A hiking we will go

I have been vacationing in the beautiful city of Sedona, Arizona . Amongst a back drop of clay and sandstone rock formations, we found many adventures and met many interesting people . There is such a variety of hiking destinations, it was hard to choose the best one for us.

Our first walk was a 2 mile hike along a creek bed, dead ending at the base of an enormous rock. The rock provided  a view of the valley for those fostering mountain goat within them and a good sense of balance.  Mountain goat Mr. Man clambered up but left the camera behind so he only has a mental image of the grand view. I handed the camera to him as he edged his way downward but he refused to attempt the climb again for the photo op.

For this week of hiking and exploring, Mr. Man bought me some walking sticks. I felt foolish using them at first because they seemed to be only used by senior citizens and grey haired men. . . I was rudely reminded that my prejudiced is unfounded because that is a description of us! I refused to use the sticks until we prepped for the big hike up a canyon which was a 6 1/2 mile hike. Doubting my jacked up knee would last that far, Mr. Man assured me that we could turn around at any time and head back. Game on. 

So we hiked and I used my hiking poles, pretending I was the Black Diamond mogul skier of decades ago. The trail was beautiful and crossed a wide stream many times. After mile 3, I was getting tired and the weather was getting cold with snow on the ground. Definitely tired of being passed by dozens of REAL senior citizens in their 70's and 80's like I was standing still. One of the seniors, "Dottie", got separated from her group during a treacherous stream crossing and hiked full speed ahead looking for the group. She stopped to catch her breath and recounted how her soon to be dead husband and former best friend would rue the day she caught up to them. I suggested gently than she may be ahead of them as they had not passed us on the narrow trail and we crossed the stream before her group.

Swearing and throwing rocks, Dottie provided us with a few cussing remarks concerning her group and vowed to divorce her husband the second they were reunited.

  

I stopped at mile 3.5, knowing I had to go back the same route. Mr. Man said he wanted to finish the hike and it was only another 1/2 mile. I wished him luck, picked a comfy rock and sat there for 1 1/2 hours waiting to freeze and muscles seized up. Dotties lost spouse, BFF and others came along and sat with me as they waited for lost Dottie to get to the end and double back. They were a happy bunch and remarked how lovely the day was without Dottie. Finally, Mr. Man returned, Dottie in front of him and he stopped to rest with me before we headed back. Dottie passed her group rapidly but told them she had new friends to hike with, a lovely lady couple who wanted to be with her and walked on.

After resting, Mr. Man and I headed back. He had hiked another 2 miles before realizing the end was a lot further then the designated trail head stated, and with the sun setting below the canyon walls, the air temperature was dropping fast. We double timed it out of there. My sticks became crutches as I moved along and I used them as Pole vault poles for the stream crossings. Mr. Man was on a mission. We had to get to the parking lot to see the end of Dotties adventure and cat fight with her "former" BFF. Using the last surge of energy and muscle power, I made it back. Much faster returning down the canyon than up it. My hip and thigh muscles were screaming about the abuse but held together.

Sadly  Dottie and her senior group were much faster than I was and we missed the grand finale and face off but there weren't any blood stains or broken glass in the parking lot.

Remarkably, my legs didn't fall off in the night and I wasn't even sore. In fact, my knee can still bend and probably hike again, but maybe not so rough and far next time. It was definitely worth it though. You cannot deny there is a creator who has made such a beautiful place to experience and explore in.

I'll be going again next year.... with my sticks.