Our 17th wedding anniversary took us to
one of the most beautiful landscapes in the American Southwest—Sedona, Arizona. We expected sunshine and
warm desert temperatures, but instead found crisp air and surprisingly cold
conditions. Even bundled up in jackets, the cool weather couldn't diminish the
incredible scenery surrounding us. Every direction revealed towering crimson
cliffs, sculpted buttes, and massive sandstone formations glowing against
brilliant blue skies.
There are some adventures you remember
not because the weather was perfect, but because you refused to let the weather
keep you from experiencing something extraordinary. Our visit to the Lava
Flow Trail at Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument in March 2006
was exactly that kind of day.
At nearly 7,000 feet above sea
level, winter still had a firm grip on northern Arizona. Bitter cold winds
swept across the volcanic landscape while patches of snow blanketed the lava
fields and the surrounding ponderosa pine forest. The nearby San Francisco
Peaks rose in the distance, their snow-covered summits creating a stunning
backdrop against the dark volcanic cinders that surrounded us.
A cold March afternoon greeted us as
we arrived at Wupatki National Monument, where the ancient red stone walls of
Wupatki Pueblo rose from the high desert beneath a sky filled with passing snow
showers. The weather only added to the atmosphere. The dramatic clouds, crisp
air, and empty landscape made it feel as though we had stepped back nearly a
thousand years to when this remarkable pueblo was home to hundreds of people.
Some adventures become milestones. Our
June 2007 visit to Canyon de Chelly National Monument was one of those days.
The White House Trail was unlike
anything we had attempted before. Dropping roughly 600 feet from the canyon rim
to the canyon floor, the trail is narrow, steep, rocky, and lined with dramatic
sandstone cliffs. At the time, many people believed taking a child with
significant mobility limitations down the trail was impossible.
More than one person told us,
"You can't do that."
We decided to find out for ourselves.
In March 2016, our family reached Saguaro National Park during one of the biggest adventures of our lives—a cross-country move from St. Johns, Florida, to Roseville, California. After days of driving across the South, the Sonoran Desert was unlike anything we had seen. Towering saguaro cacti stood like silent guardians across the hillsides, stretching their arms toward a cloudless Arizona sky. Every mile brought a new landscape, making this stop feel less like a break from the drive and more like an unforgettable destination.
