I-17, passing through the sprawl of a city into the desert. Speed limit - 75. Desert around me, tall cactus with arms reaching to the sky. I wish I could stop and take pictures, but no, not a good idea on a fast-moving interstate. Climbing, the rental car can' make 75 mph on a 5% grade - but then again, there were a lot of other vehicles going a steady 65 along with me!
2000 foot elevation marker...
I started in Phoenix, at about 1100 feet of elevation.
3000 foot elevation marker...
That was fast, and I'm still climbing...
4000 foot elevation marker... and higher...
The tall cactus have disappeared, the vegetation is desert scrub, and the paddle "leaved" cactus with lots of spines are still here.
I stopped at Montezuma Castle National Monument, one of those fascinating homes (castles?) built up high into a cliff. Stopped again at the turnoff to route 179 into Sedona. Instead of heading north, I headed a short way south to do a hike along the Bell trail. Very pleasant and easy going.
OK, that's enough, time to head north. Just a few miles north of I-17, the red rocks started to appear. Beautiful. I took a few pictures, but probably not enough. The weather today was beautiful - blue skies with some clouds, probably (I'm really guessing here) in the low 50's, and very windy. The forecast is for rain for the rest of the weekend. I can always hope that the forecast is wrong, but somehow given the storms that are wandering around this area I kind of doubt it!
Tired now, time to check in to my home for the next 3 nights and just veg for a bit.
At Montezuma Castle National Monument
A view of the mottled bark of an Arizona Sycamore
Beautiful but prickly... be careful!
Getting closer to Sedona...
Do you suppose this is my official welcome?
