Sedona and the Pink Jeep Tour

I felt like Barbie only without the boobs. Yes, we really rode around in a pink jeep.  We did a bit of rock crawling and a lot of great back country scenic stuff.  It was a great evening....

The jeep crawled up on to this gigantic rock and we walked around for a bit.

What goes UP must come DOWN

Here's the Rancho Sedona RV Park. They didn't seem to have a "no photos" rule....at least I hope not.

This is a portion of Oak Creek that runs through the campground.  Swimming (even dogs) is allowed!

 cool and shady

The previous post originally had tmore photos from the Oak Creek hike.  I guess all of my Sedona Vortex bashing came back and "got "me because they disappeared from the final draft.  However they are worth trying to post again.  More oak Creek Hike Photos:

Sedona....my take on it.

We loved our time in Sedona.  It is gorgeous and there is so much to do there. It is a bit "mystic, let me read your crystals,omg look at your lifeline, let me check your Aura, Vortice manic" much for my taste but that aside it is lovely. Yes, the folks in Sedona believe that they have the ONLY rocks that emit spiritual energy and you can actually take tours to those specific rocks. The areas are called Vortices (vortex in the plural form?). Anyway, I can get all of the spiritual energy I need by staring at the stars, the moon, a butterfly or a beautiful rock in Missoula Montana.  I believe spirituality is wherever you look for it.  But the "Sedonians" believe it's here. And they have names like "Feather" and "Storm" and "Whisper". Really? Did their parents really name them that?
We hiked the West Fork of Oak Creek and took a 4x4 jeep excursion with Pink Jeep Tours and saw an awful lot of beauty. So did Rufus.  Here are few photos from the hike:

We did a lot of creek crossing and puddle jumping. It was shady and cool and beautiful.

They are emotional in Sedona. I was standing in Safeway with my 15 items in the 15 item or less aisle and a woman in front of me had maybe 20 items. The woman behind me said " Oh, honestly! She has over 15 items! Did you see that? Life is difficult as it is without this kind of thing happening".......Check your Chakra, lady. Your aura must be out of whack. Grab a bowl of crystals and have Feather do a tarot reading. You'll feel better.

More on Sedona later when I get the jeep tour photos uploaded. 

We went to two churches and lit some candles and prayed for a safe journey to Williams with our new brakes. We did arrive in Williams safely.  Bill says the brakes need to be "bled" again because they aren't quite right but assures me we are safe. 

Chapel of the Holy Cross

Little old church in Jerome

About 26 miles from Sedona is the old mining town of Jerome. It is built on a hillside (Mediterranean style) and very old.  There are over 80 tunnels that run below the town from the mining days.  These tunnel openings are seen all over town. I would be terrified to raise my children there as these tunnels are just wide open! Here are acouple of photos of two that have doors...but most in the town do not!

It was an interesting place with a lot of history.

Rancho Sedona RV Park....
A lovely cool shady spot in the heart of Sedona where the creek runs through it, the birds are colorful and full of song and the Blue Herons have decided to make it their rookery. Noisy
 baby herons sound like quacking ducks several times a day while they are waiting to be fed.  You don't want site # 60 or 61 as your RV will be right beneath them. Everyone tolerates the noise...they are Great Blue Herons for heavens sake!

It is probably 10 degrees cooler here in the park. Huge trees and gentle breezes off of the creek seem to keep it just right. The park is clean and tidy and run completely by women. Yep....no testosterone here.  However the women run a VERY tight ship. There are many many rules here.Here are JUST A FEW of the posted rules that made us laugh:

1.  No barking dogs. If your dog barks you will be asked to leave. (interestingly, it seems to be working well for them! It's pretty quiet. One night the dogs across from us barked. The people left the next day)

2.  Your dog can not be outside unless you are sitting with it. (That means you can not go inside to use the bathroom without waking up your dog and dragging him inside with you. You'd be amazed how often this is an issue)

3.  Quiet time is 10pm to 7am.  You must be inside your rv during those hours. No sitting outside. (our dog likes to go potty around 6:30am...this is a rule we break)

4.  No outdoor lights can be on after 10pm. (well, I guess you don't need them if your inside under the "curfew law"#3)

Believe me there are many more.  However the park is full every night. The park is clean and quiet. Just don't step out of line.......the women aren't to be taken lightly.........

A Quick Update on the Brake Problem......

We decided not to have Coach-Net (the RV''rs answer to Triple A) tow us to a local shop for repairs but rather to look for a good mobile mechanic.  "Good" being the operative word.  After much angst and deliberation we went with "Mike".  His website said he was the "Best Mechanic in Arizona" and we knew it had to be true.  It was on the internet after all!
Mike and his girlfriend Theresa and their dog Casey came right out and quickly decided that Bill was right it needed a new Master Cylinder.  He removed the old and ordered a new one and promised to be back the next day.   Bill shared with me that we are lucky we didn't die in a fiery crash (as most of you know that has always been my RV fear) as it was a complete Master Cylinder failure. This RV was not going to stop again ever in it's condition.
Mike returned the next day with Theresa and Casey and finished the job.  We hope it was done right but won't really know until we leave here and tackle more of those hideous mountain roads. It was costly but we hope that it was at least done right by Arizona's best mechanic....MIKE. If not, and I die in a fiery crash, please know that if you are reading this I love you all and will see you again in the afterlife.

We are here for a few more days and I'll fill the pages with photos and news about our time here in Sedona tomorrow.