Arizona - Sedona Red Rock Town

[Lily Sunflower]

Howdy from Sedona Arizona - thought I would share some of my past few days hiking about in Arizona. There is a place I call "The Magic Kingdom" that I can really connect with Mother Nature away from the silly California buzz. Not much live ranching anymore here. But was a cowboy country atmosphere not to long ago.

 

[Big Muddy rancher]

Rugged country.

 

[Lily Sunflower]

It's hot dry and dirty in some seasons - whipping winds in others - monsoonal rains - even snow. But so darn beautiful that Mother Sedona is!!!

 

[Older Whiskey]

It's hot dry and dirty in some seasons - whipping winds in others - monsoonal rains - even snow. But so darn beautiful that Mother Sedona is!!!

Some of my family still ranch west of there where the beauty stops and the tourist don't visit.

Oregon has a Painted Rocks area down in the John Day Breaks, that while nothing like Sedona, is beautiful and doesn't have all the tourist. It is also a fossil bed and the home of the ancient giant pig. That area is my favorite ranch country.

Old ranch in the John Day Breaks

 

[webfoot]

We use to go through there every year going the Kimberly to the orchard. Great upick peaches. But the trees we planted here started producing so we haven't driven up there in a couple years.

 

[Lily Sunflower]

That is cool to hear Older Whiskey that some of your family still ranches on the outskirts of the Sedona area. I just absolutely love the vibe in any desert. I pick up some delicious apple cider from a fellow that does apple farming locally. After a long long hike coming in to a swig of the cold cider in the mason jar tops it off!

 

[Faster horses]

We looked at a ranch near John Day, OR. It was too rugged for us. But beautiful country.
We were told about a ranch woman that would look on the ridge above the house to see the riders.
She would know they would be back for supper in 2 hours!

 

[webfoot]

One of my neighbors in college was from John Day. We had a farm management class together. I remember he brought in a Grant County map. It was color coded. Land owned by his Dad, Land owned by his uncle. BLM allotments of Dad's and a different color for uncles BLM. Same with forest service ground. I swear it looked like there was more colored area than plain. As an 18 year old kid I had no idea there were ranches of that size.