WatchinTheSky's WunderBlog

Rain?

Posted by: WatchinTheSky, 00:04 GMT le 28 février 2012

Feb 27 4 PM

What's this wettish clear liquid falling from the gray sky?

Sedona Get Away

Posted by: WatchinTheSky, 22:39 GMT le 14 février 2012

Feb 14, 2ish PM

Happy Valentines Day to all the ladies!

Just got back from Sedona, such a relaxing place! Beautiful weather all 4 days, upper 60s to low 70s daytime - probably 40s overnight.

Peanut gallery or is it 'mushroom people' gallery? Across the top of the outcrop looks to me like a crowd of people (most with mushroom hats) looking down at passers by.

Our Saturday hike - looking east across a small valley with lots of small junipers.

On the same trail, we found this agave nursery. Must have been 10 babies surrounding the momma.

Evening glow starting on one of the sandstone buttes.

A harsh place to get a foot hold, this guy seems to be doing ok.

Of course, Sedona is known for mystical-spiritual things, which reminds me of a bit of info relayed by Wolfs Robe (World-renowned traditional Native American flute performer and educator who was performing at the lodging where we stayed. He hand makes his flutes and entertains while informing - but I digress). There was a Vortex near the Sedona airport that was seemingly causing too much interference with business - so it was moved down the road a half mile or so. But that was not great either so it was moved again, apparently to its current location. A mobile Vortex! Do they have trailer hitches or what?!!

I am afraid as mystical or spiritual as I got while there was my first yoga class!

There are a few wineries trying to take root in Page Springs along Oak Creek. We stopped at Page Springs Cellars to sample. It is about half way between Sedona and Jerome.

Jerome is quite the character, as old towns go. Established around 1876, it is notable for its now defunct copper mine. In its prime, Jerome had ~15000 citizens and the mine was making the owners 2 million bucks a month! It had a Red Light district, to help the miners part with their money :)
Several times during the 'boom times' (oh no, punny!) parts of the town slid down slope when large accidental explosions occurred while mining. Dynamite was unstable, and sometimes the large excavation shovel hit a storage room full of dynamite. The lack of solid foundations for some of the town buildings led to a few unintended relocations!
By the 1950s, the mine was about tapped out and the population plummeted to 'Ghost Town' levels. In the 1970s, hippies settled in town and began to remake the town into the tourist spot of late. Lots of shops and taverns, one shop has an amazing collection of kaleidoscopes from around the world. The town had a hospital (one of the few things given back to the town by the two main benefactors of the mine, apparently most of the money left town which probably aided its demise after the mine tapped out) which has been turned into The Grand Hotel. While still a hospital, the last 3 managers committed suicide, leading to many ghost stories about the hospital. One end of the hospital was a psychiatric ward and has now become a fine restaurant - The Asylum. I definitely recommend it, we had lunch and a yummy dessert. And not bothered once by ghosts!

View from The Asylum back to Sedona

Thanks to the Park Rangers and Historical Society of Jerome for info!

It is a solid 8 hour drive from north San Diego county to Sedona (ok, I am not a speed racer) so 9 hours with breaks, not bad and interesting scenery.

Updated: 16:51 GMT le 15 février 2012

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