WEDNESDAY - Hiking around Sedona

Wednesday morning I picked up Jackie and Steve and the kids at Marc's house, and we drove to the Doe Mesa trailhead for an invigorating morning hike. We arrived to find no one else around (I had felt concerned that the holiday tourists would be out in force). So we started hiking our way up the mesa. The weather was cool and overcast, which was perfect for hiking. Jackie has some issues with her foot, so we quickly fell behind the others. We eventually made our way to the mesa top and enjoyed a beautiful view out to Sedona and the surrounding countryside. After walking around the mesa top and exercising the kids for a while, we slowly made our way down the mesa. On the way down we encountered several groups of people. I guess that they were starting later than us. After our refreshing hike, I dropped them off at Marc's house and went home to practice a little yoga and eat a late breakfast.

James, John, Steve, Sophia, and Jackie standing before the Doe Mesa trailhead in west Sedona.	Sophia, John, James, and Steve looking over the edge on top of Doe Mesa, with Mingus Mountain and Jerome in the background, in west Sedona.	Steve, James, John, and Sophia looking over the east edge of Doe Mesa at Sedona.

A couple of hours later I picked up Jackie and the kids for an afternoon hike (Steve had to work). The weather had gotten a little colder and windier. This time around we hiked Fay Canyon, which is about 1/2 a mile before Doe Mesa and across the road from it. The trail through Fay Canyon is fairly level with beautiful views of the trees and the surrounding canyon walls. The official trail ends at a ridge that forks the wash running through the canyon. However, you can climb (actually just a steep walk) up the ridge. So John and I did that. Then Sophia decided that she wanted to come up with us as well. So she hiked up and joined us. Finally, James decided that he too wanted to join us. So he climbed up and we all stood around 1/4 of the way up the ridge with the wind blowing something fierce. Nothing like a cold wind to make youi feel alive! Then we made our way down to the official trail end, where Jackie was waiting for us. James and John zoomed down, while I took my time with Sophia. And then we walked rather quickly back to the warm waiting car (not that it was cold; just a brisk refreshing Arctic breeze, that's all). Then I dropped them off at Marc's and went home.

John, James, Sophia, and Jackie standing before the Fay Canyon trailhead in west Sedona.	John, Sophia, and James at the end of the officially maintained trail for Fay Canyon in west Sedona.	James, Sophia, and John on top of the left side of the ridge forking Fay Canyon, with Bear Mountain in the background.

I took a nice warm shower and then ate some great Thai food at THAI SPICES, the best Thai food in Sedona.

While at THAI SPICES, I got some food for Jackie and Steve and the kids. Then I drove over to Marc's house to visit with everybody. We ended up watching some more TV shows, although now I cannot recall what. James, John, nad Sophia did their usual playing Nintendo Wii. After an hour or 2 of visiting and watching TV, I said my goodbyes. And such was our Thanksgiving Wednesday for 2015.