Flagstaff
Arizona | United States
2021
A Florida-raised person like myself isn’t around much altitude So naturally I had to visit Flagstaff, an area known for its mountain landscape, to get myself somewhere a little out of my element.
It’s one thing to see a mountain on a TV, or a movie, but to see it in person, is definitely humbling. The drive there was noticeably steep, and took some getting used to. But as soon as I was closer to the mountains, seeing them over the horizon, I was already impressed.
Sunset Crater National Monument
And when I arrived at the Sunset Crater Monument, I had to stop to take in the scenery. Pine trees enveloped in snow was a new sight to me. As someone who rarely sees snow, I spent a lot of time appreciating it.
I got to the peak of the monument and was able to see the crater, which was covered in volcanic ash. This location & mountain used to be a volcano that erupted a long time ago. What remained was ash, ash that with time would become a healthy soil. I’m hopeful that in my lifetime I’ll be able to see what this area becomes when nature finishes rejuvenating.
On the drive away from the crater I stopped to take a picture of the sun starting to go down towards the mountains. As you can probably tell, I was really enjoying the mountain views.
McMillan Mesa Trail
Leaving the crater, I went to explore more of Flagstaff and happened to find a trail in the mountainous woods. A beautiful site to see, with a sunset approaching. So peaceful, quiet, and serene. A spot like this is where I would love to set up my cabin in the woods.
Starry Night
Driving back to Scottsdale, on the highway that was barely lit (with some places having no lights at all) (I mean it’s the middle of the mountains, hard to get electricity up here), my co-traveler Rocio noticed the stars shining bright. I pulled off to the side of the road, since I wanted to appreciate the stars (being so high in the mountains, and minimal light pollution, the stars could be seen insanely well).
This was by far the best, most amazing part of my Arizona trip, the stars were so vast and bright and plentiful. Looking at the stars you truly understand Earth and yourself, in relation to the vastness of the universe & space.
Keep in mind, the image doesn’t do it justice. I’ll definitely be coming back to see these stars, shining bright: providing both comfort & peace.
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