Monday, February 20, 2012

Saturday, February 18, 2012

tucson alast the sunshine can make a smile






Ah from the rain forest back to Oregon taking on Montezuma Revenge head on for two days then loading up the red wagon and home on wheels from storage the not yet up to strenght me headed down the five with Tucson as the destination. I pretty much drove 1,400 miles in two days with one mis hap that being a blown trailer tire and not really felling or seeing it with the dark and all , a nice motorist came up and turned the dome light on and pointed back, at first I thought they were mes sen with me but then it all hit snapping me out of my sleep deprivation and figuring out things just weren't right with the towing. Thanks to my trusty black Diamond prim win I could see all the things to getter done and back on the road ariving at the Catalina State park and hook en up with Montana connection Jeff the shim Penrod and Don Juan Arhtur, I was promptly fed and mothered by Jeff in his sort of wine induced humorous preforming way.
So after way to much wine and maybe four hours of sleep we do tour the Oro Valley for tree hours , see alot of the valley and have mostly great bike path and bike lanes. Day two felling some what rested we tackle Mt. Lemon but get way too late a start especially after making a few wrong turns and not being in Lemon conquering shape we get our back sides handed to us. I may ed it to the Winter Haven spot and waited a while for my homeys then headed down meeting them down the mountain gearing up for the cold near the top, we were all suffering and cram pen but new we were running out of that glorious sunshine and light. No prepared for darkness stuff with us we got some Adrenalin pedal pumping in but still ended up ridding a hour in the dark with occasional car lights helping our journey, we are old enough to know better but did make the 120 mile with a lot of climbing a epic event for us out of shape over eatters and wine drinkers.
We also saw the happy faces and chatted a bit with the Schultz boys on the mountain, of coarse they had already slayed it and were in home ward mode.
We did a good hike the next day to try and work a wrinkle or two out then hit Gates Pass the next day meeting Lindsey C. Jen L. And Elliot the B man along the way, so we been good for Montana sightings.
Next day big changes even in Paradise with rain and snow so a no go on valentines day, my boys decided to catapult out of town towards Saint George and the promise of better weather on the way back to the center of the universe.
The next day was sorta big for me ridding two hour mt. bike then ridding roadie ten miles to meet Bill and Cindy Schultz and throwing in nice conversation pace on the bike paths around town and a great dinner with the Schultz family . I got another big three hours on the mt. bike next day doin a killer Charheouleoou Pass that I meant my stopper before I could crest the pass with no legs left and miles to go back I gave in. Day of rest now I might be ready for some more brutality to the body but life is good..

Tuesday, February 7, 2012

My Jungel Travels and the marvels of Peru






Just got back from a game changer in life trip to Peru, visiting Lima, Iquitos, and the great Amazon river and jungles.
Were to start well how about getting up at 4:30 am then off to the airport for the 6 o'clock flight to Houston then off to Peru. We did not land and get to hotel tell12:30 am so long day.
Right off I amassed and awed by all the peeps in Li ma very low and the high way of life and they in numbers go hard into the night.
the fist full day here we took a bus to the down town plaza with the many chapels and presidential palace. There was a big singing, dancing and posturing of different tribes for the I think 27 day celebration of the virgin.
The Catholic spirit is very high here, peeps wait in line for hours to get in some chapels to pray and be blessed.
After taking in the sights we headed back to the hotel for what started out to be one of many time being involved with the drinking of Pis co Sours. They are even celebrated on a certain day of the year which was during our visit. We then went to a Ocean Restraint for fab meal.
next day we are headed to Iquitos for our one and half hour drive to Nauta which is right on the river and our boat is waiting to take us on our adventure. We spent a few days walking in the Jungle learning about it and all it's inhabitants which are so many. Colorful birds were every where. We stayed a night right in the jungle, something i knew of ahead of time and had been in pucker mode, but I managed unscathed except for my ears getting over worked with the new sounds all night except maybe one or two hours of break and pretty peacefulness.
We as a group from peeps from William and Marry , Oregon State Alum's and a few just on the tour numbered some 14 moved through the jungle boarded the skiffs and ate many great meals cooked up by some great malty tasking peeps from various villages along the Amazon. They are for the expedition and stay on the in the jungle and on the river like the Cycling House is for bikers, they totally have it dialed and make the stay great.
We spent seven days on this adventure which was a memories and experience to last . It was good to see how simple people could live and survive and look happy and content with that, it also may ed me really appreciate so many of the things i take for granted. Got to say that the most the peeps on this trip not all were in their 60's and up but there was this one lady Doris with her daughter in law that was 92 and full of so much life. She could hang with all the hikes, all the conversations , she could bring the humor and she brought a sweetness that had me crush en on this young lady.
So we got back to the states Sunday in time for a dry sunny marvelous day for a two hour mountain bike ride then settled in to finish watching the super bowl with me being happy with which ever team won, it's so less stress full that way. Half hour after the game it's lights out with full on diarea, fever thing , chills and just plain go ahead and shoot me feelings that after two days are still lingering--ouch. Got to heal soon need to be in Tucson to meet and ride with peeps from Montana by Friday. So take care all...