Phoenix, Day 2
The sky was cloudless as we traveled toward Sedona. Leaving the Best Western resort, we got to Route 17 around 10:00. Soon after leaving the city, the rolling hills gave vistas of tall saguaro cacti reaching their green arms to the sky.
Listening to conversations by our scientist husbands, we remembered that the saguaro has to be 40 years old before it begins to have arms. These specimens were easily 200or more years old.
As we climbed to 3,000 feet in elevation, the saguaros gave way to the prickly pear cacti and then they were gone as we reached a plains area where cows and horses were grazing.
Scrub cedar grew sparsely in the white rocky soil. In the distance the mountains were varying shades of blue and purple.
We reached the Montezuma National Monument just before noon and the sky was still clear and sunny. The temperature was around 70 degrees. The chalky white rocks didn’t look like it would have been the place to build a dwelling, but obviously the Sinagua Indians did. It was a good place for protection and they chose a large natural cave on the side of a cliff to build a 5 story castle.
The castle was made without any help from modern conveniences as it was made in a.d.1250.
In 1906, Teddy Roosevelt proclaimed the area a National Monument and it was then protected. Restoration took place and you see today what the castle did look like. It is one of the best preserved of ancient cave dwellings.
The trees and plants in the area served the Indians as food and building material. The massive sycamore trees still grow in the area and these were used for timbers in construction when the castle was built.
Most of the ancient trees still grow in the area and Mesquite trees were used for many things by the Indians. The sap was used to make candy, black dyes and adhesive for holding baskets together.
There were other ruins of a larger set of dwellings, but they were not as well preserved. Whereas Montezuma’s castle held about fifty people, these ruins had forty four rooms.
We ate lunch by a bubbling brook in the park and then rode to Sedona to feast our eyes on the red rocks. There is nothing quite unbelievable as the glowing red formations reaching up unto the sky.
Tom and I had never been to the Rock Chapel, so Dean took us there. It is an amazing and awesome place sitting there on the side of those magnificant red rocks. These sights are all in or near the Coconino National Forest.
