leaving prescott.

jerome.

leaving prescott was pretty undramatic. i went to the store and got a bagel and some breakfasty type things, then went and did laundry. for being so enamored with the place i thought that something more would happen. but i guess it is me that makes things happen. and what i made happen was leaving.

so, on the road to flagstaff i journey. first i stop in jerome, about 24 miles from prescott. my sister tuesday recommended it as a good place to stop. she also said it was a ghost town. she was right and wrong respectively. apparently it was designated a ghost town in the 50's when there were less than 100 people living there, but now there are over 500, and it is a thriving tourist place.

sedona.

and it was amazing/beautiful. it is a small town carved directly into the side of a mountain. i walked around a bit, took some photos of the landscape and then pressed on. it seemed to be just a tourist trap.

so, then i came to sedona arizona. and coming up to it i was in awe. probably the most beautiful landscape i have ever laid eyes on. violently red rock cliffs, with trees dotting the mountains. you can see clearly the different levels of sediment or whatever that were compressed to make the mountains. and i vowed to stop and enjoy this town.

i found a visitors center and got some info. there are some great lookouts and hikes and a nice little downtown area, and all of the stuff that you would want. except it is another tourist trap! you have to pay to go on the hikes, all the shops are way overpriced, and there are way too many people milling about for this small out of the way mountain pocket.

i was planning to stay overnight here, but now i might as well push on to flagstaff.

i like this sign.

and push off i did. now i am in flagstaff and it isnt something yet. it hasnt given me that great draw that prescott did. i cannot compare the rest of the trip to prescott, but i probably will. at least for awhile. anyway, i got in and found the downtown area, walked around a bit. i think what is turning me off is the construction that is happening in the downtown area. it is loud and annoying.

i will stay here tonight and see what changes tomorrow. it is also monday. that doesnt mean that much to me, but to most of the rest of the folks it means that they are at work and at work tomorrow and such. so there isnt as much going on.