# Back from Sedona



## Zac495 (Apr 22, 2009)

I didn't stay in a timeshare, but I thought I'd post about AMARA Resort and Spa and my trip since you all helped me out a lot.

http://www.picturetrail.com/sfx/album/view/21895455

Check out pics
Main points - 
Amara is a great hotel. Ask for an upgraded room with a ten dollar bill and get a great view!!! (We had to wait a day for that room to be available - fair enough)
Broken Arrow - GREAT - but bumpy and a little scary if you're afraid of heights. Worth it for the view
Enchantment - go there for the view and eat in the inexpensive restaurant (no reservations - we never waited when we arrived at 6 pm). Great pizzas and appetizers and wine - and amazing views
Shugrue's Grill - awesome seafood (expensive) with a great view - outside and inside
Amara's restaurant (also expensive) had very good food , too - great view inside and outside.

Be sure to get your free wine every night. They are VERY nice at Amara

Oh - and I fell down the Grand Canyon. It was SO slippery - I fell down Bright angel trail - HARD! The walk up was easy (I'm in good shape) - the walk down was tricky - so if you have bad ankles, walk slowly.


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## TomR (Apr 22, 2009)

Hi Ellen: Beautiful pictures.  Thank you for sharing them.  One question, did you take an organized tour of the Grand Canyon or did you do it on your own?  Your pictures of the Canyon are amazing.  And a belated Happy Birthday.  
Tom


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## Kay H (Apr 22, 2009)

Enjoyed rhe pics.  Looks like you had a blast.


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## Rose Pink (Apr 22, 2009)

I'm happy to hear you had a wonderful time. Sorry about your slip on the GC trail. I tend to fall alot myself (and run into things while walking) so I know how easy that is to do. I'm glad you were not seriously hurt.

This quote is from Zac495's link to her photos: "_Check out the pictures of the jeep (the one behind us - pictures taken from our jeep after we went down that rock) going straight down a rock. Quite frightening. Then the driver gleefully told us it was time to go down the staircase of doom. I wanted OUT, but that didn't happen. We made it back alive_."

When DH and I drove that route, it wasn't the steepness of that rock that bothered me--it was that, at the bottom of it, was only a small space to make the turn. If you went straight, you'd fall off a ledge. If your brakes or gears failed, you'd fall off the ledge. DH said negotiating that turn was a piece of cake, plenty of room, but from the passenger seat it looked like this . The "staircase of doom" is scarier in name than in fact but it was fun anyway. I think for someone who has never driven/ridden this type of terrain it would seem _very scary_, though. I remember chuckling and thinking to myself, "this would really be a thrilling experience for a first-timer--worth the money." Are you ready to take up the hobby? DH loves this type of thing. The scenery is breathtaking. So beautiful.

Your photos make me want to go back to the Grand Canyon and Sedona again. We've never stayed at the GC but have peered out over it several times, north, south and west rims. Some day I'd like to stay overnight and do some hiking.


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## Zac495 (Apr 22, 2009)

No - we didn't do an organized tour. SO glad we did it on our own. We followed all of the advice of Tuggers and some Trip advisors. I have everything saved if you want the WORD doc. Email me at zac495@gmail.com

I can't even imagine navigating the Broken Arrow area without a jeep company - that I wouldn't do - I think you're brave for doing it with your hubby! 

Thanks for the compliments on the pictures. It was an amazing trip!


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## Zac495 (Apr 22, 2009)

TomR said:


> Hi Ellen: Beautiful pictures.  Thank you for sharing them.  One question, did you take an organized tour of the Grand Canyon or did you do it on your own?  Your pictures of the Canyon are amazing.  And a belated Happy Birthday.
> Tom



Oh - THANKS TOM!!!!


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## Timeshare Von (Apr 22, 2009)

Zac495 said:


> I can't even imagine navigating the Broken Arrow area without a jeep company - that I wouldn't do - I think you're brave for doing it with your hubby!



Here is a photo of a "do-it-yourselfer" on the Road of No Return on the Pink Jeep Broken Arrow tour.  (They were coming down behind us.)






They really looked like they might roll as their wheel base wasn't wide enough to get into the grooves in the red rock.


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## Timeshare Von (Apr 22, 2009)

Looks like you guys has a grand time!  I'm so happy you enjoyed it.  Thanks for sharing your photos were were wonderful


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## Rose Pink (Apr 22, 2009)

Zac495 said:


> I can't even imagine navigating the Broken Arrow area without a jeep company - that I wouldn't do - I think you're brave for doing it with your hubby!


 
He has lots of experience driving more challenging obstacles than Broken Arrow.  He had missed his yearly trip to Moab and was a bit cranky about that so I planned the Farrabee rental (an air-conditioned Rubicon) to give him a wee bit of four-wheeling on this trip.  I just want to warn anyone thinking of doing this on their own without experience--don't do it!  My husband has been rock crawling for years and years with an expert teaching him.  It's just what he has chosen as his hobby.


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## Rose Pink (Apr 22, 2009)

Timeshare Von said:


> Here is a photo of a "do-it-yourselfer" on the Road of No Return on the Pink Jeep Broken Arrow tour. (They were coming down behind us.)
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
It looks worse than it really is for those who know how to do it.  That said, I've seen jeeps roll when the drivers got too cocky or were too inexperienced.  I had not realized how badly the pink jeeps had scored the rock.  We went down in a Rubicon with no problems whatsoever.


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## Red Rox (Apr 22, 2009)

Great pics Ellen! Glad I was able to help put it together. And your daily updates were fun. Sorry about the cold weather. Out of my control


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## Zac495 (Apr 23, 2009)

Red Rox said:


> Great pics Ellen! Glad I was able to help put it together. And your daily updates were fun. Sorry about the cold weather. Out of my control



You were GREAT, Alex. Yeah, the weather was a bit of a drag - but you know what? I said to myself - my gosh - in this economy people would love to have the money to go somewhere that it rained for a day. I'm fortunate to have 2 incomes in the house and healthy kids and parents and friends. 

It's so hard not to stress weather before a vacation, but once you get there, you don't care as much. I must say that rain one day meant snow at the Grand Canyon. We went to GC the next day and THAT is why I fell! Or maybe I forgot to bring my right foot...:hysterical:


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## Zac495 (Apr 23, 2009)

Timeshare Von said:


> Here is a photo of a "do-it-yourselfer" on the Road of No Return on the Pink Jeep Broken Arrow tour.  (They were coming down behind us.)
> 
> 
> 
> ...



That's too cool!
I agree - if he knows what he's doing, he's probaby as "good" as the pink jeep guys (didn't see any woman drivers, but I could be wrong). Novices should take the tour!


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## Rose Pink (Apr 23, 2009)

May have even been a Pink Jeep driver in his own vehicle on his day off--but I think if you drove it every day you might get bored after awhile.

I've been riding along (sometimes walking) with DH for many years now and I rarely see a woman driver.  The wife and kiddies come along on the family adventure but it's usually daddy who does the driving.  I think it's a man thing.  Yes, there are some women drivers, but not many.  I go along because I love the scenery but I've never felt the need to drive over large fissures in the rock, steep terrain with drop offs, narrow passages with thousands of feet drop-offs (and another vehicle coming the other way), rough terrain with large and sometimes sharp rocks.  But, WOW, the scenery in these places that I'd never get to without a jeep are breathtaking.  I've been moved to tears many times at this beautiful world.


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## Rose Pink (Apr 23, 2009)

Zac495 said:


> .... Novices should take the tour!


 
Amen to that!  Do not try this yourself without proper equipment and proper training--which means an experienced driver to teach you how to tackle each obstacle.  But the PJ drivers were all novices once, too.  If you are interested in this sport, you can learn.


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## ciscogizmo1 (Apr 23, 2009)

Great pictures!!!! Thanks for sharing...  And happy Belated Birthday... You look FABALOUS!


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## Timeshare Von (Apr 23, 2009)

The two guys doing it themselves, didn't appear to be very experienced.  They were hanging around the top when we approached.  They let us by.  When the one started down, the other guy was out of his vehicle and helping, if that is what you call it.  They were very guarded and careful, and frankly looked scared poopless.  Once the first guy made it all the way down, the second came down.  He did it a bit quicker and seemed to be the one who may have had some experience doing such things but again, they looked far from confident or like they knew what they were really doing.


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## Red Rox (Apr 23, 2009)

There are plenty of female jeep tour drivers in Sedona. I've toured with several of them. All jeep tour drivers ride for weeks in training before they're qualified to take paying customers out at all. 
Unfortunately many of the novice thrill seeking tourists (in rental jeeps) can spoil a day on a tour by getting into places that they shouldn't be and end up blocking the trails and throwing many other drivers and visitors off schedule. 
As for the weather, it is what it is. I played golf today with two friends who were hiking and camping in the Grand Canyon for 5 days/nights last week. (They do it every year. Submit permit applications on Dec 1st for any time in April) They told me that on day 3 they were down near Phantom Ranch and they got snowed on. Weather like that is common in April on the rim, but not nearly as common 5,000 feet below in the late spring. But it does happen.


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## Rose Pink (Apr 23, 2009)

Red Rox said:


> ...Unfortunately many of the novice thrill seeking tourists (in rental jeeps) can spoil a day on a tour by getting into places that they shouldn't be and end up blocking the trails and throwing many other drivers and visitors off schedule.
> ....


 
That's so true.  I realize you are talking about Sedona but unfortunately the same stuff happens in Moab as well.  DH has rescued more than one on some of our trips.  And it's not just those in rentals--the same goes for guys who have their own vehicles.  Some are overconfident about what their machines can do and don't realize it has just as much to do with the skill of the driver as it does with the abilities of the machine.  Then there are those who think it's necessary to have a few beers to make the day complete.  We saw one guy flip onto his roof.  He was throwing his beer cans out the window before he bothered to rescue his pregnant wife.  We ended up taking her to the hospital.  Even the most experienced can get into trouble--I've seen that happen, too.  That's why we never go out alone (except that time in Sedona--but all the routes were short and easy--yes, Broken Arrow is easy for the experienced).  DH carries tools with him including a winch (which he has used to rescue others).  If you can't do your own repairs, you shouldn't be driving off road.  Zac and Von's pictures illustrate the reason.  No tow truck is going to be able to get you.  Terrain changes for various reasons and the obstacles on the trail you took last year may be different than this year.  

Anyway, I didn't mean to turn this thread into a dissertation on jeeping.  Zac, I agree with Ciscogizmo--_you look fabulous_.  Happy birthday and many more.


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## JEFF H (Apr 24, 2009)

Great photos, Glad you had a wonderful time.
I have to say Both you lovely girls look too young to be 50

I actually rented a Jeep 2 years ago and went on the Broken arrow trail.
I had very little experience but after some tips and pointers by the rental firm I was assured it was something I could handle.
I Took it slow and used caution and it was not a problem. It really looked much scarier than it actually was. I stopped and let others pass and watched to see what I needed to do to get down the track safely.
drivers taking vechicles not equiped for off roading,going too fast,taking too much risk or drinking often get themselfs into trouble.


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## Rose Pink (Apr 24, 2009)

JEFF H said:


> ...,going too fast,taking too much risk or drinking often get themselfs into trouble.


 
Same can be said for driving on streets and highways, too.  I'm glad you had a successful trip.  

I remember the first trail we ever drove in Moab during the Easter Jeep Safari back in 1991.  Hell's Revenge.  Most of the obstacles seemed simple enough.  I don't remember if DH even tried Potato Salad Hill.  Most of the jeeps didn't make it up that one.  The rest of the trail is fairly easy but near the end was a long, steep, rocky grade that, looking down from the top, scared the  out of me.  I think that must be the same experience the tourists get when they ride Broken Arrow.  Oh, the thrill!


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## nightnurse613 (Apr 24, 2009)

And fifty is the new forty!


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## Zac495 (Apr 26, 2009)

WOW! Such compliments!! Thank you so much. 
And thanks for the birthday wishes - I had a great party!
I'll pass them along to Lisa, too. Thank you. 

YES! 50 is the new 40. Medical advances will keep us alive (and worth being alive) for longer, so I think we can safely HOPE to make it to 90 these days. 

But can you imagine being 90? 
I still feel 30.


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## Rose Pink (Apr 26, 2009)

Zac495 said:


> But can you imagine being 90?
> quote]
> 
> I went to 90th birthday celebrations for two of my acquaintances last year and next week we are giving one for my mother. They may have all lived to the same age but their health is vastly different.  (And I was talking to a co-worker the other day who's 90 year old mom was out playing tennis!)
> ...


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## Zac495 (Apr 27, 2009)

Rose Pink said:


> Zac495 said:
> 
> 
> > But can you imagine being 90?
> ...


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## riverdees05 (Apr 27, 2009)

Thanks for sharing, makes me want to go back, ASAP.


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## pianodinosaur (Apr 27, 2009)

ZAC495:

I loved your photos.  We have been to Scottsdale but not to Sedona.  Did you happen to see the Hilton Sedona Resort while you were out there?


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## sun starved Gayle (Apr 27, 2009)

Great pictures!  FYI, I believe I have seen the Amara Spa sold on www.skyauction.com before, if you ever want to go again.

Love Sedona!

Gayle


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## Zac495 (May 4, 2009)

pianodinosaur said:


> ZAC495:
> 
> I loved your photos.  We have been to Scottsdale but not to Sedona.  Did you happen to see the Hilton Sedona Resort while you were out there?



No - I don't think I noticed it, sorry.


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