Sol Duc Hot Spring

Day 37 National Park 2011

I began my day at 5am to pack out, I finish an hour later.  The misty clouds over the river and the mountain were still lingering and the sun was breaking through the rain clouds, coloring it beautifully.

I drove by Lake Crescent where the misty clouds hovered over the lake and day break was rising over the mountains, a very cool sight.  Lots of deer sightings all along the drive. 

I pulled into Sol Duc Campground Loop B around 7:15am.  I found site #65 across from the restroom.  The first thing I did was go and use the flush toilet.  My tent was very wet from yesterday’s rain.  I hoped it will dry a bit today.  The sun came through at 9am.  There are a lot of black slugs on this campsite.  Loop A is under remodeling and has vault toilet.  It is a loop for RV. 

My lungs feel really relaxed here, soft, full, and expansive.  I could just sit at this campsite and not go anywhere.  It’s pretty, everywhere is pretty and it is similar rain forest terrain at each site.  There is a creek here but that river bank I was on in Altair Campground is pretty hard to beat. 

I made split pea soup for breakfast and ate 3 rice crackers.  The sun peaked out for half an hour and then snuck away for the rest of the day. 

I met Susan from Vermont and Linda.  These two women met 20 years ago in England and kept in touch as friends ever since.  The last time they saw each other was 10 years ago.  They are both occupational therapists and taught in Waldorf Schools as teachers.  Susan just retired and is traveling in her car all over the country including Canada, covering all the national parks.  Linda is still working because she lost a lot of her money in stocks.  She signed up for Spirit Rock ten day Vipassana Retreat in August.  Susan really wanted me to go on the waterfall trail with them.  She felt the three of us are cut of the same cloth.  We just kept on chatting on chatting for two hours standing off the road.  It turns out they only stayed one night last night and had plans to meet other people in other places today.  I pulled out chocolate truffles and shared with them.  It was a lovely crossing of paths today.  Perhaps we were friends from past lives. 

I declined to join them because I have yet to meditate and do my morning ceremony.  I then went to pay for my site#65 for $14 a night.  Then I sat and marveled this thick mossy forest.  It’s like Kentucky Falls with flush toilet, potable water, electrical outlet and hot springs to soak in.  It is very quiet here.  All I want to do is meditate.

My neighbors are Sawyer and Jeb from Georgia.  They are on nine national park trek all along the west of Rocky Mountains.  They brought measuring tapes to make sure the site is big enough for their tent, super precise people, perfect in execution of things. 

Half of my tent is wet, it just won’t dry here.  It’s a good thing I have padding to separate me from the moisture.  Total downpour at 3pm, I put up an extra layer of tarp for coverage.  It’s not a rain forest without the rain.  I ended up putting all my things on top of my pad to keep the flooding level to a minimum. 

This weather is perfect for soaking in the hot springs.  I walked straight into the pool area and there was no attendant at the window.  It is easy to walk in and not pay.  However karmic side of things, it is bad.  So I went into the Lodge store and packed up a postcard along with chips.  As I went to pay, Shelby was at the cash register.  I smiled and greeted her.  I told her I was happy to be here and inquired about the hours for the hot spring, 9am-9pm.  She asked me if I was alone.  She said she is allowed to give one free admission a day and I took her up on it.  It’s a part of the lodge thing and so I got a towel too.  I was happily surprised and she was happy to give me this gift.  I offered chocolate to her and she declined.  I handed her a box of Belgium chocolate anyways and she was delighted.  I wanted to match her joy of giving, kindness, and surprise.  That was fun!  Getting it done karmic right is so much more fun.  What a beautiful way to live life.

The world greets me and rises up to wherever I am.  Sometimes I don’t realize how I am beaming high until I see it reflected, matched by others.  Many times I don’t see the down in the gutter internal state I am in and refused to acknowledge it when the world meets me down low in the hells mirroring it for me to see.         

Tom the window staff at the hot spring pools is a honest gentle folk who wouldn’t judge or be looking out for dishonest sliders on the admission.  There just is something very stable about that and him, so he stands like the mountain, strong, stable, unmoving, nurturing, and majestic.

I went for the 103 degree pool and met Gaylain and Kathleen from Maysville who took the ferry from Townsend.   I asked two boys from Kent Alex and Eddie if they could fart with their armpit in water.  They had youthful fun spirit.  Then a middle aged serious not so healthy looking man sat between us and ended it all.  The water is well maintained here and drained throughout the day and refilled.  I love this part, keeping it all clean. 

I met Marie and Judy, both in their retirement age.  Both are in their 60’s but look in their 70’s.  Marie was a disgruntle person who really doesn’t like crowds get seems to need a lot of attention and demands it.  Judy was flaunting her baggy wrinkly body at me like she was posing for a bikini magazine.  I find them strange, scary, and felt drained by them.  I did not feel safe around them.  I don’t want to continue my stay here at this campground  or in these pools in the future because I don’t want to come across them. 

I felt the sore spots along my lower back around my spine.  I saw they were round golf ball size in burnt blood red, black, and purple colors.  I just wanted to take a vacuum and suck those pockets of balls out of there so my life can resume in full force.   I soaked for four hours. 

The showers composed of group shower heads.  It had a sensory touch that keeps the water on and off.  This day feels like

I learned the Neah Tribe is under lots of drug issues.  I am glad I opted to skip that area.  In one day I came across a lot of single retired women, all of whom found themselves in such position unwillingly.  The ones who knew how to feed themselves and make themselves comfortable in the basics of sleep and food are making healthy adjustments.  The troubled ones, are miserable, and a bit strange and scary.  They are the ones with really bad attitudes too.  I don’t feel safe around such people. 

The rain continued all afternoon and the rest of the night.  The fog rolled in and hovered over the mountain and wrapped around the trees, just smoky lovely.  I had a great time.  At 10pm the blanket of overcast below the moon light kept the camp well lit.