December 6, 2014
From Punta Arenas to Puerta Natales
I don't necessarily believe in luck, but I find myself feeling lucky or unlucky relatively frequently on expeditions. Today, we woke up in Punta Arenas after a very late arrival. We stayed in at the Condor de Plata, a hotel, that if it weren't so steeped in Antarctic expedition history, would seem a bit more like a hole in the wall than gathering place for adventurers.
Our first order of business was finding a bus to Puerta Natales. It didn't take long to have a brush in with our first stroke of luck - the bus station was right around the corner from our hotel. Considering we are traveling with seven very large bags, it's hard not to stress about moving them from one location to another.
'Moving piles,' is how Ryan refers to the fact that much of his life as a mountaineering guide is hauling gear from one location to another whether it be getting to the mountain of from one camp to another on a mountain.
After we sorting our bus, we stopped by Adventure Network International, the logistics and expedition support for nearly all Antarctic Expeditions. I've worked for ANI for three seasons so it was great to catch up with some of the support staff. No one seemed to be willing to allow me to stow away on the next Ilyushin flight to Union Glacier.
The bus ride to Puerta Natales was uneventful which is always the best kind of trip. And after a few hours we arrived at the bus station and once again found ourselves in 'moving piles mode'. This time, it was a supposedly just 60 meters to our hostel and next staging point. Unfortunately, a shift in our good luck turned 60 meters turned into into over a half of a mile. We left Josiah with half the gear and grabbed two of our big Granite Gear duffels each and headed into town. Moving piles again. If nothing else it was a bit of extra training.
We now staying in a hostel called the Erratic Rock hostel - a jumping off point for trekkers heading into Torres Del Paine. For Ryan and I, it is more than just a little amusing being nearly twice as old as most of the people staying here.
Our goal for now is to arrange all the logistics, permits and maps to aid us in getting to the ice cap to train. More bad luck? There is a holiday this weekend so it may be difficult to get some of the permits we need. The good luck? Great pizza and beer next door.
Image: Josiah enjoying some of Puerta Natales finest fare (note the MSR banner in the background).
Our first order of business was finding a bus to Puerta Natales. It didn't take long to have a brush in with our first stroke of luck - the bus station was right around the corner from our hotel. Considering we are traveling with seven very large bags, it's hard not to stress about moving them from one location to another.
'Moving piles,' is how Ryan refers to the fact that much of his life as a mountaineering guide is hauling gear from one location to another whether it be getting to the mountain of from one camp to another on a mountain.
After we sorting our bus, we stopped by Adventure Network International, the logistics and expedition support for nearly all Antarctic Expeditions. I've worked for ANI for three seasons so it was great to catch up with some of the support staff. No one seemed to be willing to allow me to stow away on the next Ilyushin flight to Union Glacier.
The bus ride to Puerta Natales was uneventful which is always the best kind of trip. And after a few hours we arrived at the bus station and once again found ourselves in 'moving piles mode'. This time, it was a supposedly just 60 meters to our hostel and next staging point. Unfortunately, a shift in our good luck turned 60 meters turned into into over a half of a mile. We left Josiah with half the gear and grabbed two of our big Granite Gear duffels each and headed into town. Moving piles again. If nothing else it was a bit of extra training.
We now staying in a hostel called the Erratic Rock hostel - a jumping off point for trekkers heading into Torres Del Paine. For Ryan and I, it is more than just a little amusing being nearly twice as old as most of the people staying here.
Our goal for now is to arrange all the logistics, permits and maps to aid us in getting to the ice cap to train. More bad luck? There is a holiday this weekend so it may be difficult to get some of the permits we need. The good luck? Great pizza and beer next door.
Image: Josiah enjoying some of Puerta Natales finest fare (note the MSR banner in the background).