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Rest and Relaxation after Hard Skiing
Submitted by Bill Kornrumpf
The only issue that I had with the Ski Clinic is that I skied hard and hadn’t trained well. My 82-year-old body was sore after the Early Ski Season Clinic this year and needed rejuvenation. So, Gina and I took a 5-day relaxation trip to Berkeley Springs West Virginia to relax in the hot mineral spring water and let my sore muscles relax. These are not sulfur springs but clear mineral springs that are 74o (not really hot) and were used by the Indians and early settlers. George Washington found them so soothing in 1748 that he built a house in town to use when he visited the spring to relax.
In the 1800’s a bath house was built resembling a Roman Bath with private individual baths fed with heated spring water. It is now part of the Berkeley Springs State Park where they have a spa, a pool and the Roman Baths. The best part is each private bath holds 750 gallons of water and is emptied and sanitized before refilling for the next user. You can ask for any temperature up to 105o which we found to be very relaxing and soothed my shoulder and knees.
If you are ever traveling south on I-81 west of Washington DC I recommend a stop at Berkeley Springs to have a soak (make a reservation). It is an easy 6-hour drive and the scenery along I-81 is great.
Berkeley Springs Old Roman Bath House
George Washington relaxed here
