August 12, 2018 to August 13, 2018
8/12-8/13/2018 Belknap Hot Springs: Beautiful, Yet Dirty
Also, the Singing Cycling Cowboy Returns
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One of the reasons we chose Belknap Hot Springs as a 2-day stop on our slow walk back to Portland was, well, the opportunity for a therapeutic soak. We checked in at the lodge and they gave us a map to guide us to our campsite. After walking across a neglected bridge with gaps wide enough to swallow our fat tires, we continued on past a pretty, yet murky pond. The path then continued on past a cabin on the right and the campground restroom/ showers to the left.
We were ready for a shower after our one-night wild camp and the subsequent ride over McKenzie Pass. So we stopped to check out the showers before getting situated at the campsite. We both walked out with the same expression ... "Um, eeeeww! Yuck!"
(Ron here: I want to make it clear that I didn't say "eeeeww! Yuck!". I think I said, "holy shit. That bathroom is filthy".)
Both the men's and women's restrooms looked like they hadn't been cleaned in .. a while. The floors were muddy, the showers lined with dead spiders, and the toilets coated with a bacteria-laden film. Ron said the men's room reeked of urine. (Wiz).
Since the property was filled with happy-looking guests, we proceeded to our campsite. It was clean, spacious, and right on the McKenzie River, so we decided to stay and tolerate the unsanitary restroom. We wore our sandals into the shower and made an effort to touch as few surfaces as possible. Fortunately the soap dispensers by the sinks were full so we could scrub our hands on the way out.
We've heard a number of times that if the restrooms in a restaurant are dirty, the kitchen is very likely dirty as well. It made sense, then, that the filth in the campground restroom was an indication that the soaking pools may not be a great place to sit in hot water with a bunch of other people. Especially when some of those people may not share our standards for hygiene. (Ron here: Many of the pool guests looked fine, but a significant number of them looked smelly and dirty. The idea of sitting in hot water with their filth oozing towards my orifices was alarming).
Yes. Our two days at Belknap Hot Springs were absent of the hot springs experience. Good thing that was not the only attraction on the large property! Like I said, our campsite was right on the river and even had a river-viewing bench. There were also several walking trails through dense forest vegetation, and a beautiful Secret Garden.
The stream, fountain, and ponds in the Secret Garden all had a calming effect; the colorful flowers were inspiring and uplifting; and the rocks stones, columns, and repetitive circular patterns all echoed solidity - stopping us in our tracks to enjoy the stillness. We walked away feeling more peaceful and returned in the evening for another visit. The magical feeling of this beautiful garden more than compensated for the creepy-crawliness of the campground bathroom!
And so went our stay at Belknap Springs. Dirty, yet beautiful. If you decide to camp there, stay at site no. 9 and take some Clorox wipes and flip-flops for the shower. And be sure to visit the Secret Garden at dusk or dawn.
One more thing ...Aside from the breakfast that is included for lodge guests and the few edible items at the gift shop, the closest store and restaurant are about 7 miles down the road at McKenzie Bridge. This was a fun side trip for us, and the general store restaurant had WiFi and a couple of outlets to charge our phones.
And now, for your visual and auditory pleasure, here is Mr. Grumby, Singing Cycling Cowboy!
Today's ride: 17 miles (27 km)
Total: 2,167 miles (3,487 km)
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5 years ago
Excellent pictures of the secret garden and riverside campsite. So sorry the bathrooms were eeeewww yuck
5 years ago
5 years ago