nibot ([personal profile] nibot) wrote2008-08-16 02:35 am

iva bell hotspring

The cowboys all retired to their bedrolls (the gear I had seen strewn about), watertight denim envelopes containing warm bedding, and we returned to ours: down sleeping bags laid out over our tent, which we did not bother to set up.

cowboy breakfast: jalapeno and coffee
Jalapeño and coffee

The cowboys were as much intrigued by our gear (tiny butane stove, water filter pump) as we were by theirs (bone-gripped pistols, a section of railroad rail as a makeshift anvil). We were very much enamored of them, of course. For one, I have never felt so under-dressed in camp. For another, the way they talked, always addressing each other by first name:

"Dee, pass the cheese please."
"Here you are, Ron."

Looking with dismay at our cranberries and sunflower seeds, they offered us tri-tip for the road.

horses
Horses enjoying 'feed' (cowboy speak for vegetation of any kind?)

Reluctantly we bid farewell and began our day's hike down the trail, still aglow from the amazing hospitality we'd unexpectedly received from this generous band of cowboys.

But before loading up our packs, of course we had to check out the hot springs for which we had come to this spot. During the long hike the day before I had feared the hot springs might be nothing more than a mosquito-filled mud pit, but instead we found what must be the most beautiful hotsprings I have yet encountered, high up on a hillside, with a panoramic view down the entire valley to the West. It looked something like this:

Iva Bell hot springs
(deleted comment)
(deleted comment)

[identity profile] nibot.livejournal.com 2008-08-16 04:54 pm (UTC)(link)
haha, that's a rock. (-:

Here's a picture showing a bit more of the camp:

Image (http://www.flickr.com/photos/tobin/2764048377/)

[identity profile] nibot.livejournal.com 2008-08-16 04:55 pm (UTC)(link)
You should!

[identity profile] roxymartini.livejournal.com 2008-08-16 07:19 pm (UTC)(link)
aw, you're turning into a real german!

even when you speak english. to "make" a camping trip? so cute.

[identity profile] once-a-banana.livejournal.com 2008-08-16 09:00 pm (UTC)(link)
God damn this whole episode sounds so awesome. I am craving some rustic, camp-sliced steak served up by a smokey gentleman.

[identity profile] indomitability.livejournal.com 2008-08-19 02:09 am (UTC)(link)
If I'd known you were going up there, I woulda pointed you in the direction of a couple more hot springs (ones you can drive to, or at least closer to, but that are still relatively uninhabited a lot of the time.) :-)

And incidentally, if you're back up there again, there's a book called Hot Springs of the Eastern Sierra (http://www.amazon.com/Springs-Eastern-Sierra-George-Williams/dp/0935174346) that is available on Amazon. It's pretty good too. :-)
Edited 2008-08-19 02:10 (UTC)