Mr Willie's Wild Ride up Schnebly Hill

Woke up to a beautiful day. So we had several choices on what to do. Finally decided on driving up Schnebly Hill. We have done it a couple of times in the past. Always a beautiful scenic drive. However it was very different this timed. Our original plan had been, we'd drive up it to the vista point and then drive back down the same way. About half way up our minds changed. We would come home by continuing on to I-17 and coming home that way. Our total round trip was 82 miles from campground to campground. From about #4 to #5 is the Schnebly Hill road.

A little closer look at Schnebly Hill Road. But it doesn't begin to tell the tale. I think it is 17 miles from Sedona to the I-17 just south of Flagstaff. Seemed much longer than that. 

Getting off of 179 in Sedona on to Schnebly Hill Rd. The first little part is paved. 

Scenery is unbelievably stunning. 

The end of the paved road, now the fun begins. 

Looking off to the side of the road. Like I said beautiful scenery. There are a lot of hiking trails here too.  

Hummm...The last time we were here all the drainage pipes were under ground. Been a lot of erosion on this road. The dirt goes away but the rocks don't. 

A off roading tours in a Hummer. We followed him a little ways. I was surprised to see that the tourists weren't wearing seat belts. He had a much wider wheel base than us. 

We had just come over a really rough section of rocks. They were about six inches higher than the dirt. 

More scenery. Didn't take as many pictures of the scenery as I usually do as we were still planning on coming back this way and I would be on the picture taking side. Looking out into the canyons. 

Following tire tracks to figure out the easiest way over the rocks on the narrow twisting road. 

After we were through this part we decided we wouldn't come back this way. But by then we were closer to the top [or so we thought] than the bottom so we continued on. Looking out my side window. 

Don't get too close to the edge! Watch out for that rock! Actually I kept very quiet. 

We did stop at a couple of pull outs so I could take some pictures when the car wasn't moving. Had a lot of blurred pics today. Hard to focus when bouncing from side to side and up and down.

And more of the "road."

Got to love the view down into Sedona. 

 It is a good thing we have a lift kit on Willie. And we have a metal skid plate underneath protecting the gas tank. I heard it scrape more than once today. 

 Hum...which way to go? Right or left. Drop off on left, rocks and bushes on right.

 Another view point. 

 There goes the road in front of us. No guard rails and not real wide. 

 At the top. Enjoying the view. 

We were talking to a couple who had come in from the I-17. They were driving a 4x4 GMC. Not lifted. We told them the way down was really rough, much worse than in previous years. She told us the way they'd come in was rough too. So we didn't say any more. Wonder how they enjoyed the trip down?

 Just past the vista point on our way out. My heroes: Bill and Willie. They both were probably thinking at first, "Wee what fun." Then "Crap this is taking too much work."  Both of them are cooling down. 

The "rough" road out. Actually it too was much rougher than the last time we took it. But not near as bad as the way up. 

 Again pretty scenery but different. Lots of level land and trees. 

Soon we were on the highway on our way home. Bill cleaned up and then went in to read his book while I sorted through my 125 pictures from today.