Sedona will SORT. YOU. OUT!

Everyone told us it was beautiful. Everyone mentioned it was magical. But the person who told us “Whatever you’re dealing with, Sedona will sort you out” hit that nail smack on the head. Sedona, Arizona took all the best elements of the places we’ve visited so far, and cranked them up to eleven.

And then the emotional upheaval kicked in.

Our two days away from Fati started with lunch at Flower Child with our friends Meredith and Nathan. We knew Meredith from her time at Universal Orlando, and when she invited us to meet up while we were in the Phoenix area, we enthusiastically said, “Yes!”

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We thoroughly enjoyed our time with them while scarfing down a delicious healthy lunch, and Nathan did us a huge favor by recommending we take Highway 87 instead of Interstate 17 for our journey, not only because it went directly to our first night’s stop in Winslow, AZ, but also because it’s incredibly scenic.

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We had been considering 87, and we were so glad he confirmed it was the right choice. It took us from flat desert to mountainous vistas and a surprising forested descent toward Winslow, perfect for driving in Nippy.

Originally, we were only going to take one overnight in Sedona, but we also wanted to see Meteor Crater National Landmark, so we added an overnight at the fabulous La Posada in Winslow. What luxury, what great music, and what good food!

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The next morning we took all the necessary photos “standing on the corner in Winslow, Arizona,” including with the flat-bed truck, before heading west to the crater.

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Meteor Crater is big. Very big indeed. The crater is 4,000 feet wide, 700 feet deep, and was created when a meteor hit at 26,000 miles per hour, 50,000 years ago. We stood on the edge and felt the pull of the wind that whips around inside and threatens to suck you in.

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Now, don’t tell anyone – this is strictly between us. Simon and I found an elevator that took us down to the crater floor, and we popped out for a couple of quick photos. No one can know. So don’t tell.*

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Then, it was on to the main event. The reason for our trip to Sedona was to bring Susan’s beloved mother back to a place she loved, as one final trip to Arizona. We’d leave it to her to guide us to a spot she wanted to “see,” and we’d do a little ceremony for her there.

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We knew nothing about the area, but first Sedona and then a place called Oak Creek Canyon kept coming up as I (Susan) browsed Google’s Arizona map. We weren’t sure where the canyon was, but we’d find it once we got to the city.

Heading south on I-17, we quickly began to descend out of the mountain along a road with a series of switchbacks, and we couldn’t believe what we were seeing. Glorious hillsides covered in trees showing off their fall colors, towering rock formations that seemed to reach to the sky, and, further down, a river that actually flowed in a state where most rivers are bone-dry most of the time. Could there really be a place on Earth this enchanting? It felt so right.

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I was afraid we wouldn’t know where to go. I worried that I wouldn’t “hear” Mom telling me what she wanted. But Sedona sorts these things out, and as we drove through the lower end of the canyon, Mom left no doubt whatsoever where we should pull over, where we should walk, and where we should do our little ceremony.

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As we returned to the car, I noticed a sign with a map behind glass. We were in the heart of Oak Creek Canyon.

The canyon was intensely emotional, and sometimes you have to sit with these things for a while, which is what Simon is processing now. Along with grief, Susan felt tremendous joy. Sitting in one of the area’s many vortexes the next day, talking to her mom and dad, her turn for processing started.

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But there was more to discover in Sedona, including the food, and the magnificent boutique hotel, El Portal Sedona, which will absolutely be our choice for a return visit, next time for much longer. We’ve stayed in excellent hotels over the years, but this…this just fit us like the finest of gloves.

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We had dinner that first night at dog-friendly Creekside American Bistro, where we each had a cocktail, and we split Lamb Chop Lollipops and Fig and Blue Cheese Crostini. Superb!

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The next morning we ambled over to The Secret Garden Cafe, where Simon chose the Breakfast Burrito and Susan had the quiche. Simple elegance blended with delicious flavors, and we felt truly spoiled.

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Finally, before we started back to Fati, we took a trip up the hillside to the Airport Overlook.

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We detoured off of I-17 for a visit to mountainside Jerome, once a mining town full of bars and brothels, now a “ghost town”…

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…toured the Tuzigoot National Monument Native American ruins…

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…and had a picnic lunch in a park.

But there is one thing we did not do.

We chose not to drive through Oak Creek Canyon again before leaving Sedona, because there is only one “first time,” and no return trip will ever have that same impact. We want to remember this first visit exactly as it was. Perfection.

*Okay, you guessed it anyway. It’s a photo op in the museum. But our version is way more fun.