Wow...  So it is April/May of 2020.  These are months and days that everyone on Earth will never forget!  What an unprecedented period of time, where we are all faced with a global pandemic.  This is the stuff movies are made of!  And here are a couple of phrases and definitions that everyone on the globe is now familiar with...

Social Distancing = Putting physical distance between yourself and other people. This means avoiding groups of people and maintaining distance from others when possible.

Shelter-in-Place = A decree, usually from a government official, for people to stay in their homes with exceptions that include going out for essential needs, such as groceries, as well as outdoor activities like hiking, walking, and biking in public spaces.

So the way I see it, the governor of Arizona is begging me to go off into the wild.  And I am going to listen!  In addition, the company I work for was kind enough to give me a week off in April and another in May.  Woohoo!  Is there a better way to socially distance myself than to go camping?  Right you are... no there is not a better way.

So over the last two months, my Brother and I went on three camping excursions.  Two were to Tangle Creek, which is a spring-fed tributary that empties into the Verde River near Sheep's Crossing and Bloody Basin.  Tangle Creek is a gorgeous at certain times of the year, and at about 4,000 feet in elevation, is an ideal place to visit in the spring or fall.  Both times, there were very few people out and we got lucky and found our favorite campsite available!  Here are a few pictures from the 2 trips to Tangle Creek...

Tangle CreekTangle Creek

Then, in May, we got a bit of a heat wave in Phoenix.  It got above 100F for about 2 weeks straight.  So we camped in a new area called Reynolds Creek, which is on the way from Roosevelt Lake up to the tiny town of Young, AZ along AZ-288 (also known as the Desert to Tall Pines Highway).  Reynolds Creek sits at about 6,000 feet in elevation and was an absolutely gorgeous reprieve from the heat wave.  It maybe got to 80F during the day and dropped to about 50F overnight... perfect camping weather.

The town of Young Arizona has quite an interesting story in and of itself.  You can read about it here.  I would very much like to explore Young... maybe someday in the near future.

Anyway, we did a ton hiking and exploring in the area around Reynolds Creek.  There appeared to be signs of bear activity.  We saw a deer too.  The most interesting wildlife was the squirrels though.  Normally, I thought squirrels were solitary, but near the creek we saw a family of 8 or 10 of them that were chasing each other around like little kids during school recess.  There also appeared to be scout squirrels...  meaning they didn't partake in the antics, but kept watch while the others frolicked around and chased each other up and down trees and in and out of the tall grasses bordering Reynolds Creek.  It was pretty entertaining.

Reynolds Creek

Here's a calendar-worthy photo of Reynolds Creek...  right next to our campsite!
Reynolds Creek

And as I laid reclined in my camping chair sipping a Moscow Mule and listening to some music, this was my view straight up.  Nice shade provided by this maple tree.  So relaxing!  Like I said, there's no better way to social distance than this.

I hope that you take advantage of what Mother Nature has to offer during these unique times!  Go on an adventure.  Take a hike.  Go camping!  And stay healthy and safe.  Enjoy!