We visited Arizona for school vacation week. The Grand Canyon was our first stop, for just an afternoon. We went to the busiest part of the rim, expecting it to be off-season. It was beautiful, but I was amazed how many people were there. The rim felt like a theme park, not wilderness. We did a small part of a trail toward the river 3/4 mile below us, but even that was quite crowded. (The trail visible in this picture is about halfway down - we didn't get nearly that far.) Another time we'd try the North rim or some other, less crowded place.
Next back to Sedona, where we've visited the last few years. We did the usual fun things, but came away wanting to do new things next time around. E found a new trail for us, along side of a "lion's head", ending in the shady spot in the pic below. Other new experiences include a delightful stargazing stop and a large snake crossing the trail right in front of me.
Since the three of us have some different interests and exercise preferences, we did a little more as a pair and one, with different mixes and activities. I got a 3 hour hike mostly in the high desert, with a bonus rumor of a rattlesnake blocking the trail while A and E rode horses. (I didn't see that snake, so it doesn't count.) Another time E and I mountain biked without A, exploring new trails.
Sedona itself has changed over the years too. We didn't see as much new housing this year as last, but the motorized tourist industry sure has grown. Where there were Pink Jeeps the first year, they're now joined by red and yellow ones, and there were so many that they sometimes dominated the roads. I've grown a real dislike for these things after we tried one years ago - I felt like I was taking part in actual destruction of a beautiful and fragile (once) wild area.
I half-expected to find a new statue of Joe the Plumber, but never saw it. On the other hand, one of the first ads I saw was for Maverick helicopter tours.
