We awoke early and looked out to see the sun just beginning to touch the mountain tops. We just couldn't get enough of it.

An hour or so later we were showered, dressed, and all packed up again and ready for check out. First, however, there was the breakfast buffet. This particular buffet did not have Belgian waffles. They did have cinnamon rolls, though. I decided that would do... for now. After eating our share of the "complimentary buffet," we set out for Sedona.

I had been really looking forward to this part of our trip. Years ago, we drove through Sedona on our way to the Grand Canyon. We did not have the time to stop then, but I wished we could have. The sun on the red rock captured me and I've longed to go back since. I pictured us tooling up the highway, with the convertible top down, Bob Seger on the radio, the sun on our faces and the wind in our hair.

It was a little cool still to go topless (not me, the car) so the sun wasn't too much in our faces, the wind in our hair came from the dashboard vents.

I flipped in the Bob Seger tape I made especially for this occasion after KPOX finally died out on us, and we couldn't find another radio station that wasn't playing country music. (I really like country music. It's just not Hubby's favorite. Since he was driving, on some pretty thin mountain roads, I thought it best not to drive him insane. I could wait to do that.)

Somewhere around Phoenix, the clouds became thicker and the sun disappeared altogether. I held out hope of the sun shining at our destination until we arrived in Sedona. It was cold and rainy. Our coats came in handy as we visited a bunch of touristy shops and ate lunch. I struggled not to be disappointed, and we headed off to find our hotel for the night.

I made note of the best places along the way to take pictures. As the elevation climbed, the rain gave way to sleet, and then finally snow. I began to accept that I wouldn't see the vivid beauty of the red rock as I had the last time. The set up of our hotel "room" pulled me out of my funk a bit, though.

Our "room" was more like a cabin in the woods. There was a living room, bedroom, bathroom, dressing area, kitchen, loft and a deck complete with a hot tub. Both the living room and the bedroom had fireplaces, and there was firewood already waiting for us in the room. The deck backed up to the tall trees and gave us the impression that no one else was around for miles and miles. It was truly wonderful.

After settling in, we left again. On the way back from refueling the car, I asked Hubby to stop at the next pull off so I could get a few snaps with both of our cameras. Despite the snow, the scenery was still attractive.

I sighed and stepped out of the car into the snow. Hubby got out of the car as well and told me to put the camera in my coat pocket. I wasn't sure of what he had planned until he headed off past some trees and down an embankment. I was reluctant to go off "exploring" with him in this unfamiliar area, in this horrid weather, but acquiesced after encouragement from him. (Read that as "after he assured me that we would not fall and break our legs, then have to lay there in pain, freezing to death in the snow because no one would know we were down there, I went with him.") I was soon glad I did.

Down a steep hill, across a tiny stream, and up another hill we went, carefully. At the top of that hill, we could see tall trees and snow and red rock. We could see and hear the really cold water rushing down the mountain past where we stood. It was incredibly beautiful!

I realized that although this wasn't the Sedona I hoped to see, there was a whole different kind of beauty before my eyes. My entire outlook changed in that moment. Yes, the skies were still gray and it was still snowing, but as Hubby laughingly pointed out "It's a dry snow."

Our cozy cabin-room soon welcomed us back, and we sat in companionable silence for a while, reading and watching TV and letting the warmth and the peace of the area settle into our bones. When it was darker, we climbed into the hot tub and let the cold light snow land on our faces.

I bemoaned the fact that we would have to leave this lovely, peaceful place the next day.

        

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