B&P look back at Thanksgivings past before looking to the future on the first post of the holiday season 2022.
The Stories
Healing As We Go ~ Introducing Bathtubs and Pancakes
My partner and I lived the stages of life out of order. We married and raised our children while our friends traveled, explored, and experienced life without responsibilities. While many of our friends are now raising young children, we are free to roam the earth.
As a military family for nearly 20 years, we naturally seek out new places to discover and cultures to experience. Now in our 40s, we have a mostly empty nest and explore the locations we once never dreamed possible.
I earned a Bachelor of Science and Secondary Education Teaching Certification from UNT and worked as a public high school chemistry teacher. I am now a freelance writer who tutors a little chemistry on the side.
Jay (my partner, best friend, and traveling companion) served in the US Army until being injured while on deployment. After retiring, He attained a Bachelor of Arts in History at UNT. In addition to taking care of the rest of the family, he works as a Softball Umpire, Substitute Teacher, and all-around Badass.
Together for more than 25 years, we raised three incredible children. Our oldest son is married and father to our first grandchild. He serves in the Air Force. Our daughter is in college studying sociology and criminal justice. Tragically, we lost our middle son in 2019.
The Birth of Bathtubs and Pancakes
The entire world changed for us in 2019. After the loss of our son, we attempted to keep going and return to our same old lives. Then Covid19 hit the US. The pandemic further cemented the fact that, for us, everything in our lives had changed.
Following nearly 2 years stuck at home while grieving, we needed to get out. Caring for ourselves and mindful of our traumas and anxieties, we decided to change the way we traveled. We now approach each step of the travel experience from a completely different perspective. The POV of one seeking honest relaxation, self-care, and fun without stress or anxiety. We continue searching for new ways to heal and repeatedly seek them out.
Bathtubs and Pancakes blossomed as the world reopened. We focused on healing. We learned to care for ourselves and each other. This created a new normal. By 2022, I decided to return to writing and we officially launched the blog.
In Bathtubs and Pancakes, I tell the story of our travels, adventures, bucket lists, and newfound Happy Places as we roam the earth and chase our children. I also share reviews and tips, including how we reduce stress and cultivate relaxation, self-care, and healing throughout the trip.
Ideally, we discover luxury on the cheap or the perfect hidden gem. In reality, every trip is a unique adventure. We follow no ‘master plan’ We have no single ethos behind where we choose to visit. Each excursion creates an opportunity to find or explore something new. We check for our individual preferences and adapt to what feels right at the moment.
Why the silly name? When we plan our trips, SD looks for opportunities for Self-Care and Relaxation (*Bathtubs*); — Jay seeks out all the tasty eats (*Pancakes*)!
SD Maynard is a freelance writer and wandering blogger who shares stories, tips, and reviews of relaxing trips, self-care tourism, and stress-free travel.
Five Simple Items Anxious Drivers Need in the Car
The First Step To Stress-Free Travel
*Disclosure: We only recommend products we would use and all opinions expressed here are our own. This post contains affiliate links. Should you use these link I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.
We love road trips. If possible, given the choice, we will nearly always choose to drive.
With the current state of air travel (packed in like cattle, no services left, rude, gross people), coupled with the anxiety I experience in large groups of people, flying is more like a chore for us.
But put us in a car and we will go from coast to coast. We love road trips. When you are still in a confined space, but only with people you know and want to be with. You can stop when you want, bring whatever fits, and have the freedom to change routes or turn around to see something if you missed it. In a car, the journey is a large part of the adventure.
The first step to stress-free road trips is to prepare a set of emergency equipment, or what we call our Car Safety Kit.
As long-time drivers, parents of drivers, and now long-distance drivers, we have a few things we would never travel without. We keep this car kit in each of our cars, and it has all the little things we need to stay safe and travel with less worry.
The Car Safety Kit
Spare lights/fuses
During a recent trip, we were pulled over by police for having a headlight out. It had been working fine when we stopped for gas only 20 miles earlier. You never know when they will go out. But when they do, police will notice, not to mention the fact that your field of vision will be reduced. We drive through very remote parts of this country and losing a headlight at night where there are no auto parts stores nearby or open can be extremely nerve-wracking.
Spare lights and fuses top my safety kit list currently. We try to keep at least one spare bulb for each light (headlamp, side markers, blinkers, taillights) in the car always. One luxury of owning a bit older American car is that allows us to replace the bulbs ourselves without many tools.
In 2022, not every car has bulbs that are easy for the driver to replace. Our daughter’s car requires the replacement of the entire headlight assembly each time, which is done at the dealership.
My advice would be to keep in your kit whichever spare bulbs and fuses you are able to replace yourself.
Charging
We live in an electronic world. But not everywhere is accommodating to electronics, especially while traveling.
In our house, we have named these devices “charging bricks” but they are listed on Amazon under Portable Power Banks.
They are phone-sized, rechargeable, portable battery packs that you charge up and carry with you to prepare for areas without charging capabilities. They come in clutch when your device’s battery is low and you will be outside roaming or anywhere without a spot to plug in.
Perfect, that is, as long you remembered to charge it in advance of when you need it. To help with this, our new favorite is solar-powered, so even when it sits in the car, we keep it charged as we travel. Find it here.
Flashlight
Imagine this: You are driving through the middle of nowhere late into the night, and you’ve been using your phone all day and haven’t thought to plug it in. Suddenly, your car dies. It is pitch black outside with no other buildings in sight. You are so far out of town your phone has no signal to make a call. This is an extremely unlikely scenario, but that is what the safety kit is all about.
This situation calls for a flashlight. But who remembers to keep one, much less check or change out the batteries? Certainly not us. My partner, a thrift store aficionado, discovered a novelty wind-up flashlight one day and it started him thinking.
He ran with the idea and found a much better version on Amazon, which features a flashlight mode and a lantern mode while being rechargeable in addition to the hand-winding backup. I admit, it has come in handy more than once, and it is comforting to know it will work no matter what.
Sustenance
This one is a holdover from the early 1990s when I became licensed to drive. Before the internet and cell phones, a young driver needed to be prepared for the possibility of being stranded and having to wait for help. My father insisted I store a small jar of peanut butter and a blanket (throw) in my car during the winter.
This has only happened to me one time, seventeen years old, driving around with friends, and we ran out of gas. We were on a back road outside of town, and the sun had just set. Thankfully, a policeman drove by after about an hour. I know that the world is different now, but it’s a habit I continue, even if only for my own peace of mind.
The All-in-One
Speaking of driving pre-cellphones, emergency safety gear occupied much more room then. In addition to spare lights and fuses, we carried jumper cables, tire gauges, fix-a-flat, road flares, and bottles of all the engine fluids, especially if you drove a ‘vintage’ vehicle as I did.
Today, we carry an All-in-One Jump Starter. It houses jumper cables, an air compressor, USB outlets for charging, a work light, and a power inverter. It is rechargeable, so we do have to remember to bring it in and charge it occasionally. The utility of this item has inspired us to also gift one to our daughter who often drives home from college.
The Take-Away
Imagining worst-case scenarios is one characteristic of my anxiety. To help, I stay prepared for all I can. One large takeaway of my list is to have backups of your backups. I’d rather over-prepare and not need it than to need something and not have it.
In the words of author Stephen King, “there’s no harm in hoping for the best as long as you’re prepared for the worst.”
New Celebrations Key to Softening the Agony of Grief
This weekend, we had the honor of taking part in the wedding of one of our ‘additional’ children.
Let me explain:
As a military family, we were often stationed far from our extended family. We met and became friends with many people in the military community, and some of those friends became closer than siblings, or what we often called our Chosen Family.
This characteristic carried over to our children, even after we left the military. The close, supportive friends they chose as their brothers or sisters also became our ‘additional’ children.
Our middle child grew into a man passionate about music. When he started the band at a new middle school, he knew he wanted to play, but did not know where he fit in. That’s when Ronnie stepped in.
Ronnie
was older than our son but played the same instrument, so Ronnie mentored him in the band. They developed a bond over music which carried over into a lasting friendship. When talking about the future, they decided that each would be a groomsman at the other’s wedding.
In 2021, Ronnie called and invited Jay and me out for coffee. There, he told us of his intention to marry his love, Brianna. Since losing our son in 2019, and with our oldest deployed in the military, Ronnie asked if Jay would stand up with him, in our son’s place, as a groomsman.
Thank you, Ronnie, for putting it into words, for sharing your day with us, and for being our ‘additional’ son.
Congratulations Ronnie and Brianna!
Love Always, Papa and Moma Maynard
The range of emotions at that moment nearly overwhelmed me, and I am certain it was even more intense for Jay. The immense happiness I felt for Ronnie was tempered by the pain of the reminder of what will never be.
Over the next year, the wedding reminders arrived occasionally, and we would focus on the required task. Jay felt honored to stand in his son’s place, but the pain of the reason made it difficult. As the day neared, I worried that the fact that the wedding would take place near the anniversary of his death would be painful.
The Wedding Day
arrived bright, sunny, and perfect. Jay and I prepared for the event, getting dressed and packed for the long drive. Jay polished and wore our son’s boots and we each wore bowties in his honor. The Flying V Ranch in Decatur was beautifully decorated to host the ceremony and reception.
According to their website, The Flying V Ranch has been an active, working family ranch for three generations, and a wedding event venue for nearly a decade.
The wedding venue was created using the original homestead and authentic barn on the property. Old horse stalls are now the restrooms and Groom’s Lounge attached to the Reception Barn. A centuries-old cottage houses the Bride’s Area.
The setting perfectly framed the outdoor wedding ceremony, complete with perfectly blue skies over the expansive fields. The reception ran into the evening with dancing, dining, and even an outdoor fountain with cushioned swings.
Before sending the couple off in their limo, we spent a few minutes talking with Ronnie and his mother. We talked about the loss of our son and the feelings of joy and pride we felt for Ronnie and his bride. Jay and I attempted to express the way celebrating their union and family filled our hearts with happiness. Here’s where Ronnie stepped in again.
Ronnie’s Theory:
He told us that he had a theory to explain grief and how it changes. He spoke animatedly and eloquently as he explained “The Button and the Ball in the Box”.
Imagine a box, he explained, and inside that box is a button. The box perfectly fits the button, but a ball is also inside. The box represents you and the button is the pain of grief.
Every time that ball hits that button we feel the ache of that loss again. When the loss is new, the box is small. This means the ball is constantly hitting that button, reigniting that grief and pain repeatedly.
As time passes, we move through many emotions and stages of grief. The movement and growth cause the box to grow. The growth of the box creates room for the ball to move without hitting the button as frequently. This is the point when we are finally able to feel something other than sorrow.
As we emerge from the deepest anguish, new memories make their way into the box. New moments of joy create space between the ball and the button. This space helps to soften the blow when the grief hits us again. These new memories will one day fill far more of the box than the button.
The ball and the button will always be there in that box. Grief alters our lives forever.
But when we are given time, space, and hopeful moments, the expanding box can be overwhelmed with heartwarming memories.
Proof A New Perspective Can Cool A Heated Situation
Changing Point of View Can Keep You ‘Chill’ When Things Get Hot
The scene: you are at home in Texas, late summer, and the temperatures climb into the high 90s every day. One evening, the air conditioner breaks. The service shop can repair it in a few days. You spend the first night sweating in bed, unable to sleep. You and your partner spend the next day tired and cranky. The threat of a disagreement and stressful situation looms over you.
How would you approach this problem?
If you are a travel writer and blogger, you follow your instincts. You go with what you know and check out the hotels near your home.
For the trip, we fed the dogs and packed a change of clothes, the laptops, and a few creature comforts. The first hotel we picked, an everyday corporate chain, offered the usual amenities. Included were WIFI, a comfortable room, and (most important of all) that cool, conditioned air. We relaxed, worked, watched a little tv, and enjoyed the evening,
We discovered that the wait time for the repair had increased after checking out of the hotel. To care for and spend time with our dogs, we stayed at home for a while. Another 98-degree afternoon meant the house again heated up inside. Instead of becoming upset, we viewed it as a chance to try another local spot. We packed up again and headed to a different hotel on the other side of town this time.
The recent upgrades to this hotel, also a corporate chain, created an overall clean feeling. It had an indoor pool and a whirlpool hot tub. Sharing the same parking lot with several large franchise restaurants, this hotel is convenient for the airport, shopping, and dining.
We slept better in the cool room, but the shouts from people in the restaurant parking lots and sirens from emergency vehicles on the nearby highway woke us periodically throughout the night. In my opinion, an acceptable trade.
In the past, I would consider both stays “nothing worth writing about,” but this time felt different. The trip might be missing the excitement of new sights to see, but that didn’t mean it had to be boring.
In keeping with my new perspective, I worked to alter my view and mindfully searched to find the charming and comforting in and around this hotel. Even though I was less than 15 miles from home, possibilities for new experiences still existed.
I roamed the hotel, getting turned around and lost to the point I noticed the confusion on the faces of the front desk staff the third time I passed by them. I wandered the halls around the pool area, even the laundry room, and discovered the back patio. As evening fell and the air cooled a bit, I ventured out. The back patio provided a grassy yard with various lawn chairs and a large, enclosed fire pit, a welcoming, relaxing oasis in the heart of the city.
While the broken air conditioner created an inconvenience we had to manage, it also pushed us to explore the offerings of our home city. The whole experience proved a reminder of the possibilities right in front of us every day.
For Impromptu Laughs and Unique Sightseeing, There’s Always Austin
Our justification for this particular trip? An old friend we hadn’t seen in over 20 years now tours as a stand-up comedian, and that night he performed during a veteran-centered show at a Comedy Club. When you get the chance to see an old friend perform stand-up comedy in Austin, you make create a spontaneous sightseeing trip.
In this post we will share our most memorable stops from this adventure:
- Austin’s Weird Reputation
- Sheraton Austin Hotel
- The Creek and The Cave
- More Food Trucks
- Walking the City
- The Capitol Grounds Complex
- Far Out ATX
Austin‘sweird reputation
Growing up in Texas at the height of the “Keep Austin Weird” era, I always looked at Austin as the odd, artsy home of people like Matthew McConaughey, Kinky Friedman, and Willie Nelson.
Austin birthed SXSW and Austin City Limits music festivals before becoming the “Live music capital of the world” according to the Visit Austin website. The area also houses both the Texas State Capitol and the more liberal population of Texas.
Traffic thickened as we neared the outskirts of the city. Surprising, but we chalked it up to it being just before the evening rush hour. We would hop along in the stop-and-go pattern until we reached our hotel in the downtown area. Judging by our two days there, the traffic on I-35 remains constantly backed up at all times of the day.
Entering the city, we noticed a large number of skyscrapers that were windowless and draped with scaffoldings. Almost as though some sort of cleanup or rebirth were taking place in the city.
Sheraton Austin Hotel
Tucked in between some of the tall under-construction skyscrapers sits the Sheraton Austin Hotel at the Capitol. Built in 1986, this Marriott hotel is full of contradictions. While elegantly decorated and beautifully designed, age seems to be overwhelming the hotel.
Every trip has at least one of those memories you can relive just by closing your eyes. The ones where you can almost smell that sandwich, or feel that warm sunshine on your face. When looking back for fun and memorable moments during a random mid-week trip, Austin delivered.
The front of the hotel faces one of those skyscrapers under renovation, with all the scaffolds and loud construction equipment, so walking there was a bit scary. Once inside, however, the lobby is classy and inviting. It features a restaurant, bar, and a small snack shop. Each member of the staff we encountered was smiling, helpful, and even laughed at our jokes.
Stepping out to the back of the hotel, the pool is lovely and the area features a yard for outdoor games like cornhole. Relaxing lounge chairs overlook the pool and a creek that runs alongside the hotel.
The hotel includes an attached garage, but the parking cost ($42 on a Wednesday night) reminded us that parking is premium in downtown Austin. Luckily, the location of the hotel makes a vehicle unnecessary, as you can easily walk to many scenic places like Sixth Street and the Capitol grounds.
The Creek and the Cave
Once we rested and cleaned up, we headed out for our some-block walk to The Creek and the Cave Comedy Club.
Upon entering, we were immediately greeted by Dean, the host for the evening. The venue feels intimate, but Dean explained that the club can hold an audience of 250. We were there for The Best of the West show with The Irreverent Warriors veterans group. We had a fabulous time and enjoyed an evening full of laughs from types of comedians, with jokes that ranged from the uncomfortable to the absolutely hilarious.
The large and comfortable back patio not only encloses a full bar, but also a full-sized food truck. We ordered small plates and would recommend the Wagyu Sliders and the banana pudding.
more Food Trucks
Along our walk to the club, we discovered the Red River Cultural District Food Court, a collection of food trucks. The giant neon WOW! drew my eye, but further exploring drew me in. Named Simply WOW Gourmet Grilled Cheese & Crepes, I could not resist and had to stop after the comedy show.
We laughed as we strolled down the street, holding the hot paper tray in one hand. I ordered the Monty Cristo Grilled Cheese and Jay the Mac and Cheese Grilled Cheese.
I attempted to pull off a small bite of the amazing sandwich, and the cheese did that thing where it stretches the whole way. Jay laughed and inhaled a face full of the warm scent from his sandwich. Anxious to eat, we walked a little faster the last block to the hotel. We quickly devoured the sandwiches once we settled in. These are perfect for late-night cravings and a deal at only seven to nine dollars each.
walking the City
The next morning, we decided to walk the few blocks and visit the State Capitol Building. As soon as we exited the hotel, I headed to the creek area I noticed previously. It opened into a beautifully landscaped rock walkway with the creek.
Considering the construction behind us and the massive traffic not far, the area felt out of place, yet serene. I dubbed this area “A little bit of pretty in the city.”
We ventured down to walk a bit of it but turned back due to an encampment of unhoused people under the bridge.
Austin is notably missing a blemish common to most major cities. Usually, power poles and utility boxes end up decorated with old missing cat posters, band stickers, and spray paint, especially those at intersections.
Greeted by a jovial man along the sidewalk, we noticed him working to remove a sticker from a crosswalk pole. After the cheerful “good morning”, we noticed as we continued our walk to the capitol, we saw no stickers or graffiti, this entire part of the city was remarkably clean.
One item disrupted the beauty everywhere we went downtown – scooters. Rentable electric scooters were everywhere. Discarded ones blocked the sidewalks, some parked in front of the hotel doorway, many laying in various states of disrepair in the grass. Thankfully, several signs forbid their use on the capitol grounds.
the Capitol grounds complex
As we neared the Capitol, a vast, perfect green yard opened up before us. Several elegant buildings surround this park-like area, completing the complex. We searched google maps for the visitor’s center.
An elegant building with columns and statues in the front piqued our interest. We checked out the statues of Sam Houston and Dr. Anson Jones in the front. We had arrived at the Texas State Library and Archives Commission building. No exhibits were on display, but we admired the highly detailed craftsmanship and architecture for a bit before moving on.
The view across the massive Capitol lawn was lush and green, thanks to the same recent rains which caused the humidity. We wandered across the grass, looking at statues, reading plaques even playing in the water from a fountain atop an artesian well.
After resting in the shade of the really old trees, we finally made our way to the visitor’s center. From the moment you open the heavy oak door, you are immersed in Texas history. No admission or front desk, you get to freely roam the building. Originally the land office, and constructed when Texas was a new state, it makes a perfect visitors center.
With multiple floors to explore, original collections, educational exhibits, and a well-appointed gift shop. In one room, there stands a large glass case with a replica model of the capitol building. As we walked closer, we noticed it was entirely made of legos.
More than nine feet long and four feet tall, we thought for certain it must be custom-made. Upon reading the plaque we learned that the person who designed and constructed it did so in just under 2 years with common store-bought pieces.
After spending over two hours wandering the visitor’s center, we gave in to our hunger and left for lunch. The Capitol tour will have to wait for another trip.
Far Out ATX
As usual, we set aside time during our trip to check out the interesting thrift stores.
Packed in, full of stuff, yet somehow organized, Far Out Furnishings exceeded our expectations. The store showcases some very old things like a reel-to-reel recording of Abbey Road, a working original Atari set up and ready to play, and other uncommon finds.
There is even more stuff out the back, with a patio full of huge neon letters and signs and shipping containers full of even more. Plan to spend some time when you visit.
Jay found an interesting self-rewinding fly-fishing reel from the 1960s for $25, so I anticipate a fishing trip before too long.
Rediscovering Peaceful Relaxation in the Desert Post-Covid
The Charles Hot Springs Motel and Spa
Truth or Consequences, NM
The rain worsened as we hit highway 60 in New Mexico, but we determined to make it to Truth or Consequences that night. We left late after spending the morning saying goodbye to our grandbaby. As we drove, heavy rain, gusty winds, and flood warnings further slowed our progress. We knew reaching the Charles by 9 o’clock was unlikely, so we called to ensure we could check in late. Alex was kind and informed us that our room and keys would be waiting for us, making our arrival effortless.
At nearly 10 o’clock, we finally pulled into the gravel parking lot. The single-story motel stretched around a matching stucco-walled barber shop. Trees overhanging the grass and rock walkway to our room sheltered us from the rain. One of my favorite features of these old motels is parking directly in front of our room. Various eclectic chairs placed near the doors facing a short rock wall create a peaceful and welcoming porch facing beautiful plants and flowers.
The Room
The keychain held a metal key and a tag announcing the “Wilder West” room. Upon entering, my eyes lit up at the bold colors and interesting antiques. There is an overall feeling of visiting Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show. We paused and looked around in awe before tossing our backpacks onto the soft, tufted loveseat. The matching leather-topped tables coupled with the stripes on the walls create an atmosphere of playful luxury. It was the impressive wagon wheel chandelier adorning the sitting area that brought a smile to my lips. Resembling the one that hung in my childhood home, I enjoyed the rush of warm memories it prompted.
After such a long, stressful drive, we immediately fell onto the dreamy king-sized bed. The room also features a tv, but we did not use it. While I was ready to lay there for many hours, my curiosity and need to brush my teeth persuaded me to check out the bathroom. The pedestal sink is reminiscent of a different era, and the vintage tiled shower completes the historical old west feel.
Further exploration led me to the space beyond the sitting area, containing a dining table and nicely appointed kitchen. Thanks to the refrigerator, sink, and counter, I cleaned out the cooler and organized the road snacks for the next leg of our journey. I wanted to continue exploring all the details, but exhaustion took hold. After getting ready and into bed, the cozy bedding enveloped and cradled me quickly to a sound sleep.
The indulgences continued when we woke in the morning. The kitchen amenities included a state-of-the-art kettle, French press, and ground coffee ready for us in the kitchen. Just one more special touch in the long list of features that distinguish The Charles.
T or C
The town of Truth or Consequences (T or C) lies along the edge of the Hot Springs Thermal Basin. Ancient people hailed this area as a natural place of healing. As Americans moved west, a desire to improve the springs led to the construction of multiple bathhouses and motels in the 1930s. The Charles is one of these, being completed in 1937. Under the pandemic and subsequent sanitary needs, The Charles is one of the few hot springs spas to reopen post-Covid.
At the Charles Spa, the water stays near a naturally occurring 110°F (~43°C), and the minerals naturally contained in the water give it healing properties. A list of minerals posted at the front desk lists the nearly 40 elements in the waters. T or C mineral springs do not contain Sulphur, the mineral that causes a bad taste or smell in some other hot spring waters. The primary minerals include chloride and sulfate, while elements like calcium, magnesium, gold, lithium, and potassium appear in trace amounts.
The Spa
The rain tapered to an off-and-on sprinkle as we ventured over the office and spa. Staff member Marylin waved to neighbors jogging by and enjoyed the sprinkling rain as she walked the porch, checking on the plants. Her joyful smile greeted us as she welcomed us into the door like old friends.
The office and spa are housed in the main building, which also features a gift shop. Stocked with local art and handmade goods, you can find everything from soaps to stickers to clothing. I enjoyed strolling the spacious, open room admiring the native jewelry, robes, and other handmade items.
Marylin quickly put our information into the computer and excitedly shared some interesting facts about the town and The Charles. She explained that the medical bathhouse built in the 1940s is now the location of the solo meditation tubs. In keeping with the original plan, the spa separates into a men’s and a women’s side, each with four tiled tubs, resting beds, and cold drinking water. The tubs are available by the hour; each stay at the motel includes one soak. Individuals not staying on the premises also enjoy the tubs, with packages at discounted prices for long-term stays and locals.
A set of outdoor stairs led up to the second-floor patio. Private large tubs usable by multiple people are available on the spacious roof. These offer the chance for a celestial soak under the stars, also by reservation. With walls for privacy and beautiful in-progress murals, this patio boasts a fun and refreshing open atmosphere.
The Soak
As we needed to get back on the road home, we decided to take the meditation soak. Marilyn demonstrated how to fill the tub with hot mineral spring water and adjust the temperature with the cold tap. She thoughtfully explained the sterilization done between clients. Left to myself, I chose which of the long, tiled meditation tub I wanted to use. Sunlight filled the quiet, serene room, designated a “whisper space.”
The bathing area includes a privacy curtain, towel, and high, small windows which let in the natural light and fresh air. I decided to relax and ease into the 110-degree water, adjust the temperature as needed, and even step out for a quick cool-down. Laying back and relaxing while listening to the sounds of nature drift in through the windows, I let my mind wander. I understood why Marilyn referred to the baths as a “meditative space.”
I cooled and dressed, feeling energized and refreshed. One hour of soaking in the mineral-rich water relieved my road-weary muscles, my skin felt smooth and conditioned, and my mind brightened.
The Takeaway
Some locals will tell you it is the “33rd latitude,” and others credit the ancient sacred location for the unique vibe in these hot springs. Whatever the cause, we have discovered an oasis along the road of discomfort that long drives produce. I stumbled upon a new ‘Happy Place.’ I’m already excited for the next soak. Planning for our return trip to Truth or Consequences and The Charles started before we made it out of town.