This week I’ve been thinking a lot about friendships. How we make them, how we sustain them and the value they add to most everything in life.

We spent the weekend in Flagstaff with a couple of friends. The friends who inspired this trip, in fact. I hadn’t seen them for close to a decade and (regrettably) have not done a good job of keeping in touch. And yet they welcomed us into their home where—due to cold and snow—we spent a good chunk of the weekend. I can’t say that we saw a lot of Flagstaff during our stay, but I felt connected to the community through my friends (and their wonderful daughters) who generously made us part of their household.

When I awoke to find some 5” of snow on the tree branch outside my bedroom window, we decided it was time to head south from Flagstaff.

I’ll admit it—Sedona did not impress me on my first visit. Passing though on the way to Phoenix following a trip to the Grand Canyon, I was reminded of the Wisconsin Dells. I think I had a short hike and a quick lunch and never thought of it again. Until I started planning this trip.

Sedona welcomed us with grey skies, pouring rain, and the warm hospitality of a couple who we had met just a few times before. Their enthusiasm for the natural beauty of the place was infectious. We spent our days hiking among red rocks, silty creeks and washes. We shared stories, impressions and ideas over dinners. I grew to like them, and Sedona, quite a bit.

So that’s my insight here. It is difficult to like a person or a place unless you have taken the time to forge a connection to it. And it seems that once that connection is made, time alone is not enough to erode it.

Play: I couldn't tell you which of Sedona's many trails we hiked, but I am assured that it just doesn't matter. What's important is getting out there for an hour or more and enjoying the natural beauty of the place. Even if you're not a big fan of churches, I would encourage a visit to the Chapel of the Holy Cross. The views alone will inspire awe.

Dine: Diablo Burger makes an effort to use locally sourced, fresh ingredients, which made my "Blake" the most expensive hamburger I have ever had. But it WAS very good and we'll be talking about the crispy, sage-seasoned db frites for some time.