after a year and a half glued to the computer, plan ahead

© Alexey Stiop
AFTER A YEAR AND A HALF
GLUED TO THE COMPUTER,
I was ready for a break. My master’s in journalism had not come easy and the
gruelling workload left me drained. I was worried about the job market in a sea
of media bankruptcies and closures: It was time to stretch my legs, shake out
the nasty tension knots in my back and think about my next career step in a field
that was undergoing seismic and scary changes. A friend had suggested a trip
to Sedona, Arizona, with promises that its spectacular scenery and big open sky
would help clear my head, calm my nerves and get the blood moving again. What
did I have to lose?
My first glimpse of Sedona’s celebrated red rock giants left me speechless. Rising
out of the rusty soil, these massive sentries commanded respect of an almost
religious nature – more so than the man-made monoliths I’d seen in Europe,
including the glorious Notre Dame in Paris. No wonder they sported names such
as Cathedral, Courthouse and Capitol. Other rocks, though, had labels that cut
them down to human size. Who wouldn’t giggle at names like Snoopy, Coffee Pot,
Sugar Loaf and Chimney? I guess it depended on who was doing the naming
that day.
Sedona, population 12,600, is a two-hour drive north of Phoenix and lies at
the mouth of Oak Creek Canyon. Getting out of the car, I inhaled the cool, pinescented air, decidedly fresher than the atmosphere in Phoenix. High above town
was the Mogollon Rim, a 2,000-foot (610-metre) escarpment of limestone and
sandstone and the southwestern boundary of the Colorado Plateau. Surrounding
the community was the 1.8-million acre Coconino National Forest. Gazing about,
I couldn’t help but recall classic cowboy movies that were shot here. More than
150 vintage shoot-’em-ups featured Sedona’s signature rocks, including Tall in
the Saddle with John Wayne and Johnny Guitar with Joan Crawford.
Mission one was to buy a Red Rock Pass at the Sedona Chamber of Commerce
Visitor Centre. The cost is $15 for the week (there’s also a $5 day pass) to park
anywhere on Coconino National Forest land. The funds went toward preserving
the forest, so I forked over my money happily to the ponytailed ranger. Studying
the map he handed back to me, I found the canyons, creeks and trails were easy
to figure out, but I was unsure about a smattering of black triangles with swirls
coming out their tops. “Those are vortexes,” he explained.
“Vortexes?”
“Well, some folks believe they are energy centres,” he said with a smile. “They say
it’s good for spiritual healing.”
THE GOOD: Spectacular sunrises and sunsets.
A great place to see the sunset is Airport Mesa.
The sun reflects off the red rocks and they take on a
rosy glow.
THE BAD: A plethora of tacky souvenir stores
on Main Street.
THE WEIRD: Painted sculptures of Javelinas, wild little
cactus-eating pigs, scattered throughout town.
The next couple of days I spent exploring Oak Creek Canyon, about 16 kilometres
from downtown. Nearby was West Fork trail, a 10-kilometre loop recommended by
the ranger. The trail, off Arizona 89A, was the perfect choice for a warm May day,
since it followed the creek through a shady, forested canyon.
Picking my way through the brush, I came to a clearing and stopped to look at
the red-brick ruins of Mayhew Lodge. A young woman in jeans and a T-shirt was
sitting on a rock near the remains of an old fireplace. I said “hello” and asked
her what she knew of the place. “Movie stars like Clark Gable and Jimmy Stewart
used to stay here. It burned down in 1980,” she responded, and introduced herself
as Alisha. She explained how she had driven to Sedona from Phoenix the night
before. “I jumped in the car after dancing all night and came to watch the sun
come up. I love the energy here.” Was she talking about the vortexes, or just the
fresh air? “Oh, I dunno,” she shrugged. “I feel more alive here, that’s all.”
I was starting to feel more alive, too. It felt good to be out in nature, and next
to all those big slabs of stone, my worries seemed puny. The kinks in my back
were easing, and my job market worries had abated. I was calmer than I had
been in months.
A few hours later I was five kilometres south of the West Fork trail at Slide Rock
State Park and had no time to contemplate anything but the moment. Once an
apple farm, the 43-acre park famous for its natural waterslide was crowded with
families splashing about in pools and chutes carved into the rock. The water,
which was melted snow runoff from the mountains, was nippy and invigorating.
Bouncing along in the current over slippery rocks, I found myself in the middle of
squealing youngsters. Shouting along with them, I scrambled out at the end of
the 10-metre run. I didn’t care if I looked silly: I was having more fun than I’d had
in a year. I hopped back in again and again.
The last half of my trip was spent in Boynton Canyon, a few clicks northwest of
downtown. I splurged and stayed at Enchantment Resort, where among the many
activities, which included mountain biking, yoga, tennis and qigong, my favourite
was the early-morning guided meditation. The session was held in a small round
room called the Crystal Grotto in the resort’s spa, Mii Amo (meaning “one’s path
or journey” in the Yuman language spoken by nearby native tribes). Sitting on a
padded bench in front of a huge quartz crystal, I followed the instructor’s gentle
voice, closing my eyes and breathing deeply. Her words were about connecting
with the earth, honouring the life force and giving thanks. At the end, she asked
us to set our intentions for the day. I vowed to quit sabotaging myself with
negative thoughts.
Later that day, I rented a mountain bike at the resort and struck out for nearby
Vista Trail. The map the ranger had given me said it was home to one of Sedona’s
main vortexes. When I arrived, I stood up with my face toward the sky and closed
my eyes. Hoping for a surge of heat, or at least some tingling, nothing seemed
to be happening. I was disappointed. I took a deep breath and waited. And then
waited some more. And then something finally happened. It was nothing as
overwhelming as Alisha’s “energy,” but instead, a quiet, personal epiphany. The
mere act of coming to this place had put me in control of my destiny. I couldn’t
change a turbulent economy, but I could take charge of my life. It was then that
I opened my eyes and came face to face once again with the impassive rock
formations. They seemed to be telling me to have faith. I would be okay.
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PLAN AHEAD
SLEEP
* I had a creekside unit, complete with fireplace, kitchen and outdoor
deck at Junipine ResortROOMSFROMs.(WY!3EDONAs
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* The Enchantment ResortROOMSFROMs"OYNTON#ANYON2OAD
3EDONAssENCHANTMENTRESORTCOMWASVOTEDONEOFTHE
world’s best resorts by Travel & Leisure magazine.
EAT
* The Cowboy ClubMAINSFROMs(WY!5PTOWN3EDONA
ssCOWBOYCLUBCOMWASBUILTIN-YWAITERTOLD
me he’d seen celebs such as Madonna and Nicolas Cage. Try the buffalo
tenderloin with sweet potato mash and brandy peppercorn cream sauce.
* Barking Frog GrilleMAINSFROMs7(WY!7EST3EDONA
ssBARKINGFROGGRILLECOM
* Sedona Airport RestaurantMAINSFROMs!IRPORT2D3EDONA
ssSEDONAAIRPORTRESTAURANTCOM
SEASON
* Summer can be wickedly hot at 40oC and winter can get down to almost
freezing. Best bets are spring and fall.
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s&ALL/CTTO.OV(IGHoC, Low 16oC
PLAY
* Sedona gets a dry heat. Is this better for exercising? Yes and no. When
we exercise, it’s the evaporation of perspiration that keeps us cool. In humid
climates, sweat doesn’t evaporate and the body stays hot and clammy,
making exercise unbearable. In a dry heat you sweat a lot, but it dries
quickly and you can continue exerting yourself. But watch out. You can get
dehydrated fast (without even knowing it) and suffer heatstroke. Drink
plenty of water, and if it’s very hot, opt for a cool swim.
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GETTING THERE
* There are direct flights from Toronto to Phoenix on Air Canada and
53!IRWAYS&ROM-ONTREALTHEREARECONNECTINGmIGHTSFROM#HICAGO
AND0HILADELPHIATO0HOENIXON53!IRWAYSAND!MERICAN!IRLINES/NCE
in Phoenix, rent a car and drive 158 km north on Interstate 17 toward
Flagstaff. Exit at State Route 179 (exit 298), turn left (west) onto SR 179
and drive 23 km to Sedona. Travel time from the airport is about two hours.
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For more
Arizona Office of Tourism
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