Hello friends! We are in Rimrock, AZ, about 30 minutes south of Sedona (and 1500 feet lower), an hour south of Flagstaff. We are staying with my niece Sharon and her husband Kyle. They have a house up on a mesa in a little neighborhood called Montezuma Lake. He sure got around, that Montezuma. 😍
We have not made it to Sedona, and honestly there is not a super draw to go there given the crowds of tourists plus it is spring break here for schools so there are even more people. We have been spending time at local haunts and historic places.
It was really nice for some of our days here and also very rainy for some of them. There is so much water between rain and snow melt that the rivers are very high and flood warnings were issued for low lying areas. They said it is the second 100-year flood in 3 years. Climate change for you. But the rains are causing the flowers to start blooming which is great to see.
Oak Creek - high water! 
Spring rain flowers
We arrived here on Saturday, March 11, and will depart Sunday March 19. Sadly Sharon's dogs were not at all accepting of ours so ours have been staying in the Casita and in their little dog yard. Steve has been sleeping out with them and I have a bed in the house. Not optimal, but do-able.
Last Sunday we went to hear Kyle's band play. They are called The Invincible Grins, and are a great straight up rock and roll band that plays some really good originals. They are about to release a new record so check it out.
While here in Rimrock, we saw our very first scorpion. It was a baby, about the size of a dime. Their dog Lucy noticed it first. It is the color of the carpet. Fun fact - scorpions glow under black light. Everyone around here has a black light flashlight with which to do scorpion check at night. Yup - check your beds!
On the carpet 
Under black light
Monday we went birding to a local Audubon spot called Bubbling Springs where we got to see our life Black Hawk. Super cool bird. Tuesday we hiked 7 miles along Beaver Creek. Wednesday it rained but we went to Jerome, AZ which is a LOT like Bisbee. Very cute town. Thursday we went sightseeing to Toozigoot and Montezuma Castle National Monuments. F Friday (today is petroglyph ranch day, at the V Bar V Heritage site. Saturday we go to the pecan and wine festival in Camp Verde, where the band will play again.
Black Hawk
View from Jerome, in the fog
Hiking trail
Hiking trail
Tuzigoot National Monument 
Tuzigoot National Monument
Tuzigoot National Monument 
Tuzigoot National Monument
Montezuma Castle National Monument 
Montezuma Castle National Monument
Montezuma Castle National Monument
V Bar V ranch petroglyph site 
Those long necks are cranes, rare in petroglyphs
This Cottonwood/Verde Valley area really has a lot going for it. There's a pretty vibrant music and art scene, lots of breweries, wineries and more. If you are looking for a place, this might be one. Reasonable shopping and dining but easy to get away too.
This Sunday we depart and here's where the change comes in. We were supposed to head a bit north to Fool Hollow Lake State park, and to a few more state parks before ending up at the Grand Canyon in mid April. Instead (drum roll please.....)
We are going to start heading east.
Yes, we are going to cut our trip short by about a month. For a few reasons. The main reasons are around the dogs. They really get the short shrift while we are camping. They don't get enough attention or enough exercise and they are stuck in that little space while we are out and about during the day and then again all night. It's really taking a toll, especially on my old girl Summer, and it is just not fair to them. So while we will take our time getting there, we will probably arrive about a month earlier than we had planned, mid April instead of mid-May.
We don't have camping reservations and are just going to wing it, stopping when we are ready to and staying a few nights if we find a place we like. So that's the scoop! We will head back down to Sierra Vista Sunday to Beth and Aaron's and get ourselves prepared for the return trip, and then start heading east along the I40 corridor on Wednesday. Will keep you all posted on how that is going.
It has been a really fun time but we are both feeling the pull to be home. Three-plus months on the road is a respectable trip and we don't feel bad about cutting it short. Maybe we will pick up where we left off next time we do this....
Leaving you with Mule deer
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