May 3, 2016 Dead Horse Campground, Cottonwood, Az

We moved to a real campground with hookups. We have been staying just out in the desert for so long, it is kind of a shock. It is nice having hook ups, a picnic table and hot showers.

John washed the bus and the car on the way over. They look fabulous. Here is the bus in our site at Dead Horse State Park. They have 3 lakes here  for fishing and non motorized boats. 84 degrees, sunny and I am out floating on a pretty lake. Perfect.

The sun through the trees at the edge of the lake. Me in my boat relaxing, sunbathing and bird watching.

Just floating around the birds don’t hear you and you can get closer. Here are a couple of views of a some herons.

A turtle with a red stripe on his head, a boat tailed grackle-they are really annoying, but with that big tail they are pretty. I love watching coots taking off, they run along the top of the water flapping their wings. The eveing light was kind of cool on these cattails. Birds were flying back and forth over me and swallows were dive bomging bugs. There is a bird in the far left of this photo.

These are photos John took of me in Sycamore Canyon yesterday. One of the trail and the other crossing the creek. John always stands on the other side of the creek with his camera aimed at me, so if I fall he will get a good photo.

This bus with a VW bus added to the top was by the car wash. The penthouse!

May 2, 2016 Sycamore Canyon, Arizona

We went to Sycamore Canyon today. I used to backpack a lot in here when I went to college in Flagstaff. I haven’t been back since, until today. It was just as lovely as it was then. It is now wilderness area and you can’t camp in the first 3.7 miles. It was in the mid 70’s and a mostly sunny day.

The trail into the canyon. There is water there year round so it is green and lush.

The creek and some golden columbine along it.

Lots of nice swimming holes too.

Another swimming hole. If you get just a little way above the creek it is more arid, mesquite and cactus.

A cliff dwelling on the other side of the canyon. I spent a lot of time in this swimming hole.

Trail along the canyon wall. Volcanic rocks above the canyon.

Cactus, red rocks and reflections.

Reflections and lots of multi colored rocks.

Coming back along the creek.

It started to rain just as we almost got to the car. Not a lot. Paint brush, bug, penstamen, poisen ivy bigger than my hand (don’t worry I didn’t touch it! I am wildly allergic), flowering vine and some antelope we saw on the way back above the canyon.  We hike about 6 and half miles round trip.

Tuziguut National Monument is right near Sycamore Canyon. It was a huge pueblo, but ruins now. It was closed when we drove by, but will try to get back to it before we go. Double rainbow back at camp.

May 1, 2016 Sedona, Arizona

Off to Sedona to check out the energy vortexes.

I finished my basket this am. Came out pretty nice. On our search for the  energy vortexes we stopped at the tourist information and asked where they were. The lady gave me this handy dandy map and she highlighted the vortexes and directions to each one. The inset on the left is a close up, the town map actually has these spirals above the vorextes.  The  vortex map and guide says-‘Sedona has long been known as a spiritual power center because of the vortexes of subtle energy located in the area. These vortexes are swirling centers of sublte energy coming out from the surface of the earth. This energy is not exactly electricity or magnetism, although it does leave a slight measurable residual magnetism in the places where it is strongest. It is uplifting, energizing and can have a positive effect for days. People come from all over the world to experience this. ‘ It is a short hike to each one in very pretty country.

This is the view from the Airport Scenic View of part of Sedona. It is very near the Airport votex.  We got delayed on the way. They were having an open art studio thing this weekend and I had to stop at a couple glass studios. This one is AMusin Glass studio. It was to die for. If my studio was this well equiped I would never leave it. They made beautiful glass too.

The top of the Airport Vortex. The vortex guide says to stay silent, many people meditate at these vortexes. No one was silent here and the only meditating I saw was people reading their I-phones. The view was lovely tho.  John is getting into it and is swirling in the vortex here.

We stopped at a second glass studio-Splender in the Glass studio. The views from this studio were enough reason to visit here. Beautiful glass work too. Our second vortex stop was at Bell Rock, pictured above. These vortexes are very popular and crowded. People from all over the world experiencing  the energy. It is nice that in Sedona they made all these beautiful rocks formations parks and put in nice trails all over town through them.

John swirling at the Bell Rock vortex.  The guide said ‘Juniper trees respond to the vortex energy in in a physical way that reveals where this energy is strongest. The stronger the energy the more of an axial twist the Juniper trees have in their branches. Instead of going straight down the branch, the lines of growth follow a slow helical spiral along the length of the branch.’

Here I am feeling the twisting of the vortex by a twisted tree. I may have been twisted before I got here. . . These two vortexes are supposed to have ‘masculine’ energy that is energizing and enhance masculine side of  people. I, having ADHD am not sure if more energy is good, and John got very, very masculine. But both had uplifting expierences.

Some flowers from the Bell Rock walk. Notice the tall flower that is twisting. John waiting patiently while I take photos. I think he is getting tired of the vortexes, he is sticking out his tongue.

Plus it started to rain, so we went to the brewery. This is the actual brewery for Oak Creek Brewing, the last one we went to was a tasting room and resturant. John wanted to be closer to the source.

John got very masculine at the vortexes, maybe a little twisted too. Here he is with the King Crimson Red. We had dinner at the brewery. Sunset back at camp.