Patagonia

Check out the photos!
Ok, Everybody! Dave was good enough to send me a nice write-up on the Patagonia trip. Unfortunately, he sent it in the form of a Web page with about 150 pictures in it! (We haven't got that kind of space!) So, here is the heavily abridged version! -Ren

Dave's Story....
Lets see, after meeting everyone in Miami for the first time, (since Riley lives in Miami, Lisa was on another flight and Kathy was flying first class and I was slumming it back in coach) we jump on the plane to Santiago. After the zillion hour flight we land safely in Santiago. Our jumping off point for the expedition to the bottom of the earth. But first, we partake in a tour of Santiago including a trip to one of the small diners. After getting our feet wet climbing the hill, we take an excursion over to the local market where Lisa proudly displays her fashion sense while Kathy hides in the background with her American flag hat. After a wonderful dinner in Santiago, we head down to the lake district and Porte Monte.

Now the adventure really starts....White Water Rafting!.....But first the equipment check...Next some instruction.....Note how Dave is not in the picture and probably not listening....Ok, we're on the water!.....They are giving out more of those instructions about hanging on and such and of course Dave doesn't listen while Riley on the other hand is paying close attention...

ACTION PHOTO HERE. Dave falls backwards out of boat.

(Web-guy note; Please note that where Dave had indicated ACTION PHOTO HERE in this story, there are in fact no action photos, because the action (usually involving Dave) was happening so fast that no one could take a picture. So instead of having an actual photo, we invite you to 'become part of the Adventure Experience' and use your imagination to picture something, usually really horrible, happening to Dave.)

Now while most of us were content to just go out to our Thanksgiving dinner and then head back to the cottage, Riley seemed to recall hearing our guide mention that there was a casino in town....So....he manages to recruit the ONLY taxi in town to take him down to the casino...Not only does he get the ride to the casino, he proceeds to impress all of the locals with his outrageous bets of a whole $20 while his taxi waits outside to take him home....

Next day, we are off for some horse back riding thru the moutains. .... But first, our horses get some instruction and equipment checked out...Then Riley consults with the guide for which is the most "spirited" horse....

And we're off.....now it starts off nice and straight forward, and then the trail thins out some....and then thins out some more....Until we take our first break and see the waterfall across the river...Now back on our horses, we proceed back up the mountain until we come to a clearing....Where we dismount and start heading up the river bed

....No bridges here!

Neat rocks in the river bed... Until we come to a huge waterfall...Back on our horses, we start to head down the mountain....getting more courageous all the time....ACTION PHOTO HERE... (See Web-guy note above!) Horse knows better than Dave where the trail goes and when to stop....Galloping along thru the woods horse realizes that it wants to stop...Regardless of what that tourist is saying in a foreign language...Dave gets thrown forward off the horse, lands on one knee, tumbles and gets back on his feet trying unsuccessfully to get back on the horse before anyone notices....(Horse stopped because the entire group was waiting around for us.)

Now after getting on a plane and having the group mandate to the crew not to put Dave near anything that he could fall out of , we arrive in Porte Aranes. Where we take a side trip to see the penguin nesting ground along the straights of Magellen. Basically, you are permitted to walk along designated paths thru the breading ground but asked not to interfere with the penguins and always give them the right of way....

Now we are off for our first hike up the mountains.....Now you would think that the group would know better than to let Dave lead the trail expedition, but they did and the result is one very steep climb, straight up, thru thick bushes. Lisa shows how it is done...Not too keen on the path chosen by Dave, Riley picks out steeper ravine to traverse.....Ok, so that Ravine wasn't such a good idea....It was pretty steep...Ok, so it was really really steep...But the view was magnificent...Our "guide" is amazed that we actually want to hike up this...but coming down is SOOOO FUN!.....

Now after a nice night in the refugio, we head out for another day of hiking up to the towers...sometimes, it takes some balance, other times, it just takes a good sense of direction and an appreciation for the beauty of the forest....But ultimately, we arrive at the towers and Riley goes down to see the lake, while Dave takes in a view of the towers...Thoroughly amazed, we head back to the refugio for the sunset ....At 10:00pm Now they always say that the weather changes quickly down here....These clouds sure seem strange.....But the mountains are still amazing with the black shale tops and gray granite bases...

In another million years, it will look like the towers...Hmmmm, more of those ominous clouds......But we still make it out to hike up to Glacier Grey...

Another Web-guy note. -> Sorry, but for some weird technical problem that I can't explain, the story peters out right about here. Actually, as I recall, we are pretty near the end, so let's just all say, they then hopped on a jet, came home and lived happily ever after.