Our 30th Wedding Aniversary Trip

 The children spent the night over at the homes of friends so we woke loaded and drove. Stopping for breakfast at Jomba Juice for a healthy start. We arrived at the Verde River Valley Railroad Depot just in time to sign in and get refreshed before boarding.

 We waited in the warm sun with many others. This trip we splurged for 1st class seats. This included our lunch and water. Our tab was covered in part as a gift from our steward. She wished us happy Anniversary.

 It was a wonderful day for the trip. Warm and pleasant. IT was just so nice to be on our own a while.

 After the two hour ride into the canyon lands we are taken back via the engine shifting track and then going to the end of the line of cars to pull us back.

 We saw one bald eagle in flight and a few blue herons. VERY little wild life.

 We enjoyed the tunnel as do most folks. We traveled back to the depot and then drove on into Sedona proper an hour away. We got our hotel room up on the plateau where the airport is. The next morning early am we were picked up at the hotel by the pilot and off we went to get the other passengers. The tall woman in pale pink was a wonderful gal named Mae. She taught special needs adults, and the pilot ad adopted so to speak a 50 year old relative after her caregiver died. Our kind of folks.
We all pitched in and even though our group was delayed by the little family we were first up.

 We held up the fabric as the air filled it. Then the air was heated.

 IT was so exciting and wonderful the share this time together. The roar of the fire was load.

 We had a Champagne toast with OJ, bear claw pastry and strawberries with cream. Fun to watch these rough men serve.

 After a nice nap and breakfast at the airport we were set for a nice mile hike into the West fork of the canyon. I did great! My new knee served me well. It finally gave a gripe after several times across the creek. We stopped at that point and turned around but I did it!

 This bridge was built a few years back. They put in a parking lot and charge ya now. Years back it was so much sweeter to find wilderness on our own terms.

 This is part of the old estate that was there in the 1920's. There is an old apple orchard and several out buildings.

 This cave we think was for food storage. Used to be local folks came here and hung out . Mostly kids.

Well there was still a little snow deep into the canyon. The end of the trip was Saturday we had a wonderful supper of Chinese Egg Fu Yong. We were delighted to find quality supper. My kids are just finishing school at the moment.

It was so wonderful to have a rest together. Time to take each other in arm and just stop for two days all the stress and high pressure. It was so good for us.

We sold the camper and purchased a Saturn for good gas millage. We have our truck up for sale right now with two coming tonight to see it. We hope it sells. With the 1996 Saturn having only 50,000 original miles on it we feel so happy. IT looks like a 2006 in condition it was garaged. We awoke at 4a.m to drive a 100 mile round trip to Sun City West ( a retirement community). We drove off with it at 6 am for $3600.! It will only cost 35. to register for two years and the insurance on it is exceedingly low. IT is said to get 30-40mpg. Our living cost will continue to be influenced. That is our goal to live as inexpensively as possible. We have been really accomplishing a lot with a sound budget.

Thus we were able to have enough saved for our wonderful trip together. Memories and adventure.

The good news of the day is NO surgery on my right shoulder. A partial rotater cuff tear that will get managed with exerciser and shots every three months. No news yet on my wrist. The MRI on it is tomorrow. IT showed a need for fusion of a bone in my hand and the soft tissue will show up on the MRI.