Sedona, Arizona

Most of our other stops have been National Parks or National Monuments. Sedona is different in that it is actually town that is nestled in a canyon that has some amazing rock formations visible all around it.

Some of the most beautiful photography that I have ever seen was taken in Sedona. I was hoping to leave with some jaw-dropping photos myself, but we learned very quickly that it's not that easy.
I was in Sedonna about 10 years ago, and I remember snapping photos just driving down the road. We found that to be impossible during this visit, mainly due to the road construction underway throughout Sedona.
So, we put in a little effort to learn where the best vista points in town were. In Sedona, it is more important than ever that the sun be in the right position to really get a stunning photo. We tried and tried, but we always managed to be in the right place at the wrong time.
Oh well, we finally gave up on getting that National Geographic quality photo and just enjoyed ourselves. Some of the locals told us about a swimming hole up the canyon, so we went there.

Some of the older kids were jumping off the really high spots on that cliff. Eva and I just looked at each other and said "oh to be indestructible again!".

On the second day went went on one of the Pink Jeep tours. It was a lot of fun. Our son in-law Robert would have been impressed with the way they have modified these Jeeps to be used for tours. (I asked a lot of questions about what they did Robert, talk to me later about it).

Hopi Indian ruins.

Our guide Quentin was very knowledgeable about the local plant life and how it was used by the Native Americans. He left his job as a test driver for General Motors to become a Jeep tour guide. What a job!

We were so fired-up after the Jeep tour that we decided to do a little off-roading ourselves. We read in several places that the best views in the valley were up on Schnebly Hill, but that it required a 4 wheel drive vehicle to get there.

They were right. The views were unbelievable, and it was a bone-jarring ride to get there.
We really enjoyed Sedona. I'd like to come back some time after all the road construction is finished.