Pieces of Life brought into Focus.

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"A poem begins with delight and ends with wisdom."
Robert Frost

So we decided to slip away to a little train caboose on the edge of a snowy hill overlooking some splendid hot springs. It was clover's 31th Birthday and we wanted nothing more then to pull the plug on all of the goings on of the world while we slipped away for 3 days. Answering our call is a developed hot springs north of Steamboat Springs Colorado called Strawberry Hot Springs.

Steamboat Springs used to be inhabited by the Yampatikas Utes until they were later forced to move to reservations over in Utah around 1879. Boggles the mind to imagine getting bounced out of a beautiful mountain valley with hot springs to a cold desolate reservation over in Utah. Some sins will take a long time to undo or even approach healing.

Later in life it appears that Strawberry Hot Spring became over ran with the hippie generation in which the only references available points to mattresses dotting the hillside and parties to make the most hedonistic of us blush. *Note to self, I might need to do more research into this* The city owned the hot springs at that time and apparently became fed up with running it. Thus it was sold it to a private party.

Enter the current scene, turn left and face a series of gorgeous hot springs that are tastefully formed up with natural rock and sandy bottoms. The pools range from 106 F on downwards with several small hot spring waterfalls coming down the hillside and a flowing creek alongside the pools.

The steam is rising, the bones ache in pleasure, and as you lower your head under the hot water you can't help but feel like a little kid again. Cold water on a hot day is pieces of childhood. Hot water on a cold snowy day is pieces of life brought into focus. It's shocking to swim in hot water while gazing out on the snowy shores. On a hot day I would swim along and eventually find some rock to rest upon while I sun soaked myself. Where as now, I knew without clothes and dry towel followed by a toasty fire place certain doom would be awaiting me. We'll maybe the toasty fire places is optional but you get the idea.

So simply put, we hung out in a out Train Caboose and read books between hot spring soaks. After returning home it proceeded to snow in Grand Junction and has been at it for a while. Pepper has taken right to the fun and now loves to prance around the snow like a show horse. Albeit the lack of regular walks has her taunting the cats for action and ripping around the house at odd hours to disperse her energy. Another birthday down, and back into the grind we go.

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Photos

Strawberry Hot Springs Office
Nice little office to keep warm in.

Our Train Caboose
Very fun little train caboose we stayed in above strawberry hot springs.

Strawberry Hot Springs
Overview of springs.

Inside the Train Caboose.
chillin time.

Pepper Prancing.
Pepper enjoys the foot deep fresh new snow in Grand Junction.

The Changing Room
Can get a bit cold while getting out of wet clothes.

Area around the springs.
The woods are lovely dark and deep.

Now that explains the experience!
Not my photo, but I loved the expression.