"Close encounters of the mystical kind........."

So from the searing heat of Las Vegas, I rode to The Grand Canyon in the pouring rain and got thoroughly soaked and cold. It turns out my waterproof goretex lining isn`t waterproof after all! If there`s one thing I don`t like it`s pitching a tent in the pouring rain. So I was mightily relieved when I got to the campsite and it stopped raining. My main concern was spending two days at one of the wonders of the world and not being able to see anything! I put the tent up as quickly as possible (just in case) and went in search of the canyon. I was hoping to catch a glimpse of it if the cloud broke and at the same time was hoping not to be disappointed by what I saw (this had been on my “bucket list” for a long time). I walked up to the rim in low lying cloud and as I reached the edge, the clouds parted, revealing a scene so breathtaking I was lost for words (a couple of expletives may have slipped out by accident though). The sheer scale of it is incredible. I`m not going to even attempt to describe what I felt in that moment because I couldn`t put it into words. And even as I busied myself with fruitless attempts to capture it on film like everyone else, I knew that just being there was sufficient.



It was interesting to note that, apart from a few fenced off viewing points, there was little or nothing between the hundreds of visitors and sheer drops of thousands of feet! I`m surprised there aren`t more fatalities given the fact that most of us seemed to want to get a close as possible to the edge for the “ultimate” shot. Thankfully, the forecasted rain and thunderstorms didn`t appear, and so I visited canyon several more times over the two days at different times of the day including sunset. Each time was equally spectacular, but nothing will surpass the memory of that very first view. After two days of nourishing my spirit and soul I headed south for further spiritual enlightenment in the mystical vortex of SEDONA.

Red rock, auras and stars......

With the storm clouds gone and the weather back to normal, I set off from the Canyon under a warm 80º sun and blue skies. By the time I reached the outskirts of Sedona it was already 90° +, but somehow felt hotter because of the extraordinary red rock that makes up Sedona`s environment. The ride down the valley was stunning and as I entered the town itself, I could see why it has such a reputation. A beautiful little town surrounded by spectacular rock formations.



Unfortunately, it is also an expensive place to stay! However, I had shopped around on the internet and found a good deal on a little motel called The Baby Quail Inn(!), which happened to be owned by Dick Curtis, a former actor, all round entertainer and director. Dick is a very sprightly and engaging 82 year old who had worked with many stars of stage and screen, including John Wayne, Nat King Cole, Ella Fitzgerald and countless other stars. I could have listened to him for hours as he regaled me with stories of his time in Hollywood and on the stage. My time in Sedona was all too short, but I did take some advice and rode up to The Chapel. What a perfect location for a church! High on a hill surrounded by stunning views! The heat limited my options to see things on the bike and I vowed to return and see the rest of this beautiful place in the future. (The Bucket List is getting longer by the day!) I knew that Sedona is famous for attracting those interested in all things mystical and spiritual, but I wanted to find out more. What was so special about this place? I know you could get psychic readings, auras read, crystals, psychic massage (and no, I didn`t try it – too expensive!) and all kinds of healing, but why this place? I was curious, so I found a lady called Jules who was more than happy to explain.




Whether you`re a believer or not, this is certainly a very special place and the ribs I had for dinner were excellent. And so was the beer. Oh, and the glass of wine too. In fact, I `m sure I had a spiritual experience that night. Yes, I`m definitely going back! While in Sedona, I had been e mailing another member of The Chain Gang re. a problem with my horn. Before I left England I had an extra loud horn fitted, (when you get down to Mexico and Central America it`s really important to be heard) and for some reason it had just stopped working. My knowledge of all things electrical is about as deep as my knowledge of Vortexes, so I posted a request for help on "The Chain Gang" website. I got an immediate response from Bill in Phoenix, who not only offered to help me fix it but said I could to stay over as well. Sedona to Phoenix wasn`t that far, so I gratefully accepted.