5/21...A Continuation

after some nervous sighs and being overly watchful of road signs, we reached Jerry Johnson Hotsprings. After we parked a nice looking man with one large, silver, hoop earring (hey! we're from the Bay Area...nothing shocks us.) was approaching his car. This man will, from here on out, be refereed to as 'The Pirate' Here is the dialogue that followed:

Hannah: Um, Can you give us directions?
Pirate: Pray hard and look up! [points to grey sky above us]
H: uh....
P: Where?
H: to the hot springs
P: You are far too clothed, you'll have to get naked before you go.
H: Oh, don't worry we will....[looks awkwardly at Ottilia]
P: Man, it smells like somebody died out here...ya know, there are bears and they do kill people.
H: Yea....[looks terrified]
P: Ok, you go across the bridge and follow the trail when you get to the hills, there are 2, you are 90% there. So where are you guys from?
H: California, so we're used to naked people.
P: Great, you'll fit right in. WHY would you go to California?
H: Oh, thats home.
P: Why????????
H: Family
P: I've got some beers, you guys want some?
Ottilia: oh no thanks we don't drink.
P: Theyll ahve some for you, Do you have pot?
H: Nope.
P: Do you at least have some water? [asking as if beer and weed were essential for survival in the wilderness]
O: yes!
P: Are you guys bringing tobacco? The Indians used tobacco to thank mother earth for the hot springs.
H: Oh thats cool but we don't have any.
P: Well here's a cigarette. [He ripped off the filter so we wouldn't smoke it.]

At this point both Ottilia and I have stuffed towels AND bathing suits into our bag and are nervously looking at each other for an escape route.

H: K, thanks! we're gunna go.
P: You might see two of my friends. They stayed to fornicate in the bushes...never did understand why its called fornicating when it's only 2 people...
H&O: awkward laughter, Yea...
P: Don't forget to lock your car and hide your valuables.
H&O: Okay, thanks....

When walking across the highway to the bridge we both confessed we no longer wanted to go but also couldn't go back to the car since the pirate was still waiting for his fornicating friends. We had stuck our bathing suits into our bags (what would you have done? creepy old man...Possible need to run for your life from bears...naked or not naked?). The trail had said 1.5 miles, further than we expected, but we trucked on anyway. On the walk we contemplated how we would react to meeting a grizzly bear, changing into our suits at the hot springs and encountering the underground gay scene in Idaho. We arrived at the hotsprings invited us in after a brief moment of awkward giggles from Ottilia and I. There were a total of 7 people in the hotsprings. An older couple with their dog, naked with wine, cheese and crackers (all of which fell in the water). Four twentysomethings, 3/4 wearing bathing suits. 1 Lone Ranger, wearing only a straw safari hat, sitting on the edge of the hot springs and watching the people. He clearly wasn't thrilled to be surrounded by drunk(ish) college kids from Mankato, Minnesota. We changed behind some rocks and hopped in. The water was perfect. They offered us drinks a bunch and the naked younger guy did a lot of accidental penis/butt in the face bending and stretching. His name, we learned, was Phil and he was studied neuroscience in the hope of working at a pharmasutical company and then go on to teach at a small college. We assume he will go very, very far due to the "I Rule" tattoo on his foot, which, to his credit, he got when he was drunk...All-in-all, as they all have been, it was a great adventure!!

Now are camping in the rain at Wilderness Gateway Campground on Highway 12 in Idaho. The sites are very private with little paths and tree cover--very cute! Thank god!

Camping in the rain turned out to be just fine, we hunkered down and fell asleep by about 8:30. Sleeping when you are camping is just about the best thing ever- 10 or 12 hours is what I really need. Next stop: Coeur d'Alene, Idaho.