Hot Springs to Oppelo, Arkansas
Chilled to the bone after a wet night, Mitch fashioned a garbage bag over the vent that summons the native’s drumming, so beyond the chill we slept soundlessly. Decided to decline the hiking opportunities for the day and instead doze in the hot springs water at the park’s authentic bathhouse spa. Packed up camp to roll down Bathhouse Row on our way to Buckstaff. For centuries people flocked to the hot spring water largely for healing or spiritual purposes, but once popular in the late 1800s bathhouses were built to profit off the natural springs and offer a more “modern” experience for its guests and patients. The hot water is believed to have healing qualities as it is perfectly pure straight from the source and 143 degrees! At the bathhouse, following traditional practices, I went up a flight to the lady’s quarters, with women for attendants and Mitch remained on the base floor to the men’s, with male attendants. From there we basically had the same experience. After taking the rickety old elevator to the second floor, I was escorted to the changing room to get undressed and prepared for the authentic bathhouse practices. Wrapped like a Greek goddess in a sheet I was introduced to Maddy, my attendant, who filled an old claw foot tub with hot springs water, steam rising off the surface I got in to soak in the 100 degree glory. Maddy turned on “the jets” a vintage pump that has a pipe leading into the water blowing out rapid bubbles, a warning label on the pump instructed “patients” of its proper use. After about twenty minutes, Maddy returned with two little cups of iced springs water to sip on while I moved to the next treatment, the Sits Tub. A throne like tub filled with about five inches of hot water to soak your hips, lower back and rump. Covering the remaining exposure in a sheet Maddy handed me a magazine to enjoy. Soon she returned to take me to the steam room and refill my water. I have never seen or done anything like it. The steam room is a metal box a couple shoulder widths wide, I sat on a bench inside the box while Maddy closed the entrance door and two panels on the top, so only my head remained popping from the top like a turtle from its shell. The steam rose and dripped around me, but it felt refreshing with the cool air about my face. Next I was led to rinse off the sweat in the Needles shower. This shower has several shower heads spitting water at you from all sides. Once rinsed, Maddy led me to the cool down area where she laid towels drenched in hot springs water on a doctor’s cot for me to lay on, a hot towel around my face and wrapped around my feet. After the towels had lost their heat, Maddy said farewell as she turned me over to my massage therapist for a full body swedish massage using hot lotion heated by the water. It was quite an experience, I was rosey red, relaxed, and toasty warm back in the changing room. Mitch looked refreshed as well as we joined up to fill our water bottles full of steaming water at a near by faucet, jumped in the car and headed downtown to get delicious BBQ pulled pork sandwiches, ribs, potato salad, coslaw, and peach cobbler at Stubby’s, a popular spot recommended by Mitch’s attendant. Stuffed to the brim we drove an hour north through gorgeous green to Oppelo Arkansas hometown of my Granpa Zimmerman and a hundred or so relatives I was beyond ready to meet. My Uncle Freddy and Aunt Becky greeted us with warm hugs and huge smiles, we talked for a couple hours around their table in the kitchen before taking our conversation to a local steak house for a scrumptious meal, we haven’t eaten this good in weeks, but even more filling is the palpable love of the kindest hosts.
