Inland, Dreaming of Waves

Jeff's out pumping

We also soaked the next morning before Todd’s massage.

Joyful Journey is a very basic hot springs in some ways. It has only three pools, one of which (with the awning) has been so hot the two times I’ve visited that I can stay in it only a few minutes.

There are two other pools of varying temperature. The one nearest the main building is surrounded by columns.

The third is larger and shallower. Todd and I soaked in that pool, along with another couple, a rotund woman and a man with a short ponytail. He put his legs on a water noodle, and she wrapped her arms under his armpits and up his chest. She pulled him as close to her as she could and kissed his forehead.

All the pools (and the area around our yurt) have spectacular views of the surrounding scrubland and the Sangre de Cristos mountains. I did some birding while Todd was having his massage, enjoying the antics of a rock wren, among other birds.

After leaving Joyful Journey, we stopped at the Sangre de Cristo Café and Tradito Coffeehouse in Villa Grove, where I had to do some to-ing and fro-ing to get a latte. When we went into the café and asked about coffee drinks, the person behind the counter said, “Jeff’s out pumping propane, but we’ll have him make a latte for you.” (I guess that makes him a Renaissance man.) I got my latte and then an hour or so later we had lunch at the Thai Mini Café in Poncha Springs. From there it was back to Denver and the monumental task of unpacking and washing all my crap.

Why is it that vacations always end in so much work?

I guess it’s because I don’t have servants to do the job for me!

Here's a link to a map of my journey. Click on "Beth's April 2007 birding trip." I'm not sure why I can't link to it directly--I've never created one of these Google maps before.

posted by Price of Silence @ 11:44 AM