Sedona Bliss

 

West Fork Oak Creek is perfection

Bliss is a word that came up when I searched for an antonym for suffering. Suffering is what a write about most often when I tell my hiking stories, because suffering is what adds interest. 

But there is “suffering” (too many mosquito bites and such) and there is SUFFERING (losing a child, cancer, etc) and I really struggle with writing about the serious kind. I have a draft on my spiritual blog about suffering that has been there since 2017; I don't think I'll ever be able to finish it. (I did finish it in 2024. If you don't have an open mind, don't bother reading it.) Though thankfully I won't be writing about either the lower or higher case variety right now, because this hike lacked suffering of any kind. So I’m afraid this is going to be a pretty boring post.

Getting deep

And even deeper!

I was headed to Arizona to visit my dad who recently moved there because of his Parkinson’s. (Capital letter suffering that I am already feeling uncomfortable mentioning.) While making the plans I remembered my hiking buddy from Oregon had mentioned going there to adventure with our other Arizona native hiking friend. Also I should add that this was early June; suffering would be a major part of this story if we tried doing this any later in the summer.

Can you see the face?

 

So from there, somehow everything came together seamlessly. I spent time with my family – and I also was able to spend three days with two of the best ladies I know on the #1 rated trail in Sedona. What an amazing time – I can’t think of one thing that went wrong or that I didn’t enjoy fully.

 I could probably write about how great it was, but the pics tell you all you need to know. Well, except where we camped, which I’m afraid is top secret. So that pretty much leaves me with this short little boring post. Though you know I’ll take bliss over suffering any day, good story be damned! Happy "suffer free" trails!

Sorry, my lips are sealed

Hiking is great, but family is everything