Sedona...a place to avoid (Flagstaff: homes, buying, construction)

[motuorg]

With Sedona it has grown into love/hate. I first went there in the mid-80's when nobody had even heard of it. I absolutely loved it, and loved hiking there, it was a piece of heaven. I have gone back about 10-12 times since and each time it has degenerated.

In 1987 or thereabouts, some idiot named Jose Arguelles wrote a book and started the whole Sedona Vortex thing...this had a few negative effects. There are Vortexes there alright, they suck in all the New Age idiots from California. Sedona has become New Age heaven. Vortexes!!! what a load of crap. If I want to believe it enough, I can find Vortexes right here in my living room in NY. Unfortunately, Sedona has become overpopulated and over visited (4 million visitors a years). I saw Circle K's perched on the Red Rocks. There's a good one. 250 million years of geologic history brought to its knees by a convenience store. And while your visiting one of the most geologically exquisite places on the planet, be sure to try the new outlet stores. Recently, the whole town is under construction. they are installing traffic circles everywhere and removing the lights. It was nightmarish getting around. Why not do a piece at a time .. NO KIDDING THE WHOLE TOWN IS UNDER CONSTRUCTION. Sedona has become a glorified theme park, a caricature of what it was and it saddens me greatly. I have come to realize by visiting, that I am like 4 million others that have come to trample it, build on it, and turn it into what every otheretourist trap town is about. For this reason, I shall not return. Hell...I can do all my shopping right here on Long Island.

Oh yeah...the town planners should be shot. And if they are dead already, they should be exhumed and shot.

[michael krotchie]

Probably wasn't necessary to double post.

Nice first post!

[Oildog]

Disappointing to hear. I visited last in 1990 and was thinking of getting a place to retire there or in Flagstaff. Still have a long way to go (10 yrs) but I liked the area. So it has become a new-age suburb. Sad...The red rocks were beautiful, cant imagine they let stores be built there.

[Steve-o]

Originally Posted by motuorg

Oh yeah...the town planners should be shot. And if they are not dead already, they should be exhumed and shot.

Well, that doesnt make any sense, but I understand what you meant, and its funny.

I agree with your post. Sedona was best left untouched. It has become a tourist trap amongst tourist traps, albeit with lovely homes perched up high on the mountains. And the whole neo-hippie scene there is disturbing and disgusting. Last thing I wanted to see was some kid fresh out of college, dreadlocks and all, smokin a doobie up near Coffee Pot Rock (yes, I saw it) while burning incense. Get this, not even 2 hours later after lunch at Oaxacas, we see that same moron buying a book on the vortices in the area. Heaven help this planet. Whats sad is that these people so "in tune with the earth" sure do know how to fu** up the whole experience for others in the area. Go take a bath and put down the doobage for Petes sake! Let us who REALLY know and enjoy nature actually enjoy it w/o having to see and smell your dope-smokin selves. We dont need mind altering drugs to enjoy anything. Friggin hippies, get out of Sedona and go back to Haight-Ashbury or wherever you crawled out of.

Ahhhhh, I feel better. There is my rant for the day.

Oh, and the lady who sells crystals by the bridge in town (heading towards Flagstaff)??? Get a job and quit bothering the tourists by trying to sell your (probably plastic) "power crystals"!!!! She has been there BOTH times Ive gone under that bridge. Oh, and CUT YOUR HAIR!!!!! Its disgusting!!!!!!!!

[ArizonaBear]

The first time I saw Sedona was 1989----------and, I liked it.

Been there recently and the last time I was there (passing through) ca. 2004-----------I wanted to get the hell out. The vibe was that bad.

[ZonyPony]

Originally Posted by motuorg

With Sedona it has grown into love/hate. I first went there in the mid-80's when nobody had even heard of it. I absolutely loved it, and loved hiking there, it was a piece of heaven. I have gone back about 10-12 times since and each time it has degenerated.

In 1987 or thereabouts, some idiot named Jose Arguelles wrote a book and started the whole Sedona Vortex thing...this had a few negative effects. There are Vortexes there alright, they suck in all the New Age idiots from California. Sedona has become New Age heaven. Vortexes!!! what a load of crap. If I want to believe it enough, I can find Vortexes right here in my living room in NY. Unfortunately, Sedona has become overpopulated and over visited (4 million visitors a years). I saw Circle K's perched on the Red Rocks. There's a good one. 250 million years of geologic history brought to its knees by a convenience store. And while your visiting one of the most geologically exquisite places on the planet, be sure to try the new outlet stores. Recently, the whole town is under construction. they are installing traffic circles everywhere and removing the lights. It was nightmarish getting around. Why not do a piece at a time .. NO KIDDING THE WHOLE TOWN IS UNDER CONSTRUCTION. Sedona has become a glorified theme park, a caricature of what it was and it saddens me greatly. I have come to realize by visiting, that I am like 4 million others that have come to trample it, build on it, and turn it into what every otheretourist trap town is about. For this reason, I shall not return. Hell...I can do all my shopping right here on Long Island.

Oh yeah...the town planners should be shot. And if they are dead already, they should be exhumed and shot.

I'm right there with you, Motuorg...

What a complete destruction of what once was a very beautiful area!

[LoneStarJerry]

Originally Posted by motuorg

With Sedona it has grown into love/hate. I first went there in the mid-80's when nobody had even heard of it. I absolutely loved it, and loved hiking there, it was a piece of heaven. I have gone back about 10-12 times since and each time it has degenerated.

In 1987 or thereabouts, some idiot named Jose Arguelles wrote a book and started the whole Sedona Vortex thing...this had a few negative effects. There are Vortexes there alright, they suck in all the New Age idiots from California. Sedona has become New Age heaven. Vortexes!!! what a load of crap. If I want to believe it enough, I can find Vortexes right here in my living room in NY. Unfortunately, Sedona has become overpopulated and over visited (4 million visitors a years). I saw Circle K's perched on the Red Rocks. There's a good one. 250 million years of geologic history brought to its knees by a convenience store. And while your visiting one of the most geologically exquisite places on the planet, be sure to try the new outlet stores. Recently, the whole town is under construction. they are installing traffic circles everywhere and removing the lights. It was nightmarish getting around. Why not do a piece at a time .. NO KIDDING THE WHOLE TOWN IS UNDER CONSTRUCTION. Sedona has become a glorified theme park, a caricature of what it was and it saddens me greatly. I have come to realize by visiting, that I am like 4 million others that have come to trample it, build on it, and turn it into what every otheretourist trap town is about. For this reason, I shall not return. Hell...I can do all my shopping right here on Long Island.

Oh yeah...the town planners should be shot. And if they are dead already, they should be exhumed and shot.

Why such a cruel post? People should be shot? Yeah your probably not serious but jeez. And then you go with the typical stereotypes of how it's the New Age Californians that have ruined Sedona. I suppose the only way someone can be New Age is if they come from California right?

I don't have any problem with Sedona today, it's still one of my favorite places. Sure, it perhaps was better at one time, but things change. Tourists don't take away from the beauty of Sedona in my opinion.

[Ponderosa]

Everytime I drive though there, I just want to cry with how development has stripped away so much of what was special about that place. It's just disgraceful. I'm always reminded of the words of the Joni Mitchell song, Big Yellow Taxi: "They paved paradise and put up a parking lot".

[mdtoaz]

Steve-O... hysterical post! I tried to rep you but I can't. Also, props on the proper pluralization of the word "vortex".

[xwideopenskyx]

Ahhh! Change! IMHO change is part of life. People change, places change. Nothing in this world remains constant. Sedona is still beautiful and it still has a lot to offer if you are not so easily distracted. If you don't have the ability to accept change or share spaces with others who are not like you, then I suppose, don't bother visiting.
With the hundreds of acres of wilderness and dirt roads surrounding Sedona it boggles my mind that one would not be able to enjoy privacy and solitude away from the crowds.

I've been to Sedona many times over the years and still love it! Each trip has been very enjoyable.