perfection in nature... new beginnings.
Because I hadn't worked out since arriving here, I felt like a mix between a zombie & an 80 year old lady (and I looked just like I felt, according to my host mom), walking around limping and moaning because my muscles were so soar.
I met Diego & Jennifer in the city center at 8:30 this morning (a bit early for a lucky Monday holiday, but well worth it), and we headed out on the bus almost immediately. We arrived in Juntas at 9:30, our departure point on the almost 100% uphill hike.
We started on the hike with a cloudy sky, and reached our stopping point last time within an hour (I must be in better shape...). We blew right by, hiking with a purpose for what became 2.5 hours, until we reached the final house on the road.
At this point in was raining lightly, almost misting, and had been for the majority of our hike. From this point on, the mist turned to what could be called rain proper, though still light, and we began the traverse from "El Silencio" to "El Rancho" - the last stop before the glacial peak "Nevado Tolima". El Rancho also happens to be home to thermal waters - a very attractive destination for me, with these soar muscles. Once out of the driveway of El Silencio we realized the trek would be more challenging than previously imagined: the path was pure mud, deeper than any of us were willing to go. We cut into the pasture surrounding the path, happing over the barbed wire fence. We still had the occasional squishy step, but at this point it was passable. That was soon to change.
We crossed the Rio Combeima a few times on sketchy sketchy sketchy bridges (a tree cut in half & throw across the river) and finally found ourselves hopping from rock to rock on the muddy path. At one point we were standing there, strategizing how to traverse an upcoming rock-free mud pit when I suggested we head down to the riverbank. It was a good idea for a few yards, and then we realized, once we were down, that the bank disappeared under the flooded and roaring Rio Combeima. So I trekked on, walking into the chilly river without hesitation, splashing through with a giant grin. This was finally an outdoor adventure!! We ended up walking in the river a few more times, which was fine for me in my hiking shoes and hiking shorts made of quick drying material. My friend Jennifer, on the other hand, was wearing jeans. And what I think were leather fashion sneakers. Yikes.
After an hour and a half, we arrived at El Rancho, and I immediately asked about lunch. It was 2:00pm, which meant we had been moving for 4.5 hours, and snacking on peanut butter & twizlers was just not cutting it anymore. They began preparing us beans, rice, & meat, so we headed to the waterfall for a photo shoot before eating.
We ate, though I struggled to swallow the meat, which was near impossible to cut or chew, and then headed to the thermals. I went in with my sports bra & shorts, which I was worried about, but I figured, they are quick-drying material. The thermal wasn't too hot, which was a bit sad, I craved the near-scalding temp of bath water on a rainy fall day. But there were a few spouts that had shower-like flows that were hotter than the thermal itself, so I stationed myself under the strongest, letting it give my aching shoulders a power massage. After a short (too short) rest in the thermals, we had to leave. And now the rain began to come down for real. Perfect.
I jumped out, dashed to a changing stall & rung out my shorts, shirt, etc., re-dressed, and put everything inside my fanny-pack, under my rain sack that is close to impermeable. I was wearing all quick-drying materials, which was a plus, but shorts and a short sleeved shirt, which it quickly became clear were a bit chilly for the coming downpour. We headed out with the rain at a steady pace, were passed by a friendly man on a horse who commented about there being too much mud mere seconds after I lost a shoe (and then found it) in a mud-sink.
When we hit an uphill section of the path between El Rancho & El Silencio the rain intensified - I love the sound you hear when the rain gets fiercer... you hear it before you feel it, the leaves warn you. Jennifer seemed a bit exasperated by the monsoon we were hiking in (& who can blame her, in jeans?!) but I couldn't help but laugh. We were already soaked, my precious cameras were stowed somewhat safely under my rain sack, and what was I going to do anyway, we were miles & miles from shelter - what else was there but to react like I would have years ago - with a giddy giggle. I'm sure no one was surprised, based on my notoriety as a person of pure (and nothing more than) laughter. The paths had become mud-rivers, and I figured, what the heck! And I walked right on through. A few other tourists were trying to avoid getting their shoes wet, preparing themselves for 15 seconds before taking their next step on the rock to rock path that kept them above the river. I passed them by, mud water spilling into my boots.
We were soaked to the bone, becoming chilly, and covered from shoe to knee in black mud when we arrived back at El Silencio. There was a tourist bus that we asked to give us a ride, but they had no space. A blue jeep, driven by the kind man with the horse from the trail, stopped and offered us the bumper. We accepted, and I proceeded to have the most intense/ridiculous experience thus far. We rode about 5 miles on the bumper of the jeep, with enough room for 2 people, and 3 of us, and therefore each of us with only 1 foot on the bumper, gripping the roof rack for dear life. I laughed the whole way down, apart from some profanities, and some screaming. My shin bone was conveniently placed on the license plate box, which meant I got a nice WHACK every time we went over a bump, which was every single second, since the road is dirt and was completely washed out from the rains. All of our legs began to kill, holding all of our weight on one leg which bouncing about, but we held on for a solid 30 minutes! In the rain, and freezing wind. Not a one of us could use our fingers when we got down. We changed shirts right there in the middle of Juntas town, and sucked down a luke-warm coffee like gold. Then we boarded the bus back to Ibagué and huddled together for warmth.
What an adventure!!!! Best day so far! + I must have lost 20 pounds this weekend - 3 hours of tennis, 2 hours of tennis, 6 hours of hiking, 2 singles matches, 2 doubles matches, 15 miles hiked. Yeeeeehaw.
1 comment:
Case: You made my day. I was right there with you throughout the trek; the sign of a great writer. I was so much there that I had to take a hot, hot shower after and put on warm clothes. You are an amazing young woman. You give me pause. Love..Jude
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