9/29 - 10/6/06 - Autumn Interlude - Vortexes & Forest Camps
10/1 - After a day of psychic power boosting yesterday, today was a little anticlimactic. Timmy & I are camped in Coconino NF, about 30 miles or so south of Flagstaff. We'd rather be closer to Phoenix at this juncture, but it's still too hot down there to dry camp unless you have a generator to power your AC.
We drove up Friday, planning to boondock near Sedona. Don Wright claimed
there was a boondock area a mile east of town, but it ain't so. I checked
with the Forest Service & learned there is no free camping anywhere within
the bounds of the Red Rock area around Sedona. I decided to stay at Cave
Springs NF campground in Oak Creek Canyon, $9 a nite on my Golden Age
pass. It's a nice campground, rather cramped & way too shady for me to
be able to stay there very long.
Since yesterday was a free day in the Red Rock area (no pass required to
park in the NF), I took advantage of the deal & visited 3 of Sedona's famous
energy vortexes. First we hiked up Boynton Canyon, said to be a balanced
energy locale (both masculine & feminine energies). It's a nice hike first
through cactus & juniper & then suddenly entering pine forest where the
temp seemed to instantly drop 10°. Near the upper end we stopped for
a little quiet time. I found a small butterfly wing & then was visited by
a large dark butterfly with conspicuous orange markings on the edges of its
wings.
Then
a host of bugs seemed to descend upon our little spot, buzzing flies, yellow
jackets & 2 very large white tailed hornets. Hmmm. I'm told butterflies
may carry energy. Not sure what was going on there, but after the butterfly
returned, I decided to head back.
Next we went to Bell Rock, a masculine energy vortex. We didn't climb to
the top, just hiked around a bit. At my rest there, I noticed laying
among the red sandstone debris a stray white rock, shaped generally like
an arrow & pointing up. Hmmm. Message there? I took a picture.
Our third stop was at the masculine energy vortex near Airport Mesa. From these small red
rock hills you get panoramic views all around the Sedona area. We hiked
the loop trail & on the way back I stopped to rest at a large dead juniper.
After some moments, I noticed a strange cloud formation seeming to eminate
from another dead juniper. It made a fine photo & as I crouched down
to frame the shot, I discovered a remarkable purple-ish rock resting
on the red sands. I decided it was a keeper.
I can't really say that I felt unusual energy at any of the vortexes, but it seemed like each time as I paused for a few quiet moments, I was drawn to something unusual. You decide.
After another refreshing (after Phoenix) crisp night in the canyon, today we packed up & drove on up the canyon,
coming back down I-17 to Schnebly Hill. I dropped Gypsy & headed down the rough & rutted FS road to search out a site.
Just a mile along I found an ideal spot at a clearing in the pines with a large meadow beyond.
It's solid yellow with Golden Asters. Today the temperature probably reached the high 70's, grand!
10/3 - Yesterday dawned cold & cloudy, with the Flagstaff forecast promising more clouds to come. Since we were losing early & late sun to trees in our little clearing, I reluctantly decided to relocate. We're now only about 15 miles south, still in the forest, but probably 1500 feet lower. It's a pinion & juniper forest here except in the canyons.
Before we left camp yesterday, bull elk announced their presence with several bugle calls. The rutt is on. There are elk tracks at our current site too. Also a severed foreleg, from one that didn't get away. As I hoped, moving here has resulted in warmer temps (but not too warm) & fewer clouds.
10/7 - Speaking of vortexes, I seem to have become a weather magnet. After a couple of pleasant days at our new camp, on Thursday afternoon a terrific squall blew in. Very strong gusty winds & rain by the bucket. It turned the soil on our mesa into muck. Liz had planned to join us for a hike the following day, but after loading up my feet with mud just taking Timmy for a walk, we reversed plans. I headed back to Phoenix Friday & heard on the radio that a flash flood watch was still in effect for the area.
Well friends, that may do it for a while. With my telecommuting gig slowing to a drip, it's time to look for a city job to pay the bills. We hope to get back on the road again before long.
