Up and bring all of our gear to breakfast. And by gear, I mean waterproof pants (which go over my hot chilis long underwear and a pair of all-wool pants), water/wind proof glove covers, raincoat, down jackets (which is over a hot chilis top and smart wool long sleeve sweater). It’s pouring rain and I’m having my doubts. Lance and I look at each other and decide to rest for the day, then I change my mind back. Heavens knows why, since my body has been through plenty up until now, but into the bus we go with the other 4 hikers and our guide, Umberto. It’s a 40 minute drive and we hop out.
Luckily, the weather changes about every 20 minutes. Rain, sun, sprinkles, rainbows, heat, we experienced it all. At one point the rain was pelted us with wind and I couldn’t close my raincoat because of having my down jacket tied around my waist. But my honey stopped me and got it done. It’s so nice to have someone so sweet to look out for me. We say a condor, all kinds of birds, hares (so much bigger than rabbits!) and more cowpies than I’ve ever seen in one day in my life. Even recognized some puma scat (that’s the big badass around here. No bears or wolves).
Anyway, the trail was well marked, and we wound up and down, through thick forests, along rocky scree, atop beautiful vistas with lakes and rainbows, and in forests dripping with moss.
You get the idea. The 5 hour (as advertised to us) hike took closer to 7 and my right knee and back were mighty put out with me. Had to stiff leg it on the way down quite a bit. The old grey mare just ain’t what she used to be. Or perhaps didn’t think ahead about what a visit to Patagonia is really all about. It does remind me a bit of my trips to London, when the experience wasn’t really foreign enough to feel like foreign travel – didn’t hook me. Here, the lakes and mountains are spectacular, but part of me feels like I could just as well be in Colorado (although it’s wetter) or Montana. But there is certainly more of it all here – and I get to speak Spanish! Just sharing.
We enjoyed a late dinner (had lunch at 3:30 when we returned)
and Lance signed up for the French Valley hike, which leaves at 7:45 am and will return about 8 pm (depending upon which boat they catch back across the lake). I decided to take a day off, even though the other trek I wanted to take has two groups going tomorrow. Feeling fairly antisocial at the moment. I’m really worn out after that 8 mile of hiking up and down hill and my body protesting. So. There. Water still coming down from the sky off and on. Sounds so soothing when in the yurt in bed.