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  • Mt. Bierstadt Group Summit - Front Range, Colorado
  • A rest before the summit push on Dallas Peak - San Juan Range, Colorado
  • Broken Ankle + 6 Miles = Tired
  • The classic San Juan approach - San Juan Range, Colorado
  • Overlooking Noname Basin from Twin Thumbs Pass - San Juan Range, Colorado
  • Upper Noname Basin - San Juan Range, Colorado
  • Nearing Noname Cabin - San Juan Range, Colorado
  • Twin Thumbs Twins - San Juan Range, Colorado
  • Nearing the summit of Pt. 13,736 - Sawatch Range, Colorado
  • Blustery day on Iowa Peak - Sawatch Range, Colorado
  • Morning snow at 15k, Cerro Ramada - Cordillera Ramada
  • Artesonraju from the summit of Nevado Pisco - Cordillera Blanca, Peru
  • February crowds on Gray's Peak - Front Range, Colorado
  • Kicking steps on Cerro Lliani - Cordillera Vilcanota, Peru
  • Final traverse to the summit of Wheeler Mountain - Ten Mile Range, Colorado
  • The long walk to Pachanta - Cordillera Vilcanota, Peru
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    Afternoon at 17k on Cerro Ramada - Cordillera Ramada, Argentina
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    The final ridge on Iowa Peak - Sawatch Range, Colorado
  • Summer summit on Longs Peak - Front Range, Colorado
  • A rest day at the Pachanta Hot Springs - Cordillera Vilcanota, Peru
  • Mind over matter on Mt. Parnassas - Front Range, Colorado
  • Rest stop on Cerro Lliani - Cordillera Vilcanota, Peru
  • banner30
    Post nap surprise on Cerro Ramada - Cordiller Ramada, Argentina
  • Summit on Cerro Lliani - Cordillera Vilcanota, Peru
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    Ridge walking on Grizzly Peak - Sawatch Range, Colorado
  • Enroute the summit via the West Ridge on Pacific Peak - Ten Mile Range, Colorado
  • Mule train bound for Chilca - Cordillera Vilcanota, Peru
  • Taking in the view from Fletcher Peak - Ten Mile Range, Colorado
  • Hiking on Silverheels - Mosquito Range, Colorado
  • Traversing! Gladstone Peak - San Juan Range, Colorado
  • banner24
    The best of times at Willow Lake - Sangre de Christo Range, Colorado
  • banner29
    High Altitude Cerebral Edema? - Cordillera Ramada, Argentina
  • Bound for Chilca - Vilcanota Range, Peru
  • Going alpine light, Holy Cross Ridge - Sawatch Range, Colorado
  • Cumbre! Campa I - Cordillera Vilcanota, Peru
  • Roadside lunch with the best of company - Cordillera Vilcanota, Peru
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    Long ridge walk to the summit of California Peak - Sangre de Christo Range, Colorado
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    Crossing el Rio Colorado . . . in the afternoon - Cordillera Ramada, Argentina
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    Dealing with Fall snows high on Casco Peak - Sawatch Range, Colorado
  • Moonrise over Mercedario - Cordillera Ramada, Argentina
  • Still climbing at 20,900 on Cerro Ramada - Cordiller Ramada, Argentina
  • Talus on Halo Ridge, Mt. of the Holy Cross - Sawatch Range, Colorado
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    Deteriorating conditions on Mt. Arkansas - Ten Mile Range, Colorado
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    After the climb - Cordillera Ramada, Argentina
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    Taking in the view from the summit of Crystal Peak - Tenmile Range, Colorado
  • Topping out on Mt. Arkansas' North Couloir - Mosquito Range, Colorado
  • Glissade on Mt. Arkansas - Mosquito Range, Colorado
  • Hard snow morning on Teakettle Mountain - San Juan Range, Colorado
  • Spring snow announces the start of the climb on Dallas Peak - San Juan Range, Colorado
  • Crossing the Eolus Catwalk - San Juan Range, Colorado

Argentina 2010

Homeward Bound . . . January 24-25, 2010

 

Our flight did not leave Mendoza until late in the afternoon so we had time to kill in the morning. My stomach was still tied in a knot but we were determined to accomplish something before leaving town. But, before anything, G and Bob needed a breakfast to fuel the fires.

Our next task was to get the gear packed in the six duffels and ready to leave in the storage room by the front desk after we checked out. I've groused about the Cordon del Plata but I do want to note that the front desk help was always friendly and very helpful and they cut us some slack on the check out time when we asked. Nice folks and we all know that the front end help has little control over whether the uppermost floor has water at any given time of the day.

We were out of the hotel and McDonald's bound where the light Argentine breakfast was pushed back, not very far mind you, but far enough to get a slab of sausage and egg on a bagel for the food giant. From McD's we were off to the local supermarket to buy food souvenirs, mostly my doing in this case. I buy not for me but for a colleague who likes to sample the chocolates of the world and I do my best to accommodate him. The comestible souvenirs went back to the hotel and we packed the last few items before lugging all too much weight to the first floor.

With the bags in storage we returned to the main shopping area to cover the spousal gift obligation. Bob and G have kids and there is the need to bring something back for all but I've only a wife and neither of us need more stuff in an already stuff oriented home whose decor is a cross between "I made that" and "dorm room". I ended up with a mate cup and a bombilla to sip mate through in some future mountain camp. From there we found a sandwich joint with sidewalk seating and a menu offering lomo specials. That was what we all wanted at this point so we sat down and enjoyed lunch.

We arranged with Felipe for a ride to the airport and he was there right on time with a smile. You gotta get somewhere with a load of gear, this is the guy. We loaded the gear in the minivan and were off to the airport, about three hours before the flight but the terminal has air conditioning and I hate being at the back of the long line of folks checking luggage. We ended up killing an hour before the Lan Chile counter opened up and we were through just like that. From there it was through security, past the outbound immigration check point and into the waiting area. Lan boarded on time and soon enough we were taking off for our flight back over the Andes to Santiago.

The views outbound were mostly of clouds, negating the sweet talking job we did at the counter to assure right side window seating for the flight. We did catch a glimpse of mountains here and there before we landed 40 minutes later in Santiago. Now we had a three hour layover before our American flight left for Dallas. We walked the terminal and I purchased a book on Argentine grilling techniques, a skill that I now consider a vital adjunct to the gas grill but more importantly to the fire pit I constructed in my back yard last summer. Clearly, I have no kids as I have no qualms about piling two cords of wood in the back yard and sitting by a summertime suburban camp fire.

We ate a light dinner at a sandwich joint in the airport and eventually boarded our flight to Dallas, an overnight nine hour hop. We were off on time and with the aid of a half tab of Ambien, I slept for the next six hours, which made the length of the flight much more tolerable. Another layover in Dallas, with breakfast for the food giants, and we were off to Denver and the ride to Cheyenne, to winter, and back to work.

 

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