I hope everyone is having a wonderful day today! We are taking it very easy as we celebrated last night and into Christmas morning argentine style. We had a huge asado, lots of meat (which I didnt eat ) and I made some big apple pies. Then we danced for hours. It was a blast!
So we are a little tired today. On the agenda; movies, maybe a polar bear club jump in the lake, more delicious food, nap. In no particular order. Tomorrow we will go up into the mountains for a few days so we need to get all of our stuff ready for that. We got good weather for Christmas ;) so were going to take advantage of it for the next week!
We send our love to all of our family and friends! We hope you are enjoying every part of your day and wish that Santa was good to everyone. Love and light all ways! Merry Chrismas.
Tuesday, December 25, 2012
Friday, December 21, 2012
Not the End of the World!
So we have really become quite fond of this little city. We walk around a lot. Yesterday was an exceptional urban trekking day. It started when we left our hostel yesterday and walked to the bus stop (1k). We were going to make a quick stop at the supermarket to grab snacks for the day before catching the 50 bus (or was it the 51?) to....ummm. Shoot, well hopefully we will just see our new friends on the bus when we get on and if they're not on it then its got to be the next one.
First, there's no such thing as a 'quick' stop at the supermercado. Everyone in there moves at the speed of slug, especially the cashiers. So my over caffinated, under rested, time crunched internal reaction was ugly. We did need the food for the day so I just got the bare necessities; water, apples, crackers then we booked it to the bus stop. Dangit! We missed one.
Our friends weren't on any of the next three. Wulp, we blew it.
Now what?
Let's go to that place that we kind of know about?
The one in walking distance?
Yes.
We don't have a book..
I think we can find it.
So we walked to kilometer1 where this dirt road should be on the right (4k). Check. Dirt road. Bonus,"Piedras Blancas" sign. So,we decided to walk up the road until we found rocks. It climbed up a small summit so at the very least it would be a nice walk. It was indeed! Such perfect views of the lake, the mountains, the town. It really looks a lot like Seattle. We hadn't found any rocks but decided to continue. So close to the top, may as well,keep walking. Then all of a sudden, ROCKS! We made it! (4k) it turned out to be some great climbing too!
After a great afternoon of climbing, we went back to town for a bite to eat, groceries and a guide book. (5k) all the grocery stores were closed because some people rioted and organized a massive steeling spree from a store in town. It was on the national news. Argentine News Article (in Spanish).
There were lots of policia in town and the shops we're all boarded up because storefront owners were nervous people would break int their shops as well. No one was sure about what was going on and when the places were to open up.
We continued on our trek back to our lovely hostel (5k). Luckily we had a small stash of veggies and bread at the hostel! Our friends moved up to our place and brought us a bottle of wine. Phew! disaster narrowly averted.
So if you've been keeping track, 1+4+4+5+5=lots of urban hiking. Our feet are tired! The grocery stores opened up today with outrageously long lines, I'm talkin up the aisles. People were freaked out from the riots, it's Friday, Christmas is next week, and it was questionably the end of the world! (it's tomorrow here right now and the world exists so not to worry!)
We will continue to spin and buy groceries.
Happy solstice everyone!
First, there's no such thing as a 'quick' stop at the supermercado. Everyone in there moves at the speed of slug, especially the cashiers. So my over caffinated, under rested, time crunched internal reaction was ugly. We did need the food for the day so I just got the bare necessities; water, apples, crackers then we booked it to the bus stop. Dangit! We missed one.
Our friends weren't on any of the next three. Wulp, we blew it.
Now what?
Let's go to that place that we kind of know about?
The one in walking distance?
Yes.
We don't have a book..
I think we can find it.
So we walked to kilometer1 where this dirt road should be on the right (4k). Check. Dirt road. Bonus,"Piedras Blancas" sign. So,we decided to walk up the road until we found rocks. It climbed up a small summit so at the very least it would be a nice walk. It was indeed! Such perfect views of the lake, the mountains, the town. It really looks a lot like Seattle. We hadn't found any rocks but decided to continue. So close to the top, may as well,keep walking. Then all of a sudden, ROCKS! We made it! (4k) it turned out to be some great climbing too!
After a great afternoon of climbing, we went back to town for a bite to eat, groceries and a guide book. (5k) all the grocery stores were closed because some people rioted and organized a massive steeling spree from a store in town. It was on the national news. Argentine News Article (in Spanish).
There were lots of policia in town and the shops we're all boarded up because storefront owners were nervous people would break int their shops as well. No one was sure about what was going on and when the places were to open up.
We continued on our trek back to our lovely hostel (5k). Luckily we had a small stash of veggies and bread at the hostel! Our friends moved up to our place and brought us a bottle of wine. Phew! disaster narrowly averted.
So if you've been keeping track, 1+4+4+5+5=lots of urban hiking. Our feet are tired! The grocery stores opened up today with outrageously long lines, I'm talkin up the aisles. People were freaked out from the riots, it's Friday, Christmas is next week, and it was questionably the end of the world! (it's tomorrow here right now and the world exists so not to worry!)
We will continue to spin and buy groceries.
Happy solstice everyone!
Tuesday, December 18, 2012
Cold Rain and Snow
In case you were wondering, the answer is yes, the weather does get worse.
We went back up to the Refugio for another week. Most of the time up there was spent waiting for the weather to change. Which it really did not. We got up there just as the wind arrived. You really don't notice bad weather until the last kilometer of the hike up. So it was an enjoyable hike up. We just had food in our packs so we moved quickly. The wind didn't hit us until the last 100 meters of the 10 kilometer hike. Wow, it really hit this time though. I was literally leaning into the wind and it was completely supporting me. The night time was fairly windy and the next day was pretty poor weather. We got out and climbed a bit in the afternoon but it really wasn't too enjoyable. Luckily this time we brought a lot of food with so at least we ate well every night.
The next few days were more of the same. We just became pretty tolerant of poor weather. It was cold. You know the type of weather where you can't feel if your fingers are holding onto the rocks but you have an incredibly painful sensation in your fingertips so you assume it's a good hold. Well, a few of those days in a row will really break a girl. I did say more than once how "I only ever want to climb at Indian creek." turns out I'm somewhat of a fair weather climber... Last night rained. All. Night. Long. Then we woke up and it began to snow sideways, backwards huh? So we came back to Bariloche in the wettest hike ever reported in history.
Despite the suffering we did get some nice little day hikes in and the snow certainly made for some wonderful scenery. Good thing we had such good company up there too. There was a strong crew of hopeless fools waiting for a window to squeeze in another pitch before letting the truth of the matter become a reality. We played plenty of card games and laughed, a lot!
We are beginning to think of some warmer options for the next few weeks. If we anted cold and snow, we would be home skiing with all of you! There will be plenty of time for all of that when we return so for now, we are on a suns out buns out mission!
Peace love health all ways!
We went back up to the Refugio for another week. Most of the time up there was spent waiting for the weather to change. Which it really did not. We got up there just as the wind arrived. You really don't notice bad weather until the last kilometer of the hike up. So it was an enjoyable hike up. We just had food in our packs so we moved quickly. The wind didn't hit us until the last 100 meters of the 10 kilometer hike. Wow, it really hit this time though. I was literally leaning into the wind and it was completely supporting me. The night time was fairly windy and the next day was pretty poor weather. We got out and climbed a bit in the afternoon but it really wasn't too enjoyable. Luckily this time we brought a lot of food with so at least we ate well every night.
The next few days were more of the same. We just became pretty tolerant of poor weather. It was cold. You know the type of weather where you can't feel if your fingers are holding onto the rocks but you have an incredibly painful sensation in your fingertips so you assume it's a good hold. Well, a few of those days in a row will really break a girl. I did say more than once how "I only ever want to climb at Indian creek." turns out I'm somewhat of a fair weather climber... Last night rained. All. Night. Long. Then we woke up and it began to snow sideways, backwards huh? So we came back to Bariloche in the wettest hike ever reported in history.
Despite the suffering we did get some nice little day hikes in and the snow certainly made for some wonderful scenery. Good thing we had such good company up there too. There was a strong crew of hopeless fools waiting for a window to squeeze in another pitch before letting the truth of the matter become a reality. We played plenty of card games and laughed, a lot!
We are beginning to think of some warmer options for the next few weeks. If we anted cold and snow, we would be home skiing with all of you! There will be plenty of time for all of that when we return so for now, we are on a suns out buns out mission!
Peace love health all ways!
Tuesday, December 11, 2012
El Frey... The Reputation Holds True
We hiked in with humongous packs, they were heavy and I complained a lot. We brought a weeks worth of food, climbing gear, camping gear and lots of cold weather clothes as we heard the weather is finicky. It's not measured I distance but instead by an hourly countdown. From the base of Cerro Catedral, the self proclaimed best ski area in south America, it's a 3hr 45 minute hike to the Refugio at Frey.
Once we got there the wind was ripping, dangit! Everything bad i heard about Patagonian climbing came back to me real quick. The wind, the cold and the bad weather. I was really starting to doubt this all at that point. We set up our tent in the wind..epic, made dinner and went to bed.
It snowed all nite.
We woke up and it was spitting snow, windy...really windy, and the clouds were low. Luckily I was worked from the hike so I was a little grateful for the bad weather. We made breakfast and went into the Refugio to socialize a bit, but mostly to get out of the weather. The first person we see in there, Dan Escalante. We knew he was in the country but hadn't contacted him and really had no idea where he was...classic. It continued to snow in every direction all day. Double dangit. We hiked around in the evening when the sky cleared a bit and got pretty psyched to climb.
The next day we woke up to more wind and cold but more or less clear skies. So we went for it....brrrrr, easily the coldest rock climbing day I've ever had. First pitch I my fingers felt like wood. The second pitch, the wind was ripping so hard that somehow it blew my sneakers, which were hanging from my harness, into the back of my head. On the third pitch all of the chalk in my chalk bag got blown into my eyes while I was waiting for a break in between gusts so I wouldn't get blown off the very sparsely bolted sandbagged route. The rock really is such high quality granite that despite the suffering it was hard to stop! We climbed a bit more then headed down to camp for some lunch.
It was not so bad down there. The area where the tents are set us is protected from the wind. By now the sun had really started to warm up the rocks and there were plenty of daylight hours left so we went back for more.
There is an ultra classic line that greets you as you arrive at El Frey. Its the first formation you see as you walk up the trail and you can watch people climb it from sitting inside the Refugio. That was what we chose to climb. It really was great... Splitter line, amazing granite, bolted belay stations. The last pitch is a splitter half way through the face that ends up with one bolt to some hidden huge jugs. You pull these positive heroic feeling moves right at the end of the route. Sick. Yes! Frey is awesome!
As you walk out to the other formations, it's crazy the way they all change according to your perspective. We would be climbing on one formation and look across and see some gorgeous line on another and so on. I kept feeling like we were at a playground just seeing all the attractions and hurrying around to play on all of them!
The weather kept getting better for the next 3 days. It actually got hot. We climbed some amazing quality routes. Everything seemed to be a little stiff and the sport climbs are super run out, keeps ya honest! The place is beautiful though, and the rock is divine. Everywhere you look is a photo op, I took lots. It's fully springtime there and the flowers are abundant and some quite different from the flowers in north America. We saw a mama duck and 5 little goslings in the laguna. The water is so clean you don't even need to treat it before drinking it. The snow is melting still so there are these little waterfall streams everywhere. To top it off, it is light out until close to 10pm so there really is no such thing as an alpine start.
Today the weather turned so here we are in (San Carlos de) Bariloche about to start another chocolate mission!
We wish lots of snow for you all up north! Powder it up!
Once we got there the wind was ripping, dangit! Everything bad i heard about Patagonian climbing came back to me real quick. The wind, the cold and the bad weather. I was really starting to doubt this all at that point. We set up our tent in the wind..epic, made dinner and went to bed.
It snowed all nite.
We woke up and it was spitting snow, windy...really windy, and the clouds were low. Luckily I was worked from the hike so I was a little grateful for the bad weather. We made breakfast and went into the Refugio to socialize a bit, but mostly to get out of the weather. The first person we see in there, Dan Escalante. We knew he was in the country but hadn't contacted him and really had no idea where he was...classic. It continued to snow in every direction all day. Double dangit. We hiked around in the evening when the sky cleared a bit and got pretty psyched to climb.
The next day we woke up to more wind and cold but more or less clear skies. So we went for it....brrrrr, easily the coldest rock climbing day I've ever had. First pitch I my fingers felt like wood. The second pitch, the wind was ripping so hard that somehow it blew my sneakers, which were hanging from my harness, into the back of my head. On the third pitch all of the chalk in my chalk bag got blown into my eyes while I was waiting for a break in between gusts so I wouldn't get blown off the very sparsely bolted sandbagged route. The rock really is such high quality granite that despite the suffering it was hard to stop! We climbed a bit more then headed down to camp for some lunch.
It was not so bad down there. The area where the tents are set us is protected from the wind. By now the sun had really started to warm up the rocks and there were plenty of daylight hours left so we went back for more.
There is an ultra classic line that greets you as you arrive at El Frey. Its the first formation you see as you walk up the trail and you can watch people climb it from sitting inside the Refugio. That was what we chose to climb. It really was great... Splitter line, amazing granite, bolted belay stations. The last pitch is a splitter half way through the face that ends up with one bolt to some hidden huge jugs. You pull these positive heroic feeling moves right at the end of the route. Sick. Yes! Frey is awesome!
As you walk out to the other formations, it's crazy the way they all change according to your perspective. We would be climbing on one formation and look across and see some gorgeous line on another and so on. I kept feeling like we were at a playground just seeing all the attractions and hurrying around to play on all of them!
The weather kept getting better for the next 3 days. It actually got hot. We climbed some amazing quality routes. Everything seemed to be a little stiff and the sport climbs are super run out, keeps ya honest! The place is beautiful though, and the rock is divine. Everywhere you look is a photo op, I took lots. It's fully springtime there and the flowers are abundant and some quite different from the flowers in north America. We saw a mama duck and 5 little goslings in the laguna. The water is so clean you don't even need to treat it before drinking it. The snow is melting still so there are these little waterfall streams everywhere. To top it off, it is light out until close to 10pm so there really is no such thing as an alpine start.
Today the weather turned so here we are in (San Carlos de) Bariloche about to start another chocolate mission!
We wish lots of snow for you all up north! Powder it up!
Tuesday, December 4, 2012
Bariloche...the Chocolate Caoital of Sur America
We took a 17 hour bus ride down here from Mendoza, it's a huge country! I guess officially we are in Patagonia but just barely on the north end of it. There is a lake so big here that it looks like the ocean. The weather feels a lot like Seattle, just not as salty.
The chocolate here is awesome! There are at least ten chocolate factories in the main street, yes. At least one factory per city block. Bariloche is the chocolate capital of South America, needless to say.
Yesterday we walked to town (5k) because we couldn't stand to be a another vehicle. On the way there was this beater car partially driven off a cliff. One guy was in the driver seat and the other two were pushing it backwards. It was the passenger side front wheel that was off and the car was balancing on the axle. Que peligroso! So we helped to push, to no avail... Then we stepped away and they decided to try and push forward, Ryan and I thought this was a terrible idea as the wheel was completely off the cliff and this little 1991 total beater fiat wouldn't be able to drive with two wheels on plus the front axle. Miraculously they made it!! They all got in the car and drove away, not ever once showing any stress.
Today we will get all the stuff together because tomorrow we head to El Frey for 2 weeks for climbing!! Finally, as our fingertips are really starting to fall off now.
The chocolate here is awesome! There are at least ten chocolate factories in the main street, yes. At least one factory per city block. Bariloche is the chocolate capital of South America, needless to say.
Yesterday we walked to town (5k) because we couldn't stand to be a another vehicle. On the way there was this beater car partially driven off a cliff. One guy was in the driver seat and the other two were pushing it backwards. It was the passenger side front wheel that was off and the car was balancing on the axle. Que peligroso! So we helped to push, to no avail... Then we stepped away and they decided to try and push forward, Ryan and I thought this was a terrible idea as the wheel was completely off the cliff and this little 1991 total beater fiat wouldn't be able to drive with two wheels on plus the front axle. Miraculously they made it!! They all got in the car and drove away, not ever once showing any stress.
Today we will get all the stuff together because tomorrow we head to El Frey for 2 weeks for climbing!! Finally, as our fingertips are really starting to fall off now.
Sunday, December 2, 2012
Mate and summer!
I went to a mate class the other night. I didn't know It was such a ceremony. I'll share a little about it...
First off, when we were at Los termas yesterday (a hot springs water park made from stones) everyone had their mate kits which consist of a thermos, a gourd, a bombilla, loose Yerba mate and sugar all in a travel case... Some of which are pretty baller looking. It's just part if what they bring on their picnics, or mid day break. Mate everywhere!!
So, whoever carries the case makes a mate the way they like it, then they drink a whole gourd full, then the add a little more Yerba, water, sugar(if desired) and pass it to the person on the right, when they have finished, they pass it back to the head person and they refill and repeat until everyone has had their fill. It's a special event for people and if someone invites you to their home to have mate, it means they think very highly of you.
The mate section at the grocery store is SICK! There's like 20 different kinds to choose from.
So as we were at Los termas, we were looking around at all the suckers getting sunburned, which was 90% of people as Argentinians have fair skin. We didn't notice how burnt we were til we got back to the hostel...oops. Feeling better today thanks to Julie's Singing Spring Botanicals first aide salve. (Great stuff!)
Well, off to find some lunch before everyone goes for siesta and the entire town shuts down for 3 hours!
First off, when we were at Los termas yesterday (a hot springs water park made from stones) everyone had their mate kits which consist of a thermos, a gourd, a bombilla, loose Yerba mate and sugar all in a travel case... Some of which are pretty baller looking. It's just part if what they bring on their picnics, or mid day break. Mate everywhere!!
So, whoever carries the case makes a mate the way they like it, then they drink a whole gourd full, then the add a little more Yerba, water, sugar(if desired) and pass it to the person on the right, when they have finished, they pass it back to the head person and they refill and repeat until everyone has had their fill. It's a special event for people and if someone invites you to their home to have mate, it means they think very highly of you.
The mate section at the grocery store is SICK! There's like 20 different kinds to choose from.
So as we were at Los termas, we were looking around at all the suckers getting sunburned, which was 90% of people as Argentinians have fair skin. We didn't notice how burnt we were til we got back to the hostel...oops. Feeling better today thanks to Julie's Singing Spring Botanicals first aide salve. (Great stuff!)
Well, off to find some lunch before everyone goes for siesta and the entire town shuts down for 3 hours!
Friday, November 30, 2012
For my health food store friends!
There is so much about Mendoza that is like a heaven to me... Mate is everywhere, really good red wine also everywhere, chocolate. I am very intimidated by the amount of meat people eat here. Its in everything, and if it isn't directly, then it's cooked in lard. Our waiter explained the soups today as the meat soup or the chicken soup...So, naturally I was concerned. I did a little hunting around yesterday... I did see one little tienda de health, it was the size of my closet in the dorms at western state college. It did, however have just what I needed, nuts and dried fruit! Who cares if you are in the neat capital of the entire southern hemisphere when you can find dried fruit and nuts!.
As we were walking home last night we found an open air market. Yaaay! Now we're talking! Tons of bulk herbs, grains (even the ones we eat!) plenty more dried fruit, chia seeds, nuts, fresh veggies and fruits. Plus all your basics, neon striped mini dresses, brick oven fired pizza, knock off chuck taylors, even a little stand with all your basic toiletries. Sweet, I'm going to survive, and I don't have to eat bisteka to do it!
To top it off, we did find two vegetarian restaurants today, they wee buffet style and loaded with great yummy things. Also, cherry season!! Mmmmhmmm, two cherry seasons in one year?!
Which brings me to my next topic...all the lonely vegans, where do we go for lunch? I've actually found some bomb salads down here. Aside from just wine as an export, there is lots of exported olive and olive oil coming from here. So, bam! That's what I'll sustain off of! Plus, I love how south America has such a sweet tooth, chocolate stores on every street! (double bam!!)
To top it off, we did find two vegetarian restaurants today, they wee buffet style and loaded with great yummy things. Also, cherry season!! Mmmmhmmm, two cherry seasons in one year?!
I know the meat thing is of interest to a lot of you as well, so I will tell you that Ryan reports very positively on the subject. The cows did live a happy life, and the meat is cooked over a large wood fire.
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