05-16 trip report

I arrived at the Freedom trail head at 2:35 pm. I drove up the road #3380 route from Deep Creek road up the power lines from Hesperia . The road was in fairly good condition . I saw a 3-4 foot Rosie Boa snake in the road. My first instinct is to kill a snake at first sighting. The Rosie Boa is my favorite snake in the whole world. I stopped my car and talked to this snake for 10 minuets before he disappeared into a whole in the ground . It was cold and the wind was gusting from 10 - 30 mph . When I got to the parking lot . This route only took 15 minuets to go from Deep Creek road to the Freedom trail head .
When I went down the trail I met a couple from Ontario who related this story :
He Said this was only his second time going this Freedom trail route . Because he saw the guy at the Bowen ranch pull a rifle out and threaten a guy he said owed him money . He said " he did NOT want to do business with some one like him . " He said the guy paid him very quickly .
When I got to the springs there were about 20 people there. It was 100% naked and about 60/40 on the male/female ratio. The wind was not as fierce as up hill and the sun was shining bright . The creek is not too cold and it did not get up to my belly button .
The Womb pool is as clean and pristine as it has been in 8 years. I had it to myself for about 30 minuets before hikers started melting into the 101 degrees water.
I met two organic farmers from San Francisco. They had visited friends in the High Sierra mountains. Then spent 3 days camping in Joshua Tree National Monument . Some one there told them about the springs and they wanted to be there they said . They were very down too earth and wholesome looking spirits . What a terrific life they must be living, I wandered to myself .
While at The Arizona pool I noticed it is knee deep and warm where the springs meets the pool . The pool near the creek is hot on top and @ 60 degrees on it's bottom . This indicates there is still a lot of creek water flowing through the pools bottom . I only spent @ 15 minuets there soaking .
The Anniversary pool is where most of the interesting conversations were on going . It was mostly clean and @ 102 degrees.The Jokes that were told there were neither clean or warm but, funny just the same ;~) THANKS ! .
There were 2 other regular visitors there and they both gathered trash from around the springs . So I got my trash bag out and joined in their custom . The trash was not too bad .
I was glad I brought my long pants as it was cold and windy at 6:30 when I left . The sky was as pretty as any Maxfield Parrish painting . The Orange and the Red Poppies were still trying to bloom even in this weather, what a surprise !

Happy soaking !
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