Poha-Ba

Shoshone- Bannock tribe called it Poha-Ba; the land of healing waters. Today, this destination is known as Lava Hot Springs, Idaho. We enjoyed a cloudy day visiting the hot pools, then the Olympic pool, and back to the hot springs before bed. It was as close to heaven as I've been in a while. Since working with the PinK Fitness Program, my muscles have continuously been sore. It is a good sore, but you feel it constantly. While in the Poha-Ba, I was healed of pain. Miraculous! It felt wonderful. I couldn't help but notice the calming effect it produced. Dad was drunken with funniness and constantly kept me laughing with ease. Aspen and Liberty sat in a mesmerized relaxation, mom and I got kicks and giggles out of the shocking power the hot pools had over the girls. They were completely back to their wild, crazy, hyper selves when we went to the 'cold' water pools.

While at the hot pools, a wrinkled, old, long-haired Native American was enjoying them with us. I watched him often, although I tried not to stare as Libby did. I have a fascination with Native American culture. He entered the east side of the pool with his cold coffee, sat for a few minutes, placed his coffee on the side, then swam completely underwater in what seemed like one breath, to the far end of the pool. Here he sat by the hot water pipe as it emptied it's remedies into the pool. Next, he must have warmed to capacity like us white folk had done minutes previous, and he hopped out. Sitting on what we termed the lily pad, with only his knees and below in the water, he sat so straight backed and still for quite a long while. He was intoxicating to watch. I wondered what he felt about all us 'invaders' who in mass quantities irreverently approached the atmosphere. How would his people of the past feel about the commercialized Poha-Ba today? Our friend then drank and blessed the water. As he chanted his prayer, the water fell from his lips. He did this facing North, East, South and West. He walked back across the pool slowly, in search of his coffee which meanwhile had been thrown in the trash. Next, he was up the stairs and out of sight. Quite mystical. This is the second time I've seen a blessing of water by a Native American. No matter the tribe, language barrier or my religious beliefs, it is always a very spiritual experience for me. I'm more culturally aware because of it. The day was long, and the heat of the water before bed time caused me to sleep like a baby that night. I didn't mind. I'm addicted and hope to return to Poha-Ba soon.

On Saturday when we arrived in Lava, we spent the remainder of the day on the Portnef River. It definitely produced adrenaline. We rented three tubes. Two doubles and one single. Enough for everyone except Dad and Abbie, they were our shuttlers. Word to the wise... The upper part of the river is not intended for young children. We had two screaming, crying, paranoid riders in our barge that barely recovered from the toss of water, a waterfall, and almost falling out. Libby never recovered and was extremely temperamental to the word "river" from then on. If you ask today if she wants to go on the river- she starts to whine and get shaky. I hope we have not ruined her for life. Aspen was a trooper and went down several times with mom and I after we found a less intense route. Mom and I went down from the top again, together in a double tube. She kept turning me backward and I swear the little eager beaver wanted to flip! She wouldn't even help me paddle away from the water fall! She made me nervous. I'm not as adventurous as my mother- the woman has no fear! Something to strive for in the years to come, I suppose. However, I do have to give her props for saving us from the large mean and always threatening lava rock and tree corner- she always got stuck defending the tube and our body parts for that matter. People float the river all day- back and forth, up and down. Great entertainment. I suggest you all vacation there one summer.

Paul, Julie, Jeff and Shana- we missed you and the boys- you definitely missed out on some good family fun! Next time?