Wandering Wallers: After the Rain: Sedona sunshine

How to describe Sedona, like a cross between Ubud and Margaret river with great red rock scenery, fantastic mountain biking and walking. On thinking about it, not sure there is aura photography and vortexes in Ubud. We have been reading up on Vortexes and have found a definition in

Notice vortex site in the middle of picture

Cosmic Rays Tales and Trail book, ''a supposed region of electrical/magnetic (masculine/feminine) energy of angular velocity emanating from the earth at various Sedona locations." We found a vortex sight at the top of a very steep climb up to Cathedral Rocks. It was probably a vortex sight due to the very different rock arrangement (see photo). Rob spent some time feeling the energy. We also appreciated the vast view and prepared ourselves for the very steep decent.

After the Cathedral Rocks walk, Rob decided to ride the Hiline Trail. It had rained for nearly 36 hours until about 5am that day so the trails were wet, no longer dusty and very grippy (hero grip is the mountain bike term, except for some of the rocks that were still wet!!). Hiline is a double black trail and starts with a fairly sedate climb before basically

Top of Hiline, smile.

traversing a cliff for 2 km. Plenty of exposure here but nothing that would be fatal, still don't look down and concentrate 100%. The trail eventually arrives at an amazing high point (see photo). The initial descent blasted some singletrack, then slickrock before going into some stupidly steep prolonged descending. All sort of rideable with the right brain off attitude (rode all but a very short section today :)). Eventually the trails comes out at the Baldwin Trail that was a fun end to the descent that was like the perfect last mouthful of a meal (Adam!). The ride was so good Rob repeated again two days later and today.

Hiline: Slickrock heaven

The next day (Monday) was a family ride up to Submarine rock then Chicken point. We followed the many jeep trails up to Chicken point then descended the Little Horse and Lama trail. Symi and Fiona were definitely learning the 'momentum (speed in Rob's language) is your friend' and enjoyed the

Chicken Point, enjoying the sun's warmth

flowing nature of the trails. These fitted Cosmic Ray's definition of moderate trail
'guaranteed to get the dead laughing and singing again.
Interesting terrain with some healthy exposure to risk. Good sweaty, stinky, hard work, but still not killer'.

Yesterday to the great delight of Symi she found a fellow nine year old traveller, Rose from Nova Scotia. She is travelling with her three siblings and Mum. They are all 'free schooled' which seems to require a very relaxed attitude that Fiona is not sure she could ever attain. They were all wonderful children who seemed very artistic with the older kids being very articulate (see their blog http://starjourney.org/ for examples of their eloquent journal writing). Symi and Fiona spent the afternoon doing another ascent of Cathedral Rocks with the family and Symi enjoying showing the way. Meeting the family made us think about ways we could incorporate some of their values with ours.

Wednesday was the typical wake up late (Symi has been waking at 8am, does anyone who knows her believe this?) and do some school work. Symi then enjoying some lego time with Rose before she moved on. Rob decided to finally ride the Hangover trail and had the company of some riding friends he has made from BC, Canada. Hangover is a big step

How many views like this? Simon get out of the way.

up from Hiline and is the premier ride here. Like Hiline it's double black but much more fitting of Cosmic Ray's extreme definition 'caution, may set off low self-esteem panic attack. Possible bloodbath. Parents would not approve. Nor your insurance agent, doctor, spouse or bike if it could talk'. The ride started with a long climb (rough++) up Schnelby Hill Rd to the Merry Go-Round rock enjoying sweeping views to the west. Following this was a fast descent down Munds Trail to Cow Pies and some serious climbing on slickrock. There was definitely plenty of walking on the way to the highpoint where the true Hangover Trail starts. Apparently the col is another vortex sight, Rob was feeling the energy here but this was probably the

Get your Hangover here.

adrenaline of the climb followed by looking down basically what is a cliff and wondering how you could ride off this. We did and the reason for the hangover name revealed itself, this comes from the many rock overhangs that protrude over the trail. On this section of trail falling was NOT an option. Re-assuring was the news that no one has actually died on this trail, all great but who wants to be the first. Eventually the cliff ride lets go into some fun descending and the thought that it would be good to ride this again and conquer more of the technical challenges.
Another two more days and it's time to move on to the Grand Canyon just up the road.