Bouncy Jeep Tours and Learning About Sedona’s History.

Our Location today is Sedona, Arizona, U.S.A. 

After our 240 Mile Trip towing our Home through the Arizona Mountains yesterday we could have really used a day off but that was not to be. Our alarm had us up by 7:30  MST knowing we had a busy day ahead that we’d be playing Tourists. We’d had breakfast and packed our leftover supper from last night into a cooler along with a couple of beverages for todays lunch. 

In the Foreground of these pictures is the town of Sedona.

We were on our way to downtown Sedona where Kathy had booked a couple of Safari Jeep Tours that she knew we’d both like. Our first tour was the Mogollon Ridge that began at 9:00. We had made certain to dress in layers as we both have had difficulty adjusting to the cooler temperatures this year. With the fact that the outdoor temperature was all of 43 F (6 C) at the time and we’d be riding in an open Jeep we thought of dressing for Comfort and Warmth. 

Submarine Rock

Snoopy lying on his doghouse.

Our guide was Randy who grew up in Wisconsin but his love for the Southwest and Warmer Temperatures drew him to Arizona. After crossing town to pick up a couple more people we were on our way to ride the Mogollon Trail which was actually the original trail into Sedona over the mountains. With the installation of Modern Highways leading into town the trail has not been maintained in the last Forty Years. With Frost Heaves, Erosion and Falling Rocks the trail has become undriveable by anything other that Four-Wheel-Drive Vehicles. This tour would also give us quite the Bird’s Eye View of the area. 

Randy’s knowledge of Geology also showed as he was able to Scientifically Explain the Mountain Formations that surround the Town of Sedona. He would point out the Different Formations and their names. He also explained that most of the names had been given by Cowboys with lots of time on their hands. 

After driving in as far as the Winter Road Conditions would allow we stopped to take a short hike. Kathy took her time because of the thin air but said she wouldn’t have missed this for the world. When Randy pointed out a spot where both Elvis and John Wayne had posed for pictures it was a No-Brainer that two of their biggest fans would want their pictures taken at the same spot. 

See Kathy?

There she is.



Kathy and I having our picture taken at the same spot
as Elvis and John Wayne.

The rock bouncing we’d taken on the way up was the same we took on the way back down. Randy kiddingly called it the Chiropractic Ride because you’d feel the same way after seeing a Chiropractor. Another thing he also kidded about was after a ride like that we wouldn’t be complaining about Speed Bumps that we encounter any more. 

By the time Randy dropped the other two passengers back at their Lodge and got us back to Safari Jeep Tours it was past 12:30. He only had time to check his Jeep to be certain it was still intact before taking another group on the same tour we had just finished. 

That also meant that Kathy and I had less than a half hour to eat lunch and be ready for our Afternoon Tour that we would be sharing with a young family from Arizona that were on vacation. Our guide this afternoon was Cary who grew up in Texas but moved to Arizona to find Cooler Temperatures. This tour was known as the Outlaw Trail because of the many outlaws that used this area to hide from the Law. There were areas that they could hide out where any approaching Posse could be spotted from such a distance that by the time they found the Hideout the Outlaws were long gone. 

Water in the desert.

This morning’s tour had been what many would call Rock Climbing while the afternoon tour there was some stretches of smooth terrain as we drove on the Desert Floor and Traversing lots of Washes. Cary was equally as informative of the surrounding area and its history and how the Homestead Act had allowed one person to practically own over Ten Thousand Acres of the Sedona area of Arizona. 

The scenery was just as Awe Inspiring but giving you more of a Ground Level Look at the Topography. Both of today’s tours were all part of Coconino National Forest. The 52 F (11 C) was already cooling down by the time we got back to the Safari Jeep Tours office at 4:30. 

It felt good to be a passenger for a change so that we could both enjoy the scenery. Getting Up Early, the Fresh Air and all that Bouncing Around left us tired. Back Home we simply had a bowl of Vegetable Soup for supper. Thanks for following along and feel free to leave a comment. Be Safe and Enjoy! 

It’s about time.

Krackers 

Words of Inspiration 

A gentleman is one who never hurts anyone's feelings unintentionally. 

Oscar Wilde, Irish Poet and Playwright