45th in Sedona

Mag, Jeff, Dave and I went to Sedona to hike and unwind for our 45th birthday, and it was beautiful. We were long overdue for a trip with Mag and Jeff, and our birthday fell on a Friday, so, why not? We departed on Wednesday and arrived in time for a late dinner (luckily), we didn't realize how early Sedona goes to bed at night! The restaurant was near our hotel and the airport and hit the spot after a full travel day. 

We hiked the Cathedral Rock Trail, a moderate to hard out and back hike with a bit of scrambling on the way to the overlook. It was challenging and beautiful, and windy as heck at the top. We returned to the Sky Ranch Lodge for a quick happy hour before calling Larry (a highlight) the shuttle driver to take us for pizza. 

The following day was our birthday and we were greeted with 6 inches of snow! We had to completely rearrange our day as hiking was off the table, so we ended up taking a wine tour with Bliss Tour Company. We were in a group with two other couples and made our way around 4 wineries, and by the end of the day, we were all a bit tipsy and the best of friends. We had dinner that evening at Mariposa, a fantastic Latin fusion restaurant. 

Saturday was our last day and we rented an off road vehicle to get to some hard to see places. The ride was ok, as in, we tolerated it. The terrain was rocky and wet from the snowmelt, and it was incredibly loud. The lookout was jaw-dropping. We went to Chicken Point and sat atop these beautiful rock formations and took in the view. Someone was there playing the winds and it made for a memorable scene. We drove back, grabbed lunch, did a bit of souvenir shopping and then went for drinks at this incredible resort called Enchantment, its literally nestled in a canyon. We enjoyed a glass of wine and the most spectacular views before coming home and grabbing dinner at the Vault in the downtown area. 

It was a great weekend, lots of relaxing, some activity, and loads of fun...where to next time!? 

Flagstaff arrival.

Cathedral Rock hike. 

Maggie scrambling to the top.

At the vineyards in Cottonwood. 

Meanwhile...it snowed in Sedona! 

Sunset photo-op. 

Birthday dinner with my kiddos in Sioux Falls.