Here are some pictures from Santiago... I will try to get some from Valparaiso as soon as I can!
Although I don't know when I will be able to post next becasue we are going to San Pedro and I don't know how much internet I will have... So talk to you soon!
http://s237.photobucket.com/albums/ff91/jenniferyoung120/Santiago/
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
Monday, September 24, 2007
Santiago September 21st-25th
Friday September 21st:
Today was field trip day. The group boarded a bus in the morning and enjoyed a two hour ride to the city of Valparaiso. Upon arrival, they went for a tour through the building that houses the Congress of Chile. Manwell was quick to take over the seat of the President in the Senate meeting room and controlled the floor during a pressuring interview. They interviewed a secretary of a congressman and asked questions relating to their energy policy and their plans for sustainable energy. After the tour ended they made their way to Pablo Neruda’s house. Pablo Neruda was a Nobel Peace Prize wining poet and author who was Chilean born and raised. He has houses all over Chile and after his death they were remodeled and turned into cultural museums highlighting his life and works. The group boarded the bus and drove to the coast for lunch, which they enjoyed along a pier in the bustling port of Valparaiso, Chile’s first and biggest port city. After a lunch of pizza and sushi (interesting combination…) they took to climbing and exploring the city’s hills. The city of Valparaiso is situated on over 30 hills, called cerros, which overlook the ocean and port. As they rode the trolley up Cerro Allegre, they were treated to an amazing view of the city and the colors of the buildings. They were able to walk off they lunch as they made their way around Cerro Allegre to Cerro Concepcion. The remarkable part of this area was the artwork they discovered on the walls of the buildings. Some may call it graffiti, but the local culture was displayed through cartoons, paintings, and murals lining the city streets. These works obviously took a significant amount of time and talent and were a unique addition to the culture of the city. After descending Cerro Concepcion, they took a quick detour to Vina Del Mar, a bustling coastal town on the outskirts of Valparaiso. They were then treated to a local ice cream parlor by the teachers of Spanish class. A lot of the members were surprised to find out what flavors they ordered! After a nice walk along the beach during an amazingly colorful sunset, they boarded the bus and returned to Santiago.
Saturday September 22nd:
After a long day of touring and walking through Valparaiso, the group woke up ready for another day of class and tours. Luckily, they were staying close to their hostel, exploring the Santa Lucia area. First stop was the Museum of Pre-Colombian Art, which specialized in representing the culture of each region in Chile through the art of their native crafts and carvings. After an engaging tour with a bilingual guide (a nice treat) the group walked to the Plaza de Armas, which is a courtyard that was used by the conquerors from Spain as an area to store weapons and artillery. While there, they toured a Catholic church built in that time period. They enjoyed lunch in a park close to the church where they take Spanish classes and afterwards settled in for another afternoon of class. After class, the group took showers and got “gussied up” to go to a local Chilean salsa club to attempt to learn, or embarrass themselves while trying, the salsa. It was a long interesting night and the cultural experience that the group had will not be soon forgotten.
Sunday September 23rd:
After dancing the night away at the salsa club they group was treated to restful day off. Most of them woke up around noon and then formulated their plans for the day. While some members rested at the hostel others took off to explore the city a little more. They came upon a bazaar filled with local crafts and artwork. It seems that, even though they are thoroughly enjoying their time in Santiago and being in a big city, the group mentality seems to be turning to the adventures that lie ahead of them in the Atacama Desest…
Monday September 24th:
Today they went to school first thing in the morning. And they learned about numbers and money! During their afternoon café Claudia took some of them shopping. They bought yarn so Esther could crotchet hats and scarves, and power adapters so they could plug in their electronics. In the afternoon they went to the Senatur (which is the National Tourism Center). They listened to a presentation about tourism in Chile. There was a joke that had been going on all day as well. Claudia mentioned to them that tomorrow (Tuesday) they would practice waking up early for their flight on Wednesday. They were going to have to wake up and be ready by 5:00am so they could prove to Claudia that they could be on time… fortunately Jen proposed the question; what if we pack up all of our stuff the night before and make sure that every one is packed, then can we not wake up early? Though after a short time and a group vote about waking up early they learned that it was only a joke!
Tuesday September 25th:
Today was their last day of school!!! YAY! They tried to watch a Chilean movie about the school system, but they couldn’t get the sound to work and without the sound the movie was pointless. So, instead they went to Universidad Catolico and played some sports in their field. A bunch of the boys played an amazing game of basketball. Around 2:00pm they said goodbye to their teachers and went home. When they got back they spent some time packing their stuff so they can hop on a airplane to go to the Atacama desert tomorrow!
Today was field trip day. The group boarded a bus in the morning and enjoyed a two hour ride to the city of Valparaiso. Upon arrival, they went for a tour through the building that houses the Congress of Chile. Manwell was quick to take over the seat of the President in the Senate meeting room and controlled the floor during a pressuring interview. They interviewed a secretary of a congressman and asked questions relating to their energy policy and their plans for sustainable energy. After the tour ended they made their way to Pablo Neruda’s house. Pablo Neruda was a Nobel Peace Prize wining poet and author who was Chilean born and raised. He has houses all over Chile and after his death they were remodeled and turned into cultural museums highlighting his life and works. The group boarded the bus and drove to the coast for lunch, which they enjoyed along a pier in the bustling port of Valparaiso, Chile’s first and biggest port city. After a lunch of pizza and sushi (interesting combination…) they took to climbing and exploring the city’s hills. The city of Valparaiso is situated on over 30 hills, called cerros, which overlook the ocean and port. As they rode the trolley up Cerro Allegre, they were treated to an amazing view of the city and the colors of the buildings. They were able to walk off they lunch as they made their way around Cerro Allegre to Cerro Concepcion. The remarkable part of this area was the artwork they discovered on the walls of the buildings. Some may call it graffiti, but the local culture was displayed through cartoons, paintings, and murals lining the city streets. These works obviously took a significant amount of time and talent and were a unique addition to the culture of the city. After descending Cerro Concepcion, they took a quick detour to Vina Del Mar, a bustling coastal town on the outskirts of Valparaiso. They were then treated to a local ice cream parlor by the teachers of Spanish class. A lot of the members were surprised to find out what flavors they ordered! After a nice walk along the beach during an amazingly colorful sunset, they boarded the bus and returned to Santiago.
Saturday September 22nd:
After a long day of touring and walking through Valparaiso, the group woke up ready for another day of class and tours. Luckily, they were staying close to their hostel, exploring the Santa Lucia area. First stop was the Museum of Pre-Colombian Art, which specialized in representing the culture of each region in Chile through the art of their native crafts and carvings. After an engaging tour with a bilingual guide (a nice treat) the group walked to the Plaza de Armas, which is a courtyard that was used by the conquerors from Spain as an area to store weapons and artillery. While there, they toured a Catholic church built in that time period. They enjoyed lunch in a park close to the church where they take Spanish classes and afterwards settled in for another afternoon of class. After class, the group took showers and got “gussied up” to go to a local Chilean salsa club to attempt to learn, or embarrass themselves while trying, the salsa. It was a long interesting night and the cultural experience that the group had will not be soon forgotten.
Sunday September 23rd:
After dancing the night away at the salsa club they group was treated to restful day off. Most of them woke up around noon and then formulated their plans for the day. While some members rested at the hostel others took off to explore the city a little more. They came upon a bazaar filled with local crafts and artwork. It seems that, even though they are thoroughly enjoying their time in Santiago and being in a big city, the group mentality seems to be turning to the adventures that lie ahead of them in the Atacama Desest…
Monday September 24th:
Today they went to school first thing in the morning. And they learned about numbers and money! During their afternoon café Claudia took some of them shopping. They bought yarn so Esther could crotchet hats and scarves, and power adapters so they could plug in their electronics. In the afternoon they went to the Senatur (which is the National Tourism Center). They listened to a presentation about tourism in Chile. There was a joke that had been going on all day as well. Claudia mentioned to them that tomorrow (Tuesday) they would practice waking up early for their flight on Wednesday. They were going to have to wake up and be ready by 5:00am so they could prove to Claudia that they could be on time… fortunately Jen proposed the question; what if we pack up all of our stuff the night before and make sure that every one is packed, then can we not wake up early? Though after a short time and a group vote about waking up early they learned that it was only a joke!
Tuesday September 25th:
Today was their last day of school!!! YAY! They tried to watch a Chilean movie about the school system, but they couldn’t get the sound to work and without the sound the movie was pointless. So, instead they went to Universidad Catolico and played some sports in their field. A bunch of the boys played an amazing game of basketball. Around 2:00pm they said goodbye to their teachers and went home. When they got back they spent some time packing their stuff so they can hop on a airplane to go to the Atacama desert tomorrow!
Sunday, September 23, 2007
Dinosaur National Monument River Trip Pictures!
Here are the pictures for the river trip. Enjoy!
http://s237.photobucket.com/albums/ff91/jenniferyoung120/River/
http://s237.photobucket.com/albums/ff91/jenniferyoung120/River/
Crawford Pictures
Sorry I took the pictures off the blog, I think it is easier this way. Let me know if you guys can't view them or something! I think all you have to do is click on this link.
http://s237.photobucket.com/albums/ff91/jenniferyoung120/Crawford/
http://s237.photobucket.com/albums/ff91/jenniferyoung120/Crawford/
Friday, September 21, 2007
Santigo: Sept. 17th-120th
Monday September 17th:
This day three of the group’s members arrived in the great city of Santiago, Chile. Josh had arrived the morning before and was standing outside of customs with Claudia and Manuel. Claudia is our guide while we are in the Santiago and Manuel is her husband (note the difference between Manuel, Claudia’s husband, and Manwell, the C.O.R.E. mascot). Tommy and Jen arrived in Santiago and prepared to meet the rest of the group with the welcoming committee, but soon learned that only Izzy would be arriving today, Eric D, Eric O, L.B., and Walker’s flight was cancelled so the whole rest of the crew would be arriving, together, the next morning. It was definitely an adventure getting to Santiago. Manwell rode the whole way on Jen’s carry-on bag; it was an adventure for him too. The four musketeers went to Claudia’s house for some breakfast and had many questions answered about Chilean life. It is Chile’s independence week so there were not many cars on the street and not many people out. After breakfast she took them to their hostel, Hostel Oveja Negra (the black sheep), and the four of them took a nice afternoon nap. Around 2:30 she picked them up again and they went to an Independence Day fair at a local park. They really got to experience Chilean culture there. They each got chicken or meat on a stick and sat down to watch a Navy reenactment of a significant battle in Chilean history. After they were finished with the fair they went to a huge grocery store called Jumbo, which is actually a supermarket, construction store, and a mall all in one enormous building. They went out to dinner to a Chilean/Mexican restaurant that was DELICIOUS! One interesting thing that they noticed was that the Chilean people eat really late… they finished dinner around 10:00pm and it was at that time that the restaurant was the busiest! They went back to the hostel and crashed for the night ready to see the rest of the group in the morning.
Tuesday September 18th:
This morning the rest of the group arrived and the team was now complete! Unfortunately, thanks to the Gunnison Airport, Casey and Drew’s bags did not arrive with them, but whose mood could be ruined by such news when you first arrive in a new country! It was also great to see the arrival of their fearless leaders, Mark and Nick. The group seemed a little antsy so they decided to take a walk up the hill right outside their hostel called Santa Lucia. It’s a hill in the middle of the city that contains remnants of a castle. It’s really neat but they have been told not to go there at night, apparently if you do you might come back broke and naked. Around 3:00pm they went to lunch/dinner at an authentic Chilean restaurant. They sat down and immediately received wine, bread, beer, pisco, and empanadas. (Pisco is a very common drink in Chile, Claudia says that if you want to experience some Chilean culture, get a Pisco at every restaurant and taste the differences). When it was time to order they got a choice of salmon, beef, pork, or chicken. When the food came it was exactly that, a hunk of meat or fish on a plate. The restaurant was so confident in the taste of the entrée they did not feel the need to provide side items, but let me tell you it was DELICIOUS!! They went back to the hostel and got ready for their evening out, they were going to a place called La Yein Fonda! (in Spanish a Fonda is a party so this place was like a play on words for Jane Fonda). It was a very interesting place. They paid about $20 USD for a night of some very different music. Four bands played that night and apparently they were some of the top recording artists in Chile! Even though no one understood the songs they danced the night away and got a true taste of Chilean culture.
Wednesday September 19th:
They woke up leisurely in the morning and that afternoon they met up with Claudia, Manuel, and their son Diego. Diego taught them how to use the subway system so they went to check out where their language school was. After strolling through the streets of Santiago and stopping for lunch, they made their way back to the hostel. That night they thought it would be nice to have a good time at the hostel. The family who owns the hostel was there so the group prepared them dinner and played some popular American songs for them. Everyone danced and had a great time, then at the stroke of midnight we celebrated the birthday of Casey Davis! Happy Birthday Casey!
Thursday September 20th:
Today they woke up bright and early and started their day with a visit to the presidential palace. They were able to see the changing of the guards, which I believe was because the president of Chile was coming. They toured the palace and learned a lot of information about the history of Chile and the way their government works. After they were done with the palace they walked around a small museum that had a display of different kinds of handy crafts from the different regions of Chile. Once they were done there they were off to their first day of language school. The group learned some important vocabulary words and phrases that would help them communicate on a very basic level for the time being. After a short snack break, they learned the basics of the country and culture of Chile, such as how the country is divided and some of the unique characteristics of each region. Nick did his best to be our translator for the teachers because they were reluctant to speak any English to the group; immersion is the key to language success! After language school was done the group split up, some went back to the hostel and the others went food shopping. A little while later, the group that went shopping came home only to give us the news that Albee got his pocket picked on the subway. It was a real eye-opener for the rest of the group and everyone has been very conscientious of their belongings since then.
This day three of the group’s members arrived in the great city of Santiago, Chile. Josh had arrived the morning before and was standing outside of customs with Claudia and Manuel. Claudia is our guide while we are in the Santiago and Manuel is her husband (note the difference between Manuel, Claudia’s husband, and Manwell, the C.O.R.E. mascot). Tommy and Jen arrived in Santiago and prepared to meet the rest of the group with the welcoming committee, but soon learned that only Izzy would be arriving today, Eric D, Eric O, L.B., and Walker’s flight was cancelled so the whole rest of the crew would be arriving, together, the next morning. It was definitely an adventure getting to Santiago. Manwell rode the whole way on Jen’s carry-on bag; it was an adventure for him too. The four musketeers went to Claudia’s house for some breakfast and had many questions answered about Chilean life. It is Chile’s independence week so there were not many cars on the street and not many people out. After breakfast she took them to their hostel, Hostel Oveja Negra (the black sheep), and the four of them took a nice afternoon nap. Around 2:30 she picked them up again and they went to an Independence Day fair at a local park. They really got to experience Chilean culture there. They each got chicken or meat on a stick and sat down to watch a Navy reenactment of a significant battle in Chilean history. After they were finished with the fair they went to a huge grocery store called Jumbo, which is actually a supermarket, construction store, and a mall all in one enormous building. They went out to dinner to a Chilean/Mexican restaurant that was DELICIOUS! One interesting thing that they noticed was that the Chilean people eat really late… they finished dinner around 10:00pm and it was at that time that the restaurant was the busiest! They went back to the hostel and crashed for the night ready to see the rest of the group in the morning.
Tuesday September 18th:
This morning the rest of the group arrived and the team was now complete! Unfortunately, thanks to the Gunnison Airport, Casey and Drew’s bags did not arrive with them, but whose mood could be ruined by such news when you first arrive in a new country! It was also great to see the arrival of their fearless leaders, Mark and Nick. The group seemed a little antsy so they decided to take a walk up the hill right outside their hostel called Santa Lucia. It’s a hill in the middle of the city that contains remnants of a castle. It’s really neat but they have been told not to go there at night, apparently if you do you might come back broke and naked. Around 3:00pm they went to lunch/dinner at an authentic Chilean restaurant. They sat down and immediately received wine, bread, beer, pisco, and empanadas. (Pisco is a very common drink in Chile, Claudia says that if you want to experience some Chilean culture, get a Pisco at every restaurant and taste the differences). When it was time to order they got a choice of salmon, beef, pork, or chicken. When the food came it was exactly that, a hunk of meat or fish on a plate. The restaurant was so confident in the taste of the entrée they did not feel the need to provide side items, but let me tell you it was DELICIOUS!! They went back to the hostel and got ready for their evening out, they were going to a place called La Yein Fonda! (in Spanish a Fonda is a party so this place was like a play on words for Jane Fonda). It was a very interesting place. They paid about $20 USD for a night of some very different music. Four bands played that night and apparently they were some of the top recording artists in Chile! Even though no one understood the songs they danced the night away and got a true taste of Chilean culture.
Wednesday September 19th:
They woke up leisurely in the morning and that afternoon they met up with Claudia, Manuel, and their son Diego. Diego taught them how to use the subway system so they went to check out where their language school was. After strolling through the streets of Santiago and stopping for lunch, they made their way back to the hostel. That night they thought it would be nice to have a good time at the hostel. The family who owns the hostel was there so the group prepared them dinner and played some popular American songs for them. Everyone danced and had a great time, then at the stroke of midnight we celebrated the birthday of Casey Davis! Happy Birthday Casey!
Thursday September 20th:
Today they woke up bright and early and started their day with a visit to the presidential palace. They were able to see the changing of the guards, which I believe was because the president of Chile was coming. They toured the palace and learned a lot of information about the history of Chile and the way their government works. After they were done with the palace they walked around a small museum that had a display of different kinds of handy crafts from the different regions of Chile. Once they were done there they were off to their first day of language school. The group learned some important vocabulary words and phrases that would help them communicate on a very basic level for the time being. After a short snack break, they learned the basics of the country and culture of Chile, such as how the country is divided and some of the unique characteristics of each region. Nick did his best to be our translator for the teachers because they were reluctant to speak any English to the group; immersion is the key to language success! After language school was done the group split up, some went back to the hostel and the others went food shopping. A little while later, the group that went shopping came home only to give us the news that Albee got his pocket picked on the subway. It was a real eye-opener for the rest of the group and everyone has been very conscientious of their belongings since then.
Adventure 1: Part 2 River Trip
Friday September 7th:
Directly after their adventures in Crawford the group was on their way to Dinosaur National Monument for a four day raft trip. First stop: Grand Junction. They went to REI and then made a stop for lunch/dinner at the note worthy Golden Corral. It is an all you can eat buffet place and the food, you could say, was less then excellent. If remembered correctly, there were even a few people asleep on the floor trying to digest their food so they could eat more.
As they were leaving they passed a Salvation Army and decided that, since the last night on the river was a costume party, they needed costumes. After ravaging through the store everyone was able to come out with some kind of costume. As we were leaving Justin Albee found the perfect C.O.R.E mascot. He’s some kind of donkey… or maybe a dog… but anyway they call him Manwell Jorge Rodriguez. He is C.O.R.E.s 16th member, and if you watch closely you will find him on all of our adventures. He was tied to the hood of the car and then they were off!
So, the group was on the road again and only about an hour away from their destination for the evening they were pulled over for a routine traffic stop. Unfortunately, the lights on the trail were out and only the blinkers and the break lights were working. The officer let them off with a warning and we drove to the nearest camp ground to try and fix the problem. While Albee was hard at work trying to get the lights on the trailer to work correctly the rest of the group practiced their slack line abilities on a thin pipe that circled the campground. Walker and Casey were the ones who made it the farthest. 20 minutes later the group was off again.
They finally pulled into their campground around 11:00pm; the group set up camp and got ready for 4 days on the river.
Saturday September 8th:
Today the grouped helped Adrift Adventures get all their boats situated. Manwell was transferred to the front of Josh’s kayak for the day’s river adventures.
Their take off point was through the Gates of Ladore, the scenery was incredible. A couple of hours later they arrived at their camp ground, Pot Creek 2. They set up their camp, prepared dinner and then relaxed for the evening. The beach was really nice, not too windy, and the stars were amazing!
Sunday September 9th:
The team woke up, ate breakfast, and packed up the boats. They were off for day 2 of their adventure. Today the group prepared themselves for the two roughest rapids that they would see for the entire trip, Triplet and Hell’s Half Mile. They stopped at a nice beach and Mark taught them a very critical skill in desert survival, how to catch a lizard with a piece of grass. After Lizard Lassoing they ate lunch and went on a really cool waterfall hike. For some of them, getting to stand under fresh running water was a life saver (for them and the group, there are some stinky kids!). They got back on their boats and continued towards their final destination for the evening, Wild Mountain. The evening was spent sending problems (a.k.a. rock climbing/bouldering), drumming, and doing nifty tricks off of a little sand dune. Once again it was a great night.
Monday September 10th:
This day was packed FULL of excitement! After breakfast the group got on their way. After a short while down the river they beached the boats and went on a hike to a plateau where you could see for miles down the canyon. It was really amazing. Once they got back on the boats Chris, the head raft guide and manager of Adrift Adventures, told them that they were to zip their mouths and throw away the key. The next 6 miles were to be a silent float. This gave everyone a chance to look at the scenery and just take it all in. At the end of the 6 miles the group entered Echo Park, a huge canyon at the confluence of the Yampa and the Green. Your echo’s lasted forever! Mark even pulled out a drum and started rocking out, it was really cool. When they got through Echo Park the group stopped and Chris explained that this was where the Yampa River meets the Green River. It was really amazing to see the two kinds of water collide; the Yampa was a lot clearer than the Green and also noticeably warmer. They went down the river a little ways and stopped for lunch. Dustin had them all sit in a circle so he could give a Dam Yampa speech… haha. But really, it is something he is very passionate about. He explained to them that the Yampa is the last major free flowing river in the Colorado River System and that the future of the entire Colorado River System depends on maintaining the health of the Yampa. If a dam was constructed on the Yampa the health of all of the rivers in the Colorado River System would deteriorate exponentially and the scenery they enjoyed so much would be lost forever. The day concluded at a campsite called Jones Hole. There the group went on the longest hike of the trip. They experienced two waterfalls and received a brief history on the Freemont Indians while viewing some pictographs leftover on the canyon walls from years ago. The first waterfall that they went to was just a small one, but you could walk all the way underneath is and it was COLD! The second fall was Butt Dam falls, this one was especially interesting because you could sit at the top and stop the water with your butt and then someone would stand under where the water came out, and as soon as it built up you let it go and the person at the bottom would get pounded with water. They went back to camp to find Jambalaya ready to eat. Because it was the last night on the river you were required to be in costume to get dinner. So everyone dressed up and the party started. There was drumming and dancing and fun all around. And then came dessert….. It was, you could say, strawberry shortcake river style. One would hold their mouth open and head back while a square of cake, strawberry, and whip cream were shoved into your mouth by Elvis, John Wayne and Sister Markenna (Nick, Albee, and Mark, respectively). The challenge was that you could not use your hands to finish it. The cake was in honor of our guide Chris, because it was his birthday. The night ended with a pounding drum circle and a roaring campfire.
Tuesday September 11th:
Today the group went through the longest and flattest stretch of river EVER! It is called Island Park. It was really slow, but many members of the group were able to have a turn at guiding the oarboats. It was really cool that Adrift let people row the boats as much as they did, and I am sure the guides enjoyed the break also!. While the group was in Island Park it seemed as though there was a car in the river, and as they got closer it was true! There was a Ford Bronco stuck, stuck, stuck in the river bed. During a stop they informed some park rangers who took off to take care of the eyesore on an otherwise pristine river. They ended the day at the take out point and helped pack up all the gear on the trailers. They got back to Adrift’s warehouse and helped them clean boats, organize the warehouse, and get everything ready to sit through another winter in Utah. It was really a great trip! They took off from the warehouse around 8:00pm; it took about 6 hours to get home… The finally arrived at Western around 2:00am, what a long day! The group dispersed, and for most of them they would not see each other again until they arrived in Santiago! Their adventures had truly begun.
Directly after their adventures in Crawford the group was on their way to Dinosaur National Monument for a four day raft trip. First stop: Grand Junction. They went to REI and then made a stop for lunch/dinner at the note worthy Golden Corral. It is an all you can eat buffet place and the food, you could say, was less then excellent. If remembered correctly, there were even a few people asleep on the floor trying to digest their food so they could eat more.
As they were leaving they passed a Salvation Army and decided that, since the last night on the river was a costume party, they needed costumes. After ravaging through the store everyone was able to come out with some kind of costume. As we were leaving Justin Albee found the perfect C.O.R.E mascot. He’s some kind of donkey… or maybe a dog… but anyway they call him Manwell Jorge Rodriguez. He is C.O.R.E.s 16th member, and if you watch closely you will find him on all of our adventures. He was tied to the hood of the car and then they were off!
So, the group was on the road again and only about an hour away from their destination for the evening they were pulled over for a routine traffic stop. Unfortunately, the lights on the trail were out and only the blinkers and the break lights were working. The officer let them off with a warning and we drove to the nearest camp ground to try and fix the problem. While Albee was hard at work trying to get the lights on the trailer to work correctly the rest of the group practiced their slack line abilities on a thin pipe that circled the campground. Walker and Casey were the ones who made it the farthest. 20 minutes later the group was off again.
They finally pulled into their campground around 11:00pm; the group set up camp and got ready for 4 days on the river.
Saturday September 8th:
Today the grouped helped Adrift Adventures get all their boats situated. Manwell was transferred to the front of Josh’s kayak for the day’s river adventures.
Their take off point was through the Gates of Ladore, the scenery was incredible. A couple of hours later they arrived at their camp ground, Pot Creek 2. They set up their camp, prepared dinner and then relaxed for the evening. The beach was really nice, not too windy, and the stars were amazing!
Sunday September 9th:
The team woke up, ate breakfast, and packed up the boats. They were off for day 2 of their adventure. Today the group prepared themselves for the two roughest rapids that they would see for the entire trip, Triplet and Hell’s Half Mile. They stopped at a nice beach and Mark taught them a very critical skill in desert survival, how to catch a lizard with a piece of grass. After Lizard Lassoing they ate lunch and went on a really cool waterfall hike. For some of them, getting to stand under fresh running water was a life saver (for them and the group, there are some stinky kids!). They got back on their boats and continued towards their final destination for the evening, Wild Mountain. The evening was spent sending problems (a.k.a. rock climbing/bouldering), drumming, and doing nifty tricks off of a little sand dune. Once again it was a great night.
Monday September 10th:
This day was packed FULL of excitement! After breakfast the group got on their way. After a short while down the river they beached the boats and went on a hike to a plateau where you could see for miles down the canyon. It was really amazing. Once they got back on the boats Chris, the head raft guide and manager of Adrift Adventures, told them that they were to zip their mouths and throw away the key. The next 6 miles were to be a silent float. This gave everyone a chance to look at the scenery and just take it all in. At the end of the 6 miles the group entered Echo Park, a huge canyon at the confluence of the Yampa and the Green. Your echo’s lasted forever! Mark even pulled out a drum and started rocking out, it was really cool. When they got through Echo Park the group stopped and Chris explained that this was where the Yampa River meets the Green River. It was really amazing to see the two kinds of water collide; the Yampa was a lot clearer than the Green and also noticeably warmer. They went down the river a little ways and stopped for lunch. Dustin had them all sit in a circle so he could give a Dam Yampa speech… haha. But really, it is something he is very passionate about. He explained to them that the Yampa is the last major free flowing river in the Colorado River System and that the future of the entire Colorado River System depends on maintaining the health of the Yampa. If a dam was constructed on the Yampa the health of all of the rivers in the Colorado River System would deteriorate exponentially and the scenery they enjoyed so much would be lost forever. The day concluded at a campsite called Jones Hole. There the group went on the longest hike of the trip. They experienced two waterfalls and received a brief history on the Freemont Indians while viewing some pictographs leftover on the canyon walls from years ago. The first waterfall that they went to was just a small one, but you could walk all the way underneath is and it was COLD! The second fall was Butt Dam falls, this one was especially interesting because you could sit at the top and stop the water with your butt and then someone would stand under where the water came out, and as soon as it built up you let it go and the person at the bottom would get pounded with water. They went back to camp to find Jambalaya ready to eat. Because it was the last night on the river you were required to be in costume to get dinner. So everyone dressed up and the party started. There was drumming and dancing and fun all around. And then came dessert….. It was, you could say, strawberry shortcake river style. One would hold their mouth open and head back while a square of cake, strawberry, and whip cream were shoved into your mouth by Elvis, John Wayne and Sister Markenna (Nick, Albee, and Mark, respectively). The challenge was that you could not use your hands to finish it. The cake was in honor of our guide Chris, because it was his birthday. The night ended with a pounding drum circle and a roaring campfire.
Tuesday September 11th:
Today the group went through the longest and flattest stretch of river EVER! It is called Island Park. It was really slow, but many members of the group were able to have a turn at guiding the oarboats. It was really cool that Adrift let people row the boats as much as they did, and I am sure the guides enjoyed the break also!. While the group was in Island Park it seemed as though there was a car in the river, and as they got closer it was true! There was a Ford Bronco stuck, stuck, stuck in the river bed. During a stop they informed some park rangers who took off to take care of the eyesore on an otherwise pristine river. They ended the day at the take out point and helped pack up all the gear on the trailers. They got back to Adrift’s warehouse and helped them clean boats, organize the warehouse, and get everything ready to sit through another winter in Utah. It was really a great trip! They took off from the warehouse around 8:00pm; it took about 6 hours to get home… The finally arrived at Western around 2:00am, what a long day! The group dispersed, and for most of them they would not see each other again until they arrived in Santiago! Their adventures had truly begun.
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
Adventure 1: Part 1 Crawford CO
Their next adventure was to a little city called Crawford CO. They were on their way to Daniels ranch. All they knew was that they were going to be learning more about their adventures in Chile and they were going to help build a straw bale house.
Tuesday September 4th:
They set out on their adventure to Crawford late in the afternoon. Everyone was excited to see what Daniels ranch had to offer. On the way they stopped at Mineral Point for a short bathroom break and to see the San Juan Mountains.
Tuesday September 4th:
They set out on their adventure to Crawford late in the afternoon. Everyone was excited to see what Daniels ranch had to offer. On the way they stopped at Mineral Point for a short bathroom break and to see the San Juan Mountains.
Finally, they arrived at Daniels place around 5:00pm only to understand how much they loved fitting 15 people into a 15 passenger van (4 of those people being at least 6'2"). They started dinner and set up camp for the first night.
Wednesday September 5th:
The team woke up ready to help build a straw bale house, but first Daniel gave them a tour of his mostly finished straw bale
Wednesday September 5th:
The team woke up ready to help build a straw bale house, but first Daniel gave them a tour of his mostly finished straw bale
house. He explained to us some of the basics about building with straw bales and how everything he purchased for his house came locally... The straw bales came from Delta, the lumber came from a local lumber yard, and all the plasters for the house came from their property. They learned a lot of really interesting things about sustainable ways to build homes.
After their tour they walked down to road to Tony's house, a friend of Daniels who also lives on and owns the property. Our mission was to help build his house. He told us that he had been working on it for about 4 years now it is just about finished. The really cool thing was that there was still straw bales exposed so they could really get a good look at the dynamics of the house. Their job was to put slip directly on the straw bales, it was made from sifted dirt and water and created this really tin light gray mud. Imagine.... mud.... 15 college students..... imagine..... They put a light coat of the slip over all of the straw.
After they were finished with that they took a lunch break and listened to Tony talk about his days working for Outward Bound and what he thought about it.
After lunch the group put a thicker mud mixture over the slip. This mud was concocted of dirt and sand and water and it went on a lot thicker. This would be the "plaster" of the house. And after about 3 or so coats it would be finished.
The group learned about about sustainable housing and helping to build a straw bale house was something that they will never forget.
And after a long day of playing in the mud the group decided to go for a dip in a pond on the property.... which could have been even more muddy than the mud they used on the house....
A few people also got the chance to go on a trail ride later that evening; Jen, L.B., and Esther. They got to go on a dusk ride through some mountains on Daniels property.
After their tour they walked down to road to Tony's house, a friend of Daniels who also lives on and owns the property. Our mission was to help build his house. He told us that he had been working on it for about 4 years now it is just about finished. The really cool thing was that there was still straw bales exposed so they could really get a good look at the dynamics of the house. Their job was to put slip directly on the straw bales, it was made from sifted dirt and water and created this really tin light gray mud. Imagine.... mud.... 15 college students..... imagine..... They put a light coat of the slip over all of the straw.
After they were finished with that they took a lunch break and listened to Tony talk about his days working for Outward Bound and what he thought about it.
After lunch the group put a thicker mud mixture over the slip. This mud was concocted of dirt and sand and water and it went on a lot thicker. This would be the "plaster" of the house. And after about 3 or so coats it would be finished.
The group learned about about sustainable housing and helping to build a straw bale house was something that they will never forget.
And after a long day of playing in the mud the group decided to go for a dip in a pond on the property.... which could have been even more muddy than the mud they used on the house....
A few people also got the chance to go on a trail ride later that evening; Jen, L.B., and Esther. They got to go on a dusk ride through some mountains on Daniels property.
Thursday September 6th:
Field Trip day! They woke up that morning ready to go tour the town of Paonia CO. Their schedule was; Chaco Factory, Solar Energy International, and the High Country Times office.
Chaco Factory:
They went to the factory not really knowing what to expect.... They received a tour of the whole factory. They learned that there are only 2 factories that exist; the main one in Paonia and one in China. At the end of their tour they where delighted to find out that they would be able to purchase 2nd hand Chacos (they had pretty much nothing wrong with them) for only $10!
Solar Energy International:
They drove just down the road to a little place called Solar Energy International. This company was situated upon educating people about solar and wind energy, as well as sustainable ways to build homes. They have a hands on learning environment where you can take classes on how to use and manage solar and wind energy and how to build using sustainable resources.
High Country Times:
Here the group got a tour of the High Country Times office. This is a magazine that focuses on issues in the western states. The group was able to listen about what the company is really about and what they strive for.
After a full day of touring the group returned to Daniels ranch and enjoyed a nice evening of dinner and drums, a classic pass time.
Field Trip day! They woke up that morning ready to go tour the town of Paonia CO. Their schedule was; Chaco Factory, Solar Energy International, and the High Country Times office.
Chaco Factory:
They went to the factory not really knowing what to expect.... They received a tour of the whole factory. They learned that there are only 2 factories that exist; the main one in Paonia and one in China. At the end of their tour they where delighted to find out that they would be able to purchase 2nd hand Chacos (they had pretty much nothing wrong with them) for only $10!
Solar Energy International:
They drove just down the road to a little place called Solar Energy International. This company was situated upon educating people about solar and wind energy, as well as sustainable ways to build homes. They have a hands on learning environment where you can take classes on how to use and manage solar and wind energy and how to build using sustainable resources.
High Country Times:
Here the group got a tour of the High Country Times office. This is a magazine that focuses on issues in the western states. The group was able to listen about what the company is really about and what they strive for.
After a full day of touring the group returned to Daniels ranch and enjoyed a nice evening of dinner and drums, a classic pass time.
Friday, September 7, 2007
Taylor Challenge
For this adventure there was only 9 of them. L.B. was off to Denver on some very important business, Josh was freshening up his medical skills, and the T.A.'s and Mark were bonding together....
As for the rest of them, they woke up bright and early excitied to work with the 8th graders. Their purpose at this point was still a little unknown to them. They arrived at the school and meet with an advisor they were assigned to. They hoped on busses and were on their way.
When they arrived in the foothills of the Taylor Challenged they were briefed on the camp, and from their they started activities. Jen, Tommy, Esther, and Erik went with low and high ropes. Drew and Casey went rafting and rock climbing. Walker, Izzy, and Joe went mountain biking, studied bugs in the water, and tried to find brightly colored planks of wood for orienteering.
At by this point the group had learned that the outhouses at this camp, even the 2 story ones, were quite possibly the worst smelling outhouses to exist in the whole world. The people at the camp told them not to throw toilet paper into the "toilet" because it created an aweful smell... but I'm not totally convinced that it helped controll the smell.....
For the most part it rained on them everyday..... But you can't controll the weather....
Some of them, Casey and Izzy for the most part, even got to use their new found WFR (wilderness first responder) skills. One girl ate it on the mountain bike and Izzy made her up a nice bangade. Then one boy threw a rock at another boy , to get his attention of course, and it hit him in the head.... Leaving a rather bloody mess for Casey to try and take care of. Off to his cabin he ran, to get his first aid kit... And from there the rest is history.
Each of them, for the most part, got a chance to participate in every activity. And by the end of the 3 days they were all exahusted. They had 3 days off before their next adventure. And it would prove to be an interesting one. 3 days at Daniel's ranch (Daniel is the person who helped organized where they will go when they get to Chile) in Crawford CO and then 3 days on the river is all they knew to expect.......
As for the rest of them, they woke up bright and early excitied to work with the 8th graders. Their purpose at this point was still a little unknown to them. They arrived at the school and meet with an advisor they were assigned to. They hoped on busses and were on their way.
When they arrived in the foothills of the Taylor Challenged they were briefed on the camp, and from their they started activities. Jen, Tommy, Esther, and Erik went with low and high ropes. Drew and Casey went rafting and rock climbing. Walker, Izzy, and Joe went mountain biking, studied bugs in the water, and tried to find brightly colored planks of wood for orienteering.
At by this point the group had learned that the outhouses at this camp, even the 2 story ones, were quite possibly the worst smelling outhouses to exist in the whole world. The people at the camp told them not to throw toilet paper into the "toilet" because it created an aweful smell... but I'm not totally convinced that it helped controll the smell.....
For the most part it rained on them everyday..... But you can't controll the weather....
Some of them, Casey and Izzy for the most part, even got to use their new found WFR (wilderness first responder) skills. One girl ate it on the mountain bike and Izzy made her up a nice bangade. Then one boy threw a rock at another boy , to get his attention of course, and it hit him in the head.... Leaving a rather bloody mess for Casey to try and take care of. Off to his cabin he ran, to get his first aid kit... And from there the rest is history.
Each of them, for the most part, got a chance to participate in every activity. And by the end of the 3 days they were all exahusted. They had 3 days off before their next adventure. And it would prove to be an interesting one. 3 days at Daniel's ranch (Daniel is the person who helped organized where they will go when they get to Chile) in Crawford CO and then 3 days on the river is all they knew to expect.......
An Overview
Over the summer they waited... and waited... and waited.... They waited for some kind of information about this journey to Chile. Only a few of the members knew what to expect of the upcoming trip.
They had been sent an e-mail, sometime around the middle of the summer saying that there would be an information meeting on Monday, August 27th. It would be at 9am and the location, TBA.
When they arrived no one really knew what to expect... so they waited patiently for the arrival of their beloved instructor Mark Gibson. And they waited... and waited... and waited...
When he came everyone was still a little apprehensive about what to expect. They went over some basics: gear, answering questions, and a little bit more of what the trip would entail. Then they went to lunch and on the way back from Blue Iguana (the best Mexican food in town) it sounded like Mark was making plans for us to go on an adventure some where deep in the Taylor Canyon.
Later they found out that this adventure would take place 2 days later. Our instructions were this: Be at the middle school at 6:00am ready to be support for a bunch of 8th graders on a beginning of school retreat kind of thing...
They had been sent an e-mail, sometime around the middle of the summer saying that there would be an information meeting on Monday, August 27th. It would be at 9am and the location, TBA.
When they arrived no one really knew what to expect... so they waited patiently for the arrival of their beloved instructor Mark Gibson. And they waited... and waited... and waited...
When he came everyone was still a little apprehensive about what to expect. They went over some basics: gear, answering questions, and a little bit more of what the trip would entail. Then they went to lunch and on the way back from Blue Iguana (the best Mexican food in town) it sounded like Mark was making plans for us to go on an adventure some where deep in the Taylor Canyon.
Later they found out that this adventure would take place 2 days later. Our instructions were this: Be at the middle school at 6:00am ready to be support for a bunch of 8th graders on a beginning of school retreat kind of thing...
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