The second night of our vacation,
Joe, Hilary and I went to one of the three hot springs spas.
No one else was interested or brought a bathing suit.
They really missed out.
It was a whopping 13 degrees when we went.
We bought our admission, rented towels and a locker,
and changed in the changing area.
We met Joe just outside the doors.
BRRRRRR
And the smell of rotten eggs was everywhere.
Ahhh minerals out of the earth!
We hurried over to the main pool, that had a hot tub in the middle.
Hilary jumped into the deserted tub while Joe and I settled our shoes.
Hilary screamed.
It was 84 degrees in the water.
Joe and I got into the pool, and it was very chilly.
The kids wanted to finish their beers,
so as the chugged with with chattering teeth,
I put my shoes on, wrapped myself with the tiny little towel
and began to explore.
There were 23 different areas in the spa
all with different temperatures and themes surrounding them.
I went through the area,to the opposite end, where it was adult only.
After getting into the gate, and looking around,
I could not open the gate again to leave.
Someone, near the fire pit, eventually helped me with the code to leave.
By this time, I was chilled to the bone.
I went back to find Hil and Joe.
They had just gotten out of the pool and were making their way to me.
We met at another pool that registered 103 degrees.
As we were all so cold,
we disrobed and slid into the steamy water.
Wow! Did that every feel nice!
There were two women in the tub with us,
and another couple joined a few minutes later.
We began a nice conversation,
as the women live near by,
and the couple came here often from California.
About that time, one of the women stood up and looked over to another pool.
She excitedly said that the group that was there, were leaving.
All seven of us stood up at the same time,
and en mass moved tot he 106 degree pool.
Heaven.
It had a little water fall with very hot water!
A woman and her son came and joined us,
and I learned that she worked as a massage therapist at the spa.
She told all about the mother spring where all the hot water came from.
140 degrees!
She told us that Guiness Book of World Records
just added Pagosa Springs this year,
as the worlds deepest natural hot springs.
They measured 1,200 feet.
And only that deep because that was as long
as the string was that they brought to measure with!
After a while we decided to explore the rest of the spa.
Even though our towels were frozen solid,
and we couldn't put our shoes on any longer,
we hiked around the spa.
They had sprinkled salt onto the sidewalks, as it had turned to ice,
and you couldn't hold onto the the railings
for fear of your hands getting frozen to them.
Joe kept jumping into every pool we passed as his feet were freezing.
Lucky me, as feet can't feel temperature differences at all!
Hil and Joe tested out the 110 degree pond, and I stuck to 105-107.
After some intense negotiation by Joe,
we were able to enter the adult only area that we had paid for,
but had not been given the code or correct wristband.
It was so quiet and warm!
It was about 10:30 pm by this time and we were so relaxed!
Hilary discovered a a waterfall in the pool beside the current one,
and off she went.
As she went through and behind the falls,
I thought that her hair would turn green.
Joe informed me he had read that neither hair nor skin would change color,
but that the minerals would tarnish silver.
I looked at my wedding rings and sure enough,
they were black!
hahahahahaha!
We made our way across a pond on a wooden bridge,
then up to the very top two pools.
I cannot express to you how wonderful this entire night was.
The sky was black and there were more stars than I have ever seen.
That is, if you could see through the steam rising off of the spa and pools.
What a magical time and place this is.
I floated until I almost dozed off.
I felt totrally at peace and loved and cared for.
No one caught a cold!
Which is a miracle in it self.
Next time, I may have to experience these hot springs
in the spring or fall, and during daytime.
