Like home it takes someone coming to visit to shake me out of my normal routine and out to experience the wonderful things around me. Sad but true. I am too guilty of getting locked into a small circle of activities - wonderful activities like horses and dogs and art and puttering - but a rather narrow range of experiences.
The VVR is my "other" home, my home on the west side, and I get as locked in here as I do on the east side. There is always something calling my attention at the resort; either trying to work at one of my jobs or fill in around the business and once here I rarely get past the pack station and only then to visit with friends slightly less connected to the resort.
This week we had family visiting and that was the push I needed to stop my work day at a reasonable time each day and do something else. And one day we packed a picnic lunch and traveled all of 5 miles but a world away to Mono Hot Springs.
This area is a jewel in the backcountry. Once you brave that windy road or walk in off the dusty trail - you have such a plethora of diversions to choose from. Right at the VVR we have plenty to offer - great food, friendly staff; an entire lake to fish, kayak, paddleboard, and pedal (on the hydro-bikes); hiking and socializing. One mile up the road we have High Sierra Pack Station with hour rides, day trips and backcountry pack trips; more friendly staff and willing horses and mules. Five miles down the road we have Mono Hot Springs. 14 miles away we have another big lake, Florence, with more hiking and another hot springs resort: Muir Ranch. Amazing. Amazing that this place isn't overrun with people.
Mono Hot Springs (the resort) has been around since the CCC built these stone buildings in the 1930s and the hot springs have been around much longer. The resort offers a cafe, a store, cabins and camping - and all that hot water. And a on-site massage therapist.
Many of the structures here are faced with these rounded river rocks and one can only imagine the amount of cement and time it has taken to do all this rock work. The front of the store boasts these big, sturdy rocking chairs and yes, there is wireless internet access to boot. And cell phone reception. Disconnected, yet connected.
There are some great old features around the resort and plenty to photograph. I have no idea how old this ice truck is but the rust was perfect.
The women's room behind the store has someone's loving murals painted on the walls and this fabulous mirror.
The cabins are super-cute from the outside. I haven't yet gotten a peek at the inside but someday one will be open and I'll have my camera ready.
And then there is the main bath house with the massage therapist, Cherry, on site with her hot stones and aromatic oils and the included soak in a private tub.... Why oh why am I not there every week?
The hot springs have the usual assortment of minerals and other elements...
There's a smallish tub outside the spa building that might hold 6-8 friendly people... I seem to recall soaking in this with at least 4 other women a few years ago.
The lobby of the spa building is tiled in stone but nice, flat stone and it is very serene inside. What I loved most were the photographs from the early days... including a honeymoon shot taken in 1916. I can't even imagine what it took to get here in 1916 - those were some hardy newlyweds.
This is one of the private rooms in the spa building. Simple and spare but you don't need too many bells and whistles when there is good, hot water to soak in.
And then there are the outside tubs across Mono Creek and free for everyone's use. That's right. You just have to get here.
I love the old tubs and the ruins from the bath houses built in the heyday of the 30s and torn down in the 60s. I'd love to know more about the history and why the bath houses were removed...
It must have been something to ride in on horseback or in an old Model T and find this place waiting.
If these tubs could talk!
But it's all over now and this is what it is today. And it isn't a bad thing either. To a hiker or a traveler or a worker up the road to have hot springs and all the amenities offered at Mono Hot Springs is a treat. It is a jewel.
I'm happy we went down there with our picnic lunch and I will remember to visit it more often.
Cherry will be penciling me into her appointment book and I will be crossing Mono Creek to soak in Old Pedro.
Life is short and goes speeding by. This is just five miles away.
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