I would like to report that after my nude campout with CSN that was in an area just a little north of Strawberry, AZ - I was able to stop by for a hike down to Fossil Creek (which is about 8 miles west of Strawberry, AZ). I have heard about Fossil Creek that not only is it a beautiful place to hike and not only is it a strenuous hike, if you want a challenge, but it is a place to go for skinny dipping too. It was on Sunday (August 21st) at about 3pm that I started my descent down the (I don't know what to call it) the "Fossil Creek Rim" down to Fossil Creek. The descent down is 4 miles and so round trip it is an 8 mile hike. Going down hill all the way it took me about 2 hours. At this time of day, it was hot so I'm glad that I was doing the easier part of the hike (all down hill) during the hotter time of the day, rather than coming up the hill (rim) during that time which most people were doing and they looked like they were about ready to "die". When I got down to the bottom I had to hike for about 15-20 minutes along the Fossil Creek until I came to the different pools of Fossil Creek. As I was hiking the trail alongside of the creek I saw 2 javelinas. One javelina was right on the trail eating something. When he heard & seen me coming up on him (I was about 20 feet away) the javelina just froze looking at me & didn't move until I slowly tried to put my backpack down hoping I could get my cell phone camera and take a picture. Well, the javelina wouldn't pose for a picture and after I put my backpack down, the javelina ran off. I heard javelinas can be quite fierce (I guess if they feel threatened) so I picked up a good sized rock (the size of my palm) and carried it with me, just in case, I might need a weapon to defend myself. As I was walking up to where the javelina was on the trail I saw another javelina off in the trees about 10 feet from the trail - it probably was the other javelina's partner. I kept hiking and came across the first pool. Some people were camping nearby to this pool, and some young people were enjoying themselves with a rope, swinging & jumping into the pool. I came across another pool that was occupied. Then I came across a third pool where a couple was just leaving. So, not wanting to hike any further since the trail did go on further to probably more pools, I decided this was the pool I was going to grab for myself. Because I didn't have a swimming suit and because I didn't want to get wet in my shorts and hike back with icky, sticky wet shorts, I decided to skinny dip, which is what I wanted to do anyways and since there were not that many people on the trail at this time and the trail was at a distance from where the pool was - I decided to go for it - and I skinny dipped in the Fossil Creek pool. As you can imagine it was simply wonderful skinny dipping in the Fossil Creek pool where the water was so incredibly crystal clear and so refreshing after a long, difficult & tiring hike. I got to that pool around 5pm. I couldn't stay too long at the pool, knowing that it would take me about 2 hours or longer to hike back. So I knew I had to leave around 6pm to make it back by a little after sunset. I left at 6pm and the hike back did take me about 2 hours and I did get back to my car around 8pm. The hike back was hard but not as bad as everyone was telling me that I passed by on my hike down. I think it wasn't as hard coming up because I was hiking it during a cooler time of the day (around sunset) and I was consciously pacing myself, keeping my heavy breathing down - since it becomes very tough (thinking you are going to die) when your breathing becomes intensely heavy. There were a couple of groups hiking up at the same time I was hiking up and we kept on passing each other so it was like we were all hiking together as a group. The group ahead of me stopped and was looking at something near the trail. When I got up there they showed me that is was a tarantula that they saw. So in addition to seeing 2 javelinas I also saw a tarantula on the trail. Fossil Creek is a beautiful area. Depending upon the traffic, the time, and the day of the week, Fossil Creek can be a great place to skinny dip. In regards to the water, Fossil Creek is definitely the place to go for a wonderful experience of skinning dipping. Would I do it again? I guess it depends upon how bad I want to skinny dip because you do pay for it thru the aches, pains, stiffness, & soreness from that 8 mile, 4 hour hike it takes to get down there to skinny dip in Fossil Creek.

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