Hot Springs

As I mentioned yesterday I was off in search of some hot springs, and I’m happy to say that I did find them.  The off road part of the journey wasn’t that bad, a bit bumpy but more of a crappy road than true off road.

The main danger is logging trucks that come flying along towards you, its suggested that you have a radio so you can hear them coming (they announce their mileage position over the radio) but as we had no radio we just kept a good look out.

The hot springs weren’t disappointing, the pics don’t really do them justice.  We had temps of 38 degrees C but they can get ridiculously high, there are warnings everywhere and area’s to run to if the place starts to have an earthquake.  To quote the sign

‘If you hear a loud rumbling, or notice a sudden change in the creek’s color or flow, leave the area immediately and retreat to the nearest refuge site, this could mean an event is about to occur.’ 

Nothing more severe than a few bug bites on my trip though.

A better selection of pics are on my girlfriends camera so these are all I can put up just now;

As you can see its a pretty scenic setting, the 3 separate hot spring ‘baths’ are located in the middle of the woods next to a river.  There are definitely worse places to unwind.

Day off adventure

I am working far too many hours at a job I don’t really enjoy, that’s really a story for another time but during a recession it seems best to shut up and get on with it.  I have to tell them tomorrow I need 3 weeks off to go work for another company who I enjoy working for, pay better, but did make me redundant in February.  Still it may take me out of full  time employment again.  

But that’s for tomorrow, as for today I am heading on a road trip for a couple of hours to try and find some hot springs I have been told about. My girlfriend is away at the local dog shelter doing her volunteer work buts once she’s back it breakfast and away.  I say “road trip” with a certain amount of trepidation as I’ve been told that half of it is actually off road. 

This could prove interesting.

Pics up tomorow!

Like Mallory said “Because its there”

About 40 minutes drive from my house is what I would describe as the most scenic Wal Mart ever;

 

Behind it you’ll spot a huge chunk of granite.  Its the second largest granite monolith in the world, the Stawamus Chief, and having seen it I got the urge to get to the top.  Its popular with rock climbers but as I dont rock climb and attempting that route with no training would almost certainly end in tears I instead opted for the less direct route of the Chief Trail.  1 hour 40 minutes later and my girlfriend and I had assended 2,297 ft to the summit.

 

My legs are knackered today!

Go West, this is what we’re gonna do…

So it looks pretty certain that I am going to up sticks and move West  across the country.  Currently I’m going through pangs of

“Fantastic!  An adventure, I’m only 28 this makes perfect sense“

 to

“What the hell am I doing?  It was cool to go live on the mountain when you were straight outta University but now you need to be responsible, look at your career, buy a house, do grown up stuff“

Well I think that Jacob (who I don’t know but writes an excellent blog) reminded me of a way I used to approach lifestyle questions such as this in his blog one year older. In this post the question is poised “what would my 21 year old self think of me now?” as I still believe in my head I am about 21 it doesn’t alter too much for me, but let’s go further….. what would 18 year old me say………..the 15 yearl old……..what about the 12 year old?

I know without thinking too hard that the answer will always be a resounding YES for the adventure.

I spent too many public holidays or maybe even just rainy weekends watching Indiana Jones battle through temples, castles, jungles and dodging flying darts, wishing that I would have those kinds of adventures when I was older to sit home and take the easy route.  Yes, it is true I am going to the pacific North West, complete with running water and electricity and not the depths of untamed wilderness but of the two lifestyle choices I could make right now it’s the one with more uncertainty and hopefully the more rewarding. 

Plus they do have bears out there, right now the closest I have to dangerous wild animals on my doorstep is a slightly agitated looking dachshund that lives in the apartment block next door.

So like the Pet Shop Boys said; Go West, this is what we’re gonna do