Why Flagstaff? Ron selected it for our home base based on location while we explored this part of our world, and reserved the tiny house in historic Flagstaff long before we left North Carolina. As for the town itself, he thought we would fit in well, joking when we first arrived that "Flagstaff was where old hippies go to seed". Having been here a week, I would modify that observation slightly: "Flagstaff is where old hippies continue to flourish and young hippies are born!"
I have loved our time here, loved returning to Cherry Cottage after long days exploring the American Southwest. The house has felt more and more like home. We decided to spend a day here and explore the local hiking trails.
I do not exaggerate when I say that the area is crisscrossed in hiking trails. Before heading out, I stood at the kitchen sink to wash the breakfast dishes, and felt eyes upon me. Looking up through the kitchen window, I met the big brown eyes of a beautiful deer. She just stared at me. I waited for her to leave, but she didn't move. After a few moments, another deer came into the backyard. Then another and another. Seven altogether.
Ron and I started snapping pictures, trying to capture the moment. But it wasn't a moment, it was a morning. They stayed all morning, adults and adolescents, the young ones still shedding their winter coats with blotches of thick fur, and the beginnings of antlers starting to poke out between their huge ears. They were beautiful. They reminded me of my own children when they were young, needing a good bath, growing into their ears and feet. We finally had to drag ourselves away to go hiking.
There is a mile-long "Lava Tube" cave in nearby Coconino National Forest. It was formed 700,000 years ago by molten rock that erupted from a volcanic vent in nearby Hart Prairie. The top, sides and bottom of the flow cooled and solidified first, after which the insides of the lava river continued to flow emptying out the present cave. Cool, yes? Too cool I am afraid. There is no light at all in the cave, and the temperature was dropping again, so Ron and I opted instead for Veit Spring Trail, on the edge of the national forest. Ours was the only car at the trail head. We were grateful for the coats in the trunk, as the temperature had dropped even further, and now the wind was really picking up.
There were still patches of snow in the forest, and after a bit we climbed just high enough in elevation to find White Aspens. These tall graceful slivers of silver were a welcome contrast against all the green and brown, and eerily ghostly on this cold and windy afternoon. After almost 4 miles of hiking (it was a 1.5 mile trail. I got us lost. Again.) we headed headed back into town. Waiting in the driveway was our new friend, pictured at the top of this post! Welcome home!
Car Talk
Distance 44 miles
Driving time: 1 hour, 19 minutes
Mileage 33.1 mpg
Average speed 33 mph
Total 3,185.1
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