Friday, March 23: Today is another travel day; we say good-bye to Agua Fria National Monument and head north on I-17. At Camp Verde, we stop for gas and then continue on state highway 260 to 89a toward Sedona, where Clifford is meeting with environmental activist, Matt Landman.

We find Forest Road 525 south of Sedona, which we learned has dispersed camping. What we didn’t know was how popular this road is. We drive out on FR 525 for several miles, but every pull-out is already occupied. Finally we turn back toward the largest of the pull-outs, just a ways off the highway. Even though there are several other campers already here, the pull-out is spacious and RV’s of all sorts are parked along the perimeter. It is sort of like a little village.

We and Rollie find open spots big enough to pull into without crowding anyone and get set up. There are no trees and we can’t see the red mesas, which this area is famous for, but it is only for a few days, so we will make do.

We set up our screen tent for the first time so Rollie and I have a place to play music a little out of the wind. Later Rollie joins us for dinner and I just barely win a game of cribbage. Too late and too tired to write in the journal tonight.

Saturday, March 24: Chilly and windy this morning with jet trails marring the sky. I have tea with Rollie and after breakfast, we walk up the nearby Ranch Loop Road to check it out for possible future camping spots.

It is a scenic walk, red rock, junipers, and meadow grass, but the spots for camping are limited. Then we hike the hill behind the pull-out where we are camped. A good walkabout for us.

After breakfast, Rollie and I play music in the screen tent, but it is too chilly with the wind, so we soon pack up. Just a minute after we move out of the screen tent, a gust of wind causes it to collapse; the tent poles are being seriously bent, and luckily Rollie notices that I need some help releasing the tension before the poles break. We get the tent safely down and pile tables and chairs on it to keep it from blowing away. No time to pack it up now, as we are leaving for Sedona.

We are camped close to Sedona, as Clifford has an interview scheduled with Matt Landman, who has done exceptional work in bringing attention to serious environmental issues. We meet Matt, a young man full of energy and enthusiasm, and watch his documentary “Frankenskies,” a very well-researched presentation of the environmental issue of toxins in the skies. Plans are made for the interview with Clifford tomorrow.

Back at camp, I make breakfast burritos for dinner and nearly get skunked at cribbage with Rollie. I keep planner current, but no time for journal before heading to bed.

Sunday, March 25: Chilly wind this morning, so not spending much time outside. Clifford’s interview is this afternoon, but his only dress shirt is quite wrinkled, so I “iron” it by heating enamel cups on the stove and pressing them against the dampened shirt. Very slow, but it works.

Today I play viola inside; just too windy and chilly outside. I do some editing for Ang, the second book of her “Dragons of Va’ha’den” series. Then off we go to Sedona.

While Clifford has the interview with Matt, Rollie and I go with Matt’s partner Amanda to a cool little organic health food store/eatery and have the best cup of coffee ever! We sit and chat so long that we miss the Farmer’s Market, but instead we go on up the hill to the Buddhist stupa, Amitabha Stupa.

It is very scenic and peaceful, and we take our time wandering about on the trails and pacing around the Buddhist structure at the center of the property.

After we return to Matt and Amanda’s place, the interview being successful completed, we decide to go to a brewery for pizza and a beer to celebrate the success of the day. The seating for the brewery is in a courtyard and luckily we find seats at the campfire, as the evening is quite chilly. It is really nice to have more time to visit before heading back to camp.