Spring Break 2007 – Day 1 - 486 Miles To Sedona
It’s a long haul across the Colorado Desert; a sere and monotonous straight shot. Once past the novelty of the Palm Springs Windmills, the mind can stretch out and relax, flow with the desert void.
The Vanagon is packed to the gills and chugs along in third gear to the top of the Cactus City grade, a 1,600 foot climb. Big Red has more than 215,000 miles on her and might be the slowest car on this stretch of I-10. The girls are quiet, the wind has died down, and the sun isn't hot yet. I like simplicity of these wide views, where freight trains crawl like caterpillars across the huge desert floor.
It’s Easter Sunday and the roads are uncrowded. Hannah’s fever broke yesterday and she’s feeling better – well enough to spend a recovery day sitting in the car. It’s a long drive today – 486 miles – but she seems happy. We all do.
Blythe arrives just as boredom begins to slip in. It’s 10:20 in the morning and the cool green of the Colorado River slides beneath the highway bridge as we cross into Arizona. We’ll be following this river for the next few days in a roundabout, not-very-serious manner. Gas is 30 cents cheaper on the ‘zona side of the border and we fill up.
Another long leg is ahead as we crawl over Plamosa Pass and into the Sonoran Desert. The hillsides are dotted with Saguaros. Memories of my 1985 drive across the country crowd my daydreaming.
We skirt around Phoenix and climb up into the Coconino National Forest. Sedona is beautiful as ever – the girls giggle that it looks like Radiator Springs from the movie Cars. Wait until they see Mexican Hat, Utah.
It’s been about 13 years since I was in Oak Creek Canyon. I was writing an Eye On Arizona article for Outdoor Retailer, travelling around solo. Back then, I caught my shoe on fire dozing by the campfire and nearly burned my toes. The memory makes me smile and the story brings groans and guffaws from the girls.
Oak Canyon is chilly this afternoon, but Slide Rock State Park is packed. We pass by, head up to Pine Flat Campground, and find a nice campsite. It’s windy and the blowing pines sound like surf on the shore.
It’s really weird to miss church today, but we talk about Easter and what it means. Sydney hides Easter eggs around the campground for us to find, and it’s so pretty and peaceful that it’s easy to be grateful for everything we’ve been granted.
The dried and withered Colorado Desert, ten miles east of Desert Center.
Welcome To Red Rock Country. The road into Sedona, Arizona.
Bell Rock, Sedona, Arizona.
Pine Flat Campground, Oak Creek Canyon, Arizona.
Sydney's Easter Egg Hunt is a huge hit.
Hannah with just some of her finds.
Three cans of Split Pea soup had to suffice for dinner, but the views and ambiance were hard to beat on this Easter Sunday dinner.
A perfect S'Mores fire.
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