Sunday morning I woke up and took a glorious shower in the Airbnb bathroom where the water backed up. Super sweet haha, i got my stuff together pretty quickly since Sedona was one of the places I wanted to go the most for sure again. I remember it’s overwhelming beauty and I was excited to be mystified again.
The ride to Sedona is as spectacular as it is itself. It’s a long windy road along side the mountain with an aston.ishing view of red rocks, trees, mountains, and a cliff which would be sad to fall off of. :p
I knew my first stop had to be slide rock. I don’t care how touristy it is, it is beyond beautiful. I lost service shortly after leaving Flagstaff and didn’t get it back until I got into Sedona a few hours later. Thank god.
When I pulled up to slide rock the parking line was like two football fields long… Fuck that. I drove down the road like a mile and found free parking on the side of the road. I strapped up and hiked up the hill. When I got there it’s only $3 for walk ins and $30 for parking with up to 3 people. BOOOOOOOOM! I will take that shit. They guy in the booth even laughed and gave me a high-five because I was so happy.
Sadly slide rock was slam packed this day. There were Mexicans everywhere. Lol. Don’t get me wrong I love Mexican people they are some of the hardest workers I have ever met and fun as hell but holy fuck do they just pop kids out or what. Just giant droves swarming and peeing in the water. (I pee in the water too)
The reason it is called slide rock is because it has exactly that, rocks to slide on. The flow of the water current and the slipperiness of the rocks have formed natural slides you can flow down. IT IS SO FUN!! I spent a couple of hours walking around and swimming in the ice cold water. Sliding on rocks with little kids and watching the people jump from the 40 foot jump on the other side. No, I didn’t do it this time. I did it last time. It’s hard to do stuff like this when you don’t have anyone to watch your stuff or back just in case something happens. Believe me it’s not that I didn’t want to again because it was hands down the greatest adrenaline rush in my life other than the time I was confronted with a 6’3 manlady that posed as a business woman but thats another story from many years ago.
After slide rock I hiked back down the scary narrow road. Cars are zipping past me and I am obviously not a skinny man, Shit is intense. I got back in my baby and headed down to Sedona. The city is really pretty in its own right but slam packed with the tourists so I immediately pull over and try to find a hike that’s going to be a little tough but gorgeous. Cathedral Rock it is.
Side note: My buddy told me if there was only one regret he had about burning man the year prior was his lack of bike. I don’t know if I mentioned this in a previous one but hey it’s been a week since I was able to write anything. So The day prior I set up an arrangement to pick up this bike for $55 from a town about 30 min south of Sedona around 6pm. With no bike rack… 🙂
So I get to cathedral rock and holy shit does it look like a serious hike, It’s only suppose to be a mile but there is no way I am not getting to the top. As I suit up and get ready to go I pack a bunch of water, my hammock just in case there is a spot i can relax in and my knife just in case there is wild life I need to slay for my own survival. The hike was pretty intense because it’s vertical for almost the entire thing. Between elevation and being fat I had to stop quite a bit. Somewhere a little past the midway point I literally had to climb one step at a time along the side of the cliff. Hand, foot, hand, foot and so on. It was sooooo cool. I also finally realized any fear of heights I had are gone. With the exception of sitting on the edge of a cliff where the drop is a few hundred feet. That was terrifying.
On this part of the hike I met this really awesome couple from California and they were scared of heights and considering not finishing. I was trying my hardest to talk them into it. I personally am not keen on not finishing something I know that I can. My friend Joe D. often tells me I give myself unrealistic expectations and it helps me push past the normal one I could have but this is just a mile hike not the 700 lb deadlift I want.
Anyway just past this point I realize. Indeed. There is a stirring in my tummy. Oh man. I am way to far to run down and I don’t know what to do. In my list I forgot one important thing. You got it. Toilet paper. Shit, I tell the couple I hope to see them at the top and BAIL FAST. I rush as far up the mountain to flat terrain as possible and I see one little tree off the beaten path. I am going to explode. The most embarrassing thing is that if anyone comes from either direction I am almost guaranteed to be spotted. They won’t actually see me relieve myself but they will see the fat disgusting monstrosity mother earth and her cacti.
I rip my pants off and proceed to light this poor cactus up. Now…. Toilet paper. I am sweating and scanning the area for this couple I tried talking into going the rest of the way because they would be the first to see me. It looks like They changed their mind….. THANK GOD. THANK YOU! I get to finish up anddddddddddddd TOILET PAPER>!>! Thank god I was wearing my hiking boot and hiking socks and brought a knife. =D I cut my sock half way down and in turn cut my leg a bit but it was a small price to pay for not shitting my pants. (I know it doesn’t look healthy and that’s because it’s not. I am going to die at a young age if I don’t change my eating habits ASAP, I know it. I just need to act on the knowing it)
I cleaned up and headed up the rest of the way. At the top it was myself and two indian gentlemen sharing the view. It was astonishing. Worth every second of the hike just to take the view in. Breath in. Exhale. We alternated taking pictures for each other and the one where I am sitting on the edge. I WAS TERRIFIED. SHAKING. But, it did feel so free. So beautiful. Makes you feel alive.
I hiked back down and headed to get my bike. I got to the guys house rode it around for a minute and said thank you. Now to tie it up. I had to straps for my ladder back at home but they didn’t really tighten enough. As I was riding away I was literally watching it drift closer to the ground on the back of my jeep. Not good. While praying this doesn’t fall off my jeep, I am simultaneously talking to my dad and trying to race back to set up camp in the daylight. It’s not going to happen.
I finally find a camp site for $20 on the creek and go to set up. The two gentlemen with accents next to me offered to help but I enjoy setting up my camping equipment solo. After I finished setting up in the dark I offered the a nice warm budweiser and they both accepted happily, We hung out for a few hours stargazing and talking about politics and differences in our countries and our perceptions. It was really interesting. They get raped in taxes. They get taxed 55% of their salary and then I believe it was 20% more on all goods and services. Plus they have extra percentages they pay on buying property and people get paid a stipend for each kid they have. It is just nuts.
I got to lay down and just watch the stars. Reflect. No service. Just beautiful night sky and my thoughts. I wrote it previously but I love the thought of how expansive our universe it. I think it’s humbling to thing of how insignificant we are in this ocean of chaos. It is beautiful. I think it can help you put yourself into perspective if you think long and hard about it. It was time to close my eyes. Prepare to drive to Reno and then finally, Burning Man.
Goodnight beautiful people. Stare at the stars and realize how vast this is. How infinite it is. But how finite us and our lives are. Live it. Embrace whatever happens and always try to make the best of it. Tomorrow is not guaranteed.
These pictures are what my campsite looked like the next morning and how I finally secured my bike to my jeep. Thanks to Topher. 🙂
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