Mile 292.4 to 310

Today’s goal was all about getting to Deep Creek. The rumor had been going for days that there were some nice hot springs right on the trail, and we were fixing to find out for ourselves.

We had 15 miles to do until the hot springs, and we wanted to get them done early so we could relax and soak our tired and trail battered feet in the magic elixir of hot water, which makes all your aches and pains go away. The miles came easy and we made it to the desert oasis of Deep Creek by 1:00.

We head down and started scoping out the place. As soon as we drop our packs, we looked to the left and saw a pile of shit. It was too big to be a dogs. Remember the shit, it comes back into the story later.

We picked up our bags and turned around to find a local middle aged dude in a sarong and nothing else walk up. He started talking to us about the different hot springs and their temperatures. While he is going on, a lady comes out of one of the lower springs and all our heads turn and eyes go down to….bush. We looked at each other and shared some half-crocked grins.

Soon we headed off to a different spot near a secluded pool on the saroung dude’s recommendation.

We stripped down to our undies and headed towards the pool. There was another guy and girl in there. Burnout stops and whispers, “Hey that guy isn’t wearing any pants.” That was the first of many dicks to be seen that day. It seems that the clothing optional hot spring extended not to one spring, but the entirety of the hot springs.

A little bare skin wasn’t going to stop us so we slid into the pool which was lukewarm and made small talk with the couple. After a while we check out some of the other pools.

In the lowest pool near the creek, there were these huge tadpoles that had heads that were about the size of pool balls. They were frickin’ huge and some had legs sprouting out. Later a topless girl and her friend brought two dogs that spent the next couple of hours splashing around and try to catch the tadpoles.

From the hot springs, you could see the PCT and there were hikers that were just walking by or stopping for a minute and then running for the hills.

After about two hours of soaking, we got out and are drying ourselves on the rocks when we start to hear yelling. “Fuck, shit, I’m fucking leaving and never coming back, fuck, shiiiiiiiiiit.” Some drunk guy’s dog had rolled in the shit we saw earlier and then rubbed up against the owner’s leg. The “fucks” and “shits” kept coming and you could hear them echoing off the hills.

After about 20 minutes of silence, the man comes around the rocks near us yelling, “fuck, shit, this is human shit. I’ve been coming here for 40 years, fuck, shit, and I always take my shits before I come! I understand people got to shit, but at least bury it. FUCK SHIT. Fuuuuck, shiiiit.” We could bearly hold it together and stop ourselves from busting out laughing. Bedazzled had the hardest time as she giggled on the rocks behind the man’s back.

After that incident, we decided it was time to start hiking out of the hippie hot springs doing our best “fuuuck, shiiiit” impersonations of the guy.

As we went further down trail, we caught up to the guy who was on another trail on the other side of the river. We could still hear him going off as he climbed the 2 miles back to the parking area. We echoed his explitives back to him as we went down trail laughing to ourselves.

We camped just past rainbow bridge on a beach along the river with a bunch of other hikers including Big Daddy, Happy Hour, Blue, and some others.

Right before bed, Bedazzled came over and said something in her German accent. I heard, “do you sleep alone tonight,” and must have made quite the face as I responded, “Well there’s room for two.” Wishful thinking because she actually said, “do you set an alarm tonight?” Let’s just say something got lost in translation ; -). Everyone had a good laugh when I told them the story.

Wildlife: red winged black bird, horny toad, a bird with a blue back and head, auburn breast, and grey stomach, nudists