I find myself singing that line,"climb every mountain..." from The Sound of Music as we hike the staggeringly breathtaking trails of Patagonia. From Ushuaia we traveled to Chile to visit the Parque Nacional Torres del Paine. We lodged at Erratic Rock, a hostel and trekking outfit operated by a few zealous guys from Oregon. The hostel was no frills but they put together a mean stick-to-your-ribs breakfast and offer you all the advice a novice trekker could ask for before heading into the park. We began our 6 day trek with two other travellers, Malcolm and Kyla. We trudged 11 miles the first day through snow flurries but were rewarded with views of Torres and Los Cuernos del Paine as the clouds broke mid-afternoon. The second day we hiked along the base of Cerro Paine Grande ... read more

After our departure from the countryside we decided to try out our hiking legs in the peaceful town of Tandil. This is a picturesque town located south of Buenos Aires in a region that is well known for its fine selection of cheeses and cured meats. I’m not talking the super sweet deal of a Slim Jim jerky stick with cheddar to match in one convenient package. This was a throwback to Europe…cobble streets and cold cellars. Even if Jess and I were fluent in Spanish, we still wouldn’t have had a clue what this cat Maximillion was rambling on about in his dairy dialect as he let us sample some of the 130 odd cheeses he sold or the enormous spread of salami and salted cold cuts. In addition to some tasty meat and cheese ... read more

Hi All...Jess here. Last you heard, we were leaving for Iguazu Falls (AR side). This is one of the sights I have been looking forward to the most and it did not disappoint! The day was hot and sunny...perfect for visiting such an awe inspiring, body drenching site. The sheer power and magnitude of water was humbling and no pictures could ever do it justice. After strolling the catwalks of the upper and lower falls, we climbed in a speed boat with 15 other exuberant Argentines to view the falls from a different angle. We were pummeled by the smaller falls dubbed the Three Musketeers; the boat driver kept pushing us under again and again to the chants, "Otra vez! Otra vez!" We then wheeled around for a view of the big falls. I am not ... read more

Well, we made it. That´s surprising considering the trials it took to get here. I want to say thanks to Brad for taking me to Checker Auto Parts to get a new battery for my ´91 pick-up that was sitting void of life in the middle Fox street at 9 pm, 8 hours before I had to be on my way to the airport. After an hour and a half wrestling with the ol´SOB we got it started and I made it home. Jess and I made our morning flight after three hours of sleep. 24 hours of airport inflation and sitting like a pretzel in economy...apparently you can´t even donate a kidney to get an exit row these days. We flew Denver to Boston, to Washington D.C., to Sao Paulo, and finally to Rio. ... read more