Journal post 9.24.15

We travel south through Oak Creek Canyon, lush, verdant.  A striking contrast to the barren mesas we’ve been seeing.  Same rocks but now covered with plush foliage.  We dropped 2,000 feet and it’s different here.  Then Sedona.  We had a nice tip from a lady at a rest stop – Chamber of Commerce – which paid off very nicely.  Looked for our first vortex – nope.  West to Patakpi – crazy dirt road (but heaven compared to Monument Valley), plans to return on Friday, on to Jerome (tip from another nice lady at the airport view of the supposed vortex).  The town is another mile high one, but built on a 45 degree incline!  An old mining town with historical remnants of burned down and rebuilt hotels.  I only wonder where the closest joint replacement center is because I feel like a mountain goat.