Hot Springs

“Serenity is not freedom from the storm, but peace amid the storm.”

~Unknown

Monday was my final day at Fountain of Youth Spa.  I spent more time than usual jumping from hot tub to hot tub and took a final, steaming hot, indoor shower.  I treated my neighbors to ice cream and we sat outside near the café swapping travel stories. I loved it there, but it was time to go.  People were nice, amenities were amazing, but there was nowhere to go to get away from the constant chatter of people.  They had some “event” each night at the outdoor café.  I could see and hear it all from my van.  The first couple nights, Karaoke and “dancin’ to the oldies” was quaint.  By the end of the week, it was a bit annoying as each night seemed to have an MC which was some old man or woman who thought they were Dick Clark.  I can tell you from experience now, never hand a microphone to an elderly hillbilly ex-kindergarten teacher from Kentucky.  It was often loud and nearly always obnoxious to hear someone interrupt a great song with “Is everybody havin’ fun?  I can’t HEAR you.”  And although my neighbors were all quite polite and respectful, I could hear them moving inside their rigs, hear them talking when I was going to bed. I really do not want to be that close to people unless I also have the ability to get away from them.

Tuesday morning I packed up early and took a final soak.  I got propane at FOY which turned out to be quite an ordeal, but that was better than hoping I’d find propane on the road in the middle of nowhere.  I drove south and went to hot mineral springs near the Mexican border. I got groceries on the way.  I love settling into a new place with full water tank, topped-off propane tank and all the food I can eat for at least a couple of weeks.  I parked way back in the BLM land, maybe a half a mile from the hot spring.  I stayed very close to the road and hot spring last year so I could easily walk to and from the hot tub several times each day.  This year, with my new e-bike that I bought specifically so I could park away from the crowds, I did just that.

I ride my bike each morning and afternoon through the windy dirt “roads” and across a semi-paved road to the hot springs.  This is the first place I felt truly comfortable riding the bike. The roads are mostly packed dirt. No trenches, ditches or large rocks to contend with.  I am getting pretty comfortable on it.  I’d not ridden it since my fall the day before Thanksgiving, so I was a bit apprehensive at first.  After a few days of riding back and forth to the hot spring, I am feeling pretty comfortable riding it.

It has been an extremely lazy week.  I’m parked in a small dirt patch surrounded on three sides by shrubs and palo verde. I backed in, so I can see most of the campers out my front window, but my other windows are blocked from view by the plants.

I ride over to the hot springs at least twice each day, get my fill of people and hot soaking and then come back to feel completely private and isolated.  It’s the best of both worlds.

Lessons From The Road: Fortunately, I’ve not had to learn any lessons this week.  If I have to pick a lesson, it is that it’s OK to kick back, have no agenda and just be.  I am working this week on being non-judgmental.  There are often very loud people here at the hot springs. The rule of thumb seems to be that the louder they talk, the dumber they are. I have a lot of trouble when someone in the hot spring says how Jesus saved the orange felon in order to save America.  So when I can’t be non-judgmental, I at least practice being quiet.  Everyone has an opinion and I’m trying to let go of the idea that I can enlighten someone with a 5^th grade education who thinks their god wants them to hate people.  I’m doing pretty good at it this week.  I’m sure my resolve will be tested more than once over the weekend.