After a long busy stretch at work, I finally had the opportunity to get out and do some exploring on the bike. (It felt great to be back on the trails -- dual sporting has to be one of the best release mechanisms available.)

The Spring months in Arizona are perfect for hitting the lower elevations prior to the onslaught of triple-digit temperatures, and I decided to take full advantage by hitting the Camp Creek area - northwest of Bartlett lake. This dry creek varies from wide (and very sandy) washes to a picturesque canyon with tall, sheer walls. There are plenty of trails that shoot up out of the creek bed, so you can ride for hours while experiencing several different terrains. 

The desert was in full bloom from a couple of very unusually wet months; desert flowers and patches of green grass were everywhere. There also seemed to be an abundance of wildlife running around.  I came across a family of deer -- one of which nearly became a hood ornament (or would it be the other way around?), a pack of javelina and a couple birds of prey so big that the wild pigs were looking over their shoulders.

Given the great trails and perfect weather, I was really surprised to see so few vehicles out there. That's the thing about Arizona, through -- you seldom have to worry about getting caught up in hoards of weekend warriors in their SUVs (unless, of course, you're riding through the Costco parking lot).  

Heading out	Decision time	Conquering the hill	The trail ahead	Looking back
Camp Creek valley	Desert in full bloom	Another shot of the valley	Enjoying the hardpack	Flowering cactus

The canyon through Camp Creek is easily accessible while offering some of the best sights in the area. It really reminded me of something out of a movie. The canyon ends as quickly as it begins at the Verde river. The recent rains left the river flowing to the upper rim, which was a nice change. (I'm very glad the ride didn't involve a river crossing this time around.) 

Looking down into the canyon...

			Down inside the canyon	Looking up at the canyon wall
				Climbing up out of the canyon
Interesting saguaro	Coming onto the Verde	The Verde River		Back to civilization

.You gotta love Arizona.