Trip report 9-26

I arrived at the freedom trail head at 9:30 am and there was no wind for this Sunday morning. When I got to the same parking spot I almost always use I was shocked to find a fire pit. Especially after reading Rick's post here about Fire restrictions. Also shocking was to find the place trashed with mostly sugar candy wrappings and beer bottles. Who eats sugar candy and drinks beer ? So I got my trash bags out and picked up most of the mess. I found 1 - 30 gallon trash bag at my parking spot and retrieved another 30 gallon trash bag picking up around the larger parking area. I could have got more trash but did not have any more trash bags. Also a 2 man tent was abandoned near the middle of the large parking area.
After picking up this trash I was curious as to how many cars were in the Bowen ranch parking lot. I took out my binoculars and saw 4 cars and to the left of them were 3 more cars. I counted 11 persons loading their cars up. After they left I saw 2 guys looking at the other cars. 1 guy drove to the hill close to the ranch while the other guy was looking into the windows of the cars in the parking lot. So I stayed to see if they were going to try anything nefarious. After about 15 minuets they both got into a dark blue truck and left. Yes Virginia, there is a boogeyman in the parking lot !
It took me less than 14 minuets to hike/jog to the springs. When I got there 5 teen aged guys were talking big at the main pools so I headed to the shade trees and staked out my area. Then I scouted around and found 7 tents. Two were near the shade trees 1 was near where you can cross the creek on the rocks. And the rest were further up stream.
Then I headed into the pools for a much needed soak. At 11:30 I pulled out my thermometer and took the temps of everything I found interesting.
The outside air temp was 87.7 degrees.
The creek where most people cross was 68.5 degrees.
All pool temps were taken near their middle and near the surface.
The Arizona pool was 110.1 degrees. The creek water up stream from there was 65.6 degrees.
The Anniversary pool was 110.4 degrees.
The Womb pool was 103.2 degrees.
The middle or Serenity pool was 108.7 degrees.
The Crab cooker was 114.4 degrees. The source spring where most get drinking water, just above the Crab cooker was 116.6 degrees.
The Source spring by the Pacific Crest Trail was 114.9 degrees. I found this odd because the last time I took the temp there it was above 124 degrees. So something must be changed from before.
Every one seemed to have had a good camping trip as everyone I talked to were extremely happy to be at the springs. I detected no problems from any one. As I was taking the temps a large group of hippies smelling of petiole oil and Marijuana came from up stream. They related stories of having a very good full moon and trip.
Glad to help, enjoy !