I’m soaking wet and shivering. There is a small waterfall pouring over slick rock just to my right and I am standing in the pool it has created in the deep, narrow canyon. Mama Bear, aka KB, aka Freedom Toes, aka She who walks with guidebook, and for this weekend, aka Befday Bear is coming down the janky rope tied to the left of this waterfall.
The wet rock is slick and I’m standing there just in case, even though I know she will have no issues. Knowing this, my mind wanders. Our setting is quite wondrous, a slot canyon with water that is supplied thanks to the underground water table and geothermic activity. Yup, we are hot spring hunting this weekend and the water coming over this fall is cool, but not cold thanks to that fact.
More importantly, there are almost no people. Considering we are within what feels like a stone’s throw of Las Vegas, the filters that keep most people out are part of the reason we have come.
Filter 1 – Short hike down a slot canyon. This is definitely in our wheelhouse and probably the easiest of the three filters to overcome. As such, there are plenty of people making the epic journey down to the water’s edge.
Filter 2 – Water. We have never seen anyone else put in at the bottom of this hike and this is our third year doing it. It’s also part of the reasons we keep doing it, the paddle is fantastic. There are plenty of distractions to explore and you can only get to them on a boat. Motors aren’t allowed here.
Filter 3 – To do this trip proper, you have to combine those two things. Plenty of people make the hike and get to the overcrowded hot springs in that canyon. Fewer, but still a decent amount, rent canoes and paddle up the flat river the 10 miles to get to this spot. Thanks to our ability to overcome these three filters easily, we have not seen anyone out of our group since late afternoon the day prior. Ahhhh….
Befday Bear steps off the rock into the water and turns around snapping me back to the moment. I realize that I had nothing to do with getting us here. It wasn’t my idea and I had no part in planning it.
It was all her.
Insert a gif of me giggling to myself.
We turn and run down the canyon. The water begins to get warmer and we round the bend to find the Knockers and Lickers soaking in the hot spring. With as much grace as can be mustered by a couple of cold, wet humans hurrying to get into a natural hot tub, we plop in thankful for the warmth.
The 106 degree water makes up for the shivers we experience just moments earlier. We settle into the water with groans of pleasure and just sit.
I live a pretty charmed life. I spend my work week hanging out at a bike shop, talking to people about bikes and doing bike-related businessy stuff (the last one is mostly what I do). Outside of the 40 hours of “work,” I have free time to run, ride or just hang out in front of the fire cuddling with my puppies. And when the weekends hit, well, we do things like go hot spring hunting.
I’m often told that I’m lucky that my chosen partner is willing to go do these things that some people would describe as crazy, or maybe hard, or for some, even stupid. I always respond by saying that I am lucky, but she doesn’t do these things because of me. She is just as into it as I am and just as capable of pushing the boundaries, of going to the places, of doing the things.
As mentioned above, we have a standing weekend roughly around her birthday that she plans whatever adventure she wants. From the campsites, the times, the distances, the activities, the beer we drink or don’t, the peeps who get invited, every last detail, she plans it and executes. And, while she gets this one weekend every year, she often plans our longer trips.
Yup, it’s a charmed life and I can’t begin to describe how grateful I am for her.
And that is what this weekend, our season opener, is all about. The activities are fun in and of themselves, but each year our closest friends take time off work and drive to Las Vegas. They bring gifts, decorations and a giant bag of snickers. Beers are drank, boats are paddled, packs are carried and the Befday Bear is celebrated. It’s a good time, but I don’t think people would keep doing it year after year if she wasn’t so rad.
My head feels funny. I realize I might be a little over done. I drag my body up and out of the water. Yup, a little dizzy. It’s probably time to get out of this hot water. I sit on the sandbags letting my upper body cool down. The faces surrounding this pool suggest that I am not the only one in this state, but no one else is making any effort to leave the pool. I settle back in and assume someone will pull me out if I faint.
After a day and a half of pretty much just cooking in hot springs, it’s time to go home. We leave our camp and paddle to one last hot spring because we’re here, we know it’s a pretty one and why not. After our last soak, we paddle a short distance down river to our take out. The boats are deflated. All of our gear is switched from float mode to walk mode.
And then we begin the walk out.
There are murmurings. Complaints about how long this hike is, that it always seems to feel like forever. And then way before we know it, we are at Casa Zen Mobile drinking beer and sitting in the parking lot.
As the Befday Bear Weekend 2021 is coming to a close, we all agree that there is no better way to celebrate a bear than hiking, paddling and soaking in hot springs. We all commit to next year.
P. L. and R.
