hello from the jurassic period

= Day 4 =

The next stop was to get to the Matsesta spring – one of the most unusual places on my list. I double-checked its exact location with an elderly local man in the park before setting off. And it was the right call – had I not asked him, at some point I would have discovered that the road was completely impassable for a bicycle and I would have had to turn back.

It took me about four hours to reach this spring – not long, but the weather was hot and the ride, to be honest, wore me out considerably. First I came across a sanatorium, and right next to it was a museum – that's where I headed. What I saw there surprised me greatly – never in my life had I seen such strange water. Its color was remarkable – an unnaturally acidic shade. The smell also had one striking distinctive feature – hydrogen sulfide. Curious. They say this water or the spring itself is about 250 million years old, meaning it's the same age as the Jurassic period with its dinosaurs.

Before, you were allowed to touch this water and even bathe in it, but now, due to a couple of accidents that happened ten years ago, the cause of which remains a mystery to me, you're only allowed to look at the water. But even just seeing this wonder once – acidic water with the smell of hydrogen sulfide in natural conditions, with bubbles on the surface – is definitely worth wandering around here a bit, especially if you live in Sochi or nearby towns.

Around 5 PM I started getting ready for camp. The spot was chosen quickly and luckily – it was secluded, I couldn't be seen from the road, but it lacked the main thing – a spring nearby or at least a river. This was very important, as my water supplies were almost gone and in the morning there would barely be enough to wet my throat. And there were still a full 12 hours until morning, which given my physical exertion means a full 24. I didn't keep looking for another spot – I really wanted to lie down horizontally, so I quietly resigned myself to all the inconveniences. Someone had clearly been at my spot shortly before I arrived – there was a small fire pit near the tent, still emitting a barely perceptible wisp of smoke.

I just woke up from the synchronized singing of several species of birds, jackal howling, and roosters crowing. The forest apparently decided to put on a little musical performance in my honor. Only why did the roosters start crowing so early? It's still a long way until dawn – a full three hours. And that smell of hydrogen sulfide in the tent… It's been an eventful night. ))