Every year hubby and I go to Calistoga to meet up with friends and put our bodies into lovely warm water. We don't stay anywhere really fancy but we like it. I find that I like having things I do every year. Ritual, just one of the reasons I loved being a Morris Dancer.
We always hike at least once. Sometimes at Bothe State Park or if we're feeling really buff we do the Palisades Trail. It's gorgeous, little hiked, and an absolute killer. The above photo, taken at a distance, doesn't show the beautiful outcropping of rock that you hike underneath about two thirds of the way across a nearly 11 mile hike over rough terrain. We were in between buff this year so we did a lovely but very mild hike down to a place called Linda Falls that hubby unearthed instead.
There was a request to see the colored hair. I did a self portrait with just a touch of "Flame" peeking out while we were out hiking. Katrina and Dave were well prepared for anything.
After swimming and soaking in the hot baths we went exploring. We passed "Hubcap Gulch" while out and about which seemed to be a private home with a thing for hubcaps. Dave, who has been coming to the area for much longer that the rest of us, said that at one time the hubcaps took up just part of a fence. We saw three long fences along the road and more hubcaps along the back.
We went by the historic Aetna Hot springs. The hot springs have seen better days but someone is obviously pouring money into them.
Dave found a historic bridge with his name on it.
It rained the first night we were in Calistoga and the next day was misty and gorgeous. The area is so beautiful it almost hurts your eyes. I like going in the off season when the town reverts back to a much more homey place where you know most people you meet on your daily walk rather than a tourist spot.
We toured one winery, the Chateau Montelena, on our way out of town. There was a large-ish lake with a majestic swan along with egrets, a heron, and several types of ducks.
One of the day spas has been encouraging the vine growing over their front door. It was quite impressive.
As usual, it was wonderful to get away and wonderful to come home. Omar is only boarded once a year so it's a bit hard to leave him. Now it's back to business. There are Christmas decorations to put up and presents to make.
posted by Earin Marybird @ 4:59 PM
3 Comments:
Looks like a great trip! But that barely counts as showing off the hair color, now does it...
My uncle told me Calistoga got its name when someone decided to promote a "Saratoga Springs in California" and then either accidentally or on purpose mashed up California and Saratoga. Any idea if that's true?
And I agree with Valerie -- we need more evidence of excitingly-colored hair. ;-)
Blogger wants me to type 'pyglesww' to prove I'm human. That looks like Welsh for something or other.
Flame-colored hair... wow, I didn't know!
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