December 7, 2014
A complicated series of logistics
As much as we tried to plan and prepare for all the details of our adventure in Colorado, we knew that most of the logistics would need to be coordinated 'in country'. After all, there are no better people to consult about a 'place' than it's residents.
As much as we wanted to be totally dialed on day one of our trip, there are so many subtitles to contend with. Today, we are dealing with the combined wrenches of weather and Chilean holidays. Not to mention that our chain of logistics is a delicate balance of a list of variables so complicated that it took us all day to sort - and still sorting to be quite honest.
To get to the Balmaceda Glacier, we will need to take a shuttle to the Rio Serrano, a river on the eastern edge of Torres del Paine park. From there, we will load into zodiacs for a boat ride to a small estancio run by a local vaquero. After staying overnight, we will load all of our gear (and ourselves) onto several horses and ride all day hopefully arriving at the base of the Balmaceda Glacier the evening of the 9th. Whew, it makes my mind spin just writing all this.
We are staying at the Erratic Rock hostel and have been slowly making friends with the owners, Bill and his brother Paul as well as the rest of the staff as we stage, sort and pretty much get in the way of everyone else who is coming and going.
It feels good to have these details sorted out. Although I will say, one of the things I like about these types of adventures, is simply 'figuring things out'. However, I'm not going to lie, many times are filled with stress as we push the limits of convention and what is normal. Hoping for luck, but planning for everything.
For those of you who missed it on Facebook, we made a short video about the first steps of our adventure moving our gear from Punta Arenas to Puerta Natales. Enjoy!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4J80dnMgCHE&list=UUrZWtY4LGTLTm51Aa8elEDg
Image: Arranging horses.
As much as we wanted to be totally dialed on day one of our trip, there are so many subtitles to contend with. Today, we are dealing with the combined wrenches of weather and Chilean holidays. Not to mention that our chain of logistics is a delicate balance of a list of variables so complicated that it took us all day to sort - and still sorting to be quite honest.
To get to the Balmaceda Glacier, we will need to take a shuttle to the Rio Serrano, a river on the eastern edge of Torres del Paine park. From there, we will load into zodiacs for a boat ride to a small estancio run by a local vaquero. After staying overnight, we will load all of our gear (and ourselves) onto several horses and ride all day hopefully arriving at the base of the Balmaceda Glacier the evening of the 9th. Whew, it makes my mind spin just writing all this.
We are staying at the Erratic Rock hostel and have been slowly making friends with the owners, Bill and his brother Paul as well as the rest of the staff as we stage, sort and pretty much get in the way of everyone else who is coming and going.
It feels good to have these details sorted out. Although I will say, one of the things I like about these types of adventures, is simply 'figuring things out'. However, I'm not going to lie, many times are filled with stress as we push the limits of convention and what is normal. Hoping for luck, but planning for everything.
For those of you who missed it on Facebook, we made a short video about the first steps of our adventure moving our gear from Punta Arenas to Puerta Natales. Enjoy!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4J80dnMgCHE&list=UUrZWtY4LGTLTm51Aa8elEDg
Image: Arranging horses.