Highway 120 Birthday Adventure – November 2023

 

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Restorative, Healing, Hot Spring Water

 

It's an annual event to celebrate my birthday, a two-night stay at Benton Hot Springs. So, on the morning of the eleventh of November, when the Lady woke up in bed with a 71-year-old man, she knew we were headed to hot spring water.

 

Our friends, The Teds, were also out traveling. They would be joining us for one night at the hot springs. In the early afternoon we found them camped on the edge of Sagehen Meadow, off of Highway 120 near Mono Lake. It was their first time exploring this area. They asked if we knew of a better campsite nearby, since we know the place well. We suggested moving about a half mile up the road.

 

“How do you like the view?” the Lady asked as she guided them in behind us.

“Wow!” they both exclaimed.

 

We settled in, relaxed, and took in the surroundings.

 

 

 

 

 

The wind picked up in the early morning hours and kept the overnight low from falling below freezing. It also cleared the air. The smoke from a prescribed burn in the June Lakes area went north and settled into the Mono Lake basin. Here are the views at first light.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A telephoto shot of Banner, Ritter, and the Minarets.

 

 

 

 

 

The Lady climbed out of the camper with our mugs of Peets Coffee. “Well, you’re 71 now,” she stated. “Can you still bag a peak before breakfast?” she asked.

She received my fall back answer, “We’ll find out.”

 

We headed out on our coffee walk just as the sun hit our campers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

An old 4x4 road leads up the south ridge of Sagehen Peak.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A view to the south. The expansive aspen groves up here have all shed their leaves – ghost groves.

 

 

 

 

 

“We have to stand on the top!” the Lady announced.

 

 

 

 

 

Sagehen Peak 9193 feet.

 

 

 

 

 

In the view above is the Sierra Crest, the Mono Craters, our camp and our shadows, with Mono Lake to the right.

 

Here’s a view to the northeast from the summit of Sagehen.

 

 

 

 

 

We sat on the summit and finished our coffee and soaked in the early morning.

 

Camp was in full sunlight when we returned to make breakfast.

 

 

 

 

 

We moved to Benton in the late afternoon.

 

 

 

 

 

Since I was the oldest, it was determined by the group that I needed the shortest walk to the restorative, healing, hot spring water.

 

 

 

 

 

Over the years I’ve mentioned the wondrous effects of the restorative, healing, hot spring water. My friend Ted suggested that this time I should document the transformation after soaking in the healing waters with “before and after” pictures. Ted always comes up with great ideas for fun!

 

Here is a “before” picture of me arriving at Benton a day after my 71^st birthday.

 

 

 

 

 

Soaking, soaking, and more restorative soaking – rolling back the odometer.

 

 

 

 

 

The “after” picture.

 

 

 

 

 

We all turned in after a wonderful evening in our private tub. With the new moon, the star filled night sky was glorious. We said goodbye to The Teds the next morning. They were heading to Death Valley National Park for a few days.

Thanks to The Teds for a great time together.

 

Although we were celebrating my birthday, I let the Lady pick our daytime adventure. With age, I’ve acquired a bit of wisdom. She wanted to do a much longer hike up country than we did for her birthday, three weeks before.

 

 

The hot spring source.

 

 

 

 

 

Wandering in the Benton Range.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

An obsidian flake from toolmaking.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Lady loves route finding.

 

 

 

 

 

She was also showing off the hot spring transformation.

 

 

 

 

 

She spotted a possible shelter site we climbed up to and investigated.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On Medicare and still playing like kids. It is pretty darn nice.

 

 

Our route back was high up on the ridge above Benton.

 

 

 

 

 

We enjoyed a simple supper and a long walk in the evening light. With the Milky Way high above in the star filled sky, we returned to the tub. More years slipped away in happy bliss. The Lady loves to spot “shooters,” meteorites streaking across the night sky. The shooter score this night was Julie 1, and Monte 2.

 

Up before dawn, we enjoyed our coffee in the tub the next morning. Sunrise in a Benton tub is pretty darn close to perfect.

 

 

 

 

My 72th year is off to a very good start.