El-Dorado Hot Spring

The above lie (minus my red rectangle addition) was posted by my eldest daughter's step-father-in-law, who refused to acknowledge facts when the lies of Fox Noise helped justify his outrage. But, as I slept in my car for the first time at the El Dorado Hot Spring, I must admit I had to wonder. The Spring is hot; the weather was not. The night before there'd been a tremendous rainstorm, and though tonight was clear, the expected temperature was to plunge down to a very cold (for Central Arizona) 45°F. I noted the battery's charge when I went to sleep with the car in camping mode: 66%. (That was after driving to Tonopah from Gilbert, from a 100% charge.) According to the Tesla Navigator, if I turned around and headed home right then, I would be left with 34%. That meant I had about 30% for the heater, plus I intended to play soft music all night. I knew there was a SuperCharger in Buckeye, 22 miles away; so I wasn't as concerned as I might have been if I'd been in, say, remote Alaska. But was I surprised in the morning!

After over six hours in camping mode, when the outside temperature did, indeed, dip to 45°F, and maintaining an interior temperature of 73°, the battery now read 64%! I had used only 2% charge to keep warm and snug all night…while also listening to music!. (I forgot to mention, I also watched a couple of movies on the console before I went to sleep.) The key difference between EVs and gas cars is that gas cars have to idle to keep the heat running, which uses a lot of gasoline; electric vehicles use absolutely zero charge when not moving; and while, of course, the heater uses some power, it's a low-draw modern heater that, combined with the car's excellent insulation, keeps the car's interior comfortable without using much power.

Besides, I could plug into any outlet, if need be (and El Dorado Hot Spring does have some). And soon, I understand, the Pilot truck stop around the corner is going to be installing SuperChargers.

Unfortunately, this one only has a Subway, and pre-made sandwiches, as food options. I had Subway last night and what I really wanted for breakfast was a Bacon, Egg & Cheese McGriddle from McDonald's. And the nearest McDonald's was…you guessed it!—in Buckeye! (Right across from the SuperChargers, as it turned out!)

So, what the heck. I got breakfast at the drive-thru, then ate and listened to music while topping off the battery.

My return to the Hot Spring featured a bright, clear morning and awesome views.

Including an amazing view of Saddle Mountain, where I once went nude hiking, many years ago. (I don't recommend nude hiking in Arizona; everything is too prickly. No pun intended.) The air was still clear, of course, after the heavy rains of two nights ago.

Upon my return, I headed right for the general soaking area but spotted a huge pig of some sort casually nuzzling the ground.

I took the above photo quickly because I didn't know if the big guy was gonna run at my approach. But he ignored me completely. One of the crew told me, He just wanders around, eating garbage. Well, that's not all they do; but the crew must clean up after him because I saw no piles of pig droppings anywhere.

El Dorado Hot Spring is, as I've mentioned, really a hot well. The hot mineral water is piped to one general area, and a fair number of private ones. Hot springs are traditionally enjoyed nude. If you prefer to wear a bathing suit, or prefer to be nude with only a few people of your choosing, or if you simply like privacy—you can rent one of the private areas by the hour. For the more open and relaxed people, there's Desert Pete.

The mineral water here is laden with lithium, which is absorbed through the skin and has a relaxing effect. I intend to spend the day soaking, and camp another night before returning home for real in the morning. (I have two doctor's appointments scheduled.)

But, what amazes me most is that I still feel, relatively, awesome! Sure, I still have arthritis and it's still hard to walk. But…it's so much easier to walk than it was 19 days ago, that I've been wandering around the whole place here without really even thinking about it.

I actually have hope I'll be able to hike again!