articles @ sedonainformation.com

For those of us who have spent many years in Sedona, distance can be measured in “miles from the Red Rocks”. These canyons, cliffs, and the marvelous terrain make us aware that the rest of the world is out there however it’s always at a distance measured by our time away from Sedona. It’s not to say that we view Sedona as the center of the Universe, but rather it is the center of our Universe and we carry it with us in our travels.

Arizona and the greater southwest are like that for me as well. The hidden sites and backroad explorations that lie around the next bend seem to never end. If you’re curious and have a strong passion for the natural world you’ll never be finished with Arizona’s magical wonders. And if you enjoy people and places off the beaten path, you can continue to make pleasant discoveries until the day you die. It’s that rich and rewarding.

I have a select group of Arizona friends that tell me about the next cool trail to explore or the craziest little store to shop. These folks scope out the weird and wonderful in their daily lives and share it with me for the sheer joy of turning me onto what has made them smile. Dirt roads for us are as common as Interstates are for truckers as we drive secret backways to reach remote destinations. In a sense it truly is about the road less traveled. It’s the journey and not the goal.

Enjoy these people and places like I have and keep your eyes open for what you might miss if you blink to long. Often the next great adventure is right in front of us and can be easily missed if we’re staring too far down the trail.

Ajo Bikes
1301 E. Ajo Way
Tucson , AZ
520.294.1434
ajobikes.com

Since 1991 Frank Cook and crew have served up a crazy stew of two and three wheeled HPVs (human-powered vehicles) to the hungry clientele of Tucson and surrounding towns. Ajo Bikes is a massive store full of bicycle hustle and bustle and centered around the common theme of the joy of riding the highways, roads, and trails of the world. Frank got an early start in the bike business way back in 1974. His passion guided him along the two-wheeled trail, non-motorized of course, to create this outstanding bicycle heaven where everyone from toddlers to teens and serious trainees can find the peddle intensity level they prefer and experience professional in-house guidance to support their ride.

I’m no newcomer to Frank’s world either. I grew up on a Stingray with a banana seat, high chrome handlebars, and outrageously fat tires. I lived to ride and not only delivered papers daily but also rode to school, to swim team practice, and all over the forest preserves of Chicago’s western suburbs. In high school it was a shiny new Raleigh Competition with Campy cranks and other state-of-the-art accoutrements that let me fly across the township like an eagle. Amazingly, though, I never caught the mountain bike fever and instead settled for a five-speed fat tire town bike, just right for zoomin’ to the store or the local payphone.

Enter Frank Cook and his Bionx experimental crew. Bionx? Sounds like a new IPO or perhaps a artificial body part manufacturer on the biomedical frontier. Not so. Bionx is Canadian company (www.bionx.ca) that manufactures a bike kit that transforms an ordinary bicycle into a Lithium-powered supercycle, electric that is. Who knows, maybe I have been looking for a way to get into super shape and have fun at the same time and couldn’t quite find a way to create that perfect Zen blend on a daily work-a-day level until now. Or perhaps it’s the price of gas or the fact that our second car’s tranny took a dive. All I know is that I have found the ultimate mix of exercise, travel, excitement, and pure childhood dream fun all wrapped up into my electric commuter mountain bike.

Imagine heading up a dirt road on the way to work, a 7 mile washboard dirt road that climbs 1.000 feet and has little traffic. Deer, javelina, and roadrunners dash across on occasion and baby bobcats have been seen playing on the side of the road near sunset. You hop on your trusty mountain bike, leave the pavement behind, and start your commute. Instead of a merely chugging your way up the grade your steady pedaling invokes a hidden assist that measures your pedal resistance and feeds you electric power accordingly. You set the power level and can design the calorie burn. Though you don’t just sit there and glide up the grade (though on flat or near-flat surfaces you sure can!), you don’t struggle to make it work either. You keep on keepin’ on and are rewarded with a subtle boost that makes the ride go by quicker and easier, though no less fun. In fact, it’s a whole lot of fun because you still get a workout, however your workout gets you much further down the road with much less effort.

Sounds sissy? Not even close. It’s pure magic in a funny, new form, just like when the first bicycles hit the streets and the horses ran for cover. I cannot begin to tell you how much you might love this system. I find frequent excuses to ride to the grocery store a mile away rather than burn gas and drive the wagon. In town and at work I make sure everyone interested gets a test ride. And it’s all smiles and laughter when they return. The Bionx is the perfect re-entry vehicle for older Terranauts who want to get back into bicycling and as well as back into shape. The Bionx kit can be purchased and installed by Frank and his crew on a wide variety of of bike frames including tricycles, mountain bikes, and ultra-lightweight road bikes so you have no excuse when it comes to how you plan to use it. It’s not inexpensive though it does have an almost unheard-of 2-year warranty on the system components and a 1-year warranty on the battery. It’s well-designed, sturdy, and costs only nickels and dimes to charge. I researched the kit’s most expensive component, the 350 Watt Lithium-Ion battery, by calling two bike shops that sell the system, one in California and another in New York. I did this in order to compare notes with what Frank and his tech crew had explained to me about the system. Taking into consideration my 200 lbs., an average-weight mountain bike, and a brutal daily power discharge of the battery that takes place quickly on a short 60 minute ride, the battery will most likely last me 450-600 cycles. Put into another perspective, that’s about 350 work days of my daily commute of 23 miles round-trip. Totally economical. And besides, what price can you put on developing a healthy body and having miles and miles of fun?

Little Miracles

Bobbi L. Moore is a long-time resident of Sedona who is a certified NLP instructor and master practitioner, has an extensive background in family counseling, and uses massage therapy in conjunction with other modalities for helping individuals attain harmony and balance in their lives. “Little Miracles” was originally published in the Sedona Red Rock News. Re-published on www.SedonaInformation.com with the express permission of the author, Bobbi L. Moore.

There was once a little girl named Jasmine who only knew the words “Mama” and “Papa” until one special day.

On this day Jasmine was taken to a toy store by her grandmother to choose anything she wanted. As her grandmother walked through the store Jasmine showed no particular interest in any of the toys.

As they walked around the corner of one of the aisles Jasmine’s eyes lit up. She let go of her grandmother’s hand and reached out for a small, soft, long-eared, cuddly toy dog. It had tiny black eyes and wonderful brown fur.

The toy dog had a collar with a name on it and Jasmine’s grandmother spoke the name out loud, “Henry”. To her grannny’s immediate surprise Jasmine repeated the name perfectly and kept her sparkling eyes focused on the cute toy dog. Once they left the store and returned home with Henry, Jasmine was inseparable from his cuddly form. Even the adults in the family enjoyed hugging and playing with him.

Their relationship grew over time. For three years Jasmine and Henry were never apart. They traveled the world together and investigated everything – playing, “talking”, sleeping, and just hanging out.

One day Jasmine discovered that she could not find Henry. She had been many places that day so Jasmine’s family looked everywhere they had been and even more places they might have missed in their memory of the day’s travels. Still, no Henry. Everyone was depressed and Jasmine was heart-broken. She would not accept any other toy animal to replace Henry and slept alone for a long time.

Two years later the family was visiting several friends in the vicinity. At the home of one of her school friends Jasmine decided to take a short walk down the street to another friend’s house and say hello. As she approached the home’s front porch she was suddenly overwhelmed with the vision of her lovely Henry sitting peacefully in a big rocking chair and staring at the distant mountains.

Jasmine couldn’t believe her eyes. She had forgotten that she had visited these friends on that sad day two years ago when Henry “went missing”. So that’s where he had been all these days!

Olana, her friend, had found Henry that same day and fell in love with him instantly. Jasmine said that perhaps Olana needed someone special to love for awhile and that was why Henry could not be found. Olana did not know who Henry belonged to or that he was even missing from someone else’s home. She kept him safe and enjoyed his company immensely.

Though Olana was sad to part with Henry, Jasmine was the happiest girl imaginable. She and Henry celebrated their reunion for days.

Jasmine is nearly an adult now and Henry still lives with her and keeps her and her family company. He is special to all who meet him and always gives something special to each person who meets him. Lots of kisses and hugs.

After hearing this story I feel that Henry truly is some sort of miracle and I’ll bet that somewhere in your life you’ve had a Henry who was a miracle, too.

Little Miracles

Bobbi L. Moore is a long-time resident of Sedona who is a certified NLP instructor and master practitioner, has an extensive background in family counseling, and uses massage therapy in conjunction with other modalities for helping individuals attain harmony and balance in their lives. “Little Miracles” was originally published in the Sedona Red Rock News. Re-published on www.SedonaInformation.com with the express permission of the author, Bobbi L. Moore.

There was once a little girl named Jasmine who only knew the words “Mama” and “Papa” until one special day.

On this day Jasmine was taken to a toy store by her grandmother to choose anything she wanted. As her grandmother walked through the store Jasmine showed no particular interest in any of the toys.

As they walked around the corner of one of the aisles Jasmine’s eyes lit up. She let go of her grandmother’s hand and reached out for a small, soft, long-eared, cuddly toy dog. It had tiny black eyes and wonderful brown fur.

The toy dog had a collar with a name on it and Jasmine’s grandmother spoke the name out loud, “Henry”. To her grannny’s immediate surprise Jasmine repeated the name perfectly and kept her sparkling eyes focused on the cute toy dog. Once they left the store and returned home with Henry, Jasmine was inseparable from his cuddly form. Even the adults in the family enjoyed hugging and playing with him.

Their relationship grew over time. For three years Jasmine and Henry were never apart. They traveled the world together and investigated everything – playing, “talking”, sleeping, and just hanging out.

One day Jasmine discovered that she could not find Henry. She had been many places that day so Jasmine’s family looked everywhere they had been and even more places they might have missed in their memory of the day’s travels. Still, no Henry. Everyone was depressed and Jasmine was heart-broken. She would not accept any other toy animal to replace Henry and slept alone for a long time.

Two years later the family was visiting several friends in the vicinity. At the home of one of her school friends Jasmine decided to take a short walk down the street to another friend’s house and say hello. As she approached the home’s front porch she was suddenly overwhelmed with the vision of her lovely Henry sitting peacefully in a big rocking chair and staring at the distant mountains.

Jasmine couldn’t believe her eyes. She had forgotten that she had visited these friends on that sad day two years ago when Henry “went missing”. So that’s where he had been all these days!

Olana, her friend, had found Henry that same day and fell in love with him instantly. Jasmine said that perhaps Olana needed someone special to love for awhile and that was why Henry could not be found. Olana did not know who Henry belonged to or that he was even missing from someone else’s home. She kept him safe and enjoyed his company immensely.

Though Olana was sad to part with Henry, Jasmine was the happiest girl imaginable. She and Henry celebrated their reunion for days.

Jasmine is nearly an adult now and Henry still lives with her and keeps her and her family company. He is special to all who meet him and always gives something special to each person who meets him. Lots of kisses and hugs.

After hearing this story I feel that Henry truly is some sort of miracle and I’ll bet that somewhere in your life you’ve had a Henry who was a miracle, too.

Reprinted by permission from Pamela Becker

excerpted from an article

written by Pride Wright for the Harbinger Magazine

Sedona artist Pamela Becker has produced a series of provocative paintings, Between the Linear, about the journey of the timeless heart as accessed through meditation, breath and nature. They speak to alternate levels of our consciousness about the human experience, both outward and inward.

Between the Linear is a practice of contemplative creativity. It is Becker’s way of listening and pursuing the subconscious mind. These new works emanate a sense of peace and tranquility. We are limited in our own lives as to where and when we get to create peace and are easily influenced by others not choosing peace. The people in Becker’s paintings remind us how to breathe and be at home inside our own bodies.
The notion of Linear represents the known, acceptable way. Between the Linear is the subtle rebellious space inside and around what is visibly known. “For this exhibition as well as this reception on Nov. 3rd, I have chosen works of my art that most represent the paradox between the rational and unrational mind: art, music and video interaction that cause us to ask the question “what is most important during this life span” and “how do we see and interact with the world through the vessels of who we are and aren’t.”

Becker, who is a formally trained illustrator from the Rhode Island School of Design, and a remarkably versatile artist, has chosen this somewhat unconventional method of layering for this particular body of work because she believes it allows a more direct path to and from her subconscious. Becker exudes a strikingly tranquil, healthful presence. “I access visual art through movement, sound, music, and writing. I seek to invite you inside yourself, by choosing imagery that is representative to the human brain as well as a deeper place of comprehension. “Throughout the process, Becker is observing what is emerging, instead of striving to execute a preconceived vision. Ultimately a message calls forth. The wood surface is complemented by painting, drawing, collage, texture and words until the work is complete. Though the work contains some abstract, her exquisite figurative skills are much in evidence. The titling and story that comes along with the vision is an integral part of the work, seeking yet another place of listening inside the observer. Her new large format hand-crafted book Nothing is Better Than Anything which includes a combination of photo-painting, and poetry.

Examine her Buddha Painting: Before the Tree.The Choice is a Buddha figure, radiant and full of youthful human life choosing to walk towards the Bodhi Tree (nature/enlightenment) rather than the hearth-lit home on the other shore. What are the consequences of this choice? What motivates this choice? Every moment we are choosing. How can we make more conscios well-informed choices that aren’t motivated by habit, comfort or chance.

Sedona, Arizona is so exciting and entertaining, it’s easy to get caught up in one type of activity you enjoy. If you’re an outdoors enthusiast, you may go from hiking to kayaking to Jeep touring in an action-packed, adventure-filled vacation. New Age aficionados and art lovers can just easily pursue their passion for their entire stay in Sedona and still barely scratch the surface of all it has to offer.

Whatever your primary interests are, exploring some of the Southwest’s ancient pre-historical sites during your visit will be well worth your while. You’ll find archaeological sites a lot more interesting in person than they might sound on paper or in tour pamphlets. The V-Bar-V Heritage Site is an excellent place to start learning about Sedona’s ancient history and Sinagua people who inhabited the Verde Valley centuries ago.

The V-Bar-V Heritage Site consists of rock art in the Beaver Creek Style created by the Southern Sinagua. The petroglyphs were created with stone hammers and chisels sometime between 1150 and 1400 A.D. This is the largest petroglyphs site in the Verde Valley and presents a unique opportunity to see ancient artwork up close. The V-Bar-V petroglyphs are so well preserved, you can still clearly see the diverse elements including geometric shapes and lines carved there.

The V-Bar-V petroglyphs contain over 1000 images, which are thought to present a narrative story or message related to the Sinagua’s history. Seeing lizards, deer, coyotes and oddly depicted human figures in the petroglyphs, it is impossible not to try to guess at the stories or historic events they depict. The message is still not understood today, and the mystery of the petroglyphs’ meaning is a large part of its present-day appeal. If petroglyphs become your passion in Sedona, you can explore more examples as well as other pre-historic and ancient sites throughout the area such as Palatki and Honanki in the red sandstone cliffs 3-8 miles west of Sedona off Dry Creek Road.

For more information about the V-Bar-V site, visiting hours, and travel directions call the Sedona Ranger District of the Coconino National Forest at 928.282.4119.

The professional travel information team at HotelsCombined.com authored this article exclusively for www.SedonaInformation.com. HotelsCombined.com provides access to over 30 hotel and resort lodging search engines in a single search. HotelsCombined.com is dedicated to locating the best rates available to customers through reservation search engines from around the world. 

Verde River Springtime Splendor

by Emily Reeves, Outdoor Travel Professional

This winter has blessed the high deserts of Arizona with rain and even snow!  Experience the splendor of springtime differently this year; go boating on the Verde River! Springtime is an exciting season with warm sunny days, cool refreshing evenings surrounded by the blooming trees and singing birds. After winter’s chilly confinement, it’s always nice to get outside to celebrate the rebirth of Mother Nature by enjoying spring activities and recreations. This is good news for boaters because water levels are expected to be higher for boating on the Verde River this spring.

KAYAKS and RAFTING: Boating is a fun, relaxing springtime recreation and nothing beats the freedom of being the captain of your own ship. If you don’t have a boat, Sedona Adventure Outfitters & Guides can outfit you with all the boating gear you need. Open 7 days a week all year round, they are the only company in the Verde Valley offering boating tours as well as boating rental and retail. Specializing in river float trips, Sedona Adventure Outfitters & Guides can rent or sell you inflatable kayaks and other boating gear such as life vests, helmets and paddles.

PROFESSIONAL GUIDES: Sedona Adventure Outfitters features a skilled team of knowledgeable guides each bringing their own expertise and enthusiasm to your guided tour, some with many years of experience on rivers such as the Colorado, Gila, and San Juan.

SPECIALTY TOURS: Sedona Adventure Outfitters specializes in the Verde River Float Trip and the Water to Wine Tour. The River Float Trip is a four hour float trip on the Verde River, the Water to Wine Tour is a one hour float trip to the banks of Alcantara Vineyard. Both tours guarantee fun and excitement, great for couples or the entire family.

INFLATABLE “DUCKIES”: All tours utilize inflatable kayaks also known as “duckies”. In addition to guided tours you can also rent these duckies to create your own adventure. Duckies are ideal for springtime fun and can be taken just about anywhere; they deflate to the size of a large suitcase and can easily fit in a car or truck. Compared to recreational kayaks or canoes; duckies are light, easy to navigate and unbelievably stable because you sit suspended above the water line on an inflated floor. Duckies are user friendly, even for beginners so no previous kayaking experience is necessary. Sedona Adventure Outfitters even have tandem duckies for rent so if you want to bring a friend along to share the fun, you can pair up your efforts! You can rent your own duckie for $59.00 a day or $89.00 for a tandem. Sedona Adventure Outfitters also provide shuttle services the kayak rentals, please call for more information.

THE VERDE RIVER: The Verde River is great for first-time boaters and great for family fun. A jewel in the desert; this majestic river is federally designated as “Wild & Scenic”, running 200 miles along three national forests and offers unlimited possibilities for boaters and sightseers. The well-channeled Verde River allows Sedona Adventure Outfitters to operate river trips all year round so come and experience the unparalleled beauty whether it be a guided tour or your own river adventure.

For more information on how you can boat the Verde River this spring please call Sedona Adventure Outfitters & Guides at 928.204.6440 or visit the website at www.SedonaAdventureTours.com. Feel free to visit the store location at 2020 Contractors Drive in Sedona, across from the Bashas Shopping Center in west Sedona.

Be able to fit everything you bring on your tour into one travel bag or backpack.

It’s no fun to try and fit your extra luggage or previous shopping finds into a crowded vehicle with limited space for extras. Do your best to carry your photographic equipment in a small bag that will hang at your side. Jeep seats are generally crowded and have no room for shopping bags full of recent purchases and the floor of the Jeep is not a great place for expensive gear.

Bring multiple layers of clothing in anticipation of weather changes.

Winter – Warm gloves and a snug-fitting knit hat are essentials along with layered clothing so you can add or subtract according to conditions. Can you say “Wind Chill”? Riding in an open Jeep at 40 mph as you cross town to get to your tour’s trail can be way, way colder than you might expect. This is especially true for first tour of the morning or any tour returning near sunset.

Summer – A wide-brimmed hat or baseball cap make the intense Arizona sun, well, not so intense. Wear lightweight cotton clothing with complete coverage if you sunburn easily. Sunscreen will make you feel secure during any lengthy walkabouts. Whether you prefer shorts or long pants remember that Jeep seats get very hot in the sun and can be uncomfortable on bare skin. A small towel or cloth to place between you and the hot vinyl can be a lifesaver. During the summer Monsoon rainy season think about bringing your own rain gear, especially on longer tours. It’s no fun to discover that your Jeep guide forgot to restock the one-use rain ponchos. A waterproof bag for your expensive camera or video recorder can also make the difference between a fun tour and an unpleasant experience.

Spring and Fall – Expect the unexpected in weather changes and bring extra layers. It can snow in April and be 70 degrees a day later.

Wear comfortable, closed-toe shoes.

Flip flops, sandals, or even platform shoes may seem like fun until you stub your toe on uneven ground climbing up to see the sights at your first stop out of the Jeep. It’s a good idea to wear sturdy walking shoes like Nikes, low boots, or other tennis shoe styles. The one exception might be if you are experienced at wearing open-toed Tevas, Birkenstocks, or Chacos in varying traction conditions. If that’s your usual outdoor choice, then go right ahead. Just remember that hiking down a steep, rocky grade in any shoes that do not have a really excellent grip will add a dimension of danger you may not want to accept. In the winter you will want not only warm, comfortable shoes, but also warm, padded socks. And if it does rain, you’ll be glad to have shoes that can take the elements.

Wear eye-glasses – leave your contacts behind.

Conditions to consider: dust, wind, and swirling heat; a steady blast of cold or hot wind blowing through the Jeep as it cruises across Sedona at 40 mph on its way to your destination; occasional mists of tiny insects that have the unique ability to find their way into eyes, ears, and mouths; sucking dust from vehicles that have the good fortune to be ahead of you on the dirt road you’re driving in your open tour Jeep. If you can honestly say that you can wear your contact lenses under these circumstances without any ill effects, then go ahead. My 15 year experience as a Jeep tour guide indicates otherwise.

Watch your step when out of the Jeep – scary things are much closer than they appear in the mirror.

When you’re out of the Jeep and walking over uneven ground, take special care to watch for loose rocks on slopes and pebble-sized rocks on smooth sandstone surfaces. In both cases the rocks can act as ball bearings and can send you surfing down a slope in the blink of an eye. If your tour involves extended hiking to archaeological ruins or other interesting sites be aware that snakes can and do inhabit the trails, especially under rock overhangs that sometimes form the rock steps you’ll be using. If you’ve never been stung by a honeybee and don’t know whether or not you might have an allergic reaction, realize that it’s your choice to go for the ride. If you know that you are allergic, bring your own medicine. It’s often a long way to the nearest emergency care center. You are responsible for your safety on public land and should consider what that means to you and your family. Be prepared.

Tours are not child-watching services - you need to have control over your children in and out of the Jeep.

Jeep tour guides vary greatly in personal patience and in child care experience. I’m a parent and a veteran tour guide so I feel qualified in saying this: it’s sometimes tough work for parents to create the family vacation that pleases everyone. Jeep tours are fun and educational; however the outcome is largely dependent upon the age and inclinations of your children. What fascinates a 10 year old boy who loves insects may bore a teenage girl to tears. Choose your specific tour with FUN in mind or at least with the greatest number of attractions that might satisfy your particular child (children) and you’ll have a much nicer tour. Please remember that when you get out of the Jeep at specific stop points it’s still your job to watch out for your child’s safety. Tour guides are focused on providing fun, informative tours and are trained to look after your safety. When parents are exhausted from trying to control their children and give into the inevitable “it’s too much” feeling, a tour guide may or may not be of much help. Also it’s uncomfortable for a guide to tell someone else’s child what to do and sometimes difficult to get their attention if they’re running down a rocky slope and heading for possible danger. Be proactive and make sure to give special attention to your child’s safety in this unfamiliar setting. If the tour is more for your benefit than their enjoyment, get a child-sitter at your resort or hotel and take the tour alone.

If you are pregnant, have physical problems that could be antagonized by bouncing around in a Jeep, or have had recent surgery (back, neck, spine, heart), take only the mildest tour.

You probably wouldn’t think of skydiving, galloping on horseback, or taking an open-air biplane tour if you had any of these conditions. Jeep tours are not highway coach tours or anything like a taxi ride. You’ll be out in the open, in close quarters with other guests, and secured by a tight seat belt around your waist at all times. A significant feeling of bouncing and swaying will fill much of the tour even if it’s one of the milder scenic tours on a dirt road. Be patient and wait until the right time – a time when your physical state won’t be exacerbated by conditions beyond your control. Also, while it’s great to be active while you’re pregnant, active does not mean you have to take chances. The same is true if you’re recovering from a challenging physical condition like surgery. Take your time, focus on your healthy state of being right now. The tour can wait and will be much more enjoyable at another time when your physical state is more comfortable.

Plan your photography and video.

If you have a film camera, bring extra film and batteries. If you have digital equipment then pack extra batteries. If you want to take photos from the moving vehicle and not just at get-out points, tell your guide what you want and ask what would be the best way to accomplish it. Guides make informative stops along the trail for pointing out geological features, plants, and historical notes. If a guide knows from the start that photo stops are an important part of your tour they are more likely to stop with photographic elements in mind and not just information. Make sure to let your guide know that you want a family or group photo at one of the stop points. And remember that you can ask to sit in the driver’s seat behind the wheel or have your child do so and have the guide take a memorable shot with a special Sedona view in the background. Be creative while still considering the tour’s timing and the needs of the other passengers. Some guides are excellent videographers as well and can film a few moments of you that you’ll always treasure.

Food snacks should be minimal and not messy and the same applies to liquid beverages. Glass containers are never allowed, hot coffee is likely to be all over you and the other passengers, soda pop is too fizzy and messy when it inevitably spills, and alcoholic beverages are against the law while on tour.

Dry snacks like granola bars, an apple, or trail mix are reasonable and welcome on tours; ice cream cones, a sandwich or hot dog, messy and melty candy bars or fudge, and hard candy that might encourage choking are not. You’ll be sitting close to other passengers and full-on eating in an open, moving vehicle is not appropriate. Having a small snack at stops while out of the Jeep is the perfect time since you can find your own space and not be in another passenger’s face. Most Jeep tour companies carry water on tour for their passengers and provide it at stops. The paper cups they supply are useful for drinking at the Jeep, however they are not useful for hiking around. Water or juice in your own plastic bottle is always the way to go – you can enjoy your stops and walk about the fantastic landscape with liquid at hand whenever you want it. During cold season, drink your hot beverages like coffee or tea before the tour begins because it’s way too likely that it could spill on you (or others) and cause mayhem or injury. Glass containers of any kind are strictly forbidden on tours because of the danger inherent when they inevitably drop and break, in or out of the Jeep. Remember that it’s going to be bumpy and you’ll be exposed to the elements – consider eating your big meal as a reward after you get back from your tour.

Smoking is not allowed in tour vehicles. Smoking might be permitted at some stops.

The Coconino National Forest and the Sedona Red Rock Ranger District keep in close contact with Jeep tour companies concerning fire regulations, especially when the presence of fire danger is high. Various stages of restrictions are put into place as the fire danger increases and the Forest Service is resolute in contacting tour companies and making sure that they institute these restrictions. Individual companies, though, have their own rules and regulations concerning smoking when out of the tour vehicle during times that do not involve elevated fire danger. If you really need to smoke while on tour (especially the longer 3-4 hour tours), ask your tour company about their rules and when and where you’ll be able to smoke. If you are allowed to smoke, ask your guide to use their garbage bag for cigarette disposal - while most well-trained guides carry a garbage bag onboard for finished drinking cups, gum, and other trash, be ready to handle the disposal of your finished cigarette yourself by carrying it back to civilization just in case your guide does not have one handy – cigarettes and cigarette filters are trash and cannot be rubbed out on the ground and left behind. Thoughtful rules like this are one of the reasons Sedona and its environs are so beautiful.

I have a favorite greeting card, one I picked up in Boulder about ten years ago. It shows a cartoon of a gleeming, elderly Asian fellow, rock in one hand, daisy in another, and the caption reads “Sage contemplating the conversation between a stone and a flower.” This is the effect Steve Roach’s music has had on me: simultaneously elevating me to profundity, the Tao, yet reducing me to the simplicity of an empty snail shell basking in the sunlight.

Over the last 20 years, Tucson soundscape artist Steve Roach has treated the world to over 50 widely acclaimed albums. Through the scope his musical vision, he’s been recognized as a virtual Beethoven of the New Age. Didgeridoo was introduced to us on his 1986 album DREAMTIME RETURN. The genres of “tribal” and “dark ambient” music were pioneered on his albums WORLD’S EDGE and THE MAGNIFICENT VOID. His STRUCTURES FROM SILENCE was recently named one of the Top-10 Yoga albums of all-time. The NPR radio show “Music From the Hearts of Space” has featured him dozens of times.

Rhythmically and texturally hypnotic, only fleetingly melodic, these pieces feel more like living beings of sound. Primally evocative more than emotional, they move us towards the dimension we share with the seemingly inanimate components of our world, what’s called the shamanic reality.

I was introduced to Steve in 1987 when a friend visiting from New York City gave me a copy of his groundbreaking WESTERN SPACES, recorded with Kevin Braheny and Richard Burmer. Newly transplanted to the Southwest myself, I had been content mollifying my bodywork clients with misty, ethereal Space Music (Kitaro, Iasos, Emerald Web, Michael Rowland) and what slow movements I’d culled from classical LP’s. But here suddenly was an explosive new approach to a “New Age” sound. Lusty, asymmetrical rhythms, swarms of warm of desert dust; throbbings impelling you towards the innerworkings of the body’s organs, closer to the soul; suggestive mumblings of cell nucleii; the interplay of subatomic particles, of stars and their satellites. I was hooked, and have since amassed a huge collection of Steve’s work, logging hundreds of hours with my clients within their healing spell. I used to be nervous about overwhelming female clients with his Yang energy. That presumption always proves wrong.

Roach’s music breathes, comforting the inner-body with an easy ebb-and-flow, above which percussive emphasis and mineral-like melodies ramble and shake out a message of profound interconnectedness, of the continuous revolution of things. His chords are vast, a third again as many notes as Brahms or Bach, imperceptively changing midcourse, like sunbeams from behind a moving cloud cover. Sustained organic chords, momentarily odd, far too bold for lesser composers, are the pre-melodic structures forming the “soundscapes” which are Steve’s signature. In a 1998 radio interview he told me that a single soundscape may play continuously through his house for days on end until a piece has finally formed itself.

Over the years these soundscapes have spawned a wonderous array of music: The spectacular HALCYON DAYS (my current favorite) featuring Steven Kent (didgeridoo) and Kenneth Newby (percussion, suling bass); Native American rituals on KIVA (with Michael Stearns and Ron Sunsinger); Tibetan recitations on PRAYERS TO THE PROTECTOR with Thupten Pema Lama; Balinese gamelan with Robert Rich on the best-sellers STRATA and SOMA; guitars on DUST TO DUST and this year’s STREAMS & CURRENTS; Meso-American shamanism with Jorge Reyes on SUSPENDED MEMORIES: FORGOTTEN GODS, VINE ~ BARK & SPORE, and 1994 New Age Album of the Year SUSPENDED MEMORIES: EARTH ISLAND; electronic woodwind with Kevin Braheny on DREAMTIME RETURN, DESERT SOLITAIRE, and WESTERN SPACES.

Steve is a native Southern Californian and competes as an off-road cyclist; he now resides in Tucson. His wife and liner-essayist is Linda Kohanov, author of the current best-seller “The Tao of Equus”. Newly completed are albums with legendary guitarist Robert Fripp and with frequent collaborator Vidna Obmana.

As inspiring and nurturing as “New Age” music can be, much is musically simplistic, tending to be pollyanna-like emotionally. This music’s beauty flirts with the moving edge of the human shadow. Greatly to his credit, Steve’s works unerringly retain an absolute positivity – a testament to the genius of this contemporary musical mystic.

Bob Brill has been a Certified Advanced Rolfer* practicing in Sedona since 1986. He can be reached a bobbrill@sedona.net or 928.282.2856

One of the most valuable sources of detailed information on Sedona’s local history was complied through the efforts of a dedicated book committee comprised of members of the Sedona Westerners hiking club (www.sedonawesterners.org.) in conjunction with the Sedona Public Library (www.sedonalibrary.org). First published in soft-cover in 1968, “Those Early Days” became a hardback edition later that same year with an enlarged hardback edition following in 1974. All editions were printed by the Verde Independent newspaper in Cottonwood. This invaluable book has been out-of-print since 1974 and remains an extremely collectible volume. I am fortunate to own all three editions. My prized first edition in soft-cover is signed by Earl Van Deren, early pioneer cowboy, and includes a lengthy hand-written letter to a friend.

The book committee consisted of Allen L. Bristow, Lewis H. Goddard, Ellsworth M. Schnebly, and Albert E. Thompson, long-time Sedona residents and pioneers. Rollie Houck, owner of the oldest, continuously-operating camera shop in Sedona which is still located in Uptown Sedona, was also instrumental in the book’s creation. Rollie was fascinated with early Sedona history and took it upon himself to record (via single-track audio tape) many of the old-timers’ stories. His recordings included Albert E. Thompson, Laura Purtymun McBride, Howard Wingfield, Don Bell, Fletcher Fairchild, and Gail Gardner. Well-versed in photography and printing, Rollie also reproduced the historic photos used throughout the book.

“Those Early Days” is a compilation of pioneer tales, local facts, and first-person narratives. If you’ve ever wondered how certain red rock formations were actually named, when and where the first public telephone was located, how Sedona cowboys got their hands on whiskey during Prohibition, and How Henry Scheurman discovered a new vocation by growing tons of grapes along lower Oak Creek and selling them to ethnic families in Jerome for use in the production of traditional wines, search for a copy of this rare book. The book has dozens of historic photos that truly set the atmosphere for the stories. The Sedona Public library has reference copies available for reading at the library and if you want your own a personal copy, do a search on the internet and you might find a copy surfacing for sale every now and then. It’s definitely the most comprehensive and interesting book on Sedona history.

If you’re the entrepreneurial type and have the time and financial resources available to sponsor a significant project that would enhance Sedona’s historical record, give me a call or write me an email (928.300.7777 or sedonainformation@gmail.com). I’ll connect you with the appropriate folks who can initiate the project of reprinting “Those Early Days”. It has been suggested for many years that a new version could include updated historical commentary, many more photos obtained with permission from the Sedona Heritage Museum (www.sedonamuseum.org ), and perhaps additional “old-timer” interviews to make it the supreme Sedona history resource. It could make a huge difference.

As you read this, a homeless man in Detroit who is hungry for food is thinking about someone in Guantanamo who is hungry for justice, who is thinking about someone in Iraq who is hungry for news about a missing loved one, who is thinking about someone in Darfur who is hungry for food.

As you read this, somewhere a Muslim is kneeling to pray in Arabic, a rabbi is greeting the dawn with a prayer in Hebrew, a priest is celebrating the first Mass of the day – and they are all praying for the same thing: Peace.

As you read this, a girl in Egypt is strumming her guitar, as an old man in Newfoundland is adding the sound of his fiddle, as a boy in New Orleans is thumping out the bass line, as a chorus in South Africa is joining their voices to a song which will eventually be heard everywhere.

As you read this, a firefighter is risking his life to save others without knowing their politics, a doctor is in his twelfth hour of surgery trying to save a patient without knowing their religion, a teacher is working overtime to tutor a student without knowing the financial wherewithal of his family.

As you read this, an artist in France is working on a mural, which will inspire a sculptor in Italy, whose work will instill passion in a writer in Denmark, whose poetry will lead to an editorial in a newspaper in Greenland, which will touch the heart of a student in South America, who will write a book that is embraced by a filmmaker, who will produce a movie that will capture the imagination of the entire world.

As you read this, someone who spent their life promoting hatred is dying, and someone who will spend their life promoting understanding is being born.

As you read this, someone is abandoning their bigotry to make a new friend, someone is helping a newcomer feel welcome in a strange land, someone is consoling a stranger in their grief. As you read this, someone is sharing a story that will bring a smile to a face that has been sad for too long, someone is bringing the warmth of laughter to a child who has felt only the chill of hopelessness for too many years.

As you read this, someone is thinking about the abundance on their dinner table and how to share it, someone is dreaming about love and how to spread it, someone is pondering the concept of peaceful coexistence and how to instill it in the hearts and minds of those around them.

As you read this, a high school student in Germany is reading a message from someone in Mississippi promoting harmony between nations, and she is sending that message to a friend in Kuwait, who is sending that message to a friend in Iceland, who is sending that message to a friend in Australia – and each recipient in turn is sending that message to their friends, who in turn will send that message to their friends, until that message circumnavigates the planet.

As you read this, the voice of prayer is being raised in countless languages, the song of freedom is being sung in countries too numerous to count, the quest for justice is being pursued by millions of people around the world.

As you read this, a scientist in Sweden is looking through a microscope at what may be the key to a cure for cancer, and he’s thinking not of the money to be made, but the lives to be saved. As you read this, an astronomer in Russia is looking through a telescope, and she is thinking about how the exploration of the universe can be used for the good of all mankind, and not for the accommodation of weapons systems that will eventually destroy us all.

As you read this, someone is standing down when urged to do something unconscionable, someone is standing away from a group that advocates violence, someone is standing up for what they believe in.

As you read this, remember that those who live their lives in pursuit of wealth will always be poor, those who judge others based on the color of their skin will always be friendless, those who advocate violence will always live in fear.

As you read this, remember that those who twist religion to serve their own purpose will always be outnumbered by those who have true faith, those who obfuscate the doctrines of justice will always be outnumbered by those who uphold them, those who are blinded by prejudice will always be outnumbered by those who see the humanity in their global neighbors, those who live in the darkness created by ignoring the plight of others will always be outnumbered by those who live in the light of brotherhood.

We, the people who believe in the basic goodness of each other and what we can accomplish together, may be downtrodden. But in the end, we will prevail.

We are all connected; we are not alone. And our numbers are legion.

As you read this, keep that thought in your head, and that truth in your heart.

Written by Nance Greggs
www.democraticunderground.com