[G2:1715]The disembodied voice on The Weather Channel last night convinced me that Day 12 would be pretty much like yesterday, but when I looked outside my Travelodge window, there were large patches of open sky overhead. It didn't take me long to throw on what was clean, stuff away what was dirty and make my way back to Two Guns before the clouds realized I was awake.
Upon arrival, I immediately engaged myself in a flurry of photography, shooting hurriedly during cloud breaks. But after about an hour of panicked exposures, I realized the weathervoice was mistaken; the sky was clearing entirely. The big clouds above me had all but moved on and the enormous one on the horizon was splitting up into [G2link:1721]nice puffy sky garnish[/G2link]. I was free to shoot like a sane person again.
I just wish the clouds had parted before I lost a $30 lens hood in the furor.
But I wasn't going to worry about it. I was glad for the change. There was so much more to shoot here than I realized. [G2link:1495]Two Guns[/G2link] was a wonderfully preserved and extensive ghost town.
[G2:1727 class:right]Plus, I now had plenty of time to determine the location of the Apache Death Cave, where a number of Apache Indians had been burned alive generations ago. I had found a solitary photograph of the cave's entrance taken decades before, and along with the knowledge of which buildings were built adjacent to the site, I pinpointed the cavity.
Had I not been alone, I may have clambered all the way down. Once inside the [g2link:1727]natural antechamber[/g2link], though, I made it only partway. Though my logical mind told me it was only wind currents, the low howl I heard down there informed my imagination I had gone far enough, and I scrambled back out. I had lucked out with the weather and I wasn't going to risk angering any spirits.
Anyway, it was time to go. Time to turn around and head back south. I had gone as far north as I could and still be able to make it home in time for a Fox interview for Weird Texas. Besides, I was running out of energy and the car was beginning to smell. (That's the downside to not having a trunk; your sweaty laundry resides in the cab with you.)
On the way back down I-17, I became dangerously sleepy and was forced to pull off for a quick disco nap. When I woke 20 minutes later, I spotted a sign that read "Sedona," pointing me to a side road that led off to the west. I knew there wouldn't be enough daylight left to hit anything else by the time I made it to Phoenix, so I figured I could take a detour and make good use of the remaining daylight by grabbing a few Red Rocks shots.
[G2:1770]According to the New Agers who've virtually taken over Sedona, the Red Rocks possess unusual properties that result in mystical "vortexes" — definitely a good subject for Weird Arizona. Besides, I had never seen the Red Rocks and I needed a little soul candy.
The detour turned out to be a rough, scenic [G2link:1694]back road[/G2link] with signs recommending I drive "slowly and with caution." Considering it was my life I was dealing with, I heeded the "with caution," but since I was in a hurry, and in a rental, I disobeyed the "slowly." Unfortunately, that meant I had to resist stopping to take pictures of much of the incredible scenery with anything more than my Elph pointed out the window.
Things changed, though, when I reached the humorously named [G2link:1767]Schnebly Hill Vista[/G2link]. From there, I looked down over Sedona and could see the incredible spires that surrounded the city. Soon, I was driving among them, hopping out to take real pictures as quickly as I could. I was shooting like a madman again, this time trying to beat the sunset.
I finally stopped when I could no longer find the Canyonero in the darkness. I had squeezed every bit of light out of the day. It was time to resume my journey south.
Besides, Sedona was giving me the heebies. I wasn't creeped out exactly, but there was definitely something going on here. The vortexes, perhaps? That or all the crystal-rubbing, [G2link:1779]storefront mysticism[/G2link]. I just wanted to get to a motel and loofah my aura.
[G2:1689]
Add New Comment