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?

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.

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.

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. 

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.

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.

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

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, 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

Enjoy your cuisine explorations and stop by to taste the Chef’s magic at the Heartline Cafe next time you visit Sedona. There’s nothing like the real thing.

Linguine with Grilled Shrimp Puttanesca

Four to six servings

1 pound linguine

½ cup plus 1 tablespoon olive oil

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon capers

¾ cup black olives

6 anchovy fillets, chopped (optional)

2 cups ripe tomatoes, diced

¼ cup parsley

2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 ½ pounds shrimp, peeled and deveined

Linguine

Cook linguine according to package directions. Drain and toss with one tablespoon olive oil to prevent sticking. Set aside.

Puttanesca Sauce

In a large sauté pan, heat the one-half cup olive oil and garlic over medium-low heat until scent of garlic starts to expand, one to two minutes. Add capers, black olives and anchovies and sauté for two minutes. Add tomatoes, parsley, and two tablespoons thyme. Continue to sauté until tomatoes soften and create a sauce-like consistency.

Add pasta to this mixture and toss well to thoroughly coat and warm pasta. Leave in sauté pan to keep warm while grilling shrimp.

Brush shrimp with olive oil. Grill over medium heat until cooked through, about two minutes. Because shrimp overcook quickly, it is important to cook them until barely white inside, remaining very moist and tender.

Presentation

Divide pasta among four pasta bowls or plates and arrange shrimp on top. Garnish with remaining teaspoon of thyme. At The Heartline, we serve this dish with foccacia bread.

 Joel Gilgoff, associate broker, president
RE/MAX Sedona

What’s Happening:

http://www.sedonaaz.gov/tourism/acEvents2.aspx
http://www.sedona.net/index.cfm?Render=EventCalendar_ViewEvents

The first Friday of each month continues to be a special event at 15 Sedona art galleries. Stop at any gallery and hop on the free trolley to see all the rest. For information call 282-3809.

Yavapai College has an extensive 2007-2008 community events season with everything from the Prescott Pops Symphony to the annual Cowboy Poets gathering.

For information visit www.yc.edu/communityevents.

City Business:

The City of Sedona has approved a $17.7 million bond issue which will enable construction of a City sewer in the Chapel area, drainage improvement to the Chapel area, drainage improvements to the Harmony/Windsong area in West Sedona plus the City’s contribution to the Phase 2 Highway 179 reconstruction.

Sedona’s ban on very short-term vacation rentals has been reinforced with a new ordinance making the advertising of short term rentals as well as the act of renting on a short term basis, illegal. Violation of the ban is a Class 1 misdemeanor and can carry a maximum fine of $2,500 and up to 6 months in jail. The City is serious about enforcing this ban on rentals of less than 30 days.

The City of Sedona has hired their first Senior Advocate. With more than 25% of the city’s population over 65 years old, the city felt a responsibility to provide a contact person for information about services in the city, county, state and federal agencies both public and private to this segment of the community. Anne Leap, a Sedona resident since 1998 and a 30 year veteran of a career in social services, has been hired for this position.

New Developments:

Camp Soaring Eagle is being built on 55 acres of land adjoining the Verde Valley School. This free camp will give children with serious illnesses a chance to “soar like an eagle”. Campers will be able to ride horses, fish, hike, climb and swim in the new Olympic size pool. The camp will also include an amphitheater, place of worship and an indoor recreation center. The camp’s annual operating costs will be funded entirely by charitable contributions. For more information visit www.campsoaringeagle.org.

City of Sedona has approved a change to its’ community plan to allow Fitch Industries to develop a hotel, conference center and new amphitheater on the grounds of Sedona’s former Cultural Park.

Developer Paul Galloway has plans to transform the dirt lot next to Walgreens on Highway 89A into a beautiful mixed use development. The project known as Kallof Place will include 14 commercial units as well as 13 residential condominiums. Paul also has plans for major developments along Highway 89A west of Dry Creek Road and east of Airport Road.

Highway Construction:

We recommend that during ongoing construction of Highway 179 visitors coming to Sedona from Phoenix come via Highway 260 (Hwy. 17 exit 287) – proceed west to Hwy. 89A – then north to Sedona. This will avoid any possible Hwy 179 construction delays.

The contract for construction of Phase 2 of Highway 179 entering Sedona has been awarded. Phase 2 contains the area from Back O’Beyond Road to the “Y” intersection with Highway 89A. This four mile stretch will include a new bridge over Oak Creek plus a new pedestrian bridge just north of the current Oak Creek bridge. Southwest Asphalt Paving will begin work around the 1st of January on the $39.9 million project. The project is scheduled for completion by the end of 2009. The contract calls for no closures of the road.

Grants totaling approximately $1 million have been awarded for highway enhancements in the Phase 1 area of the new Highway 179. The grants will be used for landscaping, benches, bike stands and pedestrian lighting. However, no money has been allocated for ongoing maintenance of these improvements. The residents of the VOC area will be voting on the creation of a new taxing district to raise funds for ongoing maintenance.

The northernmost roundabout in the Phase 1 project has opened at Back O’Beyond Road. This is the first of 12 planned roundabouts in the Highway reconstruction project.

The Sedona Visitor’s Center remodeling is now complete. The center has a much expanded visitor service area and will soon have electronic kiosks to service the needs of more than 300,000 annual visitor center walk-ins. The building is really beautiful – stop by to check it out on your next Sedona trip.

Possible new developments in the city:

Two office buildings and 40 units of lodging across the street from the Les Springs Subdivision in West Sedona.

A possible 48 unit residential condominium project called “Falls at Oak Creek”. The project will include the redevelopment of the Oak Creek Mobile Lodge property along SR 179.

A 9 lot single family residential subdivision called “Seven Vistas” located at the intersection of Badger Drive and Lynx Drive in the chapel area.

A possible new 7 lot single family residential subdivision located just west of the Basha’s shopping center on Payne Place.

A new 20 unit motel to replace the existing 14 unit Red Rock Lodge located north of uptown along 89A.

A possible 11 unit single family residential subdivision on 4.8 acres off Schnebly Hill Road.

Remodeling of the old office building/gallery space on Schnebly Hill Road at the junction of 179.

Possible development of an assisted living facility to be located on the northwest corner of SR 89A and Bristlecone Pines Road.

Possible condominium conversion of the Vivienda Apartments located on Jordan Road.

Possible conversion of an existing apartment complex on Coffee Pot Road to condominiums including construction of additional units. This would require a zone change.

Miscellaneous Around Sedona:

Tiger Splash, Out of Africa Wildlife Park’s newest attraction, opened to the public on September 29th. This ½ hour daily show features wild tigers playing with their trainers in a large custom designed swimming pool.

The Barking Frog Grille which recently opened in West Sedona has just opened “The Reserve” featuring southwest cuisine, steaks and seafood, contained within the same facility.

Blazin’ M Ranch Chuckwagon Dinner Show is celebrating its 13th anniversary. The ranch owned by the Mabery family since 1966 has nightly performances of a cowboy musical suitable for family members of all ages. This is a fun thing to do while visiting Sedona. For more information, visit www.blazinm.com.

In preparation for the opening of the new Red Rock Forest Service Office on Highway 179, the forest service has closed the Mormon Lake Ranger Station.

A new gallery has opened in Jerome. The Stahlcraft Gallery features custom steel furniture in a Frank Lloyd Wright, Stickley, Arts and Crafts motif. The gallery also features several local artists’ work in charcoal, oils, stain glass and glicee prints.

Saturday nights are Art Walk Nights in Jerome. The 30 participating galleries and studios feature ever changing art, music and other talents. For information visit www.jeromeartwalk.com.

A new entertainment venue has opened within driving distance of Sedona. Tim’s Toyota Center, located in Prescott Valley, will feature top name entertainment easily accessible by Sedona visitors and residents. Upcoming events include Dorothy Hamill in Broadway on Ice, Andy Williams Christmas Show, Blue Man Group, Tom Jones, Alan Jackson.

For information visit www.timstoyotacenter.com.

A new restaurant has opened in Sedona to excellent reviews. Elote Café, specializing in regional Mexican cuisine, is located at the Kings Ransom Hotel on highway 179. They are open for dinner only Tues-Sat from 5pm.

The Museum of Northern Arizona is hosting their 18th Annual Trappings of the American West Exhibition. Trappings presents a showcase of functional and fine art of the American Cowboy. This juried sales exhibition featuring the work of 75 artists from 14 Western states will run through January 6, 2008. For information see www.musnaz.org.

The Sedona Dream Theater, located in the former Super Vue Theater in the Village of Oak Creek, is now open. This new venue will present live acts as well as independent and commercial feature films. For schedules visit www.sedonatheater.com.

Petrified Forest National Park is a 2 ½ hour drive northeast of Sedona. This is one of the few parks that has experienced a dramatic drop in attendance. It has some very interesting nature trails which include many areas of petrified wood and remnants of the dinosaurs which roamed this area.

The Goldenstein Gallery, located in Uptown Sedona, has just doubled in size. The gallery featuring contemporary works of art and custom furnishings is a must see on any visit to Sedona.

Have you ever heard of the Verde Valley Sinfonietta? The Sinfonietta will perform their 2007/2008 concert series with three different conductors. The first concert led by David Cripps of Flagstaff will be held December 15th and 16th.

A new Italian dessert place has opened in the Hillside Shopping Center. Zelo Cosi features Italian coffee and sodas, antipasto salad, smoothies, panini sandwiches and lots more. They also have WIFI available.

Forty six descriptive photos of Sedona’s pioneer days are on display at the Arizona Memory Project website. The images are entitled “History of Sedona” and were created by Sedona Historical Society volunteers. You can view the images at www.azmemory.lib.az.us.

Sedona Chamber Music is celebrating its 25th season of “magical music in the red rocks”. This season includes 10 concerts featuring 3 Grammy award winning ensembles and artists. For information and schedules see www.chambermusicsedona.org.

Events continue weekly at Red Rock State Park. For information call 282-6907.

Any time you go through a market like the one we’ve been through the last 15 months, you start to look for any signs that things may be turning around. Locally, three Real Estate companies either shut their doors this week or announced they were shutting their doors. They obviously weren’t nearly as optimistic as I am about the market beginning to turn around, but let me share with you my reasons.

First of all housing traditionally is directly effected by the rate of Unemployment. Nationally and locally unemployment numbers are below 5%, which means most people who can are working for a living and everyone needs a place to call home. Here in Sedona the unemployment numbers will always remain pretty constant, but what I’m really looking at here is what the Phoenix unemployment is like? That picture is still pretty positive although if you read the Arizona Republic you would think that the housing market will single handedly ruin the economy. Since the economy in the Valley appears relatively healthy you can bet that people with money will start looking for bargains.

Which leads me to my second positive sign. In the last month I have had multiple conversations with people who say things like “Man, if I had some money I would snap up four to five properties and just sit on them for a few years.” Now granted, these conversations have been with Realtors who have no money, so at this point it’s just idle chatter. But I have seen this type of talk before and it usually occurs right before people who actually have money see the same thing and start to purchase some of these bargains. When people who have worked in the industry for a long time are seeing some bargains, you can bet they will be able to convince some buyers of that as well. It’s almost like having insider stock tips (not that I have ever done that). Don’t get me wrong, I am not predicting a quick return to a sellers market but I am betting that despite all the negative news in the press about the credit industry, we will see a stronger fall for sales this year than last year. It may just be a hunch but at least it’s an educated hunch. By the way, I almost did this newsletter on the Credit Industry shake up but frankly it won’t really affect the Sedona market real significantly so I just couldn’t see spending a lot of time explaining to you why, once again, the media has magnified a problem beyond belief. I’ll just share this with you, sub prime loans account for less than 10% of the entire amount of loans out there. Of those, about 50% are in trouble and much of that is due to scheduled interest rate adjustments on ARM’s which the industry is already beginning to address to help ease the pain for some consumers. Bottom line; don’t lose any sleep over this one.

Once again, if you need to sell in this market, trust the company who understands and can spot the trends. If you want to buy right now, it may be the best time to purchase Real Estate in Sedona for a long time to come. Either way, the experienced agents at Coldwell Banker First Affiliate armed with the best resources in the industry will be happy to help you make the right decision.

Tod Christensen
Designated Broker
Coldwell Banker First Affiliate

September / October 2007
Joel Gilgoff, associate broker, president
RE/MAX Sedona

What’s Happening:

http://www.sedonaaz.gov/tourism/acEvents2.aspx

http://www.sedona.net/index.cfm?Render=EventCalendar_ViewEvents

Fiesta del Tlaquepaque returns on September 8th from 10AM to 6PM. Admission is free. The 34th Annual Fiesta will have continuous entertainment from folkloric dancing, flamenco dancing, arts and crafts, food, mariachis and plenty of kid’s activities.

The Annual Coconino County Fair is open August 30th to September 3rd at Fort Tuthill County Park 3 miles south of Flagstaff.

The first Friday of each month continues to be a special event at 15 Sedona art galleries. Stop at any gallery and hop on the free trolley to see all the rest. For information call 282-3809.

Sedona is again planning a Western Americana Day. This year’s event will take place on Saturday September 22nd at Sedona Airport. Featured will be airplanes, classic cars and a community festival.

Sedona Jazz on the Rocks tickets are now available. This year’s annual highlight event will begin Tuesday 9/25 and run through Sunday 9/30 at various venues and locations throughout the Sedona area. The highlight of the weekend will be an all day jazz festival 10:30 AM – 5:30 PM Saturday 9/29 on the grassy knoll of the Radisson Poco Diablo resort. For tickets and information visit www.sedonajazz.com.

Yavapai College has an extensive 2007-2008 community events season with everything from the Prescott Pops Symphony to the annual Cowboy Poets gathering. For information visit

www.yc.edu/communityevents.

City Business:

Sedona Red Rock High School has initiated their own hospitality program. Sedona’s work force includes 7660 workers employed in hotels and restaurants. More than 60 Red Rock High School students are enrolled in this program which was developed by the American Hotel and Lodging Educational Institute. If these students decide to pursue a career in hotel or culinary arts they will be welcome additions to the Sedona economy.

The Sedona City Council has unanimously endorsed the latest proposal for “Barbara’s Park”. Plans for the 2 acre park include an open air shaded venue for 300 people. The project is being funded namely by private donations.

Fitch Industries (who are currently under contract to purchase the former cultural park land) has settled its long running dispute with Yavapai College. The plan agreed upon will allow Fitch to trade 5.4 acres of its property for the 5 acres of Yavapai College’s property on the former Sedona Cultural Park site. The contract also resolves all past agreements between the college and the Cultural Park. Fitch Industries as of this writing has not yet purchased any of the Cultural Park land.

Marie Brown, the first employee of the City of Sedona, recently retired after working 19 years for the City. Much of the time Marie worked as Sedona’s City Clerk and ended her career as the Assistant City Manager.

The City is considering making several of the uptown streets one way. Van Deren Road and Wilson Road are narrow and difficult to traverse with fire equipment or other emergency vehicles.

New Developments:

Highway Construction: We recommend that during ongoing construction of Highway 179 visitors coming to Sedona from Phoenix come via Highway 260 (Hwy. 17 exit 287) – proceed west to Hwy. 89A – then north to Sedona. This will avoid any possible Hwy 179 construction delays.

The Sedona Visitor’s Center remodeling is almost complete. Completion of the total remodel is now scheduled for the first week in September (the kiosks will follow a month or so later). When complete, the center will have a much expanded visitor service area and electronic kiosks to service the needs of more than 300,000 annual visitor center walk-ins. The building is really beautiful – stop by to check it out on your next Sedona trip.

Possible new developments in the city:

Two office buildings and 40 units of lodging across the street from the Les Springs Subdivision in West Sedona.

A possible 48 unit residential condominium project called “Falls at Oak Creek”. The project will include the redevelopment of the Oak Creek Mobile Lodge property along SR 179.

A 9 lot single family residential subdivision called “Seven Vistas” located at the intersection of Badger Drive and Lynx Drive in the chapel area.

A possible new 7 lot single family residential subdivision located just west of the Basha’s shopping center on Payne Place.

A new 20 unit motel to replace the existing 14 unit Red Rock Lodge located north of uptown along 89A.

A possible 11 unit single family residential subdivision on 4.8 acres off Schnebly Hill Road.

Remodeling of the old office building/gallery space on Schnebly Hill Road at the junction of 179.

Possible development of an assisted living facility to be located on the northwest corner of SR 89A and Bristlecone Pines Road.

Possible condominium conversion of the Vivienda Apartments located on Jordan Road.

Possible conversion of an existing apartment complex on Coffee Pot Road to condominiums including construction of additional units. This would require a zone change.

Miscellaneous Around Sedona:

Janeen Trevillyan, a volunteer for the Sedona Historical Society, in concert with Lisa Schnebly Heidinger (great-granddaughter of Sedona Schnebly) have written a 127 page book on Sedona’s history. The book contains chapters on Sedona’s first families, farms and orchards, tourism and travel and the Schnebly family. The book is entitled Images of America: Sedona.

A new Italian dessert place is opening in the Hillside Shopping Center. Zelo Cosi will feature Italian coffee and sodas, antipasto salad, smoothies, panini sandwiches and lots more. They plan to also have WIFI available.

Javelinas on Parade, Sedona’s public art project, will continue on display through November 2007. Javelinas on Parade, a 104 page book of photographs and stories, is now available for sale. The book is available at the Southwest Inn or on the Javelina website www.javelinasonparade.com for a cost of $20.00. Proceeds from book sales will be used to support Sedona’s art community. The project will culminate on November 10 with a gala auction scheduled to be held at the Sedona Hilton. Limited tickets are now on sale. Contact the chamber of commerce for information.

Casa Rincon Restaurant has closed and the building has been sold to the owner of the Cowboy Club, Tom Gilloman. A new restaurant named The Barking Frog is now open. The Barking Frog (named after Tom’s brother’s former restaurant) serves an extensive menu of southwest dishes including an extensive wine menu.

Forty six descriptive photos of Sedona’s pioneer days are on display at the Arizona Memory Project website. The images are entitled “History of Sedona” and were created by Sedona Historical Society volunteers. You can view the images at www.azmemory.lib.az.us.

Sedona Chamber Music is celebrating its 25th season of “magical music in the red rocks”. This season includes 10 concerts featuring 3 grammy award winning ensembles and artists. For information and schedules see

www.chambermusicsedona.org.

The Northern Arizona’s Opera’s Luxury Home and Classic Car Tour is scheduled for October 6th and 7th. Visitors may tour one of a kind luxury homes while viewing beautifully restored classic cars parked outside each unique home. For information call 284-3034.

The Verde Valley Home and Business Expo will bring together merchants from Sedona, Camp Verde and Cottonwood on September 8th at the Verde Valley Fairgrounds located in Cottonwood. Last year’s event had 80 exhibitors displaying to over 1200 attendees. This fun event is a great way to meet your neighborhood businesses and get some great deals on many local products and services.

Slide Rock State Park’s Apple Orchard will be going organic. The park contains about 10 acres of apple trees. The process of going from chemical fertilizers to organic status typically takes about 3 years.

The Sedona Film Office has been busy fielding requests for location shoots in Sedona. Recent projects include a print shoot by Getty Images, a Grisley Peaks Films independent feature, an SUV commercial, a television series pilot and CBS Channel 5’s “Entertainment Weekly”.

Events continue weekly at Red Rock State Park. For information call 282-6907.

If you have been reading this newsletter for longer than a year, you may recall it was about this time that we started talking about the RAPIDLY declining real estate market in Sedona. In comparing last June to July the Real Estate market dropped by well over 50% in one month and our long nervous spell began. Well, here we are a year later and I am here to tell you that many indicators point us in an upward direction. One of the things we do at Coldwell Banker First Affiliate is watch numbers, almost with an obsession, because it gives us the first glimpse for trends that we know will affect our customers. One of the numbers we look for are the number of pending sales in a given month. The lowest point for that number was September of last year. Since then we have watched a steady, although gradual, increase in pending sales.

It is my opinion that there are a number of buyers out there that have been sitting on the fence hoping that home prices would continue to fall. I think the worst is over for housing values in the Sedona area for two reasons, the first of which I’ve already mentioned and that is the steady increase in pending sales, which indicates a rising demand. The second reason I would not expect home prices to drop much further is the fact that Sedona is a resort market, and resort markets react differently to economic pressures than do traditional markets. The reason for that is that a much lower percentage of Sedona residents require a steady income to live here than in traditional markets. Many homes in the Sedona area are second homes, and of the primary residents many of them are retired and don’t need to rush a sale. There will always be people in any market who absolutely have to sell, but that percentage will not be as high in Sedona as it would in say Flagstaff.

Now, there are still many listings which are over-priced for this market so you may still see some of those homes reduce prices in order to come down to the market, but the market looks stronger now than it did a year ago and if I’m right about pent up buyer demand then we may very well have a very enjoyable fall selling season. The days of 25% annual appreciating home values may be gone but a strong healthy Real Estate Market may not be that far away.

Tod Christensen, Designated Broker

Coldwell Banker First Affiliate

Living in a conscious and health conscious place like Sedona we are always hearing about cleansing our systems internally. This is a very powerful tool to staying healthy and vibrant; however, some of the methods for detoxification aren’t always as healthy as they could be. Using specific herbal infusions can be the gentle type of cleansing that honors you and your body. As we say good-bye to summer and head into autumn we are faced with a perfect opportunity to support our bodies and make room for increased vitality.

An herbal infusion is similar to herbal tea; we use most of the same herbs. Tea is usually steeped for 5-30 minutes. Herbal infusions take 4-12 hours, allowing for the water to have time to extract all of the high nutrient content from the plants. The nutrition that we receive from herbal infusions is second to none as it easy for our bodies to recognize the vitamins and minerals and assimilate them. All different herbs and parts of the plants can be used, depending on your desired results.

For a change of season “house cleaning”, I like to use Dandelion root and Burdock root. Roots help us stay grounded, allowing us to be centered as Mother Nature changes our external environment.

Dandelion root (Taraxacum officinalis) has direct actions on the liver, promoting detoxification and bile flow, removing accumulations, and reducing liver congestion. Since our liver has the not so easy job of processing everything that goes into our bodies, including emotions, stress, and outside energies, it is wise to offer this helper our focused support and healing intentions. As we release and let go of accumulated toxins in the liver, we re-open ourselves to the gentle flows of life. There is a reason it is called the “LIVER”!

Burdock root (Arctium lappa) will not only help cool the liver, it will also clean the blood and is a specific remedy for the lymph. One of the important jobs of the lymphatic system is to clean out harmful bacteria and organisms that could make us sick. Some symptoms of congested lymph include eczema, swollen glands, muscle aches and stiff joints. Burdocks cooling action promotes detoxification, removes lymph congestion, clears heat, and reduces inflammation.

Together, Burdock and Dandelion roots are a dynamic duo! To make an herbal infusion with these powerful allies, pour 1 pint of boiling water over 1oz. of the roots and let this sit for eight hours or overnight. Strain and drink cold or reheat, add honey or agave nectar to taste. Drink this pint during the day and try it out for one cycle of moon.

Kimba Kraft , the author, is a gifted Clinical Herbalist with a passion for healing and plant medicine. She invites her clients to share their stories in a safe and compassionate environment with the supreme goal of matching the person with the perfect plant allies. She feels that through plants we can access our true health and vibrancy, thus allowing our spirit to soar. Kimba also teaches classes on local plant medicines, medicine making, and healing through herbs. She currently does consultations in her office in Sedona. For more information please call or email.

She believes that when the physical body is healthy, we can allow our spirit to soar.

For consultations contact her at 928.300.8233 or email kkraft@myway.com.

July / August 2007
Joel Gilgoff, associate broker, president
RE/MAX Sedona

What’s Happening: Click on the links below to get a current list of events in and around the Sedona area.

http://www.sedonaaz.gov/tourism/acEvents2.aspx

http://www.sedona.net/index.cfm?Render=EventCalendar_ViewEvents

The first Friday of each month continues to be a special event at 15 Sedona art galleries. Stop at any gallery and hop on the free trolley to see all the rest. For information call 282-3809.

Sedona is again planning a Western Americana Day. This year’s event will take place on Saturday September 22nd at Sedona Airport. Featured will be airplanes, classic cars and a community festival.

Shakespeare Sedona continues with Romeo and Juliet being presented at Tlaquepaque through July 14th. For information see www.shakespearesedona.com.

Sedona Jazz on the Rocks tickets are now available. This year’s annual highlight event will begin Tuesday 9/25 and run through Sunday 9/30 at various venues and locations throughout the Sedona area. The highlight of the weekend will be an all day jazz festival 10:30 AM – 5:30 PM Saturday 9/29 on the grassy knoll of the Radisson Poco Diablo resort. For tickets and information visit www.sedonajazz.com.

Northern Arizona University has an opening Monday July 9th of three separate exhibitions. For details see www.nau.edu/artmuseum.

Local photographer Robert Albrecht has several images on display in the Phippen Art Museum in Prescott. The Phippen Museum is located just north of Prescott on Hwy. 89A.

The 6th Annual Red Rocks Music Festival kicks off on Saturday 8/25 at 7pm at the Jewish Community Center of Sedona. For information visit www.redrockmusicfestival.com.

The Opera League of Northern Arizona Home Tour and Classic Car Show will be held Saturday and Sunday October 6th and 7th. For information call 284-3034.

“Local Color” is the theme of the Jerome Artists Cooperative Annual Summer Membership Show. The show features special works by all of their gallery members and will run through August 1st. For information visit www.jeromeartistscoop.com.

Yavapai College has an extensive 2007-2008 community events season with everything from the Prescott Pops Symphony to the annual Cowboy Poets gathering. For information visit www.yc.edu/communityevents.

City Business:

The City’s Roadrunner Shuttle service has carried over 40,000 people in its first 7 months of operation. The City has added summer van routes to the shuttle which will take passengers from the Uptown Municipal Parking Lot to the Sedona Public Library (located behind the Southwest Inn) w