Cathedral Trail

This was the second of my birthday weekend hikes. The first the beautiful one in Phoenix (see previous post) 

Place: Sedona Arizona 
Trail: Cathedral Trail 
March 15, 2020 last day before I turned 44. 
It was 63 degrees 

We had some trouble finding the trail head. Chad's phone map stops working each time we get close. I turn the car around and navigate the roundabout a few times, as Chad huffs and grovels with his frustration. 

We do at last find the trail head. It is impossible to park close due to the spots popularity.
So we find a spot up the hill with the car tilted off the side of the road and we joyfully popped out the car and wandered down the road to the trail head. 

This soil was a rich red and seemed damp like clay ready to be fired. The red soil, the green trees, and the blue sky always make Sedona seem unreal. Again like the purple cholla field in the Tortillas the world is a vibrant photograph come to life. Blooming Manzanita, cypress trees with winding roots, and pinion pines greet as at the beginning as we climb to the cathedral 

There were quite a few people but all are cordial with one another. I think it helped my expectation was to be ready for other humans and I enjoyed most of them. 

I do in my head start to curse my love a little as my fear of heights meets me at a narrow crack up the hill. There is a small platform where we move out of the way for hikers descending down. I feel my familiar vertigo my head spins and my hands shake and worry I wont be able to continue. 

Thinking back my fear feels silly. I am strong and agile and climb easily. Vertigo is the real challenge, as dizziness, and long falls seems to be a valid fear. 

The hike is worth it. There are piles of rocks  in metal cages shaped like cylinders that mark the way when the trail is not there or hard to find. There were also markings that say "Healing in Progress" for over traveled areas, which is a nice reminder to stay on the trail. 

At the top of the accent you can see a vast landscape and tall red spheres of sandstone. This area is called a "vortex".

A vortex is a place that has magnetic pull. It is supposed to be healing. 

As I sit on the edge of a cliff face. Chad reminds me to breath and as do I can look out at the valley below. I close my eyes and feel the wind on my face and feel my body soften and perhaps it is magic because I feel no fear on the decent. 

We see two different brides coming to this cathedral to be married (or at least to take photos). My favorite in a bride in a beautiful dress and black hiking boots. I do love contrast. 

We end the hike at a stream. I take off my socks and shoes and rest my feet in the cold water. Chad joins me and we sit on the red sandstone the cold water running over our feet. The stream runs through the pinion pines. We watch families pass telling there little ones not to get there shoes wet, they look at us and have moments of defiance. Even though the evening is not hot the act is a primal calling and it is a refreshing gift on my sore and tried feet. 

We climb the hill to the car and decide to stop for pizza. I order and Orange Blossom beer that is delicious. Chad I think had an IPA. It is almost too cold to sit outside but we do it anyway. 

Then we find a campsite for the night in an area that is like and old ranch, rugged trees, large rocks and run off ditches next to a windy dirt road. Chad finds enough logs for a brief fire and in the dark of the night we snuggle together for warmth and the sky is as beautiful as city lights in the distance at night, it is salt on an Oreo cookie, it is a light bright with all the lights plugged in. It is Christmas night on that street everyone drives slow through and it is all natural magic via stars.