Dennis and I decided to hike the Brins Mesa Loop. I hiked the first third or so of the loop, as an out and back yesterday. We had to connect with three more trails. Not the more trails the merrier, more trails provide a much better opportunity to get lost. I read some reviews of the trail and the very first one was written by a woman who lamented that she and her husband missed the first trail change, got lost, and then got off any trail whatsoever. They had to be rescued by the Forest Rangers. Not exactly confidence building. But what the hay, away we went!
I talked Dennis into climbing up on yesterdays favorite rock with me but we only stayed a moment. It was windy and cold but still beautiful.
The Trail. Our first test was to turn on Soldiers Pass and I knew where that trail began so it was no biggie.
The beautiful scenery.
This is the Devil's Kitchen Sinkhole.
The first collapse was in the 1880's.
The next big collapse was in the 1990's and that collapse enlarged the sinkhole by about thirty-percent. Little-by-little the sink hole continues to grow. Hikers are warned not to get too close to the edge.
This was our second test. We had to make sure that we didn't miss the turn off to Jordan's Pass.
We had to watch carefully for an unmarked section called the Soldier's Pass Cave Spur Trail. Once we found it, the spur was a buns-of-steel, thigh-master climb, about a quarter of a mile up. Pant and gasp.
The narrow opening into this cave which was inhabited by local Indians many years ago.
If you look really close, right above the arch, you can see legs. It almost looks like teeth in a wide smile. This cave was multi level.
The cave spur was really steep both going up and coming down, with ball-bearing rocks. I am always fussing at Dennis not to "tail-gate," and he usually says, "Don't worry, I am not going to fall." Then in that wifey manner, I tell him no one plans to fall. It finally almost happened. I was down one steep part and here comes Dennis, sliding backwards, out of control. I first held up the pointy end of my hiking stick and then realized, I can't skewer him. I managed to hold out both hands and stop him before he fell and/or killed me. The moral of the story. Don't tailgate coming down a steep incline. DUH!
Our last challenge was to find Cibola Pass and back to the parking lot. And we did!
So many cacti and so little timer.
Boo Hoo! It was our final (at least for now!) Sedona hiking day.
Our last and most looked forward dinner was at Mariposa - a Latin inspired restaurant. I called more than a month before we left and the only ttime I could get a reservation was at 4:45 on our last day. It lived up to its reputation. We started with a beef, caramelized onions, and potato empanadas (OMG!). Then we split Lisa's Chopped Goddess Salad with shaved Kale, white cheddar, peppered bacon and Chipolte Ceasar dressing and then just to really make my taste buds sing: crispy onions. Man-o-man did those onions add something. I ordered the Pollo Rustico which was wood-roasted chicken with lemon, curry, rosemary and charred corn plus mashed potatoes. The restaurant was quite proud that this recipe was featured on TV. Dennis chose his favorite, skirt steak with rosemary potatoes, black bean gravy (certainly not a southern gravy, there was no baon. It was ever so tasty), and Chimichurri. We finished it off with an apple crumble and bourbon ice cream. A fitting meal to a fabulous hike. So now we head to Phoenix for a few nights. I wish you good night and happy New Year!
