Day 31 - Relaxing Morning and Then Back to Sedona!

We all decided last evening that we needed a morning at the CG to catch up on our blogs, postcard writing, pay bills, etc.  So, we stayed at the CG for breakfast and lunch and picked up Chuck and Melissa at 12:45 and headed to Sedona. Another beautiful day to drive on scenic Highway 89A.

We never get tired of this drive into Sedona!

The Chapel of the Holy Cross just blends in with its surroundings!

We went straight to Bell Rock Trailhead to walk that trail to the large bell formation.  We took our hiking poles because Chuck says it is just a walk if you don't take poles!  The trail was well marked by cairns except when you got to a level part of the trail.  Then the sign pointed both directions!  What is a hiker to do?????

The Bell Rock from a distance!

Time to start the hike!  We have our poles!!!!

The view from part way up the trail!

That's the Courthouse formation and can you see The Chapel
of the Holy Cross??

We are ascending!

After some investigation we found a place to continue the hike, but realized the trail did end because it got rather steep for the rest of the hike and they weren't encouraging you to continue.  The guys decided to keep going and I made an attempt at climbing the steeper rock, but changed my mind.  It was out of my comfort zone and at this age I am paying more attention to what my body tells me.  Imagine that????  So, Melissa and I just sat on a rock and enjoyed people watching and waving to the "boys".

The boys got a good view from the higher vantage point!

Victory!  But this is as high as I am going!  Yeah, Chuck!

After Ken and Chuck returned to us, we all walked a path around the bell until we came to the end of that trail.  It was a scenic area.  The word "vortex is often used in this area.  Vortexes are enhanced energy sites that facilitate prayer, meditation, mind-body healing, and creative thinking.  The Bell Rock area is one of the places you can possibly "find your vortex".  Chuck tried to help me find mine!!!!  I'm not sure I was very successful!!  

The vortex is out there somewhere, but even with Chuck's help I
couldn't seem to find it!

Hiking around the bell rock!

Time to head back to the car!

We saw another one of our lizard friends along the way!

We returned to our car and drove into downtown Sedona so we could do a little shopping before dinner. The metal statues in town are so well done and lifelike. Then we went to The Wildflower Bread Company, a place Ken and I had eaten when we were in Sedona in 2010, and had delicious salads.  We were able to eat outside and it was perfect weather for that!!!!!

The bell rock from the parking lot!

This metal horse was so realistic!

Just cute!!!

This rock formation is identified as Snoopy on his back!

After dinner, we drove up the road to the airport to a well-known place to watch the sunset.  There were a few hundred folks there doing the same thing!  It was a spectacular sunset with all the different shadows on the red rocks.  So glad we made point of seeing a sunset before leaving the area.

As the sun was falling, the shadows on the rocks were so
gorgeous!

Ken and I are definitely Celebrating Life Daily!

Note the birdie sitting on the pine tree!

Another Best Day!

After a quick stop at the "green arches", the only McDonalds in the USA without the golden arches, where Melissa and I got a small ice cream cone, we headed back to the CG.  We spent about 2 hours playing a game of Skip-Bo (did I tell you that is Ken's favorite game to play) which was won by the women, and a game of Pinochle (Chuck's favorite), won by the men.  We called it a day around 10:15.