Moby Goes to Thermopolis

On our way to sunny Texas to spend Christmas with our daughters, we detoured through Montana to see my parents before heading south to Austin. We left Boise in a freezing fog that coated the bikes in frost.

Our route took us through Wyoming where we got stuck in Thermopolis in a snow storm. Dang! We had to spend 24 hours soaking in one of my favorite hot springs.

Thermopolis is a city of about 3,000 and lays claim to the “world’s largest mineral hot spring.” There are a couple of commercial pools/spas in town, but our favorite was Hot Springs State Park with its free soaking pools. The state acquired the hot springs from the Arapaho and Shoshone tribes in 1896. The treaty stipulates that the state must allow free access to the hot spring soaking pools.

We arrived in the midst of a real Wyoming blizzard. Larry cooked breakfast in the picnic area while I hunkered down in Moby and kept the furnace running.

It was so cold that the propane valve kept freezing, so Larry found a solution.

We spent the day soaking. Apparently nobody wanted to use the chairs.

After dark, we took a long walk around the mostly deserted town: wide streets, old buildings, pick-up trucks.

Best Mexican restaurant in Thermopolis (or anywhere else, perhaps).

Doesn’t look like Santa and Mrs. Claus are going to make it to Christmas Eve.

This guy is also looking cold and unhappy.

The old historic post office.

Hot Springs State Park, home of the great (free) soaking pools.

There are two pools: inside the glass building and outside under the awning.

The boardwalk through the hot pools was covered with snow.