Lighthawk
Weekend warrior
Sometimes you just need to get away and de-stress. Maybe I should say all the time.
It's been a hard winter and we had not had the camper out since Christmas. Finally our calendars cleared and we planned a trip to Orr Hot Springs to follow up on a recommendation of a good friend. Reservations are required and they only have a land line, but in the end the gods smiled and we got a spot. Actually they have one spot that is designated for 'car camping', everyone else is in a tent or has a cabin.
Running a small construction company keeps me close to the office, so I didn't mount the camper until Wednesday, planning for a Friday departure. A dead battery (FWC OEM Interstate DCM0075) put me into rush mode to secure a new battery (Sear PM-1 which fit my 08 Hawk like a glove). Leadsled gave me some key info to make the install go smooth.
We got to Ukiah about an hour before sunset and got onto Orr Hot Springs Rd. I am glad I looked at in on Google Earth because it is one windy sucker. It's only 13 miles, but feels longer. We checked in and found that 'car camping' is really just a spot on their private road, but it was fine and the bathroom was next door. Not exactly our type of camping, but we were next door to a series of nicely improved springs, sauna's and steam baths surrounded by well-tended flower gardens. Pretty spa-like with a new-age feel. Ommmmm
Orr Hot Springs has a history going back to 1878 and is still mostly off grid. No cell service here. But the big attraction is next door at Montgomery Wood State National Reserve (SNR) where there are spectacular old growth redwood groves. Those trees are monsters. We hiked the short loop and I went nuts using my camera / macro / flash to record the Seussian (my word) ferns, Redwood Sorrel, Trilium and Big Trees. It was awesome.
Redwood Sorrel
Then back for more soaking Did I mention they have at least seven cast iron bath tubs with piped hot water?
After our Saturday hike we continued along Orr Hot Springs Rd. to the burg of Comptche, but the store was closed. So we drove another eleven miles to go to Mendocino, where Mendosa's Grocery store is. I found a good bottle of wine and we picked up some fancy cheese (Humboldt Fog goat cheese). The sun was shining! After almost seven months of winter we were stoked to see some sun and explored along the coast until we stumbled upon Caspar Beach.
Low key and funky, just the way I like it.
Sunday we worked on our soaking technique. Hey, it's a hard job, but somebody has to do it! We did a short hike with rain-fall happening before/during/after. Driving back on Orr Hot Springs Rd. I stopped to photograph an American Kestrel hunting by hovering in the high winds then diving. Cool little raptors.
Synopsis: Leave on Friday, get a whole Saturday away including a second night out, and return on Sunday. Mission accomplished: stress relieved and a weekend that feels much longer, yet I am back at work Monday with a slightly more relaxed mind-set. And that's what it's all about.
It's been a hard winter and we had not had the camper out since Christmas. Finally our calendars cleared and we planned a trip to Orr Hot Springs to follow up on a recommendation of a good friend. Reservations are required and they only have a land line, but in the end the gods smiled and we got a spot. Actually they have one spot that is designated for 'car camping', everyone else is in a tent or has a cabin.
Running a small construction company keeps me close to the office, so I didn't mount the camper until Wednesday, planning for a Friday departure. A dead battery (FWC OEM Interstate DCM0075) put me into rush mode to secure a new battery (Sear PM-1 which fit my 08 Hawk like a glove). Leadsled gave me some key info to make the install go smooth.
We got to Ukiah about an hour before sunset and got onto Orr Hot Springs Rd. I am glad I looked at in on Google Earth because it is one windy sucker. It's only 13 miles, but feels longer. We checked in and found that 'car camping' is really just a spot on their private road, but it was fine and the bathroom was next door. Not exactly our type of camping, but we were next door to a series of nicely improved springs, sauna's and steam baths surrounded by well-tended flower gardens. Pretty spa-like with a new-age feel. Ommmmm
Orr Hot Springs has a history going back to 1878 and is still mostly off grid. No cell service here. But the big attraction is next door at Montgomery Wood State National Reserve (SNR) where there are spectacular old growth redwood groves. Those trees are monsters. We hiked the short loop and I went nuts using my camera / macro / flash to record the Seussian (my word) ferns, Redwood Sorrel, Trilium and Big Trees. It was awesome.
Redwood Sorrel
Then back for more soaking
Did I mention they have at least seven cast iron bath tubs with piped hot water?
After our Saturday hike we continued along Orr Hot Springs Rd. to the burg of Comptche, but the store was closed. So we drove another eleven miles to go to Mendocino, where Mendosa's Grocery store is. I found a good bottle of wine and we picked up some fancy cheese (Humboldt Fog goat cheese). The sun was shining! After almost seven months of winter we were stoked to see some sun and explored along the coast until we stumbled upon Caspar Beach.
Low key and funky, just the way I like it.
Sunday we worked on our soaking technique. Hey, it's a hard job, but somebody has to do it!
We did a short hike with rain-fall happening before/during/after. Driving back on Orr Hot Springs Rd. I stopped to photograph an American Kestrel hunting by hovering in the high winds then diving. Cool little raptors. Synopsis: Leave on Friday, get a whole Saturday away including a second night out, and return on Sunday. Mission accomplished: stress relieved and a weekend that feels much longer, yet I am back at work Monday with a slightly more relaxed mind-set.
And that's what it's all about.
