First I would like to take the time to thank my wonderful wife, Cindy for the great trip she had planned for over a year. I would also like to thank my daughter Neilie for giving her mother the week from her timeshare so that we could go. Neither would tell me where I was going. They were pretty good about keeping the secret all year up until two days before we were to leave, Cindy made the mistake of using my laptop to check the weather. She didn't put it back on the page I was on, so I nosed to see where she had gone. I kept quiet until the next day. I would also like to thank Mike Fitzgerald, my brother-in-laws cousin who took time out of his life to show us the sites and ensure we had a great time.
The trip was amazing. We left Boston's Logan Airport just as the sun was setting. It took a long time to set as we were heading west. So I had sunset almost all the way to Phoenix. Cindy pulled out all the stops and even got us first class out, though we were shoehorned in on the return trip. Why is it that airlines feel that they have to cram people into such little spaces. At 6'2, 245, I am no slight man. I could barely move. Anyway, that might be another rant for another time.
We arrived in Phoenix around 8:30p, I think. It was still around 97 degrees. Phoenix is in what is called low desert. As we were being bussed out to the rental car place, we were amazed at the size of the cactus. I believe these are called Saguro, but can be mistaken. These are the ones you usually see in westerns with the arms on them. Being as we got in late, Cindy had set us up with a hotel. Unfortunately, we got directions to the wrong one and had to have our reservations switched from the other. Same hotel, different sections of town. We walk up to look out our door and see palm trees. Well we saddled up and heading on out to Highway 17 and north towards Sedona. We stopped in Camp Verde to see Montezuma's Castle. Guess how much it cost us to get in? No guess? Nothing! It was my birthday. Oh, okay, it wasn't my birthday, but the National Parks giving a free day to celebrate Citizenship Day. The Castle is an old Sinagua cliff dwelling. It is built right into the cliffs with some "apartments" down along the wall. Cindy was impressed with the Sycamore trees. She loved the mottled bark. We got to see a lizard lazing in the sun and a walking stick. A walking stick is an insect that looks like a stick. This is located near the Yavapai/Apache Casino, so naturally, we had to go and make a donation. Cindy loves the slots. We ate at Johnny Rockets which was a real treat.
After our stopover at the casino, we got back on 17 and headed north. The further we went the shorter the cactus got until we were in high desert and the Sagura were replaced with Prickly Pear. Prickly Pear is a low growing cactus with Mickey Mouse ear type leaves. They were fruiting while we were there. We fortunately were cautioned not to try to pick them. Oh, not because it is illegal, but because you will get these little hair-like cactus needles in you. The spikes on the prickly pear is not your worry, it is those almost microscopic hairs that stick in you and you need a magnifying glass and tweezers to take out. You get off of 17 at 179 and continue north. As you come up into Sedona you are met with the red rocks. Rising up to your right is Bell Rock. If you do go and decide to stop, be sure to get a Red Rock pass. If you leave your car without one, you will get a ticket. You can stand at your car and take pictures, but don't leave it.  You might call Bell Rock the gateway to Sedona. From here on in, it is a 360 view of beautiful rocks, buttes, and mesas. A butte is tall and narrow, a mesa is wide and flat on top. Another thing you will note is that they name all the rocks. Bell Rock, Cathedral Rock, CoffeePot, Snoopy, Elephant, and on and on.
As you come to the center of town, you come to the "Y". The "Y" is where Rt 179 meets 89a. Because 89a goes west in one direction and then northeast in the other, it forms a "Y". We stayed at a resort there called Los Abrigados.
Los Abrigados is really nice. The rooms are like you would find in a Residence Inn with mini-kitchens, but with separate bedrooms like a small apartment. Outside our room was the two restaurants on property, Steaks and Sticks and Joeys. Steaks and Sticks has great prime rib and wings. Joey's Bistro is an upscale Italian restaurant dedicated to famous Joeys. Pictures of Joey Bishop, Joe Piscopo and others adorn the walls. Right nearby is Tlaquepaque, (Tuh-lackie-packie) which has numerous art galleries, shops and restaurants. You can see the sycamores growing out of the courtyards as they built around the great trees rather than plowing everything under. Different head in Sedona. Even with the widening of 179 so that emergency vehicles can get by the traffic and the new rotaries at the crossroads, they took care to preserve the vegetation and transplanted the trees. Around here, they just plow everything under and then bring in new trees. In Tlaquepaque there is also the Oak Creek Brewery restaurant where we met Lakota Wolf. Cindy and Lakota hit it off right away and I just sat and ate as they went on and on as if they knew each other for years.
Heading up the Y you can go left which takes you into the "standard" town businesses, banks, restaurants, Safeway, and such. Oh, and the Coffeepot restaurant which offers 101 different omelets. It is in front of Coffeepot the stone formation. The is also a great Italian restaurant which is kind of upscale called Dahl and Deluca. We had just come back in from the back country and weren't exactly dressed, but they let us in anyway. What a sight! If you head northeast from 179 you go into what I call uptown Sedona. This area has all the tourist shops, tours, and restaurants. This is the way to head out to the Grand Canyon also. We had lunch at the Wildflower and sat on the deck overlooking the rock formation called Snoopy. This is where we met up with my brother-in-laws cousin who lives in Sedona and served as our guide. He told us all about the area and where to go and what to see. He was our tour guide on our day trip up through Oak Creek Canyon, Sunset Crater Park, Wupatki, and the Grand Canyon.
We got ourselves settled in, met with Mike and then the adventures began. It started with a Pink Jeep Tour to Broken Arrow. Broken Arrow is where the movie of the same name was filmed in the fifties. This tour is not for the faint of heart as they take you up and over the red rocks . It is well worth it though. Like Rae, our guide, told us, "Even the restrooms have a great view!" Got that straight. Everywhere you looked was an amazing view. There were prickly pear, sycamore and juniper breaking up the red rock. We even saw a mule deer! No Javelina though. The Javelina is a peccary that is indigenous to the area. It is the official mascot of Sedona. In uptown they have statues of them which they have painted or adorned in various fashions. Rae was a card. A Jersey girl who came out like many of the people and just stayed. The tour continues and you are treated to the many twists and turns of the trails and eventually finding yourself in a 45 degree downhill position. Not for the squeamish. It takes them many weeks of training on these trails before they are allowed to take people out.
The next day we headed out to the Grand Canyon. We had Mike in tow and he took us out the back way through Oak Creek Canyon, up towards Flagstaff and Sunset Crater Park and Wupatki, through the Dene (Navajo) Nation and into the Grand Canyon. I will talk about that in another blog as that was an amazing sight in itself.
Now Sedona is an interesting town in that it has three influences, the Native American, the artist community, and the New Age. Sedona is unique in that it has four vortexes right in town. Vortexes are swirling energy centers. The earth is surround by an electromagnetic grid. Sometimes where these grid lines come together vortexes are created. They are all over the country, but in Sedona, there are four locations. So for many New Agers, this is a spiritual center. There are many New Age shops around besides the artist studios and Native American shops. I think this site explains it better than I can. Harold and Mark were wonderful people and added to the greatness of this journey. http://www.sedonamysticaltours.com/
We spent one day just browsing around uptown going in the many shops. I got hold of some Buffalo and Ostrich jerky which was pretty darn good. Cindy is fond of minerals, geodes, and crystals. She found many shops to explore. We did stop in the western way store to get some hats. Mike told us that being in the high desert you are nearer to the sun, so we needed to protect our heads. Oh and drink plenty of water. It takes a while for your body to adjust so you have to keep water with you all the time. We did hit the New Age Center across the street from Tlaquepaque. What an amazing collection of Buddhas, Ganeshas, Quan Yins, gems, geodes, minerals, books, and music. As an added bonus, when you go out into the little side rooms where they have more Buddhas and fairies, the Oak Creek runs run underneath you.
I could go on and on. Tomorrow, Hopefully, I will post our Grand Canyon tour. And then I wish to finish it off with the greatest birthday presents of all, letters and notes from my Mother-in-law, Father-in-law, step-daughter, and an extra special one from my daughter. I will not share the letters themselves, but what they said and the impact it had on me. So stay tuned.
My heart to your heart, one heart, one spirit.

Phew, playing catchup is no fun. It has been a heck of a week. Okay, now where did I leave off yesterday. Oh, that's right, I said I would talk about the Grand Canyon. Well now, pull yourself up a log, sit by the fire while I tell you about this special day.
We met MIke the day before to go over our itinerary. That's one of them there fancy words for what we going to do. Heh. Anywho, we decided to meet around 6:30. He was thinking earlier but then decided to wait a little longer so that we could see Oak Creek Canyon as we drove through it. Actually up and over it. So we packed up a couple of gallons of water. I remind you that in the high desert it can be deceiving as it is not baking hot, but it is very arid. You have to keep yourself hydrated. We had packed some food also so we could picnic up there.
Well, we heading through uptown Sedona heading towards Oak Creek Canyon. Mike had us swing down this little side road where we could go over a small bridge that took you over Oak Creek. Did I tell you it is the only continuously running water there? Reminded me of the rivers in New Hampshire. Back up to the main road (89a) and up into the canyon. He noted a spot off the side of the road where they have a fountain where you can refill your jugs with spring water if need be. Free.
Very soon we were in Oak Creek Canyon and winding up the sides. You have to go up and over to follow the road up to Flagstaff. The road was narrow, twisty, and very close to the edge. Didn't help that we had rented a Toyota 4Runner figuring we might need the off-road ability. It did have a very large tank, which was good for this long trip, but murder at the pump. The view through the canyon was breathtaking. It was a long way down if I veered too far right. I held my breath. Okay, not really.
We followed 89a up to Flagstaff and jumped on 40 to circle around town to the east. I forget the highway we picked up, but we were heading up to Cameron. On the way, Mike had us stop at Sunset Creater Park. The park boasts remnants of the lava flow when the mountain exploded. There were various levels of lava rock, from the huge boulders of black to the fine sand on the hills where the weather had beaten it down. We walked through part of the park, noting the plants that managed to grow through all of this. One hill was entirely covered with the lava now disintegrated into small gravel and black sand. They don't let people go up the hill so as to preserve its appearance. We saw a similar lava field off of Route 40 in New Mexico last year. This particular one is said to have traveled all the way down to Sedona, leaving in its wake very fertile soil.
We headed out from there and on up through the Dene (Navajo) Nation, stopping off at the ruins of Wupatki. I think I spelled that right. These were ruins much like the Anassazi left behind only redder. It is amazing that a lot of these ruins were abandoned around the 1100's yet most of the walls are still standing. Can you imagine our houses today still standing after standing abandoned all these years? It is interesting to note that each family had an apartment that was maybe 8x8 if that. Of course, they spent most of their time outdoors and used these rooms just to sleep or storage. There was also a round walled in area, that I believed, based on what I knew of the Anassazi, to be a kiva. This would be where meetings and ceremonies would take place. Further down was another one but oblong with openings at both ends. The archeologists surmised it must be a ball field since the Sanaqua were descendants of the South American tribes. I noticed that it was right alongside the wash, so I thought that it might have been used to capture the rushing water during the rains and they would close off the holes when it was full creating a reservoir. After all, the things we know now of the Aztec, Olmec, Inca, and others were that they were brilliant builders. Just off to the right from that was a unique feature the Native Americans called "the Breath of the Earth". There was a hole in the ground that led to an underground cavern. When the air pressure was high, it would suck air in, when the air pressure was low, it would blow it out. Thus, the breath. Really quite an amazing place set in a valley where you could see for miles.
Leaving off there we traveled north and soon Mike pointed out to our right. He told us that area was what a lot of people come out to see, the Painted Desert. He said there wasn't much out there, he thought the things we were seeing were more special. We continued driving on up and stopped at a Dene roadside stand. Some amazing artwork, especially the horsehair pottery and statues. They also had some great jerky. We got back in the car and Mike pointed out that paralleling us was the Little Colorado with its own sets of canyons. Mike said that the Little Colorado flowed blue while the Colorado flowed green. He loved to camp at the spot where they came together. Caveat campers, even if the sun is shining when you are down in these canyons, keep your ears open. A storm could be going on twenty or thirty miles away and all that water comes and meets and rushes down these canyons. If you hear the rush of water, get to high ground quickly.
Eventually we entered the park and stopped at the Watch tower. The tower designed by Mary Coulter was to blend in with the surroundings and have a great view of the canyon. Built from stone it features a gift ship and then a tower that you can climb up in and look out over the canyon. The stairs going up are very narrow and it is open all the way down. Well, anyone who knows me knows that I have a problem with heights. I had more than ample trials to overcome this fear. I did go up and even looked over the edge to take a picture of Mike and Cindy down below. Neither was going to go up. The interior is done very nicely. They hired a Hopi artist to do the paintings on the walls. The chairs and a table in there are made from limbs and hides. I believe the shot here was taken down one of the paths near there. Now, I have heard some people say that the Grand Canyon is just a big hole in the ground, but what a hole. It goes on and on with varying colors from the reds found down south in Sedona to the white limestone. The limestone is there because at one time, this was ocean bottom according to geologists. it is hard to believe when you are standing there looking down into the canyon that at one time this was once under water.
After staying at the Watch Tower for a bit, we headed on to another stop. I don't remember all the names, but needless to say, when you stop, it is like seeing the canyon all over the place. Two things affect what you see, the viewpoint, and the lighting. I really suggest that anyone going there take the time to spend the day. You may think you stop once and that is it, but each lookout point offers its own views and visions. Oh, and Mike warned us when we stopped for lunch to keep our food close. The squirrels are rather aggressive as I was later to find out. No, he didn't take my food, but crawled up on the wall in front of me and then down right near me and over my shoe to get at some food. I have been around squirrels all my life but never had one come right up to me like that. Mike said that if I had food in my pocket, he might have gone in after it. While at one stop, we were treating to a pair of turkey vultures flying in the canyon. Their wing span is about six feet but they looked no bigger than a raven from where we stood. At one of the information boards we noted one of the dangers, not being knowledgeable of the terrain before hiking.
An olympic marathoner and her friend decided to go down into the canyon. Between the two of them they had a couple of power bars, an apple and only a litter and half of water. They enjoyed the decent, the views and the wildlife, but soon her friend started to get sick. You have to remember that you are at an altitude in a dry climate. Drink plenty of water is the rule. Well, she found some shade and tucked her friend in there. She then started back up to get help. She didn't make it. Searchers did find her friend alive and she survived. The lesson to be learned is that you can be in the greatest of shape, but this is harsh country and needs to be respected. Don't be fooled by its beauty.
Well, we continued on our trip until we made it to the main entrance. We were going to camp out here until sunset and then get something to eat. This is where I met Mr. Squirrel, but better yet three condors. Unfortunately they were resting at the time, so I only got pics of two on a rock ledge and one in a tree. By this time the afternoon sun was starting to cast long shadows on the canyon. Like I said, stick around, the lighting changes and it is an entire new canyon. I snapped off dozens more pictures and then we decided to go down over near the mule trail. Mike said that it was a great opportunity for us to go "below the rim". Mike and I made our way down the trail over thirty feet down the canyon. Cindy said it was just a little too close for her, so she stayed at the upper level . I managed to take a shot of her "below the rim:". Only ten feet, but still below the rim.
There are two mule tours. A day tour that goes down most of the way and out over the mesa. The other goes down beyond the mesa to the canyon floor. I believe Mike said that was an overnight tour. Where the overnight trail breaks away from the day trail is a wooded area. From the canyon top, it looked like a green strip of bushes. Mike laughed. He said there is a camp ground in the trees and they are 100 feet high. Um, let me just back away from this edge a bit. Yeesh! we went back up top and nosed around in the gift shop. Cindy went over to check out the hotel. I went over to the Hopi House which was another Coulter designed house fashioned after the ruins like Wupatki. It housed a museum and gift shop.
By this time, the sun was starting to set. The whole canyon took on the warm glows of oranges, golds, and reds. Once again, a new view of the same scenes that gave a totally new look. The condors were gone, so I missed them taking off. Darn. The area we were was at an indent rather than a point so the sun set over the point to the west of us.
Once the sun was down, we went to the restaurant inside. We had a great meal to restore our energy. What a day. All we had left was the long drive back to Sedona.
Going out the main gate you passed hotels, motels, and restaurants. A kitchy difference from the beautiful way when we came in from the east. By this time it was dark and we had to keep talking so that Cindy could stay awake. She had decided to do the driving as I drove all the way up and Mike wasn't covered on the rental. We went down the road and passed the Bedrock Campground with the big Fred Flintstone. Glad we didn't come this way in. It was long straight roads all the way down, that is until we hit Oak Creek Canyon. Let me tell you, Cindy was wide awake through those twisty roads up and over the mountain. We managed to make it home in one piece. Tired, but full of awesome visions.
I was truly blessed and have great thanks for all who helped to make this trip the fantastic adventure it was.
As great as this trip was, it didn't measure up to the notes, emails, and letters that I received from my wife's family and especially my daughter. My daughter's letter brought tears to my eyes. Something she was hoping for I think. LOL.
Hopefully tomorrow, I will tell of these greatest gifts.

I have shared with you the journey that my wife gave to me as my fiftieth birthday and our fifth anniversary. Amazing month this September. Not only my fiftieth, but also my fifth anniversary, and my son became a teen . I have been struggling lately with my own spirituality. I have felt disconnected and really could not be inspired to write. Part of that was the workload thrust on me, but also this being the Year of Hope, I just didn't see any. I had spent all of last year writing of Unity and Reconnecting. Yet, when I looked around, I felt as if nothing I said made a dent. People were still rude to each other. People still did not care about each other. Even going to the woods found no peace as the dirt bikers were tearing up the woods and killing off rare herbs like Indian Pipe. I found that more and more of my time was being chewed up so that I had little time for prayer and ceremony. Add to that the rising gas prices and the economic downturn. Let's not forget the billions a month being spent on Bush's war. I just found it difficult to find any hope in this morass. So my wife sought to take me back out west and take me to someone to do a clearing way for me. I must admit, that it helped a bit. Oh, the world hasn't changed much, just my view of it. I began to remember that despite all the chaos around us, we still had a chance to come together as one people. One of my online friends, CowboyAngel, just wrote a piece about this using the Red Sox as an example. Looking back through the history of the US, we have had our backs to the wall countless times. Yet, when the chips were down, we came together as a people. Not the government, oh they don't even know we exist anymore, I mean the people. Look at Katrina. If it were left to the government, many of those people would still be homeless. It took groups like Habitat for Humanity and even actors like Brad Pitt and even Michael Moore to come together. John Stossel did a thing about this on 20/20 the other night. He showed the paperwork that has to be filled out to build these houses. I think he said that taped together the pages would go 1 1/2 times the length of Giants Stadium. Yet, the American people came together to help each other. In that, there is hope.
So maybe there is something to write about there. The thing that struck me this birthday was the most precious gifts I was given. When I was in Youth Ministry, we held retreat weekends called Search. During a part in the weekend, i believe it was Saturday night, we had Polankas. Polankas were letters written to you from family, friends, and supporters to tell you how much you mean to them and how much they support what you are doing. Well, that is what happened this birthday. It started with a card from my daughter, she is my step-daughter, but I like what I read from Ed McGaa once, there is no step in a family. They are either family or they are not. So she is my daughter. In her letter she said how she was not sure at first, mostly because of my sense of humor. In time, she said that she saw the way her mother lit up when I was around and how I brought love into her life. She told me how she was glad that I came into their lives. Then Cindy handed me the letter from her mother. Her mother said how when she first met me she loved my hair. I think it was a bit long then, but I think it reminded her of my father-in-laws hair when he was young. She told me how blessed they felt that I came into their lives. She said about how happy Cindy looked when I was around.
My sister-in-law sent me an email. In it she told how the family had come to love me and take me in as their own. She noted how I related to my sister-in-law Cheryl and thanked me for being there for the family when she passed. She thanked me for helping her when she was down. She is fighting MS and struggles at times to keep a positive outlook. She told me that I have helped her. She says that when she is feeling down, she hears me whispering in her ear to be positive and work through it. She also mentioned about how I brought so much into their lives and mostly how I had touched hers.
My father-in-law also wrote a letter. This is a letter I will cherish. My father-in-law suffers Alzheimers and while he does pretty good, he does have his bad times. Let me share just a portion of it:

Thank God or who/whomever had you and Cindy meet - marry, etc. Before I forget of my spelling hand gives out, you are chosen! One for Cindy + the rest of us. You always seem to smile (which at first had me worry) Now! I know its how you are.

There was more, but you get the idea and I would like to keep some of it private. I love you too Papa.
The one that really got me welling up and mind you, I had to hide it because she was looking just for that. A letter from my daughter. You know how it is as a parent, you really don't think you are getting through. If I cannot get through to my own kids, how am I to reach the world? I was thinking that I wasn't doing a very good job there. Then I read her letter. She went on to tell me about the many things the we have done together. She told me that the memories of climbing Silver Cascade and the many other escapades into the woods will always be remembered. She told me that she knows she fought me about going into the woods, but once there she began to feel the wonder that I was trying to get to them, but thought I had failed. She reminded me of the times when I raised her up, how I taught the two of them to face the odds and to have faith in themselves. She noted that even when she slipped up, I was there to help dust her off and be her strength. She told me that I had served as an example of the person she wants to be. And she thanked me for making her the person she is. Oh, she is not quite polished yet, but I will say that I admire my daughter for the courage she has shown at times. She is really becoming a wonderful lady that I am very proud to call my own. Now if I can just get her to treat her brother a little better. LOL.
In the end, what I came away with was the greatest gift of all. A reminder that no matter what, I do have the ability to touch people's hearts and help them overcome the odds. And, since this is supposed to be the year for it, give them hope.
So, I will close now with a prayer.
Creator, oh hear my plea. I ask that the people come to know hope. I ask that their hearts become full so that they feel that they need to give their love to others so as to keep room for the love you continue to send. I pray that the hearts of our leaders become open and that they reconnect with the people and the earth. I pray that we open our hearts, that we act as those who came together for the victims of Katrina. That we show love and respect to each other. That we work to raise each other up. That we learn to honor each other's path. That we remember that the only one not getting up the mountain is the one running round and round telling everyone else they are on the wrong path. I pray that peace, harmony and balance, once again return to the land and the people.
Hear my prayer
My heart to your heart, one heart, one spirit

The special gift of letters I received for my birthday reminded me of a ceremony we had when I was a Youth Minister. We had a program at the center, a retreat called Search. During this retreat, teenagers were assigned to tables unbeknown to them other teens who had made the Search all ready were at the tables as table leaders. Each of these table leaders had a talk to give on various subjects from friendship to religion, to honesty and such topics. These were followed by table discussions and exercises. It was a great program that inspired many kids. The one that really touched me was Saturday nights when we had Polankas. These were letters of support sent from friends, family and others. I don't care how tough a kid appeared to be, once those letters were opened, Niagra Falls.
Of course, that is how I felt as I read the letters of support, thanks, and well wishes for my fiftieth. I shared some of that in my blogs. One of my friends on Gaia, Mila, told me that it inspired her to write a letter. Not an email, not a text message, but an old fashioned, pick up a pen and paper and write letter. It got me to thinking about how we seemed to have lost that art. Oh, it is still nice to get that email or text message, but a letter always seems more intimate.
So I allowed my mind to wonder a bit more. All last year I wrote about reconnecting. I talked about reconnecting with the trees, the rocks, the water, the animals and insects, but mostly with each other. What a wonderful way to reconnect with someone than by sending them a letter telling them how much they mean to us, how much we miss them, how much they influenced you on your journey. So what say we all take up pen and paper and write just one letter, just one note, just to send a moment of reconnection to another.
There was a song that we used to sing at Search. It only takes a spark, to get a fire going. And soon all those around will warm up to its glowing. That's how it is with God's love, once you experience it. You want to sing, it's fresh as spring, you want to pass it on.
So maybe, when you end that letter, you can add those words to the end. Pass it on.
I thank you all for listen to my rants, ponderings, and wonderings.
My heart to your heart, one heart, one spirit.