Travel Log Contents
Blogroll |
 Los cosas de el caminoBack to Provincia de la Ultima EsperanzaBy Chris Thompson - 2009-01-11
We’re back on the road, and it feels good. Sometimes, especially in the morning, it feels terrible. I think my sleeping bag must be the most comfortable place in the world, because it takes a Chilean Army Truck to get me out of it sometimes. In the morning, the team practices our gastro-intestinal orchestra, while singing the praises of our favorite breakfast, polenta. It’s loved and hated with vigor, and no meal of it’s yellow grains passes without a debate over it’s merits and shortcomings. Wallace’s quest to make it taste ‘just like cornflakes’ continues.
Wallace has become a pharmacist of sorts, as we line up to take our morning dose of IB-Profin, little orange "road candies". We’re really working hard on getting our morning pack up time to under 2 hours…I’m telling you, it’s a rough life out here. Sleeping, eating, riding a bike, chasing sheep. Tough times.
I think I might be going crazy, the other day, I started to enjoy the wind as I was tossed around by it’s gusts. It reminded me of sailing. Riding the puffs, anticipating gusts, heading up into the wind to avoid being blown over. I mean, really, with all these bags, my bike is a lot like some sort of top-heavy wind-jammer. I haven’t managed to rig a spinnaker yet, but I promise, I haven’t stopped thinking about it
I’m working on a beard-food storage system, I think if I keep wiping my hands on the old chin-rag, eventually, with some hot water, I can make a really good soup. As the group chef, there’s really nothing the guys can do to stop me. In a few days, we leave for Torres del Paine. The Andes have been peeking through the clouds to the north for days, teasing us with their non-pampas-ness. I’m sure in a week, we’ll cease our constant whining about the wind, and start our ceaseless whining about the cold-snow-climbs-roving bands of cannibals that doubtlessly haunt Patagonias more mountainous regions. Until then, ‘Bye Bye’...that seems to be the only English farewell that people know down here. 
Peanut Gallery(No Subject)brooksnewark 2009-01-12 13:37:15 UTC
Hey Chris – Good luck with your soup! Andrew made me some homemade chicken noodle soup in his new crockpot! Yum! Glad you guys have been enjoying your trip and meeting awesome and friendly people! ~Heather (No Subject)bill.66 2009-01-12 15:08:44 UTC
We have had some of your 40 and 50 mile winds here causing downed trees and power outages. Morning temps in the 20’s and highes in the 40’s. The photos are interesting as they show the barren landscape similar to Alaska tundra without the vegetation. Mike’s flowing words describing the landscape and the views lead me to believe his calling may be in writing. Keep peddling and I wish your travels where shown on the map pinpointing your progress. Bill (Wooden Wheels) beard soupmrfuzzy19968 2009-01-12 18:17:24 UTC
now you know why I am so fat. the bigger the beard the better the flavor Aerodynamicsneddjrfh 2009-01-13 19:56:35 UTC
Did ya ever notice Lance Armstrong with a beard? You guys could easily add an extra mile to your daily trip if you lost the chin rags… Best wishes! no way!Esther Lins 2009-01-13 22:44:04 UTC
Chris, thats disgusting! :) black beard, or rather....snack beardanne.larrivee 2009-01-18 00:48:11 UTC
I agree with Esther…if the beard soup idea goes forward, be ready to expect more of those gastro-intestinal issues in the morning. But maybe you can make some animal friends and feed them with food from your beard. I feel you on the wind...chad.aukerman 2009-01-21 02:55:42 UTC
Chris, I can relate to the crazy wind you guys have been encountering. The wind coming off the Rockies blowing across the Academy will sometimes reach 50+ mph, literally blowing us across the Terazzo(the courtyard like area between the buildings), we just have to lean into it and take it like a man haha. I can also relate to the cold mountains you guys are coming up to. I had to walk half a mile to finals in -8 degree weather and a foot of snow. Seems as if I have one of those "old man" stories now lol. Anyway good luck man, you’re in my prayers. -Chad |
