slc

only had a bit of highway rain heading toward Salt Lake

thought this looked pretty

caught a glimpse of the GREAT SALT LAKE north of town

Blindside put on the SLC screening for MADE

I was the 1st one there and let myself in the beautiful old theater on the college campus

all in good time it started filling up

MADE did NOT disappoint

picked up some stuff from the COALATREE offices

walked down to the all vegan VERTICAL DINER

enjoyed their mexican themed scamble called LA MESA

then I overheard the waiter say something about their vegan donuts???

Turns out that for the last 4 weeks on FRI, SAT, & SUN, they've been making several varieties of vegan donuts. These fine day I elected for the PB/Chocolate option. It was still hot from the fryer, really mess, and 100% delicious. The chef came out and told me that the next day they were doing a Chic O Stix flavor. That was the point where I realized I was going to be staying another day in SLC.

purchased two mighty watermelons @ Cali Naturals

while @ Vertical Diner, I entered a typical culture DIY iG contest w/ this photo

thanks to BLINDSIDE I was able to track down some real SLC DIY crete

so this is my second entry into the #typicaldekline iG contest

went to the Rosewood park to get clips & was surprised to see the tape still up from last year's KOTR races

caught a free screening of Friday the 13th on Friday the 13th

back @ Vertical the next morning, I had a decision to make.

 Which would I eat 1st? the Chic O Stix or their root beer float variety? I went with Chic O 1st and the ender was the ROOT BEER - epic on both accounts

couldn't rig it to shoot in the kitchen, but they brought me a sample plate to photograph

the chef even brought out a complimentary Boston Creme donut hole

stocked up on VEGGIES at the SLC FNB

ketchum/hailey

my 1st front 5050 on pool coping - I love the Ketchum park

@ Nourish Me, I learned that I missed Hosoi in Hailey by a  few days

got out on the bike and rode half out to Frenchmen's Bend

rode up on this beast hustling down the center of the street

out on the bike the next morning, I located Sawdust Lane

reuse

Wonder Ru, who I met @ Umpqua HS 2 years ago, showed me her dept @ Nourish Me

brailtap @ Hailey for Nate Sherwood

hot springs highway

the 1st sign you see on the hike into SKINNYDIPPER

 I didn't realize at this point that a race was on...... How many hot springs could I soak in along the hot spring highway in IDAHO in 24hours?

soak #1 skinny dipper hot springs  5:15pm

clear sky view from the lower pool @ skinny dipper

the lower pool was a little cool - aka not so hot

pretty flowers on the side of the lower pool

the upper pool has lots of plumbing

this is part of the source at Skinny Dipper

little warmer  in the upper pool - had the place to myself for most of my visit

true blue way down by the river

soak #2 - Anderson Creek HS was brand new to me

once was enough - 6:20pm

soak # 3 - 7:35pm - Hot Springs Campground - lovely & right off the highway

plus being right down on the river is pretty boss

caught a sliver of the moon from CAMPGROUND

soak # 4 - 5:45am  Pine Flats one of the best in the USA

another less spectacular low water section of Pine Flats

filled up  my agua reserves

hump that pump

soak # 5 - 7:15am - Kirkham Hot Springs - shot from across the river

the waterfall area

this was my spot for the morning - built in back massage

so private and so relaxing

3 waterfalls feeding it with hot water

this was the lowest I'd seen the river level and that allowed access to this new spot

soak # 6 - 10:40am - boat box hot springs

this is where in 2011 I met Jimmy McDonald's sister

again the river was so low that pools were built at river level too

soak # 7 - 11:55am - snake pit hot springs

never seen a snake here, just a kick ass view of the Sawtooth Mtns

soak # 8 - 1:50pm - Russian John's Hot Spring

little cooler and perfect for the day was heating up

soak # 9 - 3:45pm - I'd never been to Frenchmen's Bend before

and it sucked due to a forest fire a few weeks prior

silting the whole creek out super bad.

a local who told me the house next to Frenchmen's Bend was Tony Robbins' place

also told me about another springs down river that wasn't in my book

I saw two water snakes in here that freaked me out

again, way to much soot and ash had accumulated in the pools

soak #10 - 5:15pm - Dyer's Hot Spring

So to wrap up - I had my feet in 10 separate hot springs within a 24 hour period. I didn't soak in the last 2, but that still leaves 8 lovely soaks in 20 hours and that task is virtually impossible to complete in any other state besides IDAHO!