Even the Score with Sedona

Sedona. You are so mystical, magical and magnificent.

But you can also be downright mean.

You hold such a special place in my heart and when I’m in Arizona I love to hike among your red rocks. Last May I joined the Xtreme Hike in Sedona with the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation to raise money for research, better treatments and an eventual cure for this genetic lung disease.

I signed up for the Xtreme Hike because it occurred on my birthday weekend. It was a chance to do something different on my special day and raise money for a cause so important to me. My late husband Eric had cystic fibrosis and I have been helping raise money for a cure since 1996.

With 15 miles, I just knew I could finish the Xtreme Hike. I was so confident but at the same time I was so wrong.

During my training, Oklahoma only had one day above 80 degrees. On the day of our hike, the Arizona heat index topped 100 degrees. I couldn’t stay ahead of my electrolytes. I stumbled and fell on trail pebbles. The heat got the best of me and the cramps began to take over my body. I had to pull out at mile 12. I was defeated. The only comfort I received was knowing I exceeded my fundraising goal of $5,000.

Sedona got the best of me that day, but I was determined to get even.

Fast forward a year to May 2023. I signed up the Sedona Vortex Hike with the Project Athena Foundation. The organization’s motto is, “It’s not about the setback. It’s about the comeback.” Project Athena is a wonderful nonprofit with the goal of helping survivors live their adventurous dreams.

I was going to make a comeback at Sedona and this time I was going to hike four times the distance I completed during the Xtreme Hike in 2022. I trained religiously and focused on my food and electrolyte intake. I focused on strengthening my knees and climbing stairs, stairs and more stairs. This year, I trained with the #VintageHikingGals Becky Chasteen and Cheryl Moreno. We challenged each other, encouraged each other and motivated one another. We looked forward to conquering Sedona together.

During the Vortex Hike, we woke early in the morning at 1:30, had breakfast at 2:15 and loaded the van at 3. We were on the trail at 4 on Saturday and 3:30 on Sunday. We trekked 26 miles in 15 hours our first day and 24 miles in 15.5 hours our second day.

Once again, the sun was brutal. It became difficult to eat and drink. I had to force myself to do so both days. At times my energy level was weak, but I kept thinking about the ladies who overcame breast cancer and were on the trail making their comebacks with Project Athena. The inspiration provided by Andrea and Jen were beyond belief.

Our finish line at Cathedral Rock also served as great inspiration. As we approached 50 miles, we started climbing this masterpiece of God’s creation. As we climbed, my mind wandered back to 1992 when Eric and I visited Sedona. He was an incredible photographer and couldn’t take enough photos of Cathedral Rock. He had to get that perfect picture as it would become a centerpiece of art in our house. To this day, Eric’s photograph of Cathedral Rock hangs in my house and is the inspiration for my home office which I call, “The Sedona Room.”

As we sat there on Cathedral Rock, celebrating our amazing accomplishment, I couldn’t shake the flood of emotions. I cried because of the closeness I felt to Eric. I cried because I experienced two days of hiking with the most amazing people from California to Massachusetts, and even Puerto Rico. I cried because God has blessed me beyond measure to be able to hike with the best hiking buddies in Becky and Cheryl.

I cried because I made an incredible comeback in conquering Sedona.

The score is now even. Sedona:1. Sherry: 1.