Andi and Marvin came to visit as soon as we had set up and it was like we were never apart. I guess that is the sign of true friendship - it lasts. Marvin took us out in the backcountry to see things "not in the brochure".

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Here in the desert this gem is like an oasis though what we were seeing was the Verde River as it meandered through the valley. From our vantage point here we could see some wonderful caves which were probably used by Indians years ago.

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How Marvin ever discovered this gem is beyond us but there it was right by the side of the road - a rock which didn't look like it belonged here with petroglyphs. What a wonderful find and how lucky we are to have our own Native American guide.

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The 22 mile road to the "village" of Cherry was just our kind of ride. There was major road work being done to clear away rain damage so all was well until we caught up with and passed the road crews. Then it was time to carve our own way. What fun!

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The cactus were in full bloom and the desert was still pretty green due to the winter rains.

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The red rock formations of Sedona are beautiful but seen from a backcountry trail they seem all the more majestic.

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Here in the backcountry are the Palatki ruins. Along with the usual stone alcove dwellings, were extensive petroglyphs and pictographs. We were told they were from the early Sinagua to the more recent Yavapai Apache. Also included were some early settler names etched in the walls. One of these men actually used a rock shelter prior to building his house.

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Our next area of discovery was Schnebley Hill, a dirt road from Flagstaff to Sedona through some really beautiful country. We got to see some great red rock formations...

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...awesome scenic overlooks...

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...and a chance to eat their dust!

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It was so great catching up with Andi on the last 40 years. Funny but it was like we were never apart. We're planning our next trip back to this area and Marvin already has a list of out of the way places to take us. (Check out the great century plant in the background)

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