The Mystic Hot Springs

Last week while on the camping adventure, we spent a lot of time riding about on the Paiute ATV Trail and so as you may have guessed, a lot of the time I was covered in dirt and a little bit sore from more than 100 miles on an ATV over the course of two days.

That said, one of the highlights of our trip was the visit to Mystic Hot Springs. (Yes, I am being facetious. Kind of. It was a highlight because it is something to laugh at in retrospect but that's all.)

After two days outside, I was ready to go soak in the mineral pools. That is saying a lot since I am not usually one to soak in my own filth let alone other people's. (Also as I mentioned in an earlier post, I hate packing because I always feel like I'm forgetting something...especially when I don't know what I need for a new situation. I needed a swimsuit and I didn't have one.) Armed with clothes that were allowed to get wet and a change of clothes for my much wanted shower, ten of us headed to Monroe, Utah.

We arrived and this is what we saw:

Very nice, eh? It was an interesting experience to say the least.... (P. Fisher put it more like "This is the way horror movies start.")

That's about all I can tell you about it. I didn't have an opportunity to learn very much about it. (We asked what kind of minerals were in the hot springs and the response was "good ones." I did learn about what minerals are in the water on the website - and I also learned why myfeet were scalded when I touched the water. It is 168 degrees.) So I would say check out their website. They make it sound like a very nice place to visit.

The Camping Adventure....

I did it. I returned alive. No poisonous bug or snake bite (just a few mosquito bites). No broken bones. No burns. Stuff White People Like was wrong (this time)......Though they made me laugh a couple times at the sight of certain things.

The week started off a little rocky. I was nervous. All around nervous about job interviews and being outside for the next three/four days. Though, I did get a Sugar Baby's doughnut to start so that made it quite a bit better.

Richfield, Utah and Fishlake National Forest are in the center of the state....About three hours south of home. When driving along the major highways in Utah, there isn't a lot to see. Don't get me wrong. It is far more scenic than Nebraska and Wyoming because there are a few mountains giving the landscape something to look at. But 15 and 80 really don't do Utah justice. There is so much to see in this state and I am finally beginning to scratch the surface but even I realize that the major roads do not give Utah much appeal. If I were just passing through, I probably wouldn't put the state on my list to come back to. But, once you get into the mountains, it is beautiful and there are some real hidden gems.

So camping....Lots of things to say. I'll try to be brief. It was fun. I didn't sleep well. I am exhausted from being outside for the last seventy-two hours. I am pretty sure I could do it again. Things I would change: I would spend a little bit more time relaxing and I would have a hot dog on a stick over the camp fire.

We spent the first day golfing. The second day we rode the dirt bikes and 4 wheelers and then made an attempt at hot springs (that is a blog post to come). The third day we rode almost 70 miles.

All in all, a good time.