My Last Sunset

First sunset of the trip in Santiago, Chile (The massive Andes)
1 of several majestic sunsets in Bariloche, Argentina from my hostel balcony
Sunset walk back from surfing in Ihla Grande, Brazil
Sunset from the Soggy Peso in San Carlos, Mexico with Cap
20 minutes after the previous pic

I am watching the sun go down in Arizona on my way from Tucson to Arrivaca, Helsa reminds me it is my last sunset of my trip. WOW, the flood of emotions that are pumping through my body right now are intense. Nostalgic as I realize that I have become a better person. Sad that this trip is ending, I fight back the tears as a natural response I developed from my brother’s childhood strategy to toughen me up. All while amazing moments from south america run through my mind. Summiting Volacano Villarrica, Iguazu Falls, Rio with 3 of my best friends, The amazing sunsets in Bariloche, sunset swims in San Carlos with my father, epic POW days in Cerro Bayo, Nevados De Chillan (awwww Las Trancas), earthquakes in Chile, reconnecting with my closest and oldest childhood friend (I miss you JD), Mendoza spa day with Jilian, and to top it off spending the last 2 weeks in Mexico with Dad in perfect summer weather. All of these moments and the realizations from the trip flash into my head scrolling by like a cartoon rolodex.

As the clouds in Arrivaca turn from white to tope to red, then maroon and blood orange they cast color shadows on those jagged peaks synonymous with southwest lore and imagery. My heart continues to race as I think about the ink on my calf soon to be my first tattoo. I am so excited for the future with Seattle then NYC lurking in the near future. The winding Arrivaca road gives me many views of the strifed color in the clouds from one of nature’s greatest and most regular gifts of sunset. I learned to appreciate them on my trip and I find them to be my comforting friend in a foreign place. Sunsets make me feel at home.

I am no longer able to avoid the truth that tomorrow, 24 hours from right now I will land at Sea-Tac, returning to my tearful and frightened departure with my Mom, Brother and Jilian. I feel a nervous anticipation for my return along with sadness to end this ride and anxious to put myself to the test of the career world.

As we continue to drive the clouds turn the brightest sunset orange I have ever seen. Peering through the passing mesquite trees I feel like the luckiest man alive which I can easily argue that point with anyone who like to challenge me. Except for maybe my buddy Chris I met in Bariloche who survived a 7 story fall into a sewing factory and instead of landing on the multitude of sewing machines he fell onto the only table piled with linens and literally walked away.

The clouds are blood red again as the sunset begins to wind down. The mountains are now silhouettes without definition. Of the moments I am going to remember the most from this trip I think the sunsets will stand out; every unique place and experience still holding a special place in my heart with the sunsets tying each of them together in my mind. As my dad reminds me that I am riding the big bird back to Seattle tomorrow to share my stories with friends and people I love the most. My emotions come to a head and nothing can hold them back now.

<><> LTD
Matt/Todd

LOUD AMERICAN

I was having a nice conversation on a public bus from Maipu wine region back to Mendoza and an American man says to me as he exits the bus, “your loudness is the reason why Americans are hated.” A bold statement for a man exiting a bus who has obviously been listening to the conversation for the last 20 minutes. Stunned by the comment from a, so called countryman I looked out the bus door at the bearded man from Utah and simply said, “really?” My conversation about Australia, the winter/summer Olympics, American athletes and a few cultural jokes between 2 English speakers is the reason why the world hates Americans?

Not having the speed to process all of this and respond to the man who had been nothing but a man with a beard on the bus prior to now before the doors shut and he was gone into the backpackers abyss. I wanted to enlighten him to his surroundings and the context of his statement. We are in South America to start. Not Europe. Americans are not hated in Chile and Argentina, in-fact quite the opposite, we are accepted here as an interesting mix of opportunity and inspiration. Many conversations I start as inquires about the local culture end up spinning around to questions about the States and our culture out of curiosity and intrigue. Is that a good thing? Not always but in the conversations I have been engaged in it has been mostly positive.

So, I am still the loud American on the bus. Does that still mean that I am responsible for Americans image to the world? Not a chance! The true bad press for our country is our foreign policies and our governments love for wars and our big brother attitude to the rest of the world. Through this we have the ability rub people the wrong way and make our selves an easy target for criticisms. Being a big brother to the world, which many countries are happy we are doing so they do not have to, has consequences.

Having our 18 year old college graduates who still do not understand the world unleashed on Europe every summer to drink, do drugs, dance, and vomit of the streets of Paris provides the “loud Americans” stereotype that easily justifies the already bad taste in the worlds mouth coming directly from the “stupid” older brother they already don’t appreciate being bossed around by.

The real point here bearded Utah, is that me discussing Michael Phelps and Ian “Thorpedo” Thorpe along with Rugby with a couple of Aussies on a bus in Argentina is not why Americans are hated in the world. I will concede that I was speaking loudly. Were you on the same loud packed bus that I was on trying to carry on a conversation? If you truly believe that I am the reason that Americans are hated why did you wait 20 plus minutes to say something? Your actions were cowardly and not a help to the American image to the world.

So you know Utah, I have been living in Chile and Argentina for the last 2 months being an ambassador of the great USA spreading my passion for life that was cultivated in our great US of A along with my kind nature. I have listened to many people talk poorly about our country and I have had to apologize at times for our country and others taken stands to defend our actions, all in an effort to make the world understand the complex nature of the American Way.

Utah, if you want to change the world’s view of the US? Get involved in our foreign policy and I will try not to yell about Michael Phelps to Aussies on a bus.

<><> LTD
Matt/Todd

Nuking

Kevin and Mark with our taxi
The only place to see and ski was in the trees
No explanation necessary-simply WOW!!!
Nuking on the chairlift up

I have been using the term “hammering” to describe the snow conditions when it's dumping here. It is a bull or bare market for snow this winter. The down days are tough and the good days are epic. The latest storm started on Sunday night and is continuing through Saturday morning. Already hammering us with 4 feet plus of snow and another 2-3 feet over the next 48 hours and I have been searching for a more appropriate verb. “Nuking” fits the bill, like a nuclear bomb of snow obliterating anything resembling hard pack; when your tracks through a foot plus of POW are filled in 20 minutes you can be assured it is nuking.

We found an Alpental-esk mountain near Bariloche that has amazing terrain and 30 people skiing it. 5 of us skied 1 chairlift (Los Lagos) that in the states would be tracked out after 1 run, but it lasted for 3 hours before you had to search for freshies (which were still not hard to come by). We returned to covered tracks as it was nuking all through lunch.

I have been skiing with Kevin (Irishman), Ben (Frenchman), Marc (a soon to be neighbor from Manhattan), and Kay (Washington, I climbed the volcano with her in Pucon). Great crew to tear up SA with and I must give credit to Mark for the term “nuking.”

Given the terrible snow conditions in Las Lenas and Portillo, Saturday will be my last day of skiing for the trip. I am meeting Jilian in Santiago for some much needed face to face quality time as I have missed her very much over the last 2 months.

The next 3 days are going to be skiing, skiing, skiing to get my fill and it should be epic. Culminating with a foot of new Saturday morning and blue bird skies. I cannot imagine a better way to end a summer of skiing!

I have a ton of video that I will be putting together on the 30 hour bus ride to Santiago from Bariloche, yeah I said 30 hours. Gotta run to the POW!

<><> LTD
Matt/Todd

The Ups and Downs and Traveling

TOP OF CERRO CATEDRAL, ARGENTINA
I DON'T KNOW HOW THE POINTS WORK BUT I KILLED IT
SUNSET FROM HOSTEL 1004 (Looking towards Cerro Catedral over Lago Nahuel Huapi)

I wrote this 2 weeks ago but have been busy skiing and enjoying Bariloche. I have a few more that I will get up soon.

It is hard to believe that in one of the most beautiful places I have ever been that I would have down days, but the last week has been tough. Catching a cold started it off, followed by a lack of snow for almost 10 days, compounded by Portillo having no snow and extremely warm temperatures for the next few weeks. I got down looking at the rest of my trip with the possibility of getting less than 20 days of skiing in 2 months due to the conditions. I had to make reservations in Portillo a few weeks ago for my anticipated stay August 21-28. If I were to make it there it means leaving Bariloche where they are getting snow for the next week and a half for Portillo’s 26 inch base and 50 degree weather. I was so down. Why, why, why do I have to leave the snow fall I came down here for? No snow anywhere else worth going but I have to leave. Pour information and the inability to make a good decision based on anything concrete was making me crazy.

Trying to take charge of my situation I attempted to ski last Thursday but was stopped when the 2 buses to Cerro Catedral were both so full that it left 15 of us at the bus stop. With a Spanish class at 2pm (or at least I thought, turned out to be 4pm), I did not want to buy a full day pass for 3 hours of skiing. I retreated to the hostel to study Spanish before class. Further upset by not getting to the mountain I was convinced to ski on Saturday; A decision that I immediately regretted exiting the gondola in a freezing fog that blanketed the entire mountain. We had some coffee and waited for a few hours until it cleared then we spent 4 hours skiing 3 runs all with the population of Bariloche on the ice and windblown snow in the fog. It is the worst day I have had in South America by far.

Not knowing if I could get my money back I made the decision to go to Portillo. After all It is the ski area that originally brought me to South America. After weighing my options I asked Portillo for my money back with the anticipation of them telling me to go fuck myself, but I would ask anyway. Everything turned around when they gave me most of my $700 USD back and I could stay in Bariloche and ski the seemingly endless snow for the next few weeks.

In an hour I went from my lowest point on the trip to well above average!


My friend Ben showed me this video of a group of Soloman skiers touring and skiing the crater of Volcano Puyuhue, Chile. It is amazing!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i3kRO_hbWOU

<><> LTD
Matt/Todd

Pucon To Argentina

Justin looking on as the bus is repaired
Dramatic Couloir looming over the stop

Welcome to Argentina

This crappy bus is 20 minutes late and the wind is making it hard to stand over the luggage. The tin roof on the track bleachers is flapping ominously in the gale force winds. The last 2 days in Pucon, since Kay and I summited Villarrica in perfect weather, have been incredible windy. The strong wind from Argentina is called, La Puelcha and it is muy fuerte.

Justin and I are leaving the place we have called home for the last 11 days to make our way to San Martin De Los Andes, a town that is similar to Pucon. Small and picturesque nestled amongst volcanoes and the rugged Andean mountains. The excitement of a new country is late to set in, as I still feel wonderfully overwhelming feeling from being in South America. Gustavo dropped us off at the bus station to wait in the wind and dust for this bus I now sit on.

With a heavily sugared Nescafe, “naturally sweetened” here, in my hand the bus sits 10 blocks from the station as the driver and attendant try to get it started again. The engine roars alive from the driver crushing down on the gas pedal only to sputter off into silence again. 1, 2…8 times all with a slightly different intensity and feel of the driver attempting every thing he can think of. I am reminded that I am in South America. The 10th time the engine roars to life and settles into a nice idle. In gear and we are off to San Martin at 20km per hour, we celebrate when the driver shifts into 4th gear. This 8 hour bus is going to be late.

After it dies again, we go through the process again with the same result. Back on the road to 25km per hour is slowed by anything resembling an incline, straining the diesel engine and back to first gear we go along with our travel efficiency. After picking up more passengers the bus seems to be in even more dire condition with the added load. We eventually make it to a beautiful pull out on a snow laced mountain road. The restaurant serves hot cheese sandwiches, great for the first meal of the day at noon. The river runs full of pure Andean run off with a huge peak looming over the valley and a large Couloir looking made in Chamonix, France. In this beautiful place we get a fuel filter to fix our mechanical woes. It helps the idle but not the hills. We crawl up the dirt Andean pass to make our way to Argentina’s customs house.

Now in Argentina I curse myself for taking out 150,000 in Chilean pesos (approx $300USD) last night. Driving through San Martin De Los Andes I am searching for an ATM amongst the beautiful log cabin architecture. This place is as picturesque as they come. Our trip took an extra 2 hours, considering the buses problems this is not a bad outcome, and a wonderful South American experience to not see a single person complain. It shows how nice and wonderful the people of Chile and Argentina are.

There is a ski area here, of course, called Chapelco, with Justin fully jonesing to ski again (as am i) we will head there tomorrow, wind permitting.

<><>LTD
Matt/Todd

Summiting Volcano villarrica

Volcano Villarrica from the guide shop

Kay and I in the Parking lot before the climb
Less than half way up
K-Korn and I on the Summit ready to roll, he has such an adventurous spirit


Some sort of thug pose with a sense of accomplishment back at the base

2,874 meters is all that stood between the sea and the summit of Villarrica. We started from the ski area base, approximately 1,000 meters leaving 1,800 for us climb the old fashion way. For those who need conversion the summit is approximately 8,600 feet and we climbed 5,000 vertical to reach it.

Getting picked up at 7:30am we were outfitted at the shop, that has an amazing view of the volcano from its front door. Packed in a van with a couple from Hong-Kong, 3 Uruguayan girls (partied until 1:30am or later the night before), Kay and I, 3 guides and a driver. Oh, and all of our gear in a van that was not made for this.

Reaching the base through the tree lined road as the sun is bursting through and illuminating the snow covering every limb, we knew that we picked the perfect day. All geared up, skis and boots on my pack, we start our hike passing the chairlift that will not be used by us today. Kay, Rodrigo our guide and I climb through the ski area and make our way to our tracks from the day before in the gully. We cross the gully and hike the line under the chairlift that remains closed, Justin appears on the other side of the gully throws his hands in the air, gives a yell and takes 4 awesome turns in fresh pow before disappearing into the gully. With Justin checking in on our progress from Ski Pucon we climb.

The sun warms us as we hike through a windy section, almost blowing over a few times we reach a ridge and we are wind free the rest of the trip. My pack is feels heavy. As we zigged and zagged up the mountain the views of Pucon and Lago Villarrica become more dramatic as the 4 surrounding volcanoes begin to show themselves. We make good time over a flattish section before the final climb that took much longer than anticipated. Every last difficult step is worth it when you reach the summit and see 360 views of the magnificent Andes Mountains. The active volcano is belching out smoke and steam that whooshes as it rises past me. The sun over the lake beams down like a spot light reflecting its light across the valley and up to us.

After the hugs and congratulations Kay, Rodrigo and I head back down a short icy section to our skis and boards in eager anticipation of an awesome decent. The snow is as good as it get’s on this volcano and we ripped it as hard as our tired legs would let us. Each turn is a thrill mixed with pain; a good hurt that reminds me that I earned every single turn. 7 hours up, 35 minutes down.

There are places were the snow is 6 inches deep and soft mixed with some wind blown and the spectrum in between. The video on my facebook page describes the trip down better than words. Not much video on the way up, hence all the writing. 2 of the 3 Uruguayan girls made it to the cafeteria at Ski Pucon for snow angels and hot chocolate the other made it half way to the summit with the Hong-Kong couple.

Enjoy the rain hangover from Sea-fair with some sun and snow. The only thing that could have made this experience better would have been the Blue Angels buzzing the volcano while on the summit.

<><> LTD

Matt/Todd

Villarrica 2

Still waiting for the conditions to improve
Gustavo's brown newfoundlands at Etnico hostel, Thomas & Mateo (Thomas can fit beer cans in his mouth the tall direction, I know because he stole it from me before I was finished)
Skier dude in the bar at the Gran Hotel Pucon
Lab puppy and check out the Casual Industries sticker on a Chilean truck, NICE!

I finally got the Nevados De Chillan video uploaded and you can check it out on that blog post. It is all raw footage that was edited down without any music. All you here is the sound of wind and snow, lots and lots of snow!

We skied another day on the Volcano after (and during)a large dump. Visibility was none existent for most of the day but the snow was incredible. Around 3:30 pm the clouds lifted for about 40 minutes and we took full advantage of the epic conditions and the lack of adventurous Chilean skiers. It is incredible going from zero visibility with fog freezing to your goggles to sunshine and untouched tracks. Check out the video and see. You are going to have to go to my facebook page and see it there because it is too large for the blog.

More from Villarrica to come. Even though I am now in Argentina I have some blogs to come and catch up to my current location, Bariloche, Argentina. It has been snowing here as well.

<><>LTD
Matt/Todd