Backpacking Big Sur

Christine, and I decided to plan another trip before she took off for Colorado. We decided to go Big Sur because we had both always wanted to go backpacking there. We also heard of some amazing hot springs we were dying to find. One of our staff we had selected for the summer at Nature Day Camp was a guy named Garin. He and his friends are into backpacking and were very active members of their boy scout troop growing up, so we knew Garin could hang. We invited, he accepted. We loaded up the dogs (Kasey and Shelby) in Garins truck and headed down south. The drive was incredible. Highway 1 is absolutley breath taking. It was even more fun sitting in the back cab with the dogs on my lap. I can only imagine what we must have looked like to other cars. Two girls hanging out the right side of the truck taking pictures and two dogs hanging out the left side, covering the road with drool. What a site.
I love Christine and Garin very much, but I don't think I'll ever go backpacking just the three of us again. I will need a fourth companion! The two of them could talk and argue about ANYTHING for HOURS. It became comical, I just followed behind taking pictures as they engaged in a conversation about nothing. The hike up to the camp site was long, hot and rough. All incline. Not that I minded, I love being on an ass kicking trail. This was the most beautiful trial I had ever been on. Hills overlapped hills of wild flowers taller than myself. The ocean was on the west side and the sun was delicately lighting up the eastern hills and below lay a forest of redwoods and a river that zigzagged threw the mountains floor.
We had didn't find our campsite until it was very dark. We made dinner at set up camp. We then woke up early, set up a base camp and headed for the hot springs as a day hike. On the way there we encountered the strangest site. There was a group of boys, about 17-19 years old and trailing behind was one lone boy. He seemed lost. As we got closer we noticed he was caring a guitar and had no shoes. Now I will tell you, this hike is not the kind you want to be barefoot on. It was rough. My feet were hurting even in my hiking boots.
We encountered a lot of interesting people on the trail. Many "hippie" types and many unprepared types headed for the hot springs. When we got there we had to wait down river for a bit until one of the tubs cleared up. Most of them were filled with old naked men. We waited. Then the biggest of the 3 tubs opened up and Christine took off running in the middle of the river with Kasey to claim it. Garin and I grabbed her things and ours and headed up the hill to meet her, we had some things we didn't want to get wet. Garin and I had to find a route back down to the river and into the hot springs, there was a very steep hill side that Garin thought was the best route, I followed. Garin tripped on the steep incline and landed on his nalgene. It looked painful. For whatever reason I became nervous that he fell and slipped and fell, I skid down the steep hill and almost knocked Garin out. We both returned to the hot spring with a little blood. My butt burned the rest of the trip.
The remainder of the trip was pretty smooth. When we headed back to base camp we took a little swim break at a calm part of the river where the dogs could swim safe from the current. Some how as we were resting Christines nalgene escaped from her grasp and headed down stream. Next thing we knew Christine and Kasey were running down the river yet again. She was gone a good 20-30 minutes but returned successful.  LNT, leave no trace! No Man gets left behind! Hahaha. Love that Lady. The drive home was nice, we looked at pictures and laughed. Big Sur is unreal. One of the most beautiful places in California I have ever been too.
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