Southwest

On the Road: Sedona.

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Driving into Sedona is beautiful. We traversed a super curvy road situated on the side of a rocky cliff in search of our camp site. Once we reached the base of the cliff we drove through a lush green forest. The change in scenery was instantaneous when we got past our camp site and drove to the outskirts of Downtown Sedona. The striking greens of the forest receded in comparison to the stark reds from the famous rock formations scattered throughout the region. The stacked rocks that have been molded over the last thousands of years look exactly like a magnified version of the rocks you zip past when riding on Disneyland's Thunder Mountain. 

I found myself mesmerized by the scenes outside the car window up until we abruptly entered downtown. My fascination with the natural surroundings quickly came to a halt, literally and figuratively as we sat at a cross-walk waiting for herds of tourists to decide which chain restaurant to eat at before going into the strip of cheesy gift shops. By the time we made it through the tourist trap, we realized we had completely missed the turn off for the creek we were looking to swim at. After one more lap through downtown we made it to a secluded creek for a much needed dip. The water felt amazing. We spent the entire afternoon swimming, rock jumping, and exploring the small water falls further down the creek bed. 

In the morning we met up with a good friend and hiked out to Devil's Bridge. I received a text from a friend as we drove into Sedona saying that we had to head out to the bridge at some point during our visit. It ended up being the best hike we went on during the trip. The three-sixty view you get from the top of the bridge is unbelievable. It was picturesque to say the least. Sedona was a good choice. 

For more snapshots from the trip visit: instagram.com/theslipperysaltwaterchronicles. 

On The Road: Grand Canyon.

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The first time I visited the Grand Canyon, I was the ripe old age of eleven. Up until a week ago I couldn't remember anything about that first visit. My mom had to remind me that we stopped by and walked along the rim of the canyon during our cross-country road trip. When I visited two weeks ago the magnitude and scale of the canyon was more than enough to leave a long lasting and vivid impression on my memory bank. 

Maybe it's because I'm older and have a greater appreciation for visiting world renowned landmarks or maybe it's because we spent just under four hours walking the South Rim basking in the canyon's glory. I highly recommend walking along the canyon on both sides if you have the opportunity. Watching the colors change throughout the canyon in the evening is unlike anything I've ever seen. The deep red rocks paired with the soft blue sky starts to look like a painting if you stare long enough. Watching the sun set with dozens of strangers near the visitor center was the perfect way to celebrate the half way mark of our Southwestern Saunter. 

For more snapshots from the trip visit: instagram.com/theslipperysaltwaterchronicles.