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.