Getting Warmer?

“I’m not so much in the cheap wine mood tonight, I want Pina Coladas!”  Shari says as we pull into the next town large enough to have both a supermarket and liquor store.  We’ve been able to avoid most of winter, unlike much of the country which has had to deal with winter’s long slow end.  Right about the time we were entering Boulder in late March, we thought that we’d missed most of it.   Ol’ Man Winter, it seemed, had other ideas.  

 

Four feet of snow fell while we were in Boulder, about a foot each week.  We’d thaw out from one storm, the mud on the farm would begin to dry, and just as we were feeling like we could walk out into the driveway without boots on, the barometer would drop and we’d get another foot.  We thought, let’s go south, it can only get better, right?   We drove up into the Sangre de Cristo Mountains in Southern CO, and bam, snow hit us over night, causing us to make breakfast in the trailer again.  After a couple of days there, we did an end run around the mountains southern peak to go to the Great Sand Dunes National Park.  After 1 day of sunshine, another 2 inches fell, so we cooked in the camper yet again.  

Something has got to melt this snow!  So, we looked up hot springs in the area, found one that was cheap, rustic, secluded, and clothing optional.  A little geothermal activity was just what the Dr. ordered.  We arrived at the Valley View Hot Springs about 4 hours before the snow did.  Overnight and the next day we got another 10 inches.  If you need to be outside and sitting in the snow, I really recommend being in a hot pool.  The only pool over 102 degrees was very friendly and crowded.  We jumped right in and the discussions were as interesting as the people next to us.  People from all over the map – traveling salesmen looking for a break from the road, young folks trying to recover from life’s tragedies, and 40-50 something’s seeking a new way of life.  We are pretty sure we inspired at least 2 people to quit their jobs and go on the road, and gave at least 4 tours of our camper to fellow hot springers who were intrigued with our lil’ Hamlet. 

While we were in the pools everything was warm and wonderful, getting out was another matter entirely.  Running from the pool to the changing room naked through a snowstorm is an experience I’ll not soon forget, but one I’m not too eager to repeat.  We got as warm as we could in the hot tub, cooked ourselves in the 160 degree sauna, then jumped into bed to let the effects of the soak hold us over for the night.

By the time we left Valley View, the tropical drink and warm sun virus had fully integrated our beings.  We need a break from snow, freezing temps, and our wet/muddy shoes.   It’s officially time for Pina Coladas.  Bring on summer!