Sedona, Arizona

 November 6-13th, we went on a little getaway to Sedona, Arizona.  We got a steal on a condo trade and thought that would relieve our cabin fever to get away for a few days.

The drive down there through the Navajo Indian reservation was stark desert, but beautiful.

It got a lot prettier as we approached Sedona.

While there, our routine was that each morning Ken would go on one of the many hikes available in the area.  I loved staying in the condo doing my thing: blogging, family history work, indexing, reading, etc.  In the afternoon, we would go to the pool.  The temperature was cool and the water cold, so we usually had it to ourselves. No one else was dumb enough to get in a cold pool! It was absolute heaven for me to get back in the pool, cold or not.  That is my chosen form of exercise, but, because of COVID, I haven't been going to my health club to get in the pool.  Man, I miss it.  In the evening, we usually got take out from a local restaurant. We had pizza, Indian food, and went to the same Mexican restaurant twice.  Ken grilled twice.

Following are some pictures Ken took on his hikes:

The Sedona area is beautiful.

We stayed in a little casita.  It was only 400 square feet.  It was about the size of the little apartment we lived in in Japan.

Each casita had a nice deck, but it was a little cold to use it.  This is the front of the casita.

Very close to our casita was this beautiful hot tub.  Even if others were there, it was easy to stay socially distant from them.

Ken grilled chicken one night.

This is the pool we went to each day.  People were often in the hot tub, but rarely in the pool.  It was too cold.  It took great courage to get in.

After getting lots of steps in the pool, we would relax in the beautiful hot tub.

We decided to splurge one evening and eat at the restaurant on the property.  They had a lot of outdoor seating with stand heaters.  We got there early (5-6pm) for the early bird specials.  They were busy, but seated us at a table outside.  We had looked at a menu on the wall, and kind of knew what we wanted.  We sat there for 45 minutes.  They brought us bread and water, but otherwise ignored us.  Finally, Ken went and reminded them of our presence.  We then got a waiter.  We never did get a menu.  We just ordered from what we had seen.  It got dark and cold and really miserable.  The food was only mediocre and got cold really fast.  So our most expensive meal was our least desirable one!  We made the best of it, but we wouldn't go back.

More scenery:

This was taken from our deck one morning.  I heard them before I saw them!

We took a beautiful drive and walk in a state park.

This house was built right on the hill.  There is no access except by a pully.  I don't know if you can see it, but people are being lowered down the cliff in white box.  How on earth did they build this?

There was still some fall foliage in this beautiful park.

The light on the mountain beyond was just perfect.

It was right after we took this picture that I took a tumble.  I was looking up (and you can see why!) instead of down and stepped on a walnut and twisted my ankle and went right down.  That is the fourth time I've done that in the last few years, and twice it has been caused by a nut!  I was blessed to not be badly hurt.  I skinned my hand, elbow, and one knee, but the elbow and knee were through my clothing, so didn't get dirty and both healed nicely.  The knee took awhile, but it's fine now.

Aren't these pictures beautiful?

On the way home, we stopped to go out on the pedestrian bridge over the Colorado river at Marble Canyon and take a few shots.

It was a bright, sunny day!

Now we get to the highlight of the trip!  On the way down, and on the way home, we stopped at Jacob's Lake Inn.  They make the best milkshakes and homemade cookies.  We had a late "lunch," consuming a milkshake and a cookie.  Our parents weren't there to stop us!

This is a smores cookie and is probably the best cookie I have ever eaten.  

So there you have it!  Our getaway to Sedona, Arizona!