We got up at 6:30, finished packing, got some pastries and coffee from the “Country Store” in the Motor Lodge, and set off for the Phoenix Airport. Hilary took State Rt 89A through Oak Creek Canyon. It was Saturday morning, but still the narrow road was jammed with hikers. The West Fork Trail parking lot was full and we saw people walking to the trail head from 1.5 miles away! The walls of the canyon are very steep and made of grey rock.
As we approached Sedona, red sandstone reappeared along with signs for various mystical attractions: crystals, vortexes, etc. You would think the beauty of the area would be enough!
We returned to Interstate 17, the landscape becoming more desert-y with ocotillo appearing and then thick forests of saguaro cacti. The traffic coming out of Phoenix was very heavy, but we made it to the Airport by 11:30. Hil dropped us off, and took off for Green Valley. Our flight wasn’t scheduled to take off until three, so we found a restaurant and had a leisurely lunch with a brand new waitress who was very cheerful but very slow!
Our plane took off just a few minutes late and we arrived in Santa Barbara at 4:15.
And this morning (Sunday) I picked up Miss Maddie from the Cat House Hotel. She came home feisty and full of beans!
It was really a wonderful trip, thanks to great planning, blog correcting and editing by Bob, terrific driving by Hilary, who also supplied quite a few of the photographs, thanks to her amazing iPhone! Wonderful to see old friends along the way: Teri, Margaret, Jeanette, and Sue! And thanks to tolerant blog readers and their kind comments!
Adios, and we’ll see you again soon.
XXX, Katy
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