There's no better way to start the day than with a refreshing morning hike. After breakfast, we laced up our shoes, grabbed a water bottle, and headed for Marg's Draw Trail, right behind the Arabella Hotel. The trail itself is actually named after a donkey named Marg who was owned by the Thompson family. Marg was so clever she could sense when it was time to work and she'd get lost up in the hills. That hilly area where the Thompson family would find her is now named Marg's Draw!
The hike was fairly steep at the beginning but was smooth strolling the rest of the way. Sedona is in a high desert region, all of which (except for one layer) was formed under the ocean over 180 million years ago. The famous Sedona Red Rocks were once sandbars and islands protruding out of the sea and are made of basalt, sandstone, and limestone. As we hiked, we took in the breathtaking scenery of the red rocks but we had to be careful with each step because there were cacti everywhere!
After the hike, the kiddos lined up and divided into 9 Jeeps for a Pink Jeep Tour of Sedona. Each 4x4 climbed the rocky red dirt path to Coyote Canyon. It was a thrilling ride and the group loved it! The views were stunning and we got to learn a lot of the area and rock formations too. We saw Chimney Rock, Steamboat Rock, Elephant Butte, Snoopy, and Thunder Mountain, just to name a few. Interesting enough, the ride Big Thunder Mountain at Disneyland is named after the mountain in Sedona!
Soon after checking out of the Arabella Hotel, we picked up a step-on tour guide to show us a little more of Sedona. Our guide Jeff, is a member of the Sedona Chamber of Commerce and is a search and rescue volunteer. Jeff was very knowledgeable about the dangers and safety precautions needed while hiking or climbing in a high elevation desert. More specifically, he talked to us about staying hydrated, the importance of hiking with other people, watching out for animals, and leaving no trace behind. We also learned that Sedona is a hot vacation spot for celebrities! Recently there have been sightings of Ozzy Osborne, P. Diddy, and Rush Limbaugh. Along the bus tour we also saw Bell Rock, Chapel Butte, and Cathedral Rock.
The Grand Western Tour had an action packed morning so inevitably, they were eager for lunch when the time came. We made our lunch stop near one of the only McDonald's with teal arches! The city of Sedona has several architectural restrictions like height and color of buildings and signs and they wouldn't budge even for McDonald's! Others opted a local eatery called Cafe Jose that served breakfast all day.
After hitting some busy traffic through Phoenix, we made it to Tucson just in time for dinner. We had a spread of hot dogs, baked beans, potato salad, and the crowd favorite, watermelon. We ate on the Palm Terrace that overlooked the main pool. We even had a pretty spectacular view of a rainbow!
During dinner it was obvious that a storm was brewing. The wind was blowing hard and strikes of lightning were in the distance! Though our outdoor time was cut short due to the weather, the group is looking forward to a fun filled day of activities tomorrow!
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