Flagstaff to Grand Canyon National Park (South Rim)

I was out by 9:30 (due to a scheduled call) and had camp set up by noon.

I spent hours sitting on the rim this afternoon and evening. The pictures will just have to speak for themselves.

Today’s Route:

Flagstaff

Today was a maintenance day; another interview, paying bills, replying to emails, returning phone calls, etc… Off to the Grand Canyon tomorrow – finally!

Sedona to Christopher Creek

With what feels like the whole world out for the holiday weekend, I kicked around on some back roads for a few hours.

This is Camp Verde from the SE:

Not being in any hurry, I paid my three dollars to see the Tonto Natural Bridge. It is quite large, but you need to be able to walk away from your transportation and hike down to the bottom to get a real feel for it. If you look closely in the second photo, you can see the people.

Most of today I’ve simply enjoyed the ride, counted my blessings, and lived in a state of gratefulness. I’ve really been blessed with great friends, amazing opportunities, and a generally good life.

Most campsites were full, so I took immediate advantage of the first campsite that was free. I lazed around in the hammock most of the afternoon finishing a book and napping since we didn’t go to bed until after 3 am.

Today’s Route:

Rowallan Collapsible Cup
Brunton Flask

Everyone should have a pair of these: A Rowallan collapsible steel cup and a Brunton flask. They make a camping trip! Unfortunately, the Rowallan cup has been discontinued. I received mine as a gift. Thanks MBA!

JetBoil

I’ve used quite a few lightweight backpacking stoves in the past, but this beats them all in my opinion. It boils two cups of water in less than two minutes, has a built in wind screen and the burner and fuel fit back in the cup for storage. And perhaps most importantly, two cups of boiling water in a package of Mountain House and…wa-lah, no clean up!

Sedona

The property my friends have in Sedona, or more properly Oak Creek, has an amazing view. Here is the patio view mid-day and again in the evening.

And the patio

Jeff and Darlene

own this incredible vacation home with Mark and Michelle.

Either couple could give lessons in hospitality and generosity. Together they are almost overwhelming. We had a grand two days exploring Sedona and Oak Creek, searching out new restaurants, smoking cigars, laughing, watching movies, enjoying the view from the patio, and perhaps most importantly engaging in conversations that were encouraging and even visionary.

Other miscellaneous photos from the two days:

This is rumored to be Nick Cage’s home in Sedona:

It is right across the road from the Chapel of the Holy Cross

This sculpture, “DEFIANCE” by Lloyd Pimay was outside of Visions Fine Art gallery:

And for the record, I did not eat both of those lobster tails. One of them was Darlene’s!

I left feeling rather well fed – body, soul, and spirit. Thanks guys for a memorable Memorial Day weekend! Now to balance all the calories I’ve taken in it’s back to a diet of beef jerky, trail mix, and Mountain House dinners…

SF to Phoenix to Mesa to Sedona, AZ

Interview Report: I seriously considered whether or not it was a wise idea to interrupt my vacation for an interview. A conversation with one of the founders and their willingness to fly me back in to SF convinced me that it was a worthwhile “break” from the ride.

After the interviews I’m sure it was a wise decision—regardless of the outcome. This team has set some high standards for their work and their culture. More importantly, from my brief exposure, everyone there has bought in and is working hard to live up to those standards. I’d consider it a privilege to join their team. Whether or not I get a job offer, it was an encouragement to know that there are still advertising firms out there that care just as much about growing people as they do producing great work.

But now I have, as Pete put it, “my back out on the highway, smelling air that taste like freedom.”

A non-eventful flight (the best kind) landed me in Phoenix around noon. I picked up the bike from storage and left for Mesa, AZ to see Jeff and Darlene. We caught a movie and then dinner to catch up. If you are in Mesa, The Red White & Brew restaurant was excellent. If you have never had “Alaskan Lobster” (Halibut cheeks), I highly recommend you do. It is a bit less “rubbery” than Lobster and has a similar texture and taste.

Jeff and Darlene have wonderful home with a vast view:

After dinner we loaded up and drove north to spend another day at their vacation home in Sedona. While I enjoyed the drive through the desert at night, it became obvious to me that I need some new headlights on this machine if I’m going to make a regular habit out of this. The high beam just didn’t provide enough coverage for me to feel completely safe at highway speeds.

Today’s Route:

Sedona to Phoenix, AZ

One of the great things about a trip like this is the people you meet. Breaking camp this morning I met Jim MacDevitt and Pat Shoemaker. Jim is a retired social worker and Pat had just taken second place in a billiards tournament in Los Vegas. With two weeks until the next tournament they were taking advantage of the time to see some of the surrounding country. I asked them which direction they were going and loved their answer: “Well, we’re not sure yet.” Enjoy the ride guys – and good luck in the next tournament Pat!

The ride to Phoenix was short and I only stopped for a couple of photos.

Arriving in Phoenix I purchased a backpack for the trip home, rented a storage facility for the bike, and caught a cab to the airport. I’ll be back in Phoenix on Thursday morning after the interview. I’m impressed with this company so far and hope that my first impressions bear out. It is a privately held agency (i.e. not owned by a network) and that scores big points with me. I’ll resume the blog when the vacation restarts on Thursday.

Today’s Route: