Southwest Splendors, Adults Only 9/27

[DaddyBrady]

I'm writing this post on the patio of our room at Red Cliffs Lodge in Moab, Utah, on the final full day of our Adventure. It's a bit chilly and overcast still, and there's a whiff of horse barn in the air. This Adventure that began six days ago is coming to a close, and I'm a bit sad about that!

There are great trip reports on this adventure, so I thought I would provide some of my observations about this trip as the first of the "Adults Only" tours this year. Perhaps some of my observations will be relevant to other Adults Only tours as well.

Who?
My fellow Adventurers are part of what has made this an amazing experience. As we waited at Sky Harbor International Airport in Phoenix (next to a Starbucks, of course) for everyone to arrive, I noticed the diversity of accents from across the United States. What I eventually found was that of 31 people on the tour, exactly two--myself and my partner--were from west of the Mississippi. The other 29 were from Chicago and points further East, with a strong contingent from New York and Boston. Maybe that shouldn't surprise me since for many in the West this wouldn't be much of an adventure.

The other thing that stands out is the general age distribution of the group. From other trip reports, I got the idea that the participants were, uhm, middle age like me: mid-40s. Perhaps somewhat younger, or somewhat older, but generally around there. On this tour, however, there are perhaps seven under 50, and a number in their 60s and 70s. Most of the couples are empty nesters, and many are retired.

On thinking about it, that of course makes sense since most people around my age (46) have children and are not likely to take an adults only tour. This aspect of the tour has been really great for us as we don't normally interact with seniors other than our parents. We've met many very interesting people with backgrounds very different from our own.

I think it's quite possible, then, that other Adults Only tours will have more people in the 50s and above. Since we're going to Peru next year with my partner's parents, I know that'll at least be the case for that tour!

I'm going to complete this posting so it's saved, then continue on with "Where"....

 

[DaddyBrady]

The trip unfolds a bit like a movie with a first, second, and third act. The first act, Sedona, really sets the scenario and introduces the major characters: the land of the Southwest and the peoples who have lived here: Indians, cowboys, explorers, and settlers. Consider the Sedona days the opportunity to ease into vacation.

Act Two is the spectactular Grand Canyon, and there simply aren't words to describe how this experience unfolds. There's plenty of time on your own to explore. We hiked the Rim Trail from Mather Point to Grand Canyon Village, about 3 miles or so, after a morning tour of some South Rim highlights. (The Watchtower was very cool.) The Grand Canyon is the dramatic center of this tour.

There's a short transition before Act Three begins as we drove from Grand Canyon to Moab. This is a full driving day, but we stopped at Monument Valley for lunch and an off-road tour of the Valley inside the Navajo Reservation. This part of the Adventure hadn't even registered with me; I thought it was sort of filler to break up the day. Not in the least! When it ended, we all thought it was fantastic and a really incredible experience.

On to Act Three, then, our denouement in Moab. The setting of the Lodge is spectacular, and sets the stage for the day at Arches. The hike to Delicate Arch is a bit strenuous, but the indefatigable Pat (somewhere north of 70) handled it and we were all rewarded with the experience that lies at the top.

We still have the river rafting and final goodbye's to come, but until then, I'll move on to "How?"

 

[wdwsos]

Please say hi to Jill and Howard for me! Of course, they won't have a clue how you "know" me, but that's okay!

Looking forward to your next installment -- thank you!

Dotti

 

[DaddyBrady]

In this posting, I'll discuss a few of the "How you tour" elements.

1. When in Sedona... The Amara Resort is a beautiful base camp, but what's not immediately clear is that the surrounding area of Sedona is tourist central. The "Uptown" district is full of tee-shirt shops and tacky gifts. For your free time on Sunday, take the free trolly down the hill to the other districts in Sedona. On Monday, you spend a couple hours in the art village of Tlaquepaque, so focus on the other galleries in Hillside and other stops along the trolley. We figured this out just around the time the galleries started to close.

Also, the best place to eat really is the Cowboy Club. It's a bit pricey, but you won't be spending much on your other meals so it's a good splurge. Try the chili with venison, bison, and elk.

2. Hotel in Grand Canyon. There's a lot of chat in the postings for this tour about the hotel in the Grand Canyon, The Grand Hotel. It's fine, and the lobby and restaurant are quite nice actually. But, it won't matter as next year the tour switches hotels to the Thunderbird Lodge in Grand Canyon Village. Now this is definitely a two-edged sword. We saw the exterior of the Lodge, which has the appearance (and charm) of a community college. Many people thought it was an administrative building. Rumor has it the rooms are very basic with few amenities.

But it's all about location location location! The Lodge is between the historic El Tovar Hotel and the historic Bright Angel Lodge, and I think that the experience of being inside the park will more than compensate. Don't expect luxury, but do expect amazing sunrise views that you can't get staying outside the park.

3. You are not a camel, but you'll definitely feel like one. Drink an amazing amount of water. The guides will push water on you like they get a commission. Drink up, you'll need it!

4. The Navajo taco may be revenge on the white man. This full plate at Gouldings in Monument Valley features a fry bread covered with chili, cheese, onions, tomatoes, and enough lettuce to make a salad bar. The final verdict was a split decision, but prudence suggests a club sandwich instead.

5. If you want authentic Indian jewelry, wait for Monument Valley. The off-road tour includes photo stops where there are open-air markets with hand-made jewelry. This was uniformly the highest quality jewelry we saw anywhere, and the prices are the best. It is all cash, however. We bought a beautiful necklace of hand-carved totems for $175, but most necklaces are less than $50 and there are bracelets and earrings in the $20 - $40 range.

6. Another split decision on horse back riding. Those who went (we did not) had mixed reviews. The horses are very tame, which I guess could be a good or a bad thing depending on your perspective. It's a very dusty experience, which some enjoyed but many felt wasn't worth the cost (about $75) for a two-hour ride (after an hour of orientation).

7. It's easy to over-pack. Put half of it back! The most important things to pack are very comfortable walking / hiking shoes / boots -- maybe two pairs so you can alternate. A couple pairs of shorts, a few tee shirts, maybe a polo or two, a light jacket, and a swimsuit and you'll likely be done. Plan for dust, also. The Desert Southwest is definitely not fashion forward!

Nearing a wrap-up and "When."

 

[DaddyBrady]

The weather this time of year is perfect, perhaps optimal for this Aventure. It's been in the mid-80s everyday. The Arizona monsoon season ends September 30, so it's dry but the plants are all very green. If you can, avoid the mid-Summer tours as temperatures can be in the 100s, very challenging for hiking and any outdoor experience. June in the Southwest is most definitely Summer, but is still probably to be preferred over July or August.

Why go on this trip? I was inspired (no lie) by the fireplace in the Wilderness Lodge. This adventure is in part a journey into the history of the earth. understand that the Grand Canyon is a mere five or six million years old, but cuts through to expose rock that is hundreds of millions of years old. I'm from the West, have live my whole life here, and have seen many different types of deserts, from Washington to California to New Mexico, but the landscape here is among the most spectacular I have ever encountered.

I've been blessed with some really fantastic vacation and travel experiences. I've been to Rome and Venice, Paris and Buenos Aires, I've watched the sun set over Angkor Wat in Cambodia and Iguazu Falls in Argentina. I don't necessarily want to claim this is the "best vacation ever," but I can state emphatically it has been "so totally worth it."

 

[sayhello]

Hey, DaddyBrady, so glad to hear from you, and glad you've enjoyed your adventure. The rafting is so fun, you still have a good time ahead!

Who are your guides?

This is a great trip report, covering more than the "what we did" aspect of the trip. I enjoyed reading it, look forward to more impressions from you. And I *so* agree that it was totally worth it!

I went in May, which is probably, weather-wise, pretty comparable to what you're getting in October. I can't imagine going mid-summer!

I'm going to be interested to hear people's reactions to the Thunderbird Lodge also. I didn't realize it was the institutional/dorm looking building. But you're right. You CANNOT beat the location!

Sayhello

ETA: Sigh... to be sitting on the porch outside a room at the Red Cliffs Lodge right now... I'm SO jealous! You must be on the creek side by the stables.... double sigh...

 

[DaddyBrady]

Mike Hage and Korey Amrine are our guides, and they've been doing this trip all summer, but this is their first trip together. That was a big surprise because they worked so seamlessly that I assumed they'd been working together for months. Mike actually worked on developing the Quest for the West tour several years ago. This is their first Adults Only tour, and I think they like it!

 

[nordkin]

I am on the same trip as Brady and have to say I agree with him 100%. The only other thing I would like to add is if you get a room near the stables at Red Cliffs Lodge, you WILL smell the horses. We have had a wonderful time and do not regret for one minute the decision to come on this trip. I will also add that we will only do the adults only and the dynamics of the adults only trips are something the guides have to get used to.

 

[sayhello]

It's interesting, because when I went in May, it was inadvertently an Adults Only trip (no families with children signed up for the tour. The youngest was a couple's daughter in her early twenties.) But our guides, Chris & Cheryl, don't do the trip on such a regular basis, so maybe that's why they didn't seem to have any problems with the no-kids dynamics. They told us they ran the trip pretty much the same with or without kids, except for the Jr Adventurer's night. I'm pretty convinced I'm going to stick with Adults Only, too. It really hadn't occurred to me before I signed up for Southwest Splendors -- most of the tours I'd been on before, like Backroads, just aren't geared towards kids at all so that was never an issue. But after reading comments on this board, I've signed up for the Adults Only for Canada. I really think I like that dynamic better.

(And it's NOT that I don't like kids, or traveling with kids, but I just think that this kind of adventure would work better, for me, without the kid factor.)

Sayhello

 

[cindy18]

Hi Daddy Brady, glad you've had such a wonderful time (not that I'm surprised). The weather angle is the one that I'm most amused by, because how hot it was on our trip in July was definitely a factor to be dealt with everywhere except the Grand Canyon. I can't really imagine what it would be like to take the trip and not worry about the heat, let alone see snow (as SayHello did). I can well imagine that late September/early October would be a great time to be out west, although it will be several years before DH and I are empty nesters.

Remember, we're off to Peru in late August (just booked the tickets, actually), so look for thoughts and reflections on that before your next adults-only tour!