Bright and early, we caravanned into the northern part of the Verde Valley to Sedona. The beautiful red rocks came into view as we traveled up the highway.
Our group divided up into four Pink Jeeps for our tour out to Honanki. On the way our guides told us about the Sedona area past and present.
Sedona is a city
northern Verde Valley region of Arizona. Sedona's main attraction is its array
of red sandstone formations. The formations appear to glow in brilliant orange
and red when illuminated by the rising or setting sun. The red rocks form a
backdrop for many activities, such as spiritual pursuits hiking and mountain biking. The famous red rocks of Sedona are formed by a
layer of rock known as the Schnebly Hill Formation. It is a thick layer of red
to orange-colored sandstone found only in the Sedona vicinity
After being instructed to stay on the trail, not stick our hands in the rocks and keep an eye open for rattlesnakes (yikes) we hiked up the trail to visit Honanki. It is an example of Sinagua architecture with towering stone walls held together by a mixture of water and mud.
Built in an alcove for protection, portions of the structure were two stories high. It had 70 rooms.
Some beams have been carbon dated to 1271.
These people domesticated the turkey. Their lifespan was about 40 years.
Our guide pointed out the many images left behind which helped archeologist interpret which cultures made the rock art and when. In addition to the petroglyphs (carved or pecked in the stone) and pictographs (painted on the stone) there was other graffiti on the rocks. Anything dated before 1939 is considered "historic graffiti".
The images may have been a part of a ceremony or storytelling. Others might represent clan symbols, supernatural beings and hunting trips.
Researchers believe the Sinagua abandoned Verde Valley about 1400 AD and moved to the Hopi mesas and to the Zuni and other pueblos of New Mexico.
Several more stops had us in awe of the spectacular rock formations.
Some time was spent exploring the town and of course shopping. That evening back at the campground we enjoyed some Arizona wines brought back from the previous days wine tasting excursion and an excellent steak cookout.
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| Cooking the T-bones |
After dinner, we celebrated the anniversaries of Frank and Marilyn, Don and Norma and George and Donna.
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| Sally showing off "bling" Sonny bought her It sure was flashing |
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