We weren't through with soaking up Sedona ambience yet. Last up was a visit to the V-Bar-V Ranch. This also was closer to Cottonwood than Sedona.
V-Bar-V Heritage Site is one of the best preserved and largest petroglyph sites in the Verde Valley. There are over 1000 petroglyphs found here dating between A.D. 1150 and 1400. The U.S. Forest Sevice bought the ranch in 1994 to preserve the petroglyphs for posterity.
After Chaco Canyon this gravel road was a dream.
Interesting reading in the visitor center.
Beginning the 1/3 mile trek to the petroglyphs. In 100 degree weather, no fun. Visitors are warned to bring plenty of water. But by late October we encountered balmy mid-'80s. A walk in the park.
The petroglyphs, incised by the Sinagua culture are primarily, it is thought, clan and calendric symbols, all densely packed together.
The ranger talking to us is in the center, facing the camera. Very informative.
Ranger demonstrating a Southwestern Native American flute. The oldest such wooden flutes were four found buried under rubble in a ruin in Canyon de Chelly. They date to 640 CE.
Pam, upon being informed that we would return to Montezuma's Castle, to the visitor's center, so she could buy a flute she had admired there.
Going back meant enjoying the area's scenic wonders yet again.
No fooling around with the croupiers in an Apache casino.
We arrived once more at Montezuma's Castle, where Pam had seem the flutes on display, so she could purchase one. Harry Seavey was playing the flute yesterday when we visited the visitor center. He was there again today and he offered to give Pam some basic instruction. His past life includes that of a rock and roller with musical gigs all over. Then he came to Sedona and never left. A laid back guy who volunteers his time at this visitor center - he splits revenue from the CD of his flute music with the center. Pam bought that, too. We listened to it all the way to Phoenix.
He also plays a split "V" style flute which provides a separate tone from the side with no finger holes so that it enhances and provides additional depth to the music from the main flute. This guy is a true flute virtuoso.
We spent more time enjoying Sedona and the surrounding beautiful scenery of the mountains until mid-afternoon. Then we took a short freeway hop to Phoenix and visited Heritage Square, where a few buildings from the original city center have been restored and museum-ified.
We made it to our hotel during rush hour. Our GPS witch told us that traffic was flowing smoothly. She must have been on a different freeway.
Drove 166 miles today - some of which was backtracking to purchase the magic flute! Tomorrow we have reserved tickets to tour Taliesin West, Frank Lloyd Wright's winter home.
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