Warm springs

Well, as there was snow blocking our route, the only logical answer was to join Max and Luke in Aspen. As Max was already planning to pick us up in Del Norte in 2 days, we had to entertain ourselves. The first day required little planning, as we stopped at the nearest river (Rio De Los Pinos) and camped.

Camping in Rio de los Pinos gorge.

We were close to Antonito, CO, so I went into town to get booze and food. The river was flooding because of all the snow melt, and it took our yogurt that was cooling in it (but not our beer). Our first border crossing into Colorado was very anti-climactic, as we couldn't make it on our bikes.

Somehow I had it in my head that the ONLY thing to do if we had the day off was to go to hot springs. We looked up options the following morning and found Mamby near Taos, Sand Dunes near the Sand Dunes National Park, and Rainbow Hot Springs just south of Wolf Creek Pass. All were between 1.5 to 2.5 hours away. We started towards the Sand Dunes, and developed springs with guaranteed showers. We left the mountains and were in an aweful desert valley along 285. When we arrived at the Sand Dunes we saw dozens of tents in a state of almost blowing away. People crowded around a cement pool. This was better than the worst hot spring we had ever been to, but not by much (please see - http://dennygirls.blogspot.com/2008/06/sleeping-buffalo-hot-springs-mt-on.html).

So, after driving north, we decided to turn around and go to the Rainbow Hot Springs, which was still several hours away and a 6 mile hike in. At least it would be in mountains. And hooray! After eating cold hot dogs on Saturday of Memorial Day weekend, carrying our sleeping bags and water bottles in our hands because we didn't have backpacks, and no-pants hiking, we arrived at 8:30pm to a lukewarm spring. We decided it was a bad luck day, but looking back on it, it was very exciting and beautiful.

Too hot for pants!!

Carrying our sleeping bags and tent to the warm spring.

We had to descend down a steep cliff to get to the pool, and by the time we got there, it was already dark. So we scrambled down this cliff in the dark, and sat in the shallow pool next to this raging river and watched the stars. It was just warm enough to be comfortable, but not hot.

The next morning, we drove back through Wolf Creek Pass to Del Norte, where we would head on to Aspen with Luke's friend Max.

-Cate