The lizards are back! The return of the reptiles is the sure sign that spring is here. In Arizona, early spring makes for some great camping although one does have to be mindful of the wind and the potential rising waters in those normally tame creeks.
It's also the time to get your camping equipment checked out . Of course, a backyard campout is a great way to do that. ( The smaller kids like these as much or more than the real thing. ) This is the way to work out all those wrinkles in your camping routine and get your crew trained. There are few things in life that provide more of a sense of accomplishment and teamwork than setting up a campsite (if you are good at it ;-). 
I am really wanting to do a Clear Creek (shown above) backpack hike this spring. That is the best kept secret in Arizona hiking. It's a nice easy hike with all sorts of interesting topography and critters. Only problem is the trail crosses the creek four times which means you can get yourself in real trouble if it rains on the snow at the higher elevations.
The other spring trip I need to do is to gather some video for my upcoming nighttime entertainment page on the camping-tips.com website. I am hoping to round up a few storytelling and musician friends for that one. Hopefully, there will be a new storytelling video after that trip.
Here is a little video I did a while back to help inspire you to get your camping equipment organized for another wonderful camping season.
In the meantime, may you get out this spring and catch enough giant lizards to pull your camping cart into a great year of camping.
