“Mama, I love your squishy tummy!” “Me,too,!” “Let’s find rocks to shove in her belly button.” “Here’s one!” “Squishy, squishy!”
The one adventure that we promised the kids was to find hot springs in Idaho. A ghost town and snow and sun were on the “hope so” list, but hot springs were a must. Luckily, we stopped at the Visitors in Stanley at the end of Salmon River Scenic Drive.
The guy there knew of 5 within reasonable driving distance, but most recommended Pine Flats, so off we drove.
It was off season and no sign for hot springs, but we were armed with our secret knowledge and optimism.
Off we hike!
By the time Dwayne caught up with us, the kids and I were already soaking in the first pool we came to, and Mama was not leaving her happy place.
Pine Flats was recommended because the springs are on the top of a rocky hill, and basically turn into hot waterfalls, the water cooling to a manageable temperature further down the hill.
That poor bikini hadn’t seen the light of day since New Years. It was happy to have found warmer water!
Luckily, Dwayne wasn’t content with my happy place and he went off exploring the source. Once he found it (it was too hot to touch!), he kept exploring until he found an even better spa—the only reason for me to leave my mud hole.
Intrepid spa-ers had used tarps and rocks to create the perfect pool—just barely below what a body can stand.
I have no idea what eventually got me out of pool heaven. Perhaps just being the mom and knowing we eventually had to find a place to camp and feed the children dinner.
Thanks, Pine Flats! You were the highlight of my day.
No comments:
Post a Comment