May May 2018
www.MoonValleyTattler.com
Escape to the Red Rock Secret Mountain Wilderness B Y A L E X A N D R A T R E AT Here comes the heat! And we are headed north— joining with the Phoenician masses that reasonably break to their elevated neighbors for escape when the summer hits. With an ever growing (dare I say feverish?) Valley impulse to hike, climb, and ride through the local preserves, we seek our trails elsewhere when temperatures rise. And we have options. To many, the West Fork Trail at Oak Creek Canyon, is option number one, and respectively so. Being one of many wondrous choices, this is Sedona’s gem. The trail is considered by experts as one of the best in the country, let alone Arizona. Approximately 11 miles from Uptown Sedona, and past the frequently overcrowded rims at Sliderock, the trail’s head awaits. An abandoned apple orchard guides the way to the trailhead. The 100-year-old trees produce sweet, crisp green apples and give way to an atmosphere of birds, butterflies, and wildflowers in the process of pollination. The towering red rock canyon allures city dwellers into its cooler temperatures, at 20-25 degrees lower than the city of Phoenix. The remains of what was once the Mayhew’s Oak Creek Lodge lay just past the orchard. The lodge, once known for great recreation, food, hospitality, and celebrity guests, is all but ruins after a 1980 fire. The trail officially begins shortly after passing what is left of the lodge. A Red Rock Secret Mountain Wilderness sign marks the beginning of the great escape. The forest is lush with vegetation. Wild blackberries play hide and seek beside the path. The creek crosses over the trail, thirteen times to be exact, constantly greeting and babbling to hikers along the way. Children are not easily lured from the magic of the creek bed. But the hope of another creek crossing keeps their eager feet upon the trail. Ferns climb the red canyon walls and there is no shortage of pine and fir trees filtering the cool summer breeze. The trail, with minimal elevation variety, is rated easy to moderate and stretches out to six miles round trip. Hikers of all levels and ages enjoy the trail, some taking in every inch of it, while others select to turn back half way. In the cool summer air, hikers can be spotted ham-
VOL 38 No. 5
The Rookie Mom: You shape the Moon Valley community B Y B R I G H I D C O N S TA B L E Talk about coming full circle. I began working at The Tattler as Dawn Trapp’s publication coordinator in March 2008… Over 10 years ago. At the time, I was 23 and transitioning careers: from publication to education. Coming off my first “real” job as Features Editor at Arizona Foothills Magazine, I was searching for an in-between job that would keep me stabilized while working on my graduate degree in secondary English education at ASU. But I never imagined working at The Tattler would spark my future interest in building a family here. At the time, I lived in Tempe and would drive back and forth every day to Moon Valley, visiting establishments like Moon Valley Grill, The Codfather, and Sincerely Yours Hair Salon. This position allowed me to openly talk to owners and community members in order to help build quality content for The Moon Valley Tattler and its readers. Although I’m an Arizona native, the north valley was foreign to me. I had to learn how to navigate the community through a different lens. (The east valley and north valley definitely have different values.) Now working here gave me a sense of tightknit community -- smaller and more established, like taking a turn in a neighborhood where all the roots are straight from boutique owners, restaurants entrepreneurs, and the people who loved them. In a way, it seemed like a small town. The Moon Valley was a best kept secret. I never imagined that -- 10 years later -- I would end up living here… And writing for The Tattler again! But building and living in a caring community for
my family to flourish in is what matters most to me. Now, at 33, I commute and teach humanities electives at ASU Preparatory Academy in downtown Phoenix. My Welsh husband, 14-month-old daughter Brynn, and I live at The Cove at North Canyon. And aside from teaching, I also freelance write for Phoenix and North Valley Magazine, and am a North Phoenix City Moms blog contributor. It’s valuable to me to celebrate the people, businesses, and stories who help shape Arizonans’ lives. For instance, last February I gave birth to my now 14-month daughter Brynn. It was the best and scariest change that ever happened in my life. After she was born, I went through postpartum depression for about five months. I could have been holed up in my house with my daughter. Yet, I have my community to thank for helping me through this natural life journey. You know that saying, “It takes a village to raise a child.” That doesn’t only apply to children. It matters to each and every one of us. Living in a close community atmosphere who knew my family lifted me up. My daughter and I are frequents at Juniper Public Library toddler time; I attend yoga with Nyla three times a week at Yoga Pura (the owner Eric is always there with a huge smile); and my daughter attended Anderson Preparatory Academy with director Polly, and teachers Courtney, and Ashley who nurtured her when I was first without my daughter during the day. (I was inconsolable, yet Brynn was at ease with those caring teachers.) Adam and I take morning hikes at Lookout Mountain and then grab brunch at Scramble. I chat about my life with Jen at Sincerely Yours Salon while she does a balayage. And, my psychiatrist in Moon Valley Corporate Center, Dr. Ewa Szafraniec, is the most invested doctor I have ever had in my life. People move and shape the Moon Valley community