October 2003

October 01, 2003 - 3:45 p.m.

Well after a smoky ride due to the high altitude, we have made our way down to Arequipa and the searing desierto heat. Fortunately we have a fun little creek here that costs us a 2 dollar cab ride.

Areqiupa is a nice change from Cusco and we are happy to be staying with our friends from when we were here back in March.....Best of all the plan is now set for driving Gian Marcos Mitsubishi Montero into the deepest canyon in the world....Cotahuasi. We hope to paddle some of its headwaters before we head on what should be one more exciting paddling adventure in South America!

So Michelle and I are still happy traveling together as we head back into summer for Chile.....it will be an easy drive down an already familiar road.......road trippin at its finest! South America is a place you come to enjoy a lot as we live in the places we have been to.....we look forward to the weeks ahead.

October 12, 2003 - 3:06 p.m.

So I have returned to Arequipa sin Mark. I left him paddling on the Rio Cotahuasi. We stayed in Arequipa for a week waiting for people to arrive so that we could go check out "el canyon mas profundu de mundo". During that week we paddled the Rio Chili a number of times and hung out with the Velluntino family.

Finally last Tuesday we took off to go paddling with Gian Marco and Russ, Damon and Matt (Americans). It took us until Wednesday to reach the canyon but the drive was very beautiful and the area is super remote. The next day the boys decided to do a first descent on the Upper Upper Cotahuasi while I did the shuttle. After a long couple days (and me biting my nails) they turned up - completely worn out but still smiling.

Cotahuasi

Gian Marco and I left them in the canyon while we drove back to Arequipa. They are going to do a 4 day descent to (almost) the ocean on the Rio Cotahuasi. I am going to hang out in Arequipa until Wednesday, when I will go pick Mark up and we will be on our way to further adventures.

Take Out

October 20, 2003 - 10:15 a.m.

So I picked Mark up and we decided that we would blaze to Chile. We made it from Arequipa to La Serena in three days (2500 km). We got to La Serena late Saturday night and on Sunday we found a local surfing spot to break up the monotony of driving.

So we have finally exited the desert of Southern Peru and Northern Chile and now we are in Los Andes just north of Santiago. From here we plan to make our way to Mendoza, Argentina and then further south to the good rivers.

October 25, 2003 - 6:17 p.m.

Hey all

Well after easy drive over the Andes which included a stop at one of Chile’s fine ski resorts (missed last day by 2 weeks....darn!) we have followed the snowmelt downstream and have been hanging out with Martin and all of his friends at Argentina Rafting, located near Mendoza and the heart of Argentinean vineyards..... The river is super easy but as it rises the playspots are beginning to become spectacular! Now that our bodies are resting we are heading south to run El Rio Diamante y el Rio Grande.

Later next week we should be back in Bariloche looking for the crooks with our stuff from the ugly last time we were there......Bariloche is a having a whitewater festival Nov. 2nd so we should be able to meet up with many friends and start the summer season down in Patagonia in style......Argentina is really becoming a special place for us the second time around!

a steak and fine wine awaits!

Rodrigo, Mark and Sergio