Breitenbush Hot Springs: Leave Your Bathing Suit Behind
Photo of Breitenbush Hot Springs/Flickr Creative Commons/sparkle glowplug http://www.flickr.com/photos/sparkleglowplug/1213590569/
We found the perfect place to shock us out of our stuffed-turkey coma. Breitenbush Hot Springs, a hippyish rustic retreat 60 miles east of Salem, tucked away in the Cascade Mountains. During our one-night stay, we soaked in natural hot springs (that lacked that unpleasant sulfur smell), ate all-you-can eat vegetarian meals, did yoga and had Thai massages and hiked part of the Columbia Gorge trail.
Being there with the parents made the clothing-optional hot springs awkward, so we split up into bathing groups:) It’s just not the kind of place you feel comfortable wearing a bathing suit. And there’s nothing like hot spring water against your bare skin. It was especially surreal and spiritual to have the springs to ourselves last night in the pitch black dark, the rushing rapids of the Breitenbush River the only sounds we could hear.
It’s was also a needed detox after the Thanksgiving holiday — no meat, no caffeine, no alcohol for that 24-hour period. Of course Dan and my dad had to sneak coffee in, but they’re beyond addicted.
Now Breitenbush is on the top of my list for anyone who comes to visit in Oregon. But it’s not for everyone:)
BaltimOregon to Maine 
Laura – Have just caught up on your blog. Sounds like you had quite the Thanksgiving! All the mushroom talk reminded me of when we were in Richmond and we met oyster farmers at Ellwood and Thomson. We bought those mushrooms and they were just fantastic! Cannot even imagine how wonderful your mushrooms were! As for the turkey, it brought back memories of when I was a little girl and I used to spend time visiting my grandparents in Brooklyn, NY where my grandfather was a butcher. I would watch him eviscerate the chickens; the sawdust on the floor and the chickens hanging from the ceiling. Yikes. Glad you enjoyed this experience although I can’t say that I remember enjoying the chickens! We had 22 people for Thanksgiving and I made 2 13-lb. turkeys. It fed us for dinner and two lunches plus we sent home care packages with my mother and Amy. We are back to more normal eating and activities now.
Judy
December 2, 2008 at 8:21 am
Yeah hate to say it but wild chanterelles blow cultivated oyster mushrooms out of the water. Mushrooms are my new favorite food! Wow, I never heard those details about the Farber butcher shop. What a huge Thanksgiving. Sounds like you could have used my 26 pound turkey. We’ve got lots of frozen stock and meat to cook with. Ugh turkey liver isn’t good though. I tried to make sauteed liver and onions with ours. Chicken liver (and duck of course) is better.
Laura
December 2, 2008 at 11:33 am
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