Trip Report, Friday, November 2, 2012

Returned to the springs yesterday, Friday 11/2, two weeks since my prior visit. Was able to travel there with my best friend who has been there only once before with me. This is a friend I’ve known since I was like twelve years old and we still see each other all the time, at this stage in our lives we still live near each other, for which I feel very lucky. His first visit to DCHS with me was two springs ago, when the water was icy cold and very high and strong after that forceful winter, and in general I think he found the place a bit “rough.” But the day was perfect yesterday, the weather and sun sweet, temperatures in the low 70s, no clouds, the water level low and slow though the creek is surely cold again. He got a very different picture of what it is like out at DCHS.

Since two weeks back, the paving on Central has been completed, and parts--not all, mostly toward the beginning--of Bowen Ranch Road have been re-graded and improved.

Arrived at the ranch around 8:30 am. Unlike the last time, there seemed to be a bunch of visitors. I could see two tents set up next to cars, and in the lot, there were four more cars. But as we hiked down in the morning cold, we saw and passed no one. When we reached the creek vista, I could see no sign of campers anywhere near the beach area, nor up-creek. All was quiet. When we reached creek-side, it was indeed a quiet beautiful morning at the springs.

I could only see evidence of one campsite, a tent set up in the trees down-creek from the springs. A beautiful young couple was there, having arrived the day before - first time visit, they were on their honeymoon. Saw them throughout the day with their beautiful Black German Shepherd.

The only other person there at this point--slightly after 9 am--was an older man in the Womb. We joined him. He talked a lot with us. Related how his first visit to DCHS was in 1966. When he was 14 or 15 or somesuch. Told many stories about those years at the springs, and the Manson Family story eventually came up as it often does! He left about midday.

I wondered why and how the springs was so empty and quiet with all the cars and campsites we saw up at the ranch.

We were slowly joined by others. Most extraordinarily, by three folks who brought two horses and three German Shepherd dogs with them, I recognized the couple among them from prior visits, so locals you would have to think with the horses in tow. I would say that at midday, there were about 15 people at the spring. Really a quiet Friday. Almost everyone was using the springs in the nude, very few textiles at all even among the women. I did recognize a bunch of regulars, though I don’t know most by name. An older man I’ve seen there a bunch, also a long haired man who has great ideas and conversation. Two weeks ago I saw him there, and when I asked him if he knew the time he had responded: “It’s 420 my friend” and offered me his medicine as Jobe calls it. At the end of the day I even saw Camper Dave appear, I have always enjoyed my interactions with him but didn’t get a chance to talk with him yesterday.

Nothing really more to report. It was a perfect day for soaking, the air was colder all day long, the pools more often in the shade then not (the Womb regains the shade again now around 3 pm). The steam always rising. So we soaked a lot, in all the pools. The Anniversary Pool comes into its own this time of year. The shower got a lot of use too. We also enjoyed the new pool in the trees to the side of the rock outcrop. It seems to have been improved even since my last visit--the sandbags replaced by rocks and mortar. You can really see the pool now from the other side of the creek. Some vegetation below it had been cleared I think. It’s gorgeous, I’ll say again.

I think there is a tomato plant growing next to the Anniversary Pool. Full of green tomatoes. Unless I’m completely deceived and its something else. How did that get there?

A regular of some sort arrived in the afternoon, he had long curly black hair, he sang continuously with a rather good voice as he walked around in the creek for long periods with a long spear, but seemed more interested in feeding the fish a bag of bagels he had brought with him. Oblivious to the cold of the creek. I knew he was some kind of regular as he did talk to me later in the afternoon about Arizona Mike and asked me if I knew him. He then described AM to me and his rock-lifting prowess. I had a hard time following him though.

The visitors to the springs on this beautiful day were not only mostly nude, which made the place more open and friendly in my opinion--they were also very much in the spirit of counter culture, memories of the 60s, and the like. Great discussions about society, and hopes for the future, in the pools. About feminism, and other things as well. I enjoyed meeting all the people I talked to yesterday.

By 3:30, really most of the people had already hiked out. We started around then, a pretty early departure for me, and I freehiked out as it was warmer at that point still. We passed no one. And when we drove out of Bowen, we passed not a single vehicle all the length of Bowen Ranch Road. Gorgeous and quiet day. I will be back again soon.