Camp Tres Cruces Chile

After pulling into our first camping stop during the acclimatization process, we didn't need to camp much at all!  There is actually a little house (refugio) here.  It was too dark last night, so below are the early morning photos while the boys are still sleeping.

I'm an early riser anyway, but the elevation headache has got me pretty good this morning.  Gee whiz, aspirin anyone??

Parque Nacional Nevado de Tres Cruces

Besides, I was so excited from what I saw last night, I couldn't wait to have a wander in the morning with my camera. We're going to be here for 2 or 3 days.  I know the boys will sleep in a bit.  They have been working hard since the moment they arrived from overseas.  I'll be back soon enough to put the kettle on for them.

I liked this photo from the still water. Without the reflection of the house, I'd nearly think it's just dirt to walk across as well.

Anyway, the refugio is just that.  A little refuge for people so far from civilization who need it (or want it) if it's available.  Door open, no fees, but we do have permission from the park authorities in Copiapo.

Just a building, nothing inside.  There are 4 rooms, one I used for the kitchen and the other ones we sorted out for sleeping. 

My room. I used my normal tent floor to cover up the dirty mattress.  Along with my sleeping bag, it was quite a comfortable place.. Cold, but comfortable.  I was quite happy about staying here!

I'd show you Walter and Lukas's space, but I better not.  Don't want to embarrass them... ;-) Barton stayed outside in his new red tent.  He thought we were crazy for sleeping under a roof.  I get his point, but this has it's pluses too.  We have plenty more opportunities for the tents coming up.

My little kitchen.  Three of us have cook stoves we carry for camping.  We bought a big pot at the supermarket, so I can make loads of hot water, for tea, Milo and hot porridge each morning.

The view out the front door.. LOVE IT HERE!!

There are flamingos everywhere. I've always thought of flamingos as a warm weather bird.  We saw heaps of them in the Galapagos. I didn't expect to see them here at 3700 cold meters! (12,140 ft)

Better get back to see if any movement in camp. I don't want to get fired from my day job.. I must have wandered over an hour, but I'm safe. Not a sound from any of them yet.

Once the boys did get up, it was time to play with the bikes.  They've done a lot of work preparing the bikes already, but they have many more things to do.  I'm not technically minded, so if I try to explain what they are doing to alter their bikes for high elevation, I'll get it wrong.  Besides alterations, they are just setting up their new bikes in general.  Everyone has a different idea of how to make the bike their own.

I'm busy in my little refugio sorting out all the food we bought.  Everthing was still in boxes and grocery bags, and I wanted it organized.  Breakfast food, lunch food, dinner and snacks.

Then I counted and wrote down everything I have so I can keep track of it.  I have no experience in keeping an expedition fed, but I will soon!  And I want to make sure it's all sorted (minus all the tins of tuna for Lukas.. ha!)  For instance, the first night I made pasta and heated up a bag of that pre-made pasta sauce (ick). It turned out one bag was not enough to feed 4 people.  When a packet says "serves 4" it should be more specific.  Two adults and two children?  More like four little children?  I have 3 hungry men!

Every now and then I'd peek out the front door and LOVED watching the weather change.  The colors are amazing here.

The next day is another beautiful day in the Chilean Andes.. and more bike works..

Laguna Santa Rosa, Chile

I've learned the weather here seems to have a pattern.  Morning is clear. Early afternoon is the warm bit where you don't need to wear a jacket for a while. But the late afternoon seems to muster up clouds along with rain, wind and snow.

Walter doesn't mind the oncoming weather. He keeps tinkering away at whatever needs tinkering..

Another morning and a beautiful view of the snow that last nights little dark cloud storm left behind.

I've put my foot down and being the 4th day since I last washed my hair, I'm ready to do the arctic dip.

This is my bath 'tub'.  The boys told me where to find it.  I waited until after they were fed, dishes clean and gave the sun time to warm the little pool up.  Then with a little warning, "do not come down to the lake for a few minutes.. "  I managed to get clean.  It was actually very nice!  Yes, cold.  But once I was used to it, I loved it!  And how could you complain about taking a bath in one of the most beautiful places on the planet.  I would be one of only a few who ever have or ever will in this place. I actually feel really honored to take a bath here.

You know what was in that pool?  Lots of tiny little shrimps.  Really cute to watch.  Now I know why the flamingos are here...

I started walking back to the refugio when I spotted something.  It's a vicuna that was actually really near my little bath.  Heck!  He/she doesn't seem fussed I'm here!  At the time I didn't know if it was alpaca or llama.  It's neither.  Vicuna is actually a member of the camel family.

In the 1970's they had been hunted and the population sunk to around 500.  Since they have been protected, they have bounced back.  And lucky for me in 2012, I see one right close to my bath.  It didn't have much fear and let me get quite close for a photo which I needed as I'm only carrying my little point and shoot.

What a little sweetheart.  And with the flamingos and ducks in the background, this place is pure magic. ;-))

Arriving back to camp.. and being teased.  "Hey SJ, we got photos of you with the zoom lens.."  Aw, bugger..  ;-/

Tomorrow we pack up and head for camp #2 at a higher elevation.  You can't see it in the photos, but we all had big head aches. However the longer we were here, they subsided quite a bit. Taking pain relief medicine is one thing, but the real trick is drinking as much water as possible.  This really works, however we are still in the beginning stages and need to be careful at the same time with the amount of water we drink so it lasts. 

Las Brisas to Popoyan Colombia

Waking up on a cold mountain in hot Colombia!!

After our late night discovery in the little wooden lifeless shack of Hosteria Las Brisas, we found it to be quite the bustling wooden shack full of life in the morning! I would have never imagined this to be a major depot for the mountain!

Early morning warm sun feels so goooood....The owner made us a wonderful large cup of hot chocolate... we are HAPPY!!!!!! 

 Kevin brings out his inner model for this cuppa shot ;-)

So much is happening in such a short space of time!  These mountain bikers show up first on their way down the mountain (already?)  They had camped higher up, freezing, so they are more or less needing to ride early to get warm.

Next came a group of tourists in a car heading up to Parque Los Nevados for a guided hike and they are getting a nice hot cuppa as well.

Then!  The milk man comes in!  

I'm finding this all quite fascinating in this day and age that milk is delivered by horse and donkey..

Then! A big truck pulls up.. Gee whiz!  All these men jump out and start bringing big sacks of potatoes from a storage bin below the house.  I'm guessing both the milk and potatoes are being dispatched from here just like any warehouse distribution on the highways in America.

What a beautiful spot in the world to wake up to... Wow...

Early morning walk includes two VERY happy dogs..! I think most any dog I've ever known is ALWAYS happy to go for a walk with a human.. always!! The stayed with me, but not sure why. They just attacked and played with each other the whole way, but when I turned around and came back, so did they.

Okay, seriously, we better pack up now and get on the road.

Even though the lady at the hostel tells us we can't ride through the park, we still want to go on up and check it out for ourselves.

Yup.. she was right!  The park rangers are no way going to let 2 motorcycles through!  But they were super nice and had us come in and learn about the Parque Nacional Los Nevados.  We told them about our sleepless night due to elevation head aches, and the ranger gave us heaps of information about drinking extra water, etc. It was all in Spanish, but we get it.. then she gave us each another bottle of water.  So nice!  This is a great place for high altitude hiking.  Sounds and looks awesome, but it's not on our list today. ;-)

Some of the animals you can see here are the Condor (would love to see one of those!) and Puma (aka cougar, mountain lion).  I've seen plenty at the Exotic Feline Rescue Center where I volunteer in Indiana, but none in this hemisphere nor in the wild.  Looks like I won't be seeing them today either..

Aww, well.  If it weren't for the fact that the road up here last night was amazing and the views we woke up to also amazing, then I might be disappointed.  But we are happy and decide to head back down the hill.

The dirt track turns into a paved track.

So if we didn't explore the dirt track last night, this is the paved road we could have climbed instead.  I'm more happy with our dirt choice! But this is pretty too and it's always nice to not have to go back the same way we came.

Mud slide!

Eventually made it back to Manizales where we re-configure our route plan.  Kevin loves to get advice from the locals.

Plus a quick stop to get some fuel and take off all our layers of winter gear so we can be back into summer riding at a lower elevation once again.

A very big part of Central America and Colombia is sugar cane.

These super long road trains can be quite fun to pass or quite dangerous if you time it a bit close with oncoming traffic.

Closing in on our destination of Popayan, Colombia with over 400 km riding today.

With our late start from the Park Los Nevados, we arrived Popayan all those kilometers later in the dark. Scoured the town for a place to stay.  Once the bikes were tucked away in a garage with massive dead bolts, we were free to wander the town to find some dinner.  I know it's South America, but we found a 3 table restaurant and a little old lady who made a fantastic Italian pizza and bottle of red.

Kevin is still practicing with the new camera and I must say his following night shots are better than any I've ever taken! 

Hasta manana....  Ciao!