Sedona: Jan. 6-13 The Condo

Jan.6-13
   This week has been spent at the Arroyo Robles Condos in the center of Sedona.  We have taken a break from the RV and enjoyed a 2 bedroom condo with adobe like fireplaces in the living room and bedroom.  It feels incredibly spacious with canyon views from every window.
     We have had lovely private moments including special dinners, swimming in the heated pool and a 90 minute Ayurvedic massage.  The specially formulated hot oils soaked immediately into our dry cracked skin.
   We hiked the trails at the West Fork, the Airport and Fay Canyon.  Each trail is different but all have exceeded our expectations in beauty and adventure. At the beginning of the week the trails were powdery dry since it hadn’t rained in months here.  Our shoes and clothing were covered with a layer of red clay dust by the end of each walk.  The giant boulders were covered with the dust particles and the creeks and washes were empty leaving only bedrock.  The green foliage of the riparian forests along Oak Creek were stressed and shriveled  due to the lack of rain.
    Finally, late Tuesday night  a magnificent thunderstorm brought torrential rains into the city and surrounding canyons.  Intense lightening lit up the night sky followed by thunder that echoed through the canyon walls.  The rain continued throughout the day on Wednesday and washed the city clean.    It also washed away the dust and grime from our van.  The RV had been covered with bird droppings for the past two months.  The birds had been eating red berries so there was an amazing display of red poop all over our van.
   On Thursday, we hiked the Fay Canyon Trail.  The rain had transformed the beginning of the trail from a dry dusty path to a thick red muddy one.  It is a wonder how just a little bit of rain will wake up nature.  The green foliage is now plump and vibrant.  The air is clear and refreshing.  The washes, although not flowing, had  remaining pools of water left from the day before. As we ascended up the trail toward the canyon wall, the red thick mud had hardened making the trek easier.   The tall pines and firs gave off their signature scents, thankful for the drink water.
   The Navajo’s say “Water is Life” and this rainfall has reminded me of the precious resource water truly is. All of nature responds positively to water.  It flows like the life blood through the veins of plants and animals.