I Love You B.K.! XXOO Toni

Yesterday we celebrated our 8th anniversary by choosing to do what we both love best, hiking in the mountains.  This time however, we are in the Andes and have the opportunity to take a good look at Aconcagua at some 22,000 feet.  It begins by spending the day before, organizing, getting conflicting information from each official with whom we confer, but finally getting a pretty clear picture of where and when to catch the bus, how to meet our guide, where to pay for the permit (for which we MUST have our passports) how far to walk back to catch the return bus and so we forge ahead.  We take the attitude that even though we are not completely certain what to expect the day will be what it will be and we know it will be an adventure.  That much is sure.  The four hour bus ride starts early with an exhilarating ride along a precipitous road with mostly no shoulder, steep drop-offs.  How do they teach these guys to drive, Nascar?  As we hurdle along one might be gripped by fear but more compelling than the expertise of the driver is the amazing scenery as mountains shoot up all around us, towering up higher than we can see out the window with every kind of awe inspiring beauty any mountain range can possibly offer. Fortunately we meet our guide, David, as planned in Uspallata, (I still can't pronounce it) and find to our liking that he speaks some English.

The approach to Aconcagua begins at some 9,000 feet.  From there the path to the Confluencia rises gently to 11,000'.  This is the spot where many stop at a base camp.  Two rivers which surround the peak converge here, hence the name. From the corner of your eye you catch a glimpse of a rock wall emerging from your right, multicolored layers of rock so stunning that it temporarily steals your gaze from the massive mound which looms in front of you.  You can't help but continue on so that this monolith comes into full view and suddenly you realize that all the peaks surrounding you are gargantuan.  We smile at each other, congratulate ourselves on not only making the destination in two hours ( we were told we wouldn't make it that far in four hours), and also on still being in love after eight years.  

Eighth Anniversary in the Andes

Pictures of Mendoza

Mendoza

First of all we want to tell everyone Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.   We miss you all and hope your holidays are filled with the spirit of the season.  

We will be spending Christmas, our 8th anniversary and New Years Eve in Mendoza, a large city with about one million living in or near the city. Actually our 8th will be spent hiking in the Andes in hopes of spotting Aconcoqua should the Gods be so good to us.  Mendoza  is located at the foothills of the Andes and appears, to new arrivals like us, to be a veritable garden of eden with everything imaginable growing in abundance.  But the fact is that the inhabitants have transformed what was once desert into an agricultural giant with the help of the constant flow of Andes glacial waters.  

The city itself is shaded from the desert heat by thousands of giant sycamore trees that line the streets and  are watered via canals  built of concrete and river stone.   To cross the street nearly anywhere within the large metropolitan sprawl one must step over these canals either literally or by using the concrete paths provided at the street corners.   The water rushes down one canal or another watering the trees like crops throughout each day.  

The combination of the arid climate and abundant water made the desert prime for vineyards and Mendoza is becoming a wine mecca.  Tours of the wineries are a big business.  When one drives in any direction in the surrounding countryside the vineyards spread along the highways and dirt roads everywhere. Olives, garlic, lemons, etc., are cash crop of the area too.  So as you look out over what was once an inhospitable and harsh land it becomes apparent that a great deal of effort has been put forth to alter the landscape so completely.   Agriculture brought prosperity to this region and now with the recognition of its wines it is poised to boom.  

We visited a number of the wineries from small family operated businesses producing four to five thousand liters a year to large wineries producing up to three million liters a year.  In spite of their size they are all fascinating to visit.  The small, family vineyards produce wines the old fashioned way and sell exceptional wines. The large wineries employ scientific methods including laboratories on site and satellite imaging of their vineyards and sell mega quantities of exceptional wines.  But of course if you look closely you can see where this is all going because the small wineries can't compete against the giants.   

Buenos Aires to Tokyo

During our tour of the city today we met a small fellow with  a top hat who kept saying " I'm late, I'm late for a very important date."  He was quite worried and then suddenly he disappeared down a large hole.  We were standing too close to where we last saw him and a wind so powerful we couldn't resist it suddenly pulled us into the hole.  Around and around we spun not knowing where we would stop only hoping we would be okay.  The fear of our tenuous circumstances  left us unconscious and when we awoke we found ourselves standing in a Japanese Garden. I looked at Toni and saw she was dressed in a  beautiful traditional Kimono and to my surprise I was wearing a Samuri battle uniform.   After a short while of this confusion a small girl named Alice happened by and asked, " are you lost?" 

 "Well, yes of course."   We responded.  

To which she chirped "I thought so, you don't belong in this story so be gone."   Off we spun through the hole again and soon we were walking through the parks of Buenos Aires near where our adventure had begun.  Neither of us acknowledged what had just happened as we were unsure that anything at all had happened.  Then  tonight as I downloaded the pictures from the day this photo of us appeared.   Sure we have questions but Buenos Aires is indeed a magical place.

Hola de Buenos Aires

 

 

 

 

It may  not  be  accurate  to  the  moment  but  this  is my story and you're reading it so here goes.  I turned 56 while flying over the equator. The night of the 9th, on our flight to Argentina, at somewhere around 12:oo a. m. we crossed the equator.  My birthday is the 10th sooo!  

Currently we are in Buenos Aires  and I have to say  it seems strange that in December there isn't any snow, it is 75 degrees and people are playing American Christmas songs like Jingle Bells.  A winter away from winter is part of the reason we came south but I have never experienced this before and it has confused my "delicate balance."  This is compounded by the sun crossing the sky to the north.  

BA  is quite easy to navigate even without a firm grip on directions (reality) and on day two we took the subway downtown where we spent time wandering among the old and the new.

Everywhere one goes there are parks and memorials and museums dedicated to various dictators, presidents and activists and actors who played a role in shaping this country.  Some of these events are quite recent and seem unsettled.  Think Falkland Islands.  Political unrest seems to cover the globe and Argentina has its share.  

At one point we found ourselves walking down a pedestrian way known as Florida Street which has to be one of the world's largest malls.   One end this retail gargantuan originates at the financial district of Argentina and the opposite end spills into the Plaza San Martin  which offers a tranquil escape from the bustle of the people seeking retail therapy.  The Plaza is actually a park filled with old growth trees and statues of the above mentioned history, large cobblestone patios and grassy areas covered with young people and the homeless.   The parks or Plazas throughout the city were well conceived and enjoyed by many.  

Next week we leave for Mendoza which is the wine capital of the southern hemisphere.  Toni will be enjoying the product and I will enjoy the scenery.  Adios 

Intermittent chatter

We will leave for  South America, specifically Argentina, on December 7 and return February 3.   Visits with our families and friends over Thanksgiving became a possibility as events shifted, so Toni traveled to Fayetteville, NC and Florida while I visited my clan in  Jackson Hole, Salt Lake City and Bozeman.   Thanks to the many who made my trip so much more pleasant by offering me their couch to surf. Toni is in her element, and getting her much needed fix, being grandma with our beautiful grand-daughter.  It will sustain her temporarily.   

I am ecstatic about our "Endless Summer" as just a touch of the cold weather in Jackson and Bozeman, 10 degrees on several mornings, made me grateful that we have decided to take a winter off from winter.   

On the elections and so forth:  Continued detachment from the media and their deluge of information has given us a new perspective. Talking with people as we travel has given us a view that doesn't air on the 24 hour news programs.   It is our hope that the problems we are facing now bring about the awareness that Mother Earth is indeed in trouble and needs mankind to live up to the "kind".   We are elated about the election and believe that an awakening may be occurring.   While I feel powerless over Wall Street and the greed factor that dominates their culture I feel very powerful thanks to the election.  My vote counted.  

I will continue to post photos and fodder as we travel south of the equator and we will look forward to hearing from you.  

  

Leewards of the Caribbean

Two weeks of bliss.  Sailing the Caribbean was "bitchen".  We sailed among the islands of the Leewards in nearly perfect winds and gentle seas. We enjoyed dives on unbelievable coral walls, we met and talked with the islanders about the elections, the hurricanes of the season, etc.,  and then we sailed some more.  The people of the Caribbean seem for the most part pleased that the U. S. A. has finally elected a president who isn't a good old white boy.  These people are educated about the U. S.  and had great insight and understanding as to what our politics and policies mean to the world.    

The trip was full of memorable experiences too numerous to give the proper time now .  Hopefully we will have the chance to speak to many of you in person and give you the details.  Mix water and people, things happen.

The captain and crew made each day a gift by bringing their very best spirit of adventure to each challenge.   It seemed that not a moment passed without something to imprint for future reflection. Thank you Joanne, John, Linda, Charlie and Toni.  

The history of these islands is on many levels dark and troubled yet also rich with stories of triumph that can keep one's curiosity occupied for a lifetime.   Then there is  the scenery and  the food which are deeply satisfying to the senses.  Above all however are the beautiful people who have over the many generations survived here, thrived here and in spite of the difficult history they welcome everyone, even Americans. 

Double click the photos to enlarge and view.

More Blog Fodder

We had heard about Gila Cliff Ruins since arriving in Silver City and today made the journey north about forty miles to view this unbelievable site.  People occupied this particular canyon for 10,000 years which I believe predates the current presidential campaign though at some times I loose track of time.  

As you can see by the picture the structures have held up well and have not been retouched by the park service save a few walls that were vandalized.  These ruins were abandoned at about 1200 AD and the inhabitants disappeared.  The belief is that they actually over hunted depleting the food resources which forced to move elsewhere.  Who knows?  

After the ruins we hiked to the confluence of the Middle Fork of the Gila River and Little Bear Canyon via Little Bear which was a narrow vertically walled water way, dry except for flash floods.  "Oh honey did you check the weather before we left?"  

"No I thought you would."  

Back home safe and sound after a beautiful day in the New Mexico Gila Wilderness without a hitch.  Actually the road was the most challenging part of the day.  Forty miles takes about 1.5 hours of serious concentration.  

Nice neighborhoods

As I mentioned in an earlier entry we are adjacent to a cemetery and though it isn't visible from our campsite we do  drive by it each day.  The neighbors sharing the motor home park are all alive and well I am glad to report and I wanted to send a picture a guy who is next door.  We all have interesting neighbors no matter where we live and are, in some cases, considered the "interesting neighbor".   The photo represents only a small portion of the collection that he keeps neatly displayed around his rv.  He is a silver smith by trade and appears to be pretty established in the area.  I think you can double click the photo and get the full effect.  

Silver City

Hello all,

We are spending some pleasant days here in SW New Mexico biking and hiking in 7o degree days.  Don't miss the snow, not one bit. 

Yesterday we hiked a short hike along the bottom of a cliff walled canyon to see an 1875 mining site.  One of the most incredible things about the day was the sycamore trees.  The photo of the tree that Toni is standing by doesn't even begin to demonstrate the size of these giants.  

At the mine site itself there is a cylindrical steam boiler something like 15'X4' in size and made of half inch thick  steel.  Think mini submarine in size.  How they got it up the canyon is one mystery but how they got it to the middle of nowhere is even more of a mystery.  The amount of work done in the name of silver boggles one's mind, but silver makes jewelry, women like jewelry sooo!!!!  

Silver City was founded on mining and is in transition.  The old downtown is full of coffee shops and galleries and eclectic eateries. Sounds familiar somehow.  About twenty miles outside of town a large, very large open pit ore mine is in full swing.   The mine sits in such a way that, unless you are passing by it, you don't see much of it so the two worlds co-exist pretty well.  

Adios mis amigos 

The learning curve

Today was filled with a lot of emotions and throughout the day we were slapped in the face with the realities of life.  I won't go into the details as they are the matters and business of family and friends and their personal life doesn't belong on a blog.  Simply put, our hearts and souls are with them.

Our journey has already taken us far and at times we feel a strong need to reconnect with those we love because life is so uncertain.  A large part of the reason we are on this adventure is because of the knowledge that only the current moment is available when one goes looking for life.  So we have chosen to go spend time being, just trying to breath the air that surrounds us and doing whatever is in front of us for the day.  We pay attention to all that is happening around the world and consider and do our part as we move about.  But we also disconnect from that frenzy that drives the world and convinces so many to work more, take less time off and worry about the poor bastards on Wall Street who may have to give up some of their billions.  

We miss all of you.  You are our friends and family.  Each day you are in our thoughts.  We are looking for something that matters greatly to us.  

Some of my thoughts today.  B. K.

Mural

We found this great coffee shop in Socorro, NM.  The mural speaks to the soul of the true addict. Oui?

All the way to Silver City, NM

We've seen gas as high as $4.10 per gallon and as low as $2.99 while traveling south over the last six weeks. Now 2114 miles later we find ourselves in Silver City, NM, a small town nestled in the Gila National Forest in southwest NM.  More on this later.

After leaving Durango we spent three days in mystical Canyon de Chelly, Az.  People have occupied the canyon for the last 5000 years.  The area is closely guarded by the Navajo Nation so getting down to the canyon floor itself requires a Navajo guide.  We took one guided tour walking beneath ruins that seem to hang on the cliff walls and getting glimpses of petroglyphs and art work that have endured the eons.  It is a very powerful place with a lot of bad times as well as hundreds of years of peaceful times stirring around.    

Then we did a power drive, heading  south and back into NM, ultimately to Silver City.  Picture a motor home, 500 miles, a head wind.   

Anyway, now we are anchored in Silver at the Rose Valley RV Ranch which is, appropriately, adjacent to a cemetery where old RV'ers are buried by the hundreds.  Pictures haven't happened here as yet due to our late arrival.  We came over a pass into Silver that makes Teton Pass look like an express way over a high spot, unfortunately no pictures of that road but it was a trip.  

Durango

We have, for the last week now, been enjoying the perfect weather in Durango, Co,  hiking and biking as much as possible and, grateful me , not embroiled in the ongoing political crap.  Oh we still see the headlines on line and in the papers each day but we are not under the constant bombardment of the media trying so desperately to convince us that they know something we don't.  I have no questions in my mind about the need for change in our country but it amazes me that the split in our voters isn't more divided.  A sign that the times ahead will be interesting and challenging.   I won't even start on the greed in Wall Street.  Enough of that.  

We have had the good fortune of catching up with the Haggart Clan and they are happy and healthy, having made Durango home.   Other Jacksonites also call this home so we have bumped into a few familiar faces.

The photos are from a hike we took into the San Juan National Forest a few days ago.  We walked along the Vallecito River for a few hours and swam in one of the coldest clearest pools on the planet.  

I hope all of you are well and seeking your bliss as we are.

Happy Trails

Colorado Rocky Mountain High (sorry)

Sorry for the opener but it is very high around here.  Yesterday we hit about 12,500 feet in elevation.   Everywhere we look there are peaks at 14,000 feet and the towns are at 8,000 and above. We wanted to bag Mt. Yale of the Collegiate Range west of Buena Vista but the weather wasn't cooperating so we settled for Brown Pass and some unnamed peak just above that pass.  Gorgeous hike with the weather passing through in various shades of fall, snow, sleet, wind and the like, throughout the day.  Some snow high on the peaks but just a skiff right now.  I know it is the same in JH and it looks from our point of reference that winter will arrive with a bang.  

Today we are back in BV waiting on repairs to our Jeep which suddenly lost the blinker function completely.  Had a run of mechanical issues lately, must be nearing the end of that vortex or just entering it, not sure which.  

Buena Vista or Buna Vista as the locals say

Okay, I know of only one person out there who knows what these painted rocks with the multiple bore holes are all about.  She can't enter the contest until the third day after the posting.  The winner of course gets nothing except helping us understand how things work in Leadville, Colorado.  

The high altitude picture is from Cottonwood Pass just west of Buena Vista.  We climbed to about 12,ooo on a beautiful road that crossed the Continental Divide where a sign said Atlantic< >Pacific.  Snow was flying and the colors were awesome.  Can I use that word?  I am kinda old for it.  I'll work with new adjectives like "bitchin."  Hope you are all well.

Love and miss you.

Us

Sights along the way

Just taking time

Yesterday we hiked to Chasm Lake in Estes Park.  The trailhead was at 9,400 feet and so reaching tree line took very little effort.  The lake sits in a cirque just below Longs Peak, a 14,255 footer.  It was soul refreshing to get back into the alpine atmosphere again.  

We have just about done our time here but will be here until Wednesday as we are waiting on a new windshield for our motor home.  Once that has been taken care of we will head to central and southern Colorado.  The colors are starting to happen here and change almost by the hour.  

No technical wizard, I

Well thanks for everyone's patience (I haven't caught the deserved grief for the "old dog new trick" boast)  and the help of my very confident friend Josh who got us right on track.

We are still in Lyons and enjoying ourselves among the foothills of Estes Park where the biking is endless both mountain and road.  Talked to a young mountain biker yesterday about trails but after seeing the condition of his arms and elbows, mangled, from the trails he rides we decided to look elsewhere for reliable trails (our rider level).  

The first 900 miles.

Thanks to Amy, Lyle, Brianna and Lexi for making our departure from Jackson so memorable.  We parked in your yard and were spoiled by your outstanding hospitality.  We are blessed for your friendship and to have spent the last few days in the beautiful setting you call home. (We still have a couple of gold passes - we will be back!)

We now find ourselves in Lyons, Co., after making our way across 800 miles of Wyoming.  Our first stop was not the far flung exotic locale that may have been perceived as more appropriate but in fact Gillette, Wy.  Why Gillette?  Well B. K. was raised on a ranch south of there and his brother and family still make their living ranching not far from the original homestead.  We also met the newest members of their family as they have welcomed two grandchildren.  They still live a very isolated and unencumbered lifestyle.

Then it was on to the little known Glendo Resevoir just out of Wheatland, Wy.   All the hotspots yes, I know but we felt we needed to ease into this adventure.  This is a very scenic area with Laramie Peak rising over 10,000 feet in the west and red sandstone,  pine and juniper rimming the lake.  

But now we are in beautiful Lyons and feeling quite content to spend some time here just seeing the area.  We are only twenty minutes from Boulder, mecca of techies and yuppies.  

More pictures soon.... 

With nightmares of packing waning, and chilly weather subsiding we are coming to terms with waking to yet another day of lack of responsibility, except of course finding the exact right time of day for bike riding, eating, napping ......O.K. sorry for the rubbing it in.  Life is good!!!! :-)  XXOO T