Calistoga and the Petrified Forest

 I could drive through vineyard country all day.  The geometry of the land is so pleasing…

 

Calistoga was a short motorcycle ride and Dan got to experience his first mud bath. The mud is mostly peat and hot water, mixed with some volcanic ash.  There is a bathtub full of the stuff and you could probably just lay right on top of it, but to get the most benefit, you have to wiggle and jiggle yourself into the muck.  It was hilarious!  The mud has been touted as having healing properties for ages, so we laid in it and found some zen.

 

We also visited the Petrified Forest which was excavated after being covered by a volcanic explosion around 3 million years ago.  The forest itself was discovered in the 1800s and has been owned by the same folks since the early 1900s.  There’s a great trail around the park, interpretive signs and maps and even a naturist who will tell you about the history of the area.  In 2017 a fire raged through the area, marks of which are quite evident today.