So here's my very 1st AZ cache I found! It earned me the AZ souvenir!! It took us a few tries as the sun was going down into darkness, but the name of the cache made me go back and look one more time and low and behold! I found it!
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| My 1st AZ Cache! |
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| I don't usually take swag, but I loved this kitty!! (I left a dragon) |
So the start of Day 3 we decided to do the
Bell Rock/Courthouse Butte Trail. This was another that was about 6 miles, but we probably added a few more by scrambling up rocks half the time. So for this particular hike, I was more prepared to cache. (I didn't have reception at the last hike so I wanted to be ready for that this hike). Pat was also down since we weren't on any time limit and we ended up finding 3 caches!! All of them up on the rocks. It was so friggin fun! I was even at the point where if we didn't find them (Because I swear the 1st one we weren't going to find) I was still having a blast looking for them. This hike was equally beautiful as the last one, but totally different. More panoramic views, red rock gorgeousness where yesterday's was more lush. Both so awesome but so different. This was one was probably harder since we scrambled a whole bunch on the rocks and it was the day after a pretty good hike. But we killed it! I kept up and shot a ton of pictures again! He brought a little tripod thing for his phone which got us a couple of cute shots. So much fun hiking and climbing and caching!! Check out the pictures!
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| We gonna hike around that thing! |
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| Hike #2! |
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| The cache is up there somewhere.... |
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| Yes! Found it! |
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| All the caches we found on this trail were big, so I was always able to leave a little swag! |
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| Pat's cool tri pod thing! |
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| I love this picutre |
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| Pat found cache #2! |
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| King of the World |
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| Close up King |
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| Just gorgeous |
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| Does it look like a bell? |
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| Cache #3! |
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| I was trying to shoot as we went around the rock... |
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| Another rock Pat wanted to climb |
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| Hi baby! |
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| I was good sitting this one out |
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| Watch out for thorns |
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| Final leg |
After the hike we swung by
Wildflower Bread Company for some sandwiches. Pat had seen them when we were driving by and swore by their sandwiches. So of course I was in! Um...best damn sandwich I think I've ever had! I didn't even get a picture of it because I devoured it, but it was a Turkey Pastrami with this apple slaw that was goddamn amazing! He had a spicy meatball sub that was the whole reason we went there. Oh. My. God.
Afterwards, back to the bnb to rest up, then we wanted to get out for one more sunset. We actually landed back at
Mesa Grill (the location of the 1st cache). When we found out we could grab a drink and sit outside and watch the sunset we were in. Bonus - there was a cornhole game! So we had drinks, watched the sunset and played cornhole until we couldn't see anymore. (I won! 11-7!)
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| I can't get enough of these sunsets |
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| Perfect end to a perfect trip! |
We could not have asked for a better last evening in Sedona than that! Perfection!
Day 4 Pat headed out in the morning on a mini hike. I was just too done in and my foot was screaming. But probably cool for us each to have some alone time. I sat in the beautiful silence of the darling garden for quite a while that morning. When he got back we were ready to roll out. Our plan was to hit the
Montezuma Castle National Monument on the way to Phoenix where we were meeting up with one of his best friends who lives in AZ. The park was cool but real small. I was a little disappointed in the $20 entry (for 2 people) and the tiny park it was. But still super cool.
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| The castle |
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| People friggin lived here! |
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| A replica of the way they lived |
We then met up with his friend Adam whom I was excited to finally meet!
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| They'll be happy I took this some day. |
We hit some gnarly traffic coming out of Phoenix but then had an easy drive home. This stunned me because I was prepared for massive traffic since it was the day before Thanksgiving, but the traffic gods were on our side! We got to drive into another beautiful sunset as well!
And thus comes to an end a spectacular trip! Pat and I shared lots of laughs, bonding, love, stories and more. I feel it brought us closer. We saw some amazingly beautiful landscape. We found some super fun caches. I survived some pretty good hikes. We ate some delicious food. It was a perfect mini get away and I can't wait to go back!
I am a grateful happy girl!
