Sedona and a Surprise Stop

It’s been a while, huh? We’ve been busy and have already changed locations, twice! But before I get ahead of myself, let me fill you in on our last stop while in Camp Verde. We took a day trip over to Sedona. From what I was reading, it seemed like a place not to be missed. 

It was beautiful with the big red vibrant rocks radiating all around us. My pictures don’t give it the justice it deserves. We decided to do a trolley tour and picked a time that would allow us to grab lunch. We walked around for a bit and then decided on a local ‘food court’.

After lunch we explored and then head over to a chocolate shop.  Before we could decide what goodies we wanted, it was time to hop on the trolley. I really can’t say enough about how gorgeous the scenery was, absolutely beautiful.

I couldn’t live there though. It is way too touristy and the prices are ridiculous. The trolley tour was okay but nowhere near as good as the one in St. Louis. We drove closer to the red rock formations, something I could have done with my car. It just seemed like everything in Sedona was simply a money-making fiasco.

With the trolley tour done, we grabbed some caramel coated apples and a few other treats at the chocolate shop. Even our crew member Loki was gifted with some special doggie biscuits. We made it home around dinnertime.

We pulled out of Verde Valley RV & Camping Resort  on Friday. But where were we headed? I decided to surprise you with our next destination. It was on the agenda but got scratched off. If you’re a faithful blog reader, you should know. If not, you better go back and get caught up ;-). Just kidding!

I just couldn’t do it guys. It was too much for me to bear. I couldn’t stand being so close to a site as magnificent and awe-inspiring as the Grand Canyon and not go. I couldn’t do it! So while we were parked at Camp Verde, I decided we were going for it.

The view at our campsite in Verde Valley

Now, our trip was very brief.  We headed in on Friday and left out on Monday. But I thought the kids needed to see this amazing place and I just had to take them.

I watched the weather very closely. There was no snow forecasted for the time period we were going to be there. So, I figured if we made it in and out of there quickly, we’d be alright.

The nightly temperatures were pretty frightful though. They fell into the teens, YIKES! It’s a great time to go because it’s not crowded. However, if circumstances were different and I could choose a time to go, it wouldn’t be winter, that’s for sure!  But this time, we had to brave the cold.

Saturday was the big reveal as the kids saw this marvel for the first time. While I didn’t get ‘oohs and ahs’ out of them, I think they understood its grandeur. We worked on the Junior Ranger Badge which included a presentation. I learned things I didn’t know before.

The last time I was at the canyon, it was August/September. I was able to get some nice sunset and sunrise pictures. And to top it off, it rained so we actually witnessed a double rainbow! It was pretty darn amazing.

But this time, I tried to get a sunset picture. It’s just not the same in winter. The sun doesn’t set nicely on the canyon but rather off in the distance. It didn’t make for good pictures. And we were freezing our butts off!! .

On Sunday, we took the bus around to a few different stops. We went into the gift shop for some postcards to mail home. Then it was home to rescue our crew member Loki from the crate.

We really didn’t have a lot of time. Some day, I’d like to come back during warmer weather and stay to enjoy the park longer. Last time I was there it was also a quick trip that didn’t allow for lingering. Aside from the amazing canyon, it really has some nice trails. I was sad we didn’t get to walk any.

One thing that was really cool was we got to see some elk. There was one over by the visitor’s center. There were some people going right up to it and taking pictures. These animals can be dangerous so I thought that was pretty brave of them. Our bus driver told us last summer he saw some visitors get pinned up to the bus stop by one.

We spotted elk in four different locations throughout the park. One was running close to the road as we were heading out on Monday morning. They’re pretty magnificent animals. We also saw a herd of animals on our way into the park. I have no idea what they were.

The night before we were heading out, I had no clue where we were going the next day. One thing I did know is that I wanted to find a location that was warmer!! Our last week at Camp Verde had nightly temperatures below freezing. And the Grand Canyon was even worse.

Some snow left over in the canyon

I’m done with this cold weather, I HATE it!! And my house moves, so I can do something about it (besides whine, hee hee). The day we left the canyon, I dumped the tanks. I kid you not, it was a frozen sludge, ugh!

So, I did a little research in this awesome book I brought along, Road Trip USA: Cross-Country Adventures on America’s Two-Lane Highways by Jamie Jensen. Between that and mapping distances from our location, I found my target. My criteria, it had to be warm without any sign of freezing temperatures in sight. And this place made the mark.

sunset near the canyon

This location has broken national and sometimes world records for the hottest daily temperatures in the summer. This is a place where you want to be in the winter. Well, at least a place I want to be. So where are we? You’ll have to wait until our next blog post to find out. Hint: we gained another hour when we came here. Think you know the city and state? Post it in the comments!

 Thank you for using my Amazon affiliate link when you do your Amazon holiday shopping. Anything you purchase within 24 hours of clicking on my link will earn the crew some gas money without costing you anything extra. Whether big or small, all purchases are greatly appreciated!

Sunset from our current location, yes please

{HUGS} from the Crew!