Horses

There are many differences between places I have lived in the US and Coyhaique. One thing: horses. It doesn't phase me anymore when I see a Gaucho riding his horse down the street in the middle of town stopped at a red light, just like a car. Horses are everywhere here, not just in the campo, and it's just another of the things I love about Patagonia.

Alongside the ledge / play wave in Coyhaique River kayaking last week.

Watching us as we walk to the climbing crag today just outside town.

Sometimes I'll ride them too... in the campo with Belen in Manihuales. 

Rio Simpson Take 2

Today is the official start of spring. Here in Coyhaique, the morning greeted me with blue sky and white fluffy clouds. When I stepped outside I could hear the buzzing of bumble bees and noticed the buds on a small tree in my yard had opened. But alas... back to work, sitting inside at my computer. Then, I started chatting with Astrid, a good friend and paddling partner. We were talking about Gauley Fest this past weekend and about how she is about to buy a new creek boat and I realized, I want to go paddling and today is the perfect day to do it! Literally right that instant, in the middle of talking with Astrid, I called Pato, a friend and the local paddling extraordinaire. Next thing I knew I was grabbing my gear and headed to the river!

We ran the same part of the Rio Simpson that I had done months ago, but the water level was much higher. As we put in I got super nervous... an unfamiliar boat, bigger water, and the first paddle of the season. Do I remember how to kayak? Can I still hit my combat roll? It didn't help that the first rapid is the hardest, a pushy class III+ with a technical move you have to hit half way through. Finishing that rapid, hitting my line perfectly, grinning ear to ear, I was reminded... I LOVE KAYAKING!

I have been hearing stories from friends in the States about their paddling trips this summer as I was huddled next to my wood stove to stay warm in the middle of Patagonian winter. I am so excited that the paddling season is starting down here. I can't wait until the next time I get on the water... which might just be tomorrow :)

Pups at the put in.

Happiness!

Pato headed for the horizon line.

And we are BACK!

I got an email a few days ago. The subject read “Truer words have never been spoken…” and in the body of the email was the copied and pasted introductory sentence of my last post, “I have been slacking a little bit with updating my blog as of late”. Thanks Uncle John, but I think that was putting it nicely. TWO MONTHS. Sheesh. My bad!

As you all can imagine, a lot has happened since my last update. No way I am going to cover it all, but some highlights:

Nick and Jenna were welcomed to Patagonia with one of the best sunsets I have ever seen. From the airport we drove towards the silhouetted mountains that surround Coyhaique with a sky full of reds, oranges, yellows and pinks. The rest of the trip was also a success. We were three crazy gringos roadtripping though Patagonia… in the middle of winter. Sleeping on the side of Ruta 40, hiking around Fitz Roy in whiteout conditions, snowball fights next to glacier Perito Moreno, standing at the end of the continent (literally), skinny dipping in Lago General Carrera, car surfing along the Carretera Austral, and all while drinking Mate, or as Nick calls it, diesel. Needless to say, it was awesome.

Rounding out my winter visitors, were my Dad and Brother. My Dad arrived a week before Eric, and as I was waiting in the baggage area of the airport to pick him up I was nearly in tears and shaking with excitement. It was SO NICE to have family here. The day after he arrived, we competed as “Team USA” in the Desafio Aysen (Aysen Challenge), a two-day adventure race comprised of biking, snowshoeing, kayaking, and running. While it definitely kicked my ass, it was a ton of fun. Fortunately for the race in terms of publicity, and unfortunately for me and my imperfect Spanish, dislike of cameras, and regrettable need to be wearing 800 layers and a bike helmet, we (well, only me since Dad doesn’t speak Spanish) were interviewed a bunch for programs which are now being shown not only on Chilean cable TV, but national TV as well. Oh jeeze.

After the race and before Eric arrived, Dad and I traveled up north to Queulat National Park and the Puyuhuapi hot springs. I had been there two times previous, but this time we had NO RAIN, which is very unusual for this part of the region. It was like a whole new place. Mountains, glaciers, and volcanoes everywhere you looked. Didn’t know they were there before! When Eric got here, we headed south to my favorite place in the world, the Baker river :) We also went to Valle Chacabuco, Lago General Carrera, Capilas de Marmol, and Eric drank his “first” beer on Glacier Exploradores. Heck of a place to turn 21! Sadly the visit had to end… My family rocks!

The day after Eric left, I left for a backcountry skiing and winter mountaineering course with the guide school. We loaded my car with ice axes, crampons, shovels, harnesses, helmets, skis, skins, poles, and more. We headed to Portezuelo Ibanez in Cerro Castillo. I was in charge of the skiing classes and trips. I was a bit anxious since I am no pro-skier and I had to explain everything in Spanish to people who have never been on skis before. But in the end, it was INCREDIBLE. In no time we were all daring each other to skin up higher, go faster, hooting and hollering, and laughing as inevitably every single one of us got a face full of fresh powder from an epic wipe out. Gringa or Chilean, expert or newbie, girl or guy, those distinctions don’t matter when everyone is there to learn and to enjoy the incredible outdoor playground that is Patagonia. Good times. No. Great times. Seeing the smiles on the guys faces as they hit their first successful run is why I love doing this.

I am now in Coyahaique, and don’t have plans to go anywhere until October. It’s a weird feeling, to be in once place for more than a week, but it’s a welcome one. I am busy planning for the next guide school trip (a float trip down the Rio Palena from the Argentine boarder to the sea), working on old and new projects with CIEP, and enjoying the (slow) start to spring here.

My roommate Pancho and I have started going to a spinning class. I was skeptical since I am not a huge fan of bikes, but I am hooked. Who wouldn’t love a peppy Chilean guy screaming “sigue sigue sigue” and “vamos” over a soundtrack of old Jock Jams CDs and remixes of pop songs from 5 years ago. The smile plastered to his face makes me smile even tough I am drenched in sweat. Also, for some reason I have been cooking and baking up a storm... maybe to replace all the energy I’m using in spinning? The other day I decided I couldn’t wait another day to have a bagel. Chileans don’t know what bagels are, so I set off on a mission to make them myself. Problem being I didn’t know how to, nor do I have a real oven. But I have to say round one of flaxseed bagels in the toaster over came out pretty yummy!

I have been catching up with friends in the States, making an Epic List ;), and have even started to think about what the heck I am going to do when I get home… that is, besides figuring out how to get back here to Aysen!

Traveling... again...

I have been slacking a little but with updating my blog as of late. I have been traveling, a lot. Last month with Rich (a friend from Pittsburgh) I went north along the Carreterra Austral, to the Puyhuapi hot springs, Quelat National Park, Chalten, Parque Pumalin, FUTALEUFU, crossed into Argentina and drove further north to Trevelin, Esquel, and El Bolson before doubling back and driving back south in Argentina and crossing back into Chile through Los Antiguos and Chile Chico. We drive back to the Careterra Austral along one of the most beautiful stretched of road I have ever been on, visited the Confluencia (again) and then back to Coyahaique. I promise more writing to come but for now a few picts. Check the link to Picassa on the right for a whole bunch more.

Right now I am on the road again. Jenna and Nick (friends from CT/CO) are here and this time we are in the middle of a trip south. We crossed from Coyhaique directly into Argentina and down Ruta 40 (miles and mils and miles of pampa and only pampa) to El Chalten / Fitz Roy. We are currently in El Calafate / Los Glaciares Nat Park and tomorrow we are off to Puerto Natales / Torres del Paine Nat Park then back north again along Ruta 40 before crossing back into Chile onto Careterra Austral ending once again, back home in Coyahique. Pictures and more stories to come.

Movies

I am used to packing an extra layer when I go to the movies. They always seem to blast the AC. I went to the movies for the first time here in Coyhaique this weekend. The single theatre hosts a new movie about two weekends out of every month. My roommate Pancho and I went to the matinee showing of Piratas del Caribe: navegando aguas misteriosas (or, Pirates Of The Caribbean: On Stranger Tides) and like I am accustomed to doing I brought along an extra layer... and another layer, and a hat, and a pair gloves. Not for the AC, but because its winter in Patagonia and woods stoves can only do so much.

This colder weather is making me antsy for the snow to arrive so I can get some use out of my AT skis that are currently stashed under my bed. This region is perfect for a lot of outdoor sports and skiing is certainly no exception. Really all of South America, with the Andes running the length of the continent, has an endless amount of back country terrain for those willing to go out and find it and earn their turns. Sweetgrass Productions is currently filming here in South America (including Chilean Patagonia!) for an incredible new movie, Solitaire. They are putting out a new behind the scenes video every month. Hucking the gnar, exploring SA, learning about the culture, and living the dream. I can't wait to see the final product... or better yet I can't wait to get out to the mountains myself.

Publication!

I am not much of a reader. I have never really been one to sit down and read a novel for fun. In fact I don't even think I made it all the way through the first Harry Potter book... thank goodness they made them into movies. I do, however, love reading magazines and newspapers. One of my favorites is Outside magazine and now that I live in Chile a new favorite is la revista Outdoors, the Chilean equivalent of Outside.

But truthfully, I don't want to just sit on the couch or lay in bed and read about other people doing cool things in these magazines, I want to BE the person doing those cool things. I have always told friends, "just wait, one of these days it will be me, it will be the things I am doing, that people will be reading about." Some believe me, some don't, but it doesn't really matter much. I believe in myself.

In the June issue of Outdoors Revista there is an article about the horse packing trip and accompanying an wonderful article written by Pancho Vio are a few of my photos. The fist of hopefully many successes.

I am not going to stop doing what I love nor am I going to start to do things in an attempt to rack up more publications. I have never been one for resume building. I consider this a success because these 'cool things', like working with the Guide School, backpacking, and exploring Patagonia, make me happy. I think in the end being genuine shows through. Having something I was a part of out there for people to read, to entertain them, to educate them, and to hopefully inspire them to get off their couch or out of their bed and go DO something they love... that is a pretty awesome thought.

I Did What?

I bought a car. 1997 Black 4x4 diesel Nissan Terrano. Oh yeah!

The decision to buy a car or not was haunting me. More than anything else, more than work, more than having to speak in Spanish, more than adjusting to the everyday life and culture of Patagonia, buying a car was causing me stress. And for those of you who know me well, I usually don't stress. I find it kind of funny that in a region that really has one road running though it, the mostly unpaved carretera austral, that this is what was on my mind.

I asked pretty much everyone I know here for their opinion and there were valid points for both perspectives. I thought long and hard, if not too hard, on the matter and in the end I did what I always do... I went for it.

Who would have thought that the first car I have ever bought in my life, would be one in Patagonia. Forget about the adventure of owning a car here, it was an experience in and of itself buying the car. First, I had to find one which meant I needed to overcome one of my biggest fears here... having to call people and talk in spanish to people on my cheap phone with terrible sound quality. Second, I took it to a mechanic to make sure I wasnt buying a complete lemon. Third, I needed to figure out a way to get money to pay for the car. I bought the car in cash and after going to literally every single bank in Coyhaique and calling PNC Bank via Skpe a few times, I found a way to get past the daily limits for ATM withdraws. Fourth, I had to finally buy the car. This meant interpreting all the legal documents, waiting in lines at various offices, until finally I had documents in my name, keys in hand, and drove off with my new auto.

So far so good. I love my car, but it does have its quirks. Like a lot of cars here, mine was imported from Japan. The user manual is in Japanese and therefore useless to me. The steering wheel has been moved from the right side to the left side so with that comes a few electrical problems with the dash. Currently my odometer, gas gauge, odometer, and temperature gauge don't work. One of the terminals on the battery comes loose sometimes but after a little whack, we are back in business. And the back window is a little loose so it squeaks when I roll over bumps. But, its got good tires, four wheel drive, a strong engine, space for friends and gear, and a radio to blast my tunes!

In the end, the most I will lose is money, and that is replaceable. What I gain is the freedom to roam and explore Patagonia which to me is worth so much more than money.