MELLOCUTIE: Stewart Mineral Springs

July 11, 2010 -From Berkeley we head out to Lassen Volcanic National Park (237 miles North on the 5). The weather was super hot, reaching almost 100 degrees for 90% of the ride. We had a late start and arrived the north entrance with all campgrounds full. It was around 8 pm so we were pretty tired, but had to drive out another 50 miles to Redding and crash at Motel 6. Lassen looked awesome, being the furthest south of the volcanic Cascade Range; too bad we couldn't stay around to experience the beauty.

The following day we head out towards the town of Weed, with a looming Mt. Shasta overlooking the small town. We spent the day at a hippy-dippy natural spring which turned out to be surprisingly great. Even though I'm tree hugging, I'm definitely not the 'dip naked in the springs, hippy-dippy commune style' type of gal (well, I guess I'm hippy without the dippy). And that's exactly where we ended up. Stewart Mineral Springs is this rather remarkable tree-hugging style resort-compound, complete with a bath house, rushing creek, lodge, cabins, tipis, juice bar, etc which has been in use for over 130 years. Charlie and I each enjoyed a mineral bath ritual where they provide private baths running their mineral water, followed by a sauna, followed by a dip in their spring water creek. The place smelled of sage and 90% of the people were Adam & Eve without the leaf panties and not very cute. Plus the new age speak they conversed in was too much peace, love & affirmation for Charlie & I, but we did find it rather amusing. All in all, good fun and so relaxing. We then stayed overnight in one of their tipis overlooking the rushing creek and enjoyed their pristine grounds from our tipi camp spot. Oh, we were the 10% wearing our bathing suits and I'd still definitely come back if in the area....It was that good.