Sedona’s Tokyo Madness

When you come to Sedona you want to hike, you need to hike, because it’s the most beautiful place on the planet. Eating becomes secondary.

You plan a full day—an “easy” hike in the morning followed by a leisurely afternoon of reading, followed by a late afternoon 2.5 hour Native American Teaching hike. You will gather information for your novel and you will be rich and famous and happy and ever so fit.

At 9:30 you take your first step onto the red dust of Arizona, and you don’t look back.

Your first ‘warm’ up hike is a vertical climb to the Kachina Woman Rock Spire and Vortex. There, your husband decides the spire is decidedly phallic, while you discover your inner vortex.

Penis Rock

You descend full of spiral vortex energy and decide to take on the Deadman’s Pass. The sky hums  seamless blue and you become a soaring eagle.

An hour and a half into the trail you discover some of the most amazing scenery of your life, but you also realize that Deadman’s Pass has become Long Canyon Trail, which has become Mescal Trail and you are in for the long haul. Undaunted, you scale the precipice of giant red rocks with the agility of a mountain goat and the spirit of an eagle.

Eagle stuff

You ” ooh and aah” and keep going. When you finally descend and find a sign that points to the end you couldn’t be happier. Your good knee feels tight and you need more water but you are one with nature.

You make it back to the room and you have a nice cold beer. Life is good. You sit outside with the rocks in the distance and look at the photos you’ve taken. Then you go to stand up and your body doesn’t move. Rigor mortis has set in and you’re as stiff as a rusty hinge.

Your Native American Teaching Hike  becomes a Native American Documentary  in a darkened theatre with soft comfy chairs later that evening. This is a physical feat you handle.

Suddenly you’re hungry. Very hungry. Eating is an activity you can accomplish—your jaw is miraculously operational. You don’t want to go somewhere fancy. You are gross and hobbling.

Luckily you remember your sister, Brenda’s, advice. She’s a food critic extraordinare…..so…..

Brenda’s Post

you head to Simon’s Hotdogs at the Oak Creek Brewery and you aren’t disappointed. Well not really. All of the things your sister says are true, but you have to go and order the Toyko Madness.

Simons menu

Why? Your inner vortex is telling you to be adventuresome. You love sushi so why not have it on a hotdog? Why not? Because Nori has no business on a dog. Your inner vortex was wrong.  Luckily you’re able to pick off the crispy fishy seaweed with the dexterity of a brain surgeon and the result is a delicious hotdog with a distinctive snap and a beautifully steamed bun. The wasabi -mayonnaise- hotdog- combination is weirdly delicious paired with the crunchy teriyaki onions.

The potato chips have a homemade crisp and the beer is creamy and delicious. The outdoor patio is sunny and friendly.  You finish your dog and your beer and you hobble to the car.

Tomorrow you will rise to hike again.