Sedona & Grand Canyon

I turned 44 in Sedona, which is about as good as birthdays get. The plan was a week of hiking with a sunrise hot air balloon ride and a side trip to the Grand Canyon.

The hiking was relentless in the best way. Bell Trail to Wet Beaver Creek on the drive in, then Fay Canyon, Doe Mountain at sunset, Cathedral Rock, Devil’s Bridge, Soldier Pass, Bear Mountain, and Airport Mesa for one last sunset on the way out. Each trail delivered something the last one didn’t.

The Grand Canyon was a day trip — Grand Canyon Village, then Horseshoe Bend, then a detour to Boulder City, Nevada on the way back. Horseshoe Bend is one of those places that no photo does justice, no matter how good your camera is.

The hot air balloon at sunrise over the red rocks was the highlight. Watching the sun come up from a thousand feet above the desert floor, with Cathedral Rock and the Mogollon Rim stretching out in every direction. That’s the kind of moment that reminds you why you keep booking flights.