For the third time in the past ten years, John's family decided to take a week-long vacation together and explore a new part of the country. It started with a celebration of Nana Banana and Sport's 50th wedding anniversary back in 2016 and this time around we chose to spend Thanksgiving week in Sedona. It was a great choice.
As we drove up to Sedona from Phoenix it was cloudy and a bit rainy, but the forecast for the week was sunshine and good weather overall. You always wonder if the rental house looks as good in person as it does online and fortunately we were not disappointed. This was just one of the views from the balcony off the main room.
We did not want to waste any time and the first full day there Sarah started off the morning with a hike with Suzy. Then she rallied John, Chris, and Callie to venture out for another hiking destination. This one was called Soldier's Pass and was a short drive away. Nothing is too far away in Sedona, we soon found out. But this hike was a great introduction to the beauty that the area offers.
We managed to get another hiker to grab a picture of all four of us at one of the many scenic vistas along the trail. Because of recent rains there was a fair amount of water running off the mountains and it added to the experience. Hiking in a new area is always enjoyable, especially when the landscape is so different from what we are used to. And boy did Sedona have a lot of beautiful landscapes and interesting vegetation.
Sarah, per usual, pushed the envelope when she tried to rally the troops for a sunrise hike the next day to Devil's Bridge. In the end it was just Sarah, Callie, and John who made the trek, and they were smart to head out so early not only because of the beauty but also because this popular hike gets busy. You see us here on the top of the bridge with seemingly no one around. What you don't see is the line of people waiting to capture this same photo. We only had to wait about five minutes for our turn. By the time we were leaving the line had already started to grow.
One of the very cool architectural and spiritual must-see sites in Sedona is the Chapel of the Holy Cross which is a church built on a vortext and into the very rocks of the mountain side. John and Sarah took Nana Banana and Sport to this church for a 5pm service one of the nights we were in town. We knew that Nana Banana would love it but didn't realize the effort it would take to get her there. It was definitely worth it in the end.
We also ventured to a scenic overlook by the Sedona airport where we were able to see across the entire expanse of the region and got a look at map that labeled all of the peaks in the area. We could have hung out here for hours but our parking pass only allowed for 30 minutes or so. Sedona is a popular Thanksgiving spot, that's for sure. But it continued to be beautiful during our entire stay.
While we were checking out these sites the rest of the crew went on a hike that ended in Subway Cave. One of the great things about the extended family vacations is that we have a lot of active people who are always up for an adventure. Just as important, we have a lot of folks with adventuring experience and so there are always a lot of ideas brought to the table. It's also cool now that the girls are older that we all can pick what we want to do and are welcomed in that group. Callie and Reese love to spend time with their cousins and their aunts and uncles and these family vacations have only strengthened these relationships.
The Grand Canyon is a relatively short drive from Sedona, so we made sure to plan a day trip. This was especially important to check off one of Sport's bucket list items. The group divided into two. One group took advantage of the driving option that came from a special pass acquired due to Nana Banana's mobility limitations. The other group decided to hike into the belly of the beast on the Bright Angel Trail. Both groups had equally great experiences.
What goes down must go up is a phrase that we kept reminding ourselves of as we went deeper and deeper into the canyon. We had water, food, and high spirits as we began the descent. Zoey and Reese led the way. Zoey is an experienced hiker living in Colorado and Reese is always determined to show that she can hang with the best of them.
Overall our round trip covered about 11 miles. We made it to Havasupai Gardens, which is deep into the canyon but still not close to the bottom. It was a great place to have lunch and prepare ourselves for the journey back to the rim. One impressive achievement was Abbey's spirit and ability to navigate this trail from top to bottom. We all felt it the next day but were very proud of our accomplishments. Hiking the Grand Canyon is no joke and we were there in November.
We also did our best to find time to partake in the local amenities when given the chance. In the short window before going on a jeep tour we took in the tasty beverages of the Basecamp Brewery with Suzy and Brian before meeting up with the rest of the crew. We definitely needed more time there but our daughters texted us wondering where we were so had to leave that fine establishment.
With an age range spanning seventy years we always try and find a couple of activities that will allow all of us to experience adventure together. The jeep tour turned out to be a perfect option. The guides even made sure the newest jeep with the best shock absorbers held the elder members of our group. We got into the backcountry and had a few spots where we could get out, walk around, and take some pictures.
The six grandchildren were encouraged to pose for multiple photo opportunities. Fortunately they love each other and are willing to put up with all of the requests. We really are very lucky that these six are so good to each other and enjoy their time together. They are a lot of fun to be around and help make these trips special.
And here is the whole family as the sun was setting towards the end of our tour. We have a number of group pictures taken in a variety of places over the years. This is another great one and we know how much John's parents cherish these moments.
Speaking of Nana Banana and Sport, here they are in the back of their high performance jeep. They are the ones smiling ear to ear from beginning to end. It is nice to see how grateful they are for the simple gift of being together. We are blessed to have them as role models for what matters in this life and setting that tone for our own families.
As anyone who has traveled with family knows, a key decision is what to do about food. There are always multiple trips to the grocery store, unique food requests, and questions about who is doing the cooking. We have a good system developed over our trips. Each family takes on one dinner from prep to clean up and it is fend for yourself for breakfast and lunch. This year was a little bit different with Thanksgiving where we all shared in the efforts. And Reese ended up cooking with the Balestraccis because she bailed on her responsibilities with her own family. But overall it works and leads to some great meals over the week.
No comments:
Post a Comment