Throughout the different parts of Arizona this quote has been a staple constantly on my mind. Sedona originally was not a part of the itinerary for this walk, but upon learning of the mystique that surrounds it and the energy that radiates from some of the sites, I decided to venture through. Never have I felt such a surreal sense of beauty. With each step taken, the more overwhelmed I became. As the sun was setting, I reached Cathedral rock. While camping is not allowed within the limits of Sedona, I ended up sleeping at the top of Cathedral. A large portion of the night was spent uneasily shifting around in my tent, primarily due to the fact that I'd set it up on a downward slope that had a 15 foot drop off into cactus and rock. As scary/stupid as it sounds, the reality of it was probably a lot less terrifying than my perception. Perhaps my stress was a result of the energized portions of self brought on by the "Vortex". What I am certain of is the morning view was phenomenal. I quickly gathered my belongings up, trying to avoid detection, though one couple did see me packing away my tent. When I reached the bottom I met Erin and Tina, two Air Force reservists who were in AZ for training purposes. We had breakfast, and talked about a variety of topics. Very friendly ladies I'm glad I got to meet. From there I headed north on highway 89a towards flagstaff. To call the road unsafe and dangerous would be an understatement. There is no shoulder, and the lanes were barely wide enough for the vehicles that travelled on them. After 6 hours I had only made it 12 miles, and was know where near a safe point. I ended up taking a ride 14 miles to Flagstaff, from a Marine named Juan. Riding in the back of his truck, I saw the road only got worse. Not only did the lanes get smaller, the switchbacks we passed were infamous for accidents with vehicles and pedestrians/cyclists. I felt relieved knowing I was safe, and was able to contact my buddy Marc who lived in town. When I got dropped off at the gas station I made my way to Marc's who lived about 5 miles north. I hung out with him and his wife Allison. Sunday we went to a gun show, and later BBQ'd some steaks. I was gonna head out towards Tuba city today, but decided on staying at the DuBeau hostel I'd heard about. There's a wide variety of people here. Exactly the type of place I imagined I'd be staying at in Flagstaff. I'm ready to head out tomorrow, but I'm enjoying my time here now. This town has so much to offer, I can't wait to return for a longer stay.
Happy birthday Nathaniel! Keep it up. You are doing great!
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