Laird Hot Springs

June 7th

Liard Hot Springs was a highlighted vision and a welcomed soak, through a light grey-brown boardwalk through woods with pink, white and yellow wildflowers, bogs, small meadows.     The simple, cedar colored buildings housed two changing rooms, and restrooms were further up the hill. Natural springs with gradated temperatures, were bordered by the gentle woods and flowers, with nicely bottomed black gravel. People who made it to the upper boiling hot pool, marked their feat with cairns on larger water rock.

 

 

We met Maureen from Colorado, traveling alone in her Tacoma truck, with some form of tent pop-up camper on it, that she could take to 4-wheeling environments. There was a story in this woman, who sold her home in CO, hit the road, heading to Alaska, too, with her Boston terrier, Emerson, nicknamed Emmy. When she hikes, Maureen carries a wide arsenal of a 12-gauge shotgun, machete knife, bear spray, and Emmy who sometimes rides  in a sling. Evidently, at some trail, the Bosty ran at a black bear, who latter huffed, and "wonder woman" shot over the critter's head, scaring it off, needless to say. Mark thought she may be relaying her protective armory, for public knowledge, so others know she is not a gal to be messed with. We speculated a recent divorce, death of partner, with adult children in Seattle and Missoula, freeing her next step in life. He mentioned his kids being in Seattle and Coeur d'Alene, and maybe a perfect middle point for her. Maybe we'll cross trails with Maureen again.

There was a pleasant lady from Quebec, who is also retired, but for several years, and she and her spouse are traveling with no time constraints. Her French accent was strong, and she struggled with English, but engaged openly and curiously, way better than I could have in French, I acknowledged.

 

Many European tongues surround us throughout Canada; many Germans, Dutch, other Canadians traveling in rented RVs. Tour buses are less frequent, thankfully, and we shared a picnic table lunch in Lake Louise earlier, with two Dutchmen; one the driver and the other the guide, for a tour bus of Germans. Have also seen groups of Asians and middle-Easterners. One young man of the latter ethnicity, had a "Blah, blah, blah.." apple green" t-shirt on, and was a funny ham, posing by Peyto Lake with a serious profile shot. We laughed at him, good-naturedly, of course, and he did too. Throughout the next couple days, we ran into him, with his party of three women, the youngest with a burka.

Everyone we passed on the way to the hotsprings walked slowly and looked so blissed-out, and we joined the club afterwards, as well. It started drizzling just as we got to "M" just about lunch-time, so it was so cozy making grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup. Love it!

 

 

Laird Hot Springs Bison

Being so relaxed, we drove and pulled into a campground by the Rancheria River, tired, and watched the Ken Burn's documentary on Lewis and Clark, the first part, and were  mesmerized by the quality of it. We started laughing realizing it was 11 p.m., when it was over. It now stays light until after midnight, closer to Alaska we get, so we play and/or talk later these days, as well.