DAY NINETEEN

California frittatta for breakfast again this morning with fruit, though I did not eat the english muffin.
Earth Wisdom tour jeep driven by a woman named Shae arrived around 9-ish. She went to a Sunterra time-share place
to pick up two older people. I discovered that the personable woman at the Hyatt had informed me wrongly-- Earth
Wisdom does not accept credit cards. But Jen who answers the phone arranged to run my card through anyways and I
got signed up for a 5 p.m. vortex tour too.

87A south to private land owned by a guy who builds geodome houses near Bear Mountain. The hedgehog cacti were in
fuschia bloom and a few prickly pears were showing off lemon-lime colored flowers. We saw free-range cattle and
resurrection trees and pinyons and dragonflies and stuff. A beautiful sunny day.

We had medicine wheel circle. I will say about that only that it was sacred and familiar.

Then we went to "The Crossing" where there is a double vortex-- the river and the cathedral rocks in the background.
On the way there, Shae continued to explain about the geology and stuff. At the Crossing, I put my feet in the
water which felt really good to me. Shae played the flute and the two older folks wandered around a bit. There
were a few other folks there. A duck landed in the water and stayed to sun herself on a rock.

I got dropped off and then I departed for the post office where I mailed everything back that I possibly could,
sadly including my walking stick. I was not sure that the patriots in Phoenix Airport Security would allow it on the
plane. Technically, I do not "need" a cane. The presence of the walking stick did make navigating much easier than
otherwise. The walking stick looks like I am taking a hike and probably could be used as a weapon. I stuffed the
thing into one and a half tubes, insured it for 75 bucks, and sent it on. I also sent my Route 66 suitcase I had
gotten in L.A., my clothes, souvenirs, gifts, and two sets of sneakers. All of it priority [just like all the other
clothing and souvenirs and gifts] so it should be home Saturday or Monday, Tuesday at the latest.

I stopped in Tlacquepacque and toyed with the idea of getting a painted cane. They were not sturdy so in the end,
I decided just to be real careful walking around in the airports. Once I am on familiar ground, I will have my
familiar problems rather than the extra added "where am I and what are my feet supposed to be doing" kind of thing
going on. I got a delicious ice cream instead and then took the Road Runner back to Hillside. At the K store, I
got more water and a couple of nutrition bars.

Shortly after five, Jim from Earth Wisdom picked me up for my second tour of the day. We went ramming down the road
leading partly to Boyton Canyon and we also went up to Mystic Vista. Mystic was real nice. A dome sort of hill
with a huge whaleback on the top, pinyon trees, and a nice 360 degree view all around us. Jim pointed out many of
the red rock monuments and told us their names. He spent much time teasing the young lawyer woman from California
as her friend and I smiled on. [The two young women were friends only, not a same-gender couple].

Jim said he had arrived in Sedona two years ago with 50 bucks in his pocket and a desire to meditate near a vortex.
He got a job with Earth Wisdom and he stayed. For the finale, he took us to The Crossing where I'd been that
morning. I was glad to return though because it looked different in the evening and I got some cool pics.

Back at the hotel it was time to pack up cuz I am leaving tomorrow.

sapphoq n friends