May 10, 2024 to Flagstaff

 

this is what we've been doing when I talk about climbing.

Anyhow, we started out in kind of flat country around 3500 feet.

Shortly afterwards came to the red rocks, Sedona area, totally different landscape .

Coming into Sedona, awe inspiring views.   Again, photos, at least from my old phone don't do justice.   But definitely worth a trip to see.  We stopped at the pink pig.

The Pink pig company is a coffee shop, gift store and tour company.  The building kind of hangs on the side of the mountain.   Some pictures from the red rocks, Sedona area are attached.

Leaving Sedona, now that was a trip in a lot of ways...  A bit of downhill, but then we started going up through beautiful pine trees and woods with the road in the shade.   There was a stream off to the side running over rocks, sometimes we could see it, but usually could hear it.   Very peaceful and gorgeous country .

Could have stopped every hundred feet to take pictures,  these just don't cut it.

Well, then we started to climb proper .   Ouch .

There is a road down there,  we came from down there.

Well we topped out on that climb and then had 14 miles to the comfort inn in Flagstaff.    It took me a long time.  I was pretty tired from 7 days in a row, plus it was still 500 more feet of elevation to the hotel.   We spend the night at 7000 feet.

The scenery up here is again different than anywhere earlier in the day.   We went through 4 totally different kinds of landscape in 47 miles.  5100 feet of climb in that short stretch and 1500 feet of downhill.    I started not liking downhills because I knew I'd have to go up before the day ended!

Looking at the map we are making incremental progress.  We're now in Flagstaff.   No riding tomorrow.   The first rest day of the five we get.   Five days off in 49 days. .