Back to Sedona

On November 20, 2021, Inna and I revisited Sedona, Arizona. We last visited Sedona on November 28, 2019 (before COVID-19) and were eager to hike some of our favorites again.

Since the Hilton Sedona Resort at Bell Rock was much more expensive, Inna and I decided to try the Lantern Light Inn instead. We also booked Southwest Airlines Flight #2316 from SJC to PHX, departing at 07:35 PST.

Saturday, November 20, 2021

With my iPad alarm ringing at 05:15, we woke up and dressed. I ordered a Lyft standard car at 05:40 instead of UberX (the UberX fare went from $28 to $72 for the short drive from our home to San Jose Airport). Our Lyft driver arrived at 05:48, and we quickly loaded the car. We packed two suitcases and two backpacks for our short flight to Phoenix.

When we arrived at the San Jose Airport, there were very long lines to get through security. We printed our two Southwest Airlines boarding passes and then joined the long queue to get through security. After a lengthy wait, we proceeded to our departure gate.

Our Southwest Airlines Flight #2316 departed on time at 07:35; we landed earlier than expected, at 10:10 in Phoenix. After deplaning, we ordered an UberX to the parking lot where the BMW GT was parked. I specifically requested to pick up the BMW at the airport, but my Turo guide told me that this was not possible (at the last minute).

Our UberX Blue Prius arrived at 10:40. We drove to the designated parking lot, where the BMW was parked. However, on the way there, Leslie (our UberX driver) had to pull over because she ran out of gas. Thankfully, this was a short delay.

I reserved the 2014 BMW 328i GT for our trip using Turo because reserving rental cars was challenging due to their low availability and high price. Rental car agencies stopped renting cars during the COVID-19 pandemic, and few were available.

The BMW 328i GT was unique, and I needed time to adjust to its peculiarities. The first item I noticed was the lack of a rear backup camera. The lack of a rearview camera makes parallel parking more challenging.

We arrived at Lantern Light Inn in Sedona around 13:35. Usually, Lantern Light Inn allows check-ins from 15:00 - 19:00. However, Inna called the phone number and checked in earlier. We brought our suitcases to our room and decided to hurry to lunch.

The first lunch place we tried - Sedona Crepes - was supposed to be open on Saturday until 15:00, but when we walked over, we noticed that the lights were out, which meant it was obviously closed. We decided to walk over to Layla's Bakery-Cafe. Unfortunately, the kitchen at Layla's closed at 14:00, so we could not order any sandwiches. We decided to try Cafe Jose, which was highly recommended by our host at Lantern Light Inn.

We were quickly seated in Cafe Jose and ordered the following items:

• Boris: Denver Scramble, Coffee
• Inna: Rio Grande, Coffee

I really liked my Denver Scramble. It reminded me of when my mom made me a Denver Omelette at Neal's Oyster Bar (the restaurant my mom and dad owned). 

After we finished our lunch at 15:00, we decided to try hiking the West Fork Oak Trail (an easy trail highly recommended by our Lantern Light Inn host). Encountering heavy congestion, we eventually reached the West Fork Oak Trailhead at around 15:45, parked (paying an $11 fee), and began our hike.

Here is the Strava log of our West Fork Oak hike.

It was a beautiful trail with many water crossings and beautiful scenery. We hiked 3.52 miles, returning to our parking lot at 17:45. The hike took 1:45 (elapsed time), with an elevation gain of 147 feet.

We decided to eat dinner on the way back before returning to our Lantern Light Inn. Since it was Saturday night, all the restaurants were bustling. We were eventually able to get seated at Open Range Grill & Tavern. We ordered the following items:

• Appetizer: Cornbread (shared)
  
• Boris: Blonde Draft Beer, Chicken Fajitas
  
• Inna: Prickly Pear Margarita, Quesadilla

The Fajitas were delicious, but not at the same level as the ones served at Carmelitas in Laguna Beach. I was slightly disappointed about cornbread - I expected something comparable to what Black Eyed Peas serves in Houston.

After dinner, we returned to Room #111 in Lantern Light Inn. I lit the fire pit on our patio and talked to Steve Stolper (who left me a message). I started reading The Lincoln Highway by Amor Towles on my Kindle Paperwhite.

We didn't sleep well at night because the room's heater kept turning on very loudly and waking us up until Inna had the good sense to turn it off permanently.

 

Sunday, November 21, 2021

In the morning, I woke at 07:00 to my alarm playing music. However, both Inna and I were still very tired, so we continued sleeping until 08:40. I took a shower, shaved, and dressed for our morning hike. Inna also woke up reluctantly, showered, and dressed. 

Initially, we thought of stopping for breakfast before our hike. I considered eating at nearby Sedona Crepes and called to confirm it was open. However, my phone call was redirected to voicemail, so I assumed it was closed. However, Inna tried again and got to a live person, who explained that the restaurant was open for breakfast.

We walked to Sedona Crepes and noticed a few people waiting to be seated. Inna put our name on the list, but the wait was 20 minutes. At this rate, we might not make much progress hiking at Bell Rock, so we decided to skip breakfast and drive directly to the Courthouse Loop South Trailhead, which we prefer for hiking to Bell Rock.

On the drive, my BMW 328i GT started complaining about low tire pressure. I stopped by the nearby Shell Station and pumped up both tires, resetting the TPM monitoring system afterward. It worked, as I saw no new warnings (but only time will tell).

Encountering heavy traffic, we eventually reached the Courthouse Loop South Trailhead and tried to park. Initially, we could not find any open parking spaces, but ultimately, we found an available parking space as a Jeep pulled out. I purchased the weekly parking pass ($15) and parked the BMW.

Since it was already quite warm, I decided not to bring a warm jacket. Inna got her backpack with a water bottle, while I just wore the fanny pack. Our plan was to follow the Big Park Loop trail.

Initially, we walked North and then East counter-clockwise, following the Bell Rock Pathway, the Courthouse Butte Loop, Bell Rock Climb, and Bell Rock Pathway. The hike was 6.00 miles long and took 3 hours (with a few rest stops). We were exhausted after the hike and decided to eat lunch.

At first, we tried lunch at Creekside American Bistro, but it was fully booked with a 90-minute wait for a table. We decided to try the Hideaway House (where we dined 2 years ago), which had a 20-minute wait. 

We were seated outside (with beautiful views of the surrounding peaks) at around 15:00 and ordered a few items:

• Boris: Gnocchi Vegetable soup, Nathan's Harvest Ginger Beer
• Inna: French Onion soup, Prickly Pear Lemonade
• Share: 14' Peach & Panchet Pizza
• Dessert: Peach & Pecan Cobbler

I liked the Peach & Panchet Pizza, while the soup was tolerable. The Peach & Pecan Cobbler was delicious.

After lunch, we returned to our room in Lantern Light Inn to rest. Both Inna and I were very tired and took a short nap. After the nap, we quickly dressed for our dinner at Cucina Rustica. Since we were running late (our dinner reservations were for 17:54), Inna called to warn the restaurant. We arrived around 18:15 and promptly sat at our "usual" table.

After looking at the new dinner menu and the wine menu, Inna and I ordered the following items:

• Appetizer: Bruschetta
• Boris: Firestone Walker 805 Blonde Ale, Gnocchi Della Nonna
• Inna: BTG Eroica Riesling, Chilean Sea Bass, Hot Tea
• Dessert: Apple Budino

Inna's Chilean Sea Bass was marvelous, and I liked the Apple Budino dessert. My gnocchi was delicious, but I wasn't in the right mood to enjoy them.

After dinner, we returned to our room, stopping at Whole Foods to pick up yogurt, water, and snacks.

I lit the fire pit on our patio, and Inna sat outdoors, taking in the warm flame and the fresh evening air. I sat outside for some time, but as I got cold, I moved indoors. Inna sat out until 23:30, listening to her meditations. I continued reading The Lincoln Highway by Amor Towles on my Kindle Paperwhite.

Monday, November 22, 2021

Workday!

I woke up at 07:00 but was still sleepy and slept until 08:00. I showered, dressed, and ate a small cashew vanilla yogurt. I also made coffee in the room using the Lantern Light Inn's Keurig coffee maker. I lit the fire pit and drank my coffee while working on multiple work-related items.

Inna woke around 08:40 and decided to try hiking the Boynton Canyon Trail. She planned to trek 5 miles to visit the Birthing Cave. 

She packed a few essentials, including yogurt, crackers, and water. It was her first time driving the BMW 328i GT, and I hoped she would get used to it.

Inna enjoyed a long hike, taking over 6 hours to traverse multiple paths on the Boynton Canyon Trail. 

When she returned at 16:15, she was exhausted but proud to have reached the Subway Caves and completed such a long and arduous hike.

After resting a bit, we spent the rest of the day drinking wine and eating cheese & crackers on our   Lantern Light Inn patio, with the fire pit providing heat and illumination. We tried to make dinner reservations at multiple restaurants and eventually succeeded in reserving Dahl & Di Luca Italian Restaurant for 20:00.

We arrived at Dahl & Di Luca Italian Restaurant at about 20:00 and waited a few minutes before being seated close to the piano (no one was playing). After looking at the dinner menu (which seemed to mirror Cucina Rustica), we ordered the following items:

• Appetizer: Burrata Special, Bread with Olive Oil
  
• Boris: Classico Bolognese, Hot Tea
  
• Inna: Pesce Reale (Chilean Sea Bass), Hot Tea
  
• Dessert: Luscious Lemon Cheesecake
  

The Burrata Special was delicious, and Inna's Chilean Sea Bass was well prepared. 

I liked my Classico Bolognese too. The Luscious Lemon Cheesecake with Limoncello was exquisite. We liked our dinner at Dahl & Di Luca and plan to return for Thanksgiving at 17:45.

Tuesday, November 23, 2021

Workday!

I woke at 07:30 in the morning, showered, shaved, and dressed. Inna and I ate a small breakfast at the nearby Layla's Bakery Cafe (closed on Sunday and Monday). There was already a long line when we arrived (a 5-minute walk from our Inn).

We ordered the following items from the menu:

• Boris: Small Mocha, Cheese Danish
  
• Inna: Butterbeer Latte, Apple Danish, Ham & Cheese Croissant

All the pastries were extremely well-baked and delicious. They were superior to our Los Gatos' Fleur de Cocoa Patisserie. We hope to return to Layla's again!

While I worked on the patio with the fire pit, Inna attended to her appointments. She visited the Crescent Moon Ranch and crossed some deep streams.

I had lots of work to do. At around 10:00, light showers began to fall, but I stayed dry on the patio under the plexiglass roof and kept working.

For lunch, I reheated Inna's quesadilla leftovers in the microwave. 

At around 15:30, Inna returned from her activities, and we decided to try coffee at the Starbites Coffee Cafe. There was heavy traffic on 89A, and it took us 20 minutes to drive 3 miles! Eventually, we parked near the cafe and ordered a few items:

• Boris: Mocha, Apple Fritter
• Inna: London Fog, Egg Sandwich

The mocha was really delicious, and I liked the Apple Fritter. Since the coffee shop closed at 17:00, we left and explored the nearby Visions Fine Art gallery. We especially liked the colorful sculptures of Dramocha and other animals by Nano Lopez, as well as the fascinating paintings of Octavio Ocampo.

For dinner, we decided to try Pisa Lisa, a few minutes away from our Lantern Light Inn. We arrived at around 17:30 and were added to the waiting list. We gave our cell phone numbers and were told that our table would be ready in 30-40 minutes. We returned home and waited, but never received the text message. Thus, we decided to return to Pisa Lisa and stay there. 

We arrived and parked our car in the small parking lot. We waited 10-15 minutes more before being seated at a communal table (where two other people were already dining). The big-screen TV showed the latest NBA game between the LA Lakers and the NY Knicks, with the Knicks leading most of the way. After looking at the menu, we ordered the following items:

• Boris: Ace Apple Cider, Greca (Greek Salad)
• Inna: Ace Pear Cider, Burrata Caprese
• Shared: Funghi Decadente (Mushroom Pizza)

I liked my Greek Salad, and the Mushroom Pizza was delicious, baked on a super-thin crust. We couldn't finish the pizza, so we brought a few slices home to eat later.

Wednesday, November 24, 2021

I woke at 07:30 in the morning, showered, and dressed. Inna also woke up and dressed. It was chilly, with the morning air hovering at 40 Fahrenheit. 

We dressed warmly and walked over to the nearby Layla's Bakery Cafe. Surprisingly, Layla's was not busy at 08:15, and we quickly ordered the following breakfast items:

• Boris: Mocha (12 oz) + Whipped Cream, Apple Danish
• Inna: Latte (12 oz), Ham & Cheddar Croissant, Kouign-Amann

The mocha was delightful, and I especially enjoyed the chocolate-covered whipped cream. In addition, the Apple Danish was freshly baked, crispy, and delicious. Inna also enjoyed her Ham & Cheese Croissant and her mocha.

After breakfast, we returned to the Lantern Lighthouse Inn. I had to return to work while Inna decided to try a short hike on the Boynton Canyon Trail. She planned to return at around noon for lunch with me. During her hike, she ran into the guy who plays the flute. 

Inna returned home before noon and caught up with Alex in London using Apple's FaceTime. Alex was doing well in London and was considering what to do during the upcoming weekend. A visit to York?

At noon, we decided to eat at Layla's Bakery Cafe for the last time (as it would be closed from November 25 to November 30. We both initially ordered Butternut Squash soup,s but did not like it. We thought they would be a paste, but they tasted like vegetable soups. Instead, Inna exchanged them for salads.

• Boris: Caesar Baby Kale Salad, Lemonade 
• Inna: Strawberry Salad, Lemonade, Bulletproof Coffee

After lunch, we decided to hike the Airport Loop Trail at Airport Mesa. The hike was supposed to be 3.2 miles long, but it turned out to be 6.0 miles. We saw many beautiful overlooks of the surrounding mountains. We rested and shared the Kouign-Amann from Layla's Bakery at the highest point. 

After the hike, we drove to the nearby Starbites Coffee Cafe, where Inna ordered a London Fog and an Earl Grey tea with a small snack. Since the coffee shop closed at 17:00, we returned to our Lighthouse Lantern Inn and rested. Since we were tired and dirty from the long hike, both Inna and I showered. I felt much better after the hot shower.

For dinner, we drove to Cucina Rustica (about 23 minutes away) for our 18:30 OpenTable reservation. 

After arriving, we were promptly seated. handed menus and offered water. We ordered the following dinner items:

• Boris: Hot Tea, Greca (Greek Salad), Angelica (linguine with shrimp)
• Inna: Hot Tea, BTG Eroica Riesling, Burrata Plate, Vitello Saltimbocca (Veal)
• Dessert: Budino

On the return drive home, we stopped at the local Whole Foods to purchase fresh organic apples, yogurt, chocolate, crackers, and spring water.

Thursday, November 25, 2021

Happy Thanksgiving!

I woke at 07:30, showered, dressed, and made coffee with the Nespresso coffee maker in our room. I lit the outdoor fire pit, and Inna and I ate a small breakfast consisting of:

• Freshly brewed coffee
• Greek yogurt with fruit (Marionberry, passion fruit)
• Brioche rolls

After breakfast, we dressed warmly for our upcoming hike to Soldier Pass. After a short 5-minute drive, we were directed to park near the pool - because there was the 12th Annual Sedona Turkey Trot. There was a shuttle ferrying hikers to Soldier Pass Trailhead, but it was running relatively slowly due to the number of runners.

Initially, we thought about going forward with the hike, but the strong, cold, gusty wind (gusting to 25+ knots) and the cold temperatures made us reconsider. We decided to try another hike with less wind and settled on the West Oak Fork Trail. After a 2-minute drive, we reached the trailhead and paid the $11 parking fee at about 10:00.

Although it was pretty cold - 42 degrees Fahrenheit - the wind was far less intense, and we started our 3.2-mile hike on the West Oak Fork Trail. Since it's rated as an easy hike, it should take 90 minutes each way. It took much longer because we kept stopping to photograph the beautiful scenery.

Looking at my Apple Watch (I used Strava to record the hike), it showed we hiked 4.2 miles to the very end (an area where the steep cliffs narrow and only water continues, making hiking impossible). This portion of the hike took us about two hours. We had to cross streams 13 times and almost got our feet wet on multiple occasions.

The way back was much quicker, as we did not stop to take photos.

We reached our BMW 328i at about 15:00 (5 hours after we started our hike). We were exhausted and a bit famished. Since it was Thanksgiving, most coffee shops and restaurants were closed. We thought of stopping at any place that was still open. On the drive back to our Lantern Light Inn, we stopped at one restaurant, but it only accepted seating for pre-existing reservations.

After reaching our Lantern Inn, I lit the fire pit, warmed up the 3 slices of leftover Pizza Funghi (from Pisa Lisa), and brewed fresh coffee. It was a small, simple lunch, but it helped to make us feel better.

At 17:40, we dressed for our dinner at  Dahl & Di Luca Italian Restaurant. Although we could not sit in the main dining room, we enjoyed dinner near the bar. We ordered the following items from the Thanksgiving Dinner Menu:

• Boris: Soup of the Day(Yam Bisque), Salmone al Limoncello, Hot Tea
• Inna: Seafood Bruschetta, Agnello Scottadito (Lamb), Hot Tea
• Dessert: Classic Tiramisu

Our dinner was delicious, and I especially enjoyed the Tiramisu. The Salmon was delicious, but I could not taste any Lemoncello. Inna really enjoyed her rack of lamb.

Friday, November 26, 2021

I woke at 07:30, showered, dressed, and checked whether Sedona Crepes was open next door. I called the restaurant, but no one picked up, and I was transferred to voicemail. While Inna was getting dressed, I walked over and found it closed.

I made breakfast in our room and brewed two cups of coffee using the Keurig Coffee maker. I lit the patio fire pit (it was pretty chilly outside), and Inna and I ate our morning breakfast, which included the following:

• Freshly brewed coffee
• Greek yogurt with fruit (marionberry, passion fruit)
• Brioche rolls

After breakfast, Inna and I decided to hike the Little Horse Trail to Chicken Point. The drive to the Little Horse trailhead was a short 12-minute drive, with very little traffic. I did have to stop by the Shell Station to pump up the front-left tire of the BMW 328i GT (because the car's Tire Pressure System was complaining).

We had difficulty finding parking when we arrived at the Little Horse Trailhead. Eventually, a Jeep pulled out, and we were able to park. We started our hike, noticing the myriad of other hikers and mountain bikers on this trail.

As I recall, last time (2 years ago), when Inna and I hiked Little Horse, we were pretty tired when we reached Chicken Point. However, today, we could walk quickly to Chicken Point and reach it in an hour. At the top, we enjoyed fantastic views of the surrounding cliffs. We sat on one of the giant boulders and enjoyed a quick snack of fresh organic Honeycrisp apples.

The return trip to Little Horse Trailhead was fast, with our descent taking less than an hour. On the way down, we saw many mountain bikers descending quite quickly. I could try this trail on a mountain bike.

We loaded our BMW 328i GT with our hiking boots, and I started the drive to Uptown Sedona. There was a lot of congestion, and it took us 40 minutes to drive a few miles. 

Eventually, we parked near the Hike House. We walked over to the Hike House and looked at their vast selection of hiking boots. I was hungry and did not want to wait for a sales rep (who was working with another customer). Thus, we left the Hike House and walked north toward Hideaway House. On the way there, we briefly stopped at the Pump Station restaurant (but did not like their lunch menu). 

Next, we stopped at Creekside American Bistro, hoping a lunch table would be available. Luckily, Creekside had a free indoor table, and we sat down. 

After looking at the menu, we ordered the following lunch items:

• Appetizer: 5 Freshly-baked croissants
• Boris: Crab Cake Combo (with Brie Soup), Hot Tea
• Inna: N/A Prickly Spritzer,  Brie Soup, Eggs Benedict, Hot Tea

After lunch, we drove to the Amitabha Stupa and Peace Park to see Buddha statues. After exploring the small park and looking at the statues, we decided to hike the Chimney Rock Pass. It was a trail with a significant ascent. We enjoyed the beautiful surrounding vistas.

At about 17:00, we returned to our car and drove back to our Lantern Light Inn. We were both a bit tired and took showers to wash off the hiking dust and get refreshed.

For dinner, Inna made reservations at Cucina Rustica for 19:30. Given the heavy traffic in North Sedona, we were initially concerned about the long drive to Cucina Rustica. However, at around 19:00, the traffic congestion had vanished, and our drive to Cucina Rustica took only 22 minutes.

After checking in, we were seated at a table and offered menus. After reviewing the menu, we selected the following dinner items:

• Boris: Greca (Greek Salad), Don Quixote Pasta with Chicken, Hot Tea
• Inna: Zuppa di Giorno (Tomato Bisque), Ravioli Paradiso, Hot Tea
• Dessert: Sogno di Cioccolato

We enjoyed another lovely dinner at Cucina Rustica. I especially enjoyed the Greca (Greek Salad) and the Signo di Cioccolato dessert. Inna raved about her delicious Ravioli Paradiso.

Saturday, November 27, 2021

We woke at 08:00 in the morning, and I showered, shaved, and dressed. I decided to check whether Sedona Crepes was open and walked over. It looked empty, and the wait for a table was only 10 minutes long. However, I didn't like the way it looked inside, so Inna and I decided to eat our own breakfast.

I  brewed two cups of coffee using the Keurig Coffee maker and lit the patio fire pit (it was pretty chilly outside), and Inna and I ate our morning breakfast, including:

• Freshly brewed coffee
• Italian Fruitcake
• Yogurt 

After breakfast, we drove over to the Soldier Pass Trailhead but could not find a parking spot (it only has spots for 14 cars) despite waiting 30 minutes. Instead, we decided to park by the Sedona Community Pool. 

From there, we called Debbie at (928) 592-2011, and she arrived quickly to pick us up and take us to the Soldier Pass Trailhead. (We tried using UberX, but Inna could not find a car)

We started our Soldier Pass hike from the small car parking lot and, in a few minutes, arrived at Devil's Kitchen. It's a giant sinkhole in the ground. We saw many hikers strolling around, as well as many mountain bikers and Jeeps.

From Devil's Kitchen, we walked North for about 1/2 mile and arrived at the Seven Sacred Pools. They were small pools of water and not very impressive.

We continued northward to the Soldier Pass Cave and Soldier Arch. This was not very well marked on the trail, and we only found it because Debbie told us to look for the "Wilderness Sign" and turn right, heading upwards toward the caves.

It was a steep ascent to the cave, requiring careful scrambling. Once we reached the cave, scrambling into it was quite a challenge. Once inside, the view was amazing. We carefully descended after marveling at the view inside and taking multiple photos.

The return trip to the Seven Sacred Pools was relatively easy, and then we continued to Devil's Kitchen and the parking lot. At the parking lot, we called Debbie, and she picked us up.

After we returned to our Lantern Inn room #111, we showered and rested for half an hour. Then we dressed and headed to Pisa Lisa for a late lunch. However, Pisa Lisa was quite busy (with a 20-40-minute wait), so we decided to continue on to Tlaquepaque Arts & Shopping Center despite the insane traffic. It took us over 30 minutes to drive a couple of miles.

We parked our BMW 328i GT there and decided to eat lunch at Creekside American Bistro (as Inna was able to make online reservations for 16:30) . We sat down indoors and ordered the following lunch items:

• Boris: Ahi Tuna Burger
• Inna: Brie Soup, Beet Salad

I liked my Ahi Tuna Burger and shared half with Inna. Although she enjoyed her Brie Soup, she was not enthusiastic about her Beet Salad. 

She loved my Ahi Tuna Burger! The curly fries with the Ahi Tuna Burger were unique and tasty.

After lunch, we walked around the various shops in the Tlaquepaque Arts & Shopping Center. We explored several art galleries, and Inna stopped by a few other shops. We stopped by the Chai Spot to order some Coconut Rose Chai for Inna and me.

Our aromatic Coconut Rose Chai is the favorite of many. This black tea is brewed in coconut milk with cinnamon and sugar, and garnished with nutmeg

We sipped our chai on a sofa, listening to several groups of Indians drinking tea. Since the Chai Spot closed at 18:00, we had to leave by 18:30. We wandered around Tlaquepaque Arts & Shopping Center for a bit and then drove to Shorebird for our 19:30 dinner reservation.

We arrived at Shorebird at 19:00, a bit earlier than expected, and waited to be seated. Once seated, we ordered the following items:

• Appetizer: Avocado Fries (delicious!)
• Boris:  Prickly Pear Cider
• Inna: Tomato Soup, White Peach Sangria
• Shared: Lido Roll, Balboa Roll

The Avocado Fries were unique and delicious, providing a delightful start to our dinner at Shorebird. Inna also liked her Tomato Soup (which came with a lovely mozzarella sandwich). 

The two sushi rolls - Lido Rolls and Balboa Roll - were also delicious. Inna liked her White Peach Sangria, but I was not enthusiastic about the Prickly Pear Cider (from Corvallis, Oregon).

Sunday, November 28, 2021

We woke up early at 06:20 to get ready for the long drive to Antelope Canyon. Inna purchased two tickets with Pink Jeep Tours for a guided tour of Antelope Canyon (on Navajo land).

Take a bucket-list tour to Lower Antelope Canyon with a hike to Horseshoe Bend on this exciting day trip from Sedona. You’ll see the Painted Desert and Navajo Nation, have lunch at Glen Canyon Dam and shop at Cameron Trading Post.

Jessica, our Pink Jeep Tour driver, picked us up at our Lantern Lighthouse Inn at 07:00. We were the first couple to board the large Pink Jeep van. For the next 20 minutes, Jessica drove around various hotels in Sedona to pick up the other participants, including Kristen & Cameron, Genie & Doug, and others.

Our first major stop was the hike to Horseshoe Bend, and on the way there, Jessica stopped at the Cameron Trading Post for restrooms and Navajo gifts. Inna purchased a lovely Owl figurine here and a couple of refrigerator magnets for Vladik.

About an hour later (at 11:00), we pulled into the Horseshoe Bend parking lot, where we hiked 1.5 miles (for about 20 minutes) to Horseshoe Bend. Many tourists were here, and we took multiple photos of Horseshoe Bend. The Colorado River looked very dry around the bend.

Our next stop was lunch at the Glen Canyon Dam Overlook in Page (which overlooks the man-made Lake Powell). Jessica purchased some delicious sandwiches for us, and we ate them while looking over the giant Glen Canyon Dam.

After lunch, we stopped for restrooms and drinks at Shell and continued to Lower Antelope Canyon. We had to wait until 13:45 for our Navajo tour guide to start the tour. We had to wear COVID-19 masks the entire time and were not allowed to bring backpacks. 

We descended multiple steep ladders deep into the Lower Antelope Canyon. Seeing the many shades of sandstone walls was just a fantastic experience. It was a photographer's dream! 

There were so many stunning shots of canyon walls, crevices, etc. Inna and I took hundreds of photos as we walked deep into the heart of the Lower Antelope Canyon. Our Navajo guide was extremely valuable; he took many photos of us and helped us compose pictures on Inna's iPhone. I was very impressed with Antelope Canyon and wished I had more time to take more photos!

After we climbed the final ladder out of the canyon, we boarded our Pink Jeep and returned to Sedona, stopping at a Shell Gas station and Cameron for restrooms. We arrived at  Lantern Light Inn at about 19:15.

Since Inna had made dinner reservations at Shorebird for 19:30, she called the restaurant to warn them of our slight delay. We quickly changed our hiking clothes and drove to Shorebird, 7 minutes away.

After reviewing the Shorebird dinner menu, we ordered the following:

• Share: Catalina Roll (Blue crab, cucumbers, topped w/ yellowtail, avocado, pickled red Fresno chili, shaved scallions)
• Boris:  San Marzano Tomato Soup
• Inna: White Peach Sangria, San Marzano Tomato Soup, Halibut
• Dessert: Valrhona Chocolate Brownie

I really liked the San Marzano Tomato Soup with the accompanying mozzarella sandwich. The Catalina Roll was also quite delicious. Inna really liked her Halibut. The Valrhona Chocolate Brownie was also outstanding.

Monday, November 29, 2021

Returning home to San Jose!

With a 21:25 return flight on Southwest to San Jose, we needed to drop off the Turo-rented BMW 328i GT at the Airport Garage.

We woke around 08:00, dressed, showered, and packed our belongings, loading them into our BMW 328i. I returned the room's keys to the host and bid our wonderful hotel adieu.

For breakfast, we decided to try Theia's Coffee in uptown Sedona. We parked our BMW nearby and set up our laptops for our work. Inna ordered a London Fog for herself and an English Breakfast tea for me. She also ordered a bagel with cream cheese while I enjoyed a Bear Claw.

We continued working at Theia until lunch, when we decided to try The Vault (nearby uptown). Both Inna and I ordered the following:

• Boris: Chicken Salad Sandwich with Salad
• Inna: Chicken Salad Sandwich with Salad

We liked our sandwiches and the spectacular view of the surrounding red rocks from our patio. I had a headache and took two Tylenol (in the hope of relieving my migraine).

Afterward, Inna decided to explore nearby shops while I returned to Theia's Coffee to continue work. Inna started our drive to the airport around 17:00, arriving in Phoenix at about 18:30. I dropped off the BMW 328i at the Airport Long-Term Parking lot and took the tram to the terminal.

Our Southwest Airlines Flight #1468 took off from Phoenix at 21:25 (on time) and landed in San Jose at 22:20 PST. There was some surge pricing on UberX, and we paid $60 for the short ride from the airport to our home.

Sedona Trip Report

Day trips:

1. Lower Antelope Canyon (amazing!)

Hikes:

1. Little Horse Trail - easy hike with fantastic views from Chicken Point Overlook
2. West Oak Fork Trail - an easy but long hike with fantastic views and stream crossings
3. Soldier Pass Trail (impressive cavern, natural wonders)
4. Bell Rock Trail (from Courthouse Loop South Trailhead)
5. Boynton Canyon Trail

Restaurants

1. Cucina Rustica (best food, best ambiance,  waiter service)
2. Shorebird (sushi, tomato soup)
3. Dahl & Di Luca Italian Restaurant (live piano on weekends)
4. The Vault (sandwiches)
5. Hideaway House (lunch)
6. Creekside American Bistro (ahi tuna sandwich)
7. Pisa Lisa (no reservations needed, thin-crust pizza)
8. Cafe Jose (fast service, American food)

Cafes

1. Layla's Bakery Cafe (best mocha, delicious croissants & pastries)
2. Theia's Coffee
3. Starbites Coffee Cafe

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Review: GoPro Hero 10 Black

After using my GoPro Hero 4 Silver and GoPro Hero 7 Black for many years, I decided to upgrade to the latest GoPro Hero 10 Black bundle ($399.99), hoping to improve video quality and stabilization.

I am just starting to use it now and will update this review once I have more time with the new GoPro.

Positives

• Better video quality
  
• Better video stabilization (Hypersmooth 4.0)
  
• Faster, more responsive operation
• Easier to change batteries (the battery door is on the side, so I can change batteries while still mounted on a tripod)
  
• The front screen can be used to help orient the camera
• Video tripod mode can be used to reduce battery drain
  
• Video quality is much improved from the GoPro Hero 7 Black (especially in cinematic mode)

Negatives

• Larger body size than the GoPro Hero 7 Black
• Battery life is still relatively poor
• Batteries are larger and incompatible with Hero 7 and Hero 7 batteries
• Reports of frequent overheating and poor battery life
  

After recording multiple high-definition snowboarding videos at Palisades Tahoe, I concluded that the GoPro Hero 10 is significantly better (video quality-wise) than my older GoPro Hero 7.

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Tennis Forehand Tips

After watching a few tennis instructional videos on YouTube (MyTennisHQ), I have listed tips to improve my tennis skills.

And here's another GoPro Hero4 video of my ball machine training session.

 Forehand Drive Issues to work on:

1. Keep the head still, looking through the racquet's strings to see the incoming ball
   
2. Accelerate the racquet through the swing (not constant velocity) and push through the ball
   
3. Left-arm should be moving upwards (not downwards) during the forehand drive and synchronized with the hitting arm
4. Use your hips to initiate the racquet swing 
   
5. Keep the right-hand shoulder high when taking the racquet back
   
6. Keeping both arms on the racquet (with more coil) before starting the swing
7. Bending knees more during the forehand swing 
   
8. Split-step when the opponent hits the ball and moves to intercept the ball
   
9. Transfer weight from right foot to left foot  during the swing
   
10. Keep the arm swing motion longer for additional power
    
11. Wherever the arm goes, the ball goes 
12. During contact, the right elbow should be straight
13. The wrist should be loose but can be used for extra spin
    
14. When the ball bounces, stroke preparation should be complete. Attack the ball - don't wait for it to get to you.
    
15. Do not move when hitting the ball. You cannot aim when moving. The body should be quiet.
    
16. On Fastballs, use shortened backswing (serve returns)
    
17. On Slow balls, use full backswing (more power)
    
18. Controlling the racquet face:
• Long drive, more open
• A short drive, more closed

Contact Point

• The contact ball is correct when one can see the ball through the strings of the racquet.
  

Forehand

• Open vs Closed Stance
  
• Use neutral and closed-stance for low balls
  
• Use an open stance for high balls
• Forehand Technique
• Elbows up and high in starting position, ready to split-step (when the opponent hits the ball)
  
• Unit turn and keep elbows high with both hands on the racquet  (strings facing off to my right), chin on the right shoulder.
  
• Release left hand and sit down, with the racquet strings pointing down 
• Contact the ball (head is still and looking at the ball), the left hand is above the right hand
  
• Swing upwards and with chin on the left shoulder
• Catch the racquet with the left-hand
• Forehand Power 
• Use more shoulder coiling, using both hands on the racquet to pre-coil
  
• In Open Stance, press down with your legs to transfer power
• You should be done popping up before hitting the ball
• The non-hitting hand should be rising before hitting the ball
  

Return of Serve

Step forward

• The body must face the server (not just the head) and bisect the two corners where the ball could land. 
• As the server tosses the ball, I should pre-move forward and split-step
• Turn, avoiding a long backswing (shoulder turn is all the backswing you need)
• Hit the ball
  

•  Basics of Return of Serve

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Tennis Tips

After watching a few tennis instructional videos on Youtube (2 minutes tennis), I have listed tips to improve my tennis skills.

Here is a GoPro Hero4 video of my recent service practice.

Tennis Serve Issues to work on:

1. Being still before starting the serve motion
   
2. Tossing the ball in front
3. More coiling, separating arms later 
4. Keeping the racquet arm horizontal (at shoulder level)
   
5. Engaging legs when tennis racquet passes overhead 
6. Being much looser (increases power)
   
7. After pronation, bringing the body to a stop using the left arm (to generate more power)
8. Make the head go up
   

And here's another GoPro Hero4 video of my ball machine training session.

 Forehand Drive Issues to work on:

1. Keep the head still, looking through the racquet's strings to see the incoming ball
   
2. Keep the right-hand shoulder high when taking the racquet back
   
3. Left-arm should be moving upwards (not downwards) during the forehand drive and synchronized with the hitting arm
   
4. Keeping both arms on the racquet (with more coil) before initiating the swing
5. Bending knees more during the forehand swing 
   
6. Split-step when the opponent hits the ball and moves to intercept the ball
   
7. Transfer weight from right foot to left foot  during the swing
   
8. Accelerate the racquet through the swing (not constant velocity) 
9. Keep the arm swing motion longer for additional power
   
10. Wherever the arm goes, the ball goes 
11. During contact, the right elbow should be straight
12. The wrist should be loose but can be used for extra spin
    
13. When the ball bounces, stroke preparation should be complete. Attack the ball - don't wait for it to get to you.
    
14. Do not move when hitting the ball. You cannot aim when moving. The body should be quiet.
    
15. On Fastballs, use shortened backswing (serve returns)
    
16. On Slow balls, use full backswing (more power)
    
17. Controlling the racquet face:
• Long drive, more open
• A short drive, more closed

 

Contact Point

• The contact ball is correct when one can see the ball through the strings of the racquet.
  

Strategy

• Singles
1. Get 1st serve in! Keep the first-serve percentage high
• Serve to opponent's backhand (usually, the weakest stroke)
  
2. Return a serve in the center (to keep the ball in play)
3. When rallying, hit the ball high over the net to keep the opponent away from the net
4. At the net, don't hit hard; instead, hit short and angle shots
5. When opponents come into the net, hit low in the center
6. Hit higher than your opponent. It's hard to hit high-bouncing balls (especially for backhand) and avoid net errors. 
   

1. Return serve back down the middle 
2. Close off the net when approaching to cut off more angle 
3. Aim cross-court passing shots near the side "t."
• Doubles 
• Baseliner hits to baseliner
• Net player hits to Net player 
  

Forehand

• Open vs Closed Stance
  
• Use neutral and closed-stance for low balls
  
• Use an open stance for high balls
• Forehand Technique
• Elbows up and high in starting position, ready to split-step (when the opponent hits the ball)
  
• Unit turn and keep elbows high with both hands on the racquet  (strings facing off to my right), chin on the right shoulder.
  
• Release left hand and sit down, with the racquet strings pointing down 
• Contact the ball (head is still and looking at the ball), the left hand is above the right hand
  
• Swing upwards and with chin on the left shoulder
• Catch the racquet with the left-hand
• Forehand Power 
• Use more shoulder coiling, using both hands on the racquet to pre-coil
  
• In Open Stance, press down with your legs to transfer power
• You should be done popping up, before hitting the ball
• The non-hitting hand should be rising, before hitting the ball
  

Serve

• Hit a Perfect Serve 
1. Ready Position
2. Palm down
3. Knock off the birthday hat
4. On Edge
5. Contact
6. Pronated
7. Finish
   
• Kick Serve 
• Toss the ball overhead (12 o'clock); it's a shorter throw than for a topspin or slice serve.
  
• Hit the ball before the racquet reaches full extension (unlike slice or topspin serve)
  
• Stay sideways during the entire serve
  
• On a proper kick serve, the ball should bounce right
• How to Serve 100mph
• Have a  very loose arm (very light grip)
  
• When the racquet crosses the head, the legs need to kick out
• Tuck in the left arm to stop the body (for increased power)
  

Return of Serve

•  Basics of Return of Serve
• The body must face the server (not just the head) and bisect the two corners where the ball could land. 
• As the server tosses the ball, I should pre-move forward and split-step
• Turn, avoiding a long backswing (shoulder turn is all the backswing you need)
• Hit the ball
  
• Step forward
  

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Relaxing at Avila Beach

For our 20th Wedding Anniversary, Inna reserved the Avila La Fonda Hotel, located on the beautiful Avila Beach, California, for the two-day weekend, from Friday, October 15 to Sunday, October 17. although we have stayed at Pismo Beach multiple times, we have never stayed at Avila Beach.

Friday, October 15, 2021

We started our drive to Avila Beach on Friday, October 15, at about 7:00pm, hoping to avoid all of the significant traffic. Our drive to Avila Beach (which should generally take 3 hours) took us about 3.5 hours.

After arriving at our Avila La Fonda Hotel, we checked into Room #207, and we were given two pies (for dessert) - a small apple pie and a miniature pecan pie. Along with hot tea, they were a lovely, welcoming surprise for our late arrival.

Saturday, October 16, 2021

I woke at 7:00am in the morning, quickly dressed, and drove to Pismo Beach for a morning surfing session. I parked at the Addie Street Surfing Parking Lot and walked to the beach overlook to observe the incoming waves more closely. The waves near the Pismo Pier were about 4-5 feet high, and I decided to use my Firewire Spitfire 6'6" surfboard. I applied some wax and dressed in my 4/3mm Promotion wetsuit. I was worried about the 56 Fahrenheit water, as it was late in the season, and I don't especially enjoy surfing in cold water.

After some time, I paddled out into the surf and joined the line-up. There were a few longboarders on Wavestorms and a few paddle surfers. The waves came flat and closed out quickly, so the surfing time was short. I couldn't catch the incoming waves at the right time. In about 30 minutes, the wave height and intensity diminished, and I switched to my 7' Wavestorm. Catching waves on the Wavestorm was much easier, but the waves were now relatively small. I surfed for another 30 minutes and then returned to the minivan. 

 

I drove back to our Avila La Fonda Hotel. Inna was already awake and dressed. She picked up the free croissants and Orange Juice from the lobby, but we were not really impressed with the croissants. We decided to eat breakfast somewhere else and walked to Avila Beach, where we stopped by Kraken Coffee. We joined the long line and eventually ordered the following(Inna wanted to try the breakfast burrito, but it was sold out):

• Boris: Mocha (with dark chocolate)
  
• Inna: Latte
• Share: Almond Croissant, Ham 'n' Cheese Croissant  

After breakfast, we decided to spend the day at Avila Beach. We picked up the free beach and chairs from our Avila La Honda Hotel and set up on the beach. I continued to read my Narnia 3 - The Dawn Treader by C. S. Lewis on my Kindle while Inna read her Angles & Demons by Dan Brown. We were bothered by flies and eventually relocated to another spot with less seaweed to attract flies.

At around 2:00pm, we returned to our room and drove to Ventana Grill for lunch. Inna made reservations on OpenTable for 2:30pm. Our table was not yet ready when we arrived, so we sat outside, reading our books.

Eventually, we were seated indoors (no outdoor seating was available), and we ordered our favorites, including:

• Boris: Strawberry Limeade, Clam Chowder, Fish & Chips,
• Inna: Strawberry Limeade, Clam Chowder, Carne Asada Tacos

After breakfast, we returned to Pismo Beach and walked the beach for 4 miles.

We noticed many cars camped right on the beach.

We returned to Avila Beach in the evening and decided to eat dinner at the Blue Moon over Avila restaurant. Since outdoor seating was unavailable, we were seated indoors next to a live piano player, who played a medley of popular tunes, including Yesterday, etc.

 

We ordered the following items from the printed menu:

• Appetizer: Bubbling Brie with French baguette
  
• Boris: Allagash Beer, Glazed  Pomegranate Salmon
  
• Inna: Framboise, Fresh Wild Mushroom Ravioli
  
• Dessert: Macaroons

We really enjoyed our dinner, though the service was occasionally slow. I especially liked the Bubbling Brie and my Glazed Pomegranate Salmon.

Returning to our hotel, I continued reading Narnia 3 - The Dawn Treader by C. S. Lewis but was so tired that I had difficulty staying awake. I kept falling asleep and decided to finally go to bed.

Sunday, October 17, 2021

I woke at 7:00am but was still exhausted and unprepared for another surfing session. I decided to skip today's surfing session.

After finally waking up at around 8:00am, I decided to shower and walk around Avila Beach in the early morning hours (while Inna was still sleeping). While I walked around, I noticed many dogs being taken for walks and a long line of coffee drinkers at the Kraken Coffee Company. In addition, two SUP boarders took their inflatable SUPs paddling near the Avila Pier.

When I returned at around 9:00am, Inna woke up, and we decided to eat the freshly baked croissants provided by Avila La Fonda Hotel and then head to Kraken Coffee for our breakfast. When we reached Kraken, we ordered our usual items:

• Boris: Mocha (with dark chocolate)
  
• Inna: Latte
• Share: Breakfast burrito, Almond Croissant

I enjoyed my dark chocolate Mocha but did not care much about the burrito. However, the Almond Croissant was outstanding!

We stayed at Kraken for a few hours as I continued to read my Narnia 3 - The Dawn Treader by C. S. Lewis. Inna finally reached Alex, who had just returned to London from Scotland, where he had visited Edinburgh. We were anxious to hear the details of his trip there.

After breakfast, we checked out of our hotel and decided to hike the Bob Jones Trail, which is only a few minutes away from our hotel. We enjoyed the 4.5-mile roundtrip hike on a straightforward trail. We saw multiple dog walkers, bicyclists, and even skateboarders on this easy trail.

Before eating lunch, we decided to rest a bit at Pismo Beach. We drove to Pismo Beach and took our seats to sit on the sandy beach and enjoy the sound of the waves crashing on the beach.

 

At around 2:50pm, we returned to our Toyota Sienna and drove to the nearby Ventana Grill for our 3:00pm lunch reservation. After sitting down, we ordered the following items:

• Boris: Strawberry Limeade, Clam Chowder, Mahi-Mahi Sandwich
• Inna: Strawberry Limeade, Clam Chowder, Fish & Chips
• Dessert: Ventana Mud Pie

We really liked the Ventana Mud Pie ice cream.

 

After lunch, we resumed our drive home. Reaching San Jose took us about 3.5 hours (due to road construction and traffic).

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Anniversary Dinner at Flowers, Saratoga

For our 20th Wedding Anniversary, I made dinner reservations for 6:45pm at Flowers, Saratoga. We noticed Flowers nearby when we last dined at The Plumed Horse (for Alex's Bellarmine Graduation). It was an exquisite restaurant, and we wanted to try it.

We arrived on time and parked in the parking lot near Plumed Horse.

After checking in, the hostess sat us at an outdoor table, as expected. Inna and I were hoping for outdoor heaters, but the City of Saratoga banned them. Luckily, we brought our warm winter coats and were generous enough during dinner.

After looking at the online dinner menu, Inna and I ordered the following items to share:

• Boris: Blanco Franco Cocktail
  
• Inna: Kiss the Bubble Cocktail
  
• Shared: Greek Village Salad, Octopus Carpaccio, Mini Wagyu Slider Duo, Ahi Tuna Flatbread, Exotic Mushroom Ravioli
• Dessert: Limoncello Tart

Although the portions were relatively small, we enjoyed these bite-sized tapas. I really liked the Mini Wagyu Sliders and the Mushroom Ravioli.

 

 

The Limoncello Tart was also exquisite.

Although expensive, we liked the delicious tapas at Flowers and hope to return again.

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Tennis at AVAC

On October 5, 2021, I joined the Almaden Valley Athletic Club (AVAC) to resume tennis training. The monthly membership cost is $200/month for one adult. In addition, I had to pay a $175 membership joining fee.

In 2020, I was well on my way to improving my tennis skills, moving from a USTA 3.0 rating to 3.5. This training involved daily training on the Sunnyvale Tennis Center's ball machine and multiple tennis clinics with Rick Newman.

I set up a daily 07:00 - 08:00 ball machine session to re-acquaint myself with my tennis skills. During my first session on Tuesday, October 5, I played at 21:00 and missed many balls. My timing was way off.

The AVAC Tennis webcam is on to check the conditions of the tennis courts. 

On Monday, October 11, I have 30-minute lessons with Greg Holmes (AVAC Tennis Director) to help me develop my tennis development plan:

1. Introduce me to current 3.0 - 3.5 AVAC tennis players
2. Find out about ongoing tennis clinics (Saturday 08:30 - 10:00)
3. Find out about the NorCal USTA tennis team
   

Tennis development consists of three separate areas:

1. Physical conditioning
• Stretching (yoga)
• Muscle Development (push-ups)
• Aerobics (mountain biking, cycling)
  
2. Technical skills (improving strokes)
• Forehand
• Backhand
• Serve (kick, flat, slice) 
• Volley
  
3. Strategy (developing game intelligence)
• Hitting cross-court vs down-the-line
  

Serving Lesson Notes:

1. Ball toss location:
• Kick-serve: 11 o'clock
• Topspin: 1 o'clock
• Slice: 3 o'clock
2. Topspin or kick serves are more reliable for the second serve than the slice serve.
3. For the first serve, you need less spin and more power
4. Toss the ball higher and more in front for more power
5. After the service, the body should be moving forward – not left
6. If the ball lands outside the service box, the racquet is opening up too early
7. Try to keep the racquet closed until ball contact. The wrist needs to snap forward for more power
8. Use more of the shoulders to get power
9. The swing path follows wherever the ball is tossed.
• Toss the ball forward for more power
• Toss the ball left, and you will move left

Forehand Technique Notes:

1. Use a closed stance for more power
2. To hit the ball further, increase the extension of the swing
3. To hit accurately, minimize movement of the head & body (quite everything)
4. For a long drive, aim for the ball many feet above the net (vital for a topspin forehand)
5. To seek, the ball left to hit the ball on the right
6. To seek the ball right, hit the ball on the left

 I found an excellent video online explaining proper forehand principles on YouTube:

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Surf Paddling at Linda Mar

After surfing for many weeks at famous surfing spots in Laguna Beach: Thalia Street, Rockpile Beach, Newport Beach, San Clemente, and Trestles, I realized that my surf paddling could use improvement. 

I discovered Rob, a local surf trainer, teaches proper surf paddling techniques. He runs a website called surfingpaddling.com. He is based in the San Francisco Bay Area and offers online and private lessons.

I contacted Rob and discussed various training options, selecting the Level-1 Paddling Technique 4-session bundle.

4 sessions (~3 hrs each): Pool, Ocean 1, Pool/Lagoon, Ocean 2

Included:

• Level 1 Paddling Technique Lessons and Coaching
• Before/After Paddling Analysis
• LIFETIME Access to the Surfing Paddling Academy Level 1 Online Course. Begins after the last session.
• Guided Drill and Practice
• Breathing for Paddling
• Commentary and Practice Assignments for Continued Practice
• Two Ocean Application Sessions
• One additional Level 1 Technique Coaching Session

I purchased it on October 21, 2020. I look forward to improving my training in the upcoming sessions.
My first surf paddling session has been scheduled for Sunday, October 25, 2020, from 13:30 to 17:00 in Novato, CA.

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