“The deserts of the American Southwest abound with ancient literature.” Petroglyphs — images or symbols chipped into the rock — are found throughout the area, left by its prehistoric inhabitants. Their meanings are obscure, the subject of much speculation and little proof.

Even when an image seems clear, its meaning isn’t as easy. Does a glyph that looks like a deer mean this is a good hunting area, frequented by deer? Does it record a specific hunt? Perhaps it honored a deer-related god? Or was it just the idle chippings of a bored and artistic traveler — ancient graffiti?

In most cases we’ll probably never know, but one group of petroglyphs may have yielded up its secrets. A couple of amateur Arizona archaeologist say these “water glyphs” were used by the ancient Anasazi used to find scarce water sources in the desert.

The markers seem to act something like a map of motel locations. Just as a modern traveler could look at such a map and decide where he would be assured lodging for the night, one of the Anasazi well-versed in reading these symbols would have known where he could next stop for water and shelter.”

Bob Ford and Dixon Spendlove have identified and studied more than 270 examples of these symbols, across more than 2,000 square miles, throughout the ancient Anasazi homeland. Each glyph is at one water source, and points to another, enabling you to hop from water to water across the desert.

Just take a quick walk in the desert today, and imagine heading off on a lengthy trek across the forbidding (and potentially deadly) desert. You’ll wish you had a reliable water map.

A thousand years ago, they did.

Wilderness Utah: Water trails of the Anasazi

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Our desert hiking trips in Arizona and New Mexico come supplied with plenty of water, but you’ll quickly get an idea of how hard it must have been for earlier travelers without all our conveniences. It’s spectacular country, but not easy for the unprepared!

If you ever come to Sedona, take one of the Pink Jeep tours, and be sure to get the “Broken Arrow” tour. It’s hands-down the best.

The tour involves amazing feats of driving up, down, and over the red rocks of Sedona, and you’ll go places that look like they should be impossible! If you’ve got back problems, this isn’t a wise idea, as you WILL get bounced around a lot, and grab for the “oh shit bar” frequently. It’s an exciting ride!

The trail is on national forest land, so although Pink Jeep company has exclusive rights to this trail for commercial operators, any Tom, Dick or Harry who wants to do it on their own can give it a try.

We passed a private vehicle with a family inside, little kid waving out the window at us. A bit later, we almost saw them flip over.

We’d just come down the very steep section shown in the photo, and they were attempting the same thing right behind us. Unfortunately, Driver Dad hadn’t had weeks of training in how to maneuver this course (unlike our driver). He got his wheels in the wrong place, went way up on one side, and came within inches of flipping. He finally realized he had to back up out of that situation, so one imminent disaster was narrowly averted.

I’m sure there were some very worried people inside that vehicle, who would rather get out & walk down the hill at that point. I’d bet there were also some “I told you this wasn’t a good idea” comments flowing, interspersed with a ripe selection of 4-letter words!

After the first near-miss disaster, our jeep driver continued on, so we weren’t able to see the rest of the story. I certainly hope the folks behind us did better on their 2nd attempt, because it was just too scary watching them on the 1st!

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We do women’s trips to Sedona a few times a year, and every guest has the option of going on this jeep trip — with a fully-trained professional driver! For anybody who’s feeling the urge to drive it themselves, I’d recommend taking the tour first, and see what you’re up against.

We arrived in Sedona this afternoon, and it feels so good to be back!

I met our group of adventurous wenches this morning in Phoenix, then we headed up to Cottonwood, where we picnicked beside a lagoon, with big shady trees. It felt like an oasis in the desert!

Next stop was Tuzigoot, the ruins of a town built by the Sinaguans about 1,000 years ago, and mysteriously abandoned 400 years later. Who were these people? And why did they all leave this “oasis” spot in the desert? (Tuzigoot and the mysterious “abandonment” definitely deserve coverage in posts of their own, so more on that later!)

From Tuzigoot, it’s a quick hop to Sedona. Driving into Sedona is always spectacular, as the famous red rock landscape comes into view, and it’s always cool to share this amazing place with new people.

I’ve been here so many times, that settling into our uptown hotel feels like coming home. Get all the chores done, then relax on the hotel balcony, looking up at the rocks, and thinking “ahhh… life is good”. The view includes famous “Snoopy Rock”, lying on his back and looking up at the sky (on the right in the picture, click photo for larger version).

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We do Sedona tours for women a few times a year, in spring and fall. I always feel my spirits life when I come here, though I don’t know how much of that I can attribute to vortex energy vs. just getting away from my desk and spending time outside!

So what exactly IS a vortex anyway? Sedona is famous for its mystical energy vortexes — but what ARE they? What happens when you go to one?

We did a women’s trip to Sedona recently, and I got to join our group on the vortex tour. Now I can’t tell everything, because our unwritten rule is “what happens at the vortex, stays at the vortex”. (I guess now it’s a written rule!) But without giving too much away, I can tell you a bit about it.

Vortexes are places on the earth where there’s an especially strong electromagnetic field, and there are quite a few of them in the Sedona area. Some of the sites are described as having upward energy, some inwards, some a balanced combination. Other times you’ll hear these described as male or female energies. Native Americans have used these sites for centuries, and recognize their spiritual power.

So what happens at a Sedona vortex? Some people have miraculous healings or visions. Some people feel nothing at all. Most of us are somewhere in the middle. We visit with a wonderful vortex guide who provides insights, and performs special ceremonies to help us get in touch with the energies of the land and ourselves. I’ve been on quite a few vortex tours, and I always feel something. I never know what to expect, though — every time is different.

On this beautiful blue-sky afternoon, we visited Boynton Canyon, guarded by Kachina woman (an important rock formation at this vortex site), then found a private spot near the creek for our medicine wheel ceremony. By the end of the afternoon, we’d made discoveries about our aura energies, life situations and issues we were facing, and insights on our connections with the earth, ancestors, and animal spirits.

At the end, we each received a black velvet bag with a peacock feather, and some items that were meaningful to each of us. When I saw the message in mine, I was astounded. It was so “on target ” it was spooky.

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We do Sedona tours for women several times a year, and each guest has an option to go on a Sedona vortex tour. I can’t tell you what to expect, since each time is different. You’ll just have to experience it for yourself!

A controversial new study thinks that the Grand Canyon may have been formed millions of years earlier than thought. The findings fly in the face of long-standing theory (and not just compared to the religious view)!

The traditional scientific view is that the Arizona canyon is 6 million years old, and the Colorado River is responsible for carving it. This new study proposes that the western reaches began forming 17 million years ago (before the river even existed), while the eastern portion formed in just the past 4 million years.

The scientists (Victor Polyak and University of New Mexico colleagues), base their research on clues from caves in the canyon walls. They argue that the traditional timelines based on geologic events are reliable only to about a million years ago. Instead, they’re using a new technique — looking at deposits in the caves. They reason that as the canyon cut deeper, it dropped the surrounding water tables. Specific mineral deposits in the caves then indicate different ages for different parts of the canyon.

Not all scientists agree. Ivo Lucchitta, an Arizona geologist, said he is “outraged”.

Find the whole story at
National Geographic: Grand Canyon Millions of Years Older Than Thought?

Of course, such debates about 6 million vs. 17 million years seem minor compared to the religious argument that the canyon is just a few thousand years old, based on biblical interpretations. Very interesting how people can look at the exact same canyon walls and see such different things!

New York Times: Seeing Creation and Evolution in Grand Canyon

National Park employees say that the Bush administration has forced them to ignore geological evidence, and sell religious books instead.

In order to avoid offending religious fundamentalists, our National Park Service is under orders to suspend its belief in geology,” stated PEER Executive Director Jeff Ruch. “It is disconcerting that the official position of a national park as to the geologic age of the Grand Canyon is ‘no comment.’”

Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER): How old is the Grand Canyon? Park Service won’t say

Personally, I’ve never understood this literal interpretation of the Bible in dating the earth. Why assume that a “God-day” is the same as a “person-day”? I guess that’s my scientific skepticism showing.

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Arizona is the Grand Canyon state, and there’s a lot more here, too! From saguaro forests in the desert, to pine forests in the mountains, it’s an amazing place. We do Sedona tours here a few times a year, and it’s simply spectacular.

It’s wonderful to think, but it’s even more wonderful to experience life with all your senses.” ~ Oscar Wilde

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How right he is!

I’m back in the office now. The life of the mind uses a lot of my time when I’m not traveling. It’s incredibly interesting! Whether I’m researching possibilities for new trips, or working on long-range strategy plans, or writing a blog post, or learning new coding techniques for our computer system (yes, I still have some techie left in me!), it’s all quite fascinating. Like the man said, it’s wonderful to think!

But there’s so much more, isn’t there? There’s the part we don’t get in the office, sitting in front of a computer. There’s the part we (or at least most of us in this culture) tend to forget about in the stresses of jobs, family, and all the commitments we have. That’s where travel, vacations, and adventures come in. When you get away from the everyday, all of a sudden, you experience life with so many more senses!

A couple of weeks ago, I was up in Cottonwood, and took these pictures of trees in the winter. I was struck by their beauty, and this quotation fit them so well.

While I was out walking there, I was feeling the chill in the air, hearing the river running nearby, gazing astonished at these incredible trees and the blue, blue sky, and feeling the path and the leaves underfoot. I was using all these senses in a way that doesn’t happen here in the office.

Now that I’m back, looking at the pictures can bring back some of the sensations — the exhilaration of those deep, fresh breaths, or the the nip in the air that made me glad I had a hat. But the pictures couldn’t do that unless I was actually there in the first place.

Oscar Wilde was so right.

We stop in the small town of Cottonwood on our Sedona hiking tours for women. You might even see these exact same trees, but you’d never recognize them covered with green leaves.

I’m in Sedona now, and is it ever COLD! People here tell me it’s usually only this cold 2-3 days a year, so I must be lucky! There’s ice forming on puddles, and a possibility of snow.

I’m here to sample some of the vortex tours, to decide which vortex guide to use on our trips in 2008. Unfortunately, the guide we’ve used for years is moving, so we need somebody new. We whittled it down to a short list, then I came up to meet the finalists, and see how they ran it in person.

The last tour wrapped up about 6pm. I’d been outside most of the day, and by this time was wearing 2 sweaters, 2 vests, an Alaskan jacket, 2 blankets, hat, gloves, boots, and more, and was so cold my words weren’t forming quite right.

(The good news is that I’m convinced shivering is an effective weight-loss method. I’ve yet to see a scientific study on this, but a good full-body shiver must burn quite a lot of calories, and involve toning many different muscles.)

Each vortex guide has a unique style, but their overall purpose is to teach you about Sedona’s mysterious energy vortexes, and help you connect with that energy in various ways. People always ask what this feels like, but there’s no simple answer. It depends on the guide, the rituals you use, your receptivity, how you’re feeling that day, and a lot of other factors. Some people claim miraculous visions and healing. Many people feel nothing at all. Most people fall somewhere in between.

On the first vortex tour, the leader did a guided meditation that had me soaring like an eagle around Thunder Mountain. This had a very surprising effect on me — I still don’t understand quite what happened. I left the tour wondering “what is going on with the eagle??” On the next tour, I was told that my spirit guide is a golden eagle. Among other qualities, this is supposed to mean that I can soar like an eagle. I left this tour wondering “what is it about eagles??”

I may or may not ever understand these links to eagles. But at least I accomplished the purpose of testing and selecting vortex guides — cold weather and all!

We do our Sedona hiking trips for women in nicer weather — spring and fall are usually ideal. Warning: If you ever come here in January, remember that even Arizona gets cold, and pack the expedition-weight long-johns!

As an Arizona resident, my jaw dropped when I read this in an article from the Sedona Verde Valley Times:

Coconino County learned a painful lesson when the topic of water was brought up in a land-use approval process and permits were denied. Even though water was not the reason for the denial, developers appealed and won; claiming water use was discussed during the approval process.

Yavapai County will not make that mistake, according to Supervisor Davis. It is a no-no to talk water in our state at most levels.

The gag order is based on an antiquated-Arizona water law dating to 1933 when the Arizona Cotton Company sued the State of Arizona and won a judgment establishing, ‘first in use, first in right.’ In other words, ‘take what you want with no limits.’ This law still stands.”

How can it be that here, in the driest state in the nation, with a population that’s booming, it’s ILLEGAL to talk about water usage in land-use discussions?? It’s mind-boggling. Fortunately, there is a recent bill that will enable many counties or cities to avoid the gag order, but others will remain in the dark ages, unable to even raise the topic.

Equally astounding is that the state of Arizona has no state-wide water management plan. Shouldn’t this be a high priority, out here in the desert?

The Colorado River can’t supply ever-increasing populations in Phoenix, Las Vegas, and Los Angeles forever, and now Colorado wants to increase their share before it even gets to us. (Gee, maybe they’re growing too!)

Sedona currently relies on ground water for its supply, since they don’t get a share of the Colorado. All was fine, but now cities higher up like Flagstaff are digging wells 3000-4000 feet deep, which tap into the water that Sedona uses.

Read the article: Sedona no longer first on water chain

If you have any other information to share on this, please post in the comments. I’d love to hear some good news!

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We head up here a few times a year on our Sedona weekend getaways. Whenever I find items of interest for Sedona travelers, I’ll post in our Sedona category. As Arizona cities continue to grow, it will be interesting to see how they reconcile the competing water needs.