Party like it's post 1999

[Spats]

You have no idea how much I needed to see some pure stoke right now.

Thank you, trayc.

Now GO GET SOME MORE!

[bklyn]

Day 5
Last night I dreamt of the curious rabbits sprinting across the landing zones yesterday in the few hours I actually slept.

I've learned...
- The alternative usage #4080 for your shovel handle: working out the charlie horses that have attacked your legs in the middle of the night. The fantastic sta-cool(tm) aluminum brings icy relief to your sore and tired muscles.
- Screaming in pain at 3:30 am will wake your roommates.

Today TG and some others will get back on the helicopter, I'm scheduled to go on a backcountry adventure between Valle Nevado and La Parva. I found a map of the area, so all those lines we did yesterday most likely begin between 1000-2000 feet lower than I listed in the other post.



I am supposed to be one of the little dots on this ridge, but have made the call to bypass the hour hike due to my respiratory troubles. I have a head cold which probably contributed to my choo choo train breathing yesterday and my calves are so swollen my circulation is cut off in my boots. It's hard to turn away when the mind says go and the body says no. Taking the time to make some lift assisted turns and low level exertions at altitude while the rest of the group climbed helped me actively stretch and breathe at a normal pace, really good for me.


I'll rejoin the group after I cross the valley between us. They will take the first chute, lookers left. An audience formed behind me to watch the spectacle. "Loco Gringos" was the most popular comment.

We later accessed some fun lines in La Parva with short hikes or traverses.


Pretty rocks and windbuff in La Parva. Skier: "F"
I didn't take many pics, as Adam was filming. I got to see the raw footage tonight from today and yesterday. I wish I could post it, but who knows how long before I can get my grubby hands on the finished product. No wine, beer or liquor for me at dinner or the local bars and discotheques as I fight dehydration. Instead I took some NyQuil, that's some powerful shit right there.

Our buddy who brought us to this camp to celebrate his birthday had to leave today, unexpectedly. TG leaves tomorrow and after that it'll be me and this crazy crew who literally worship our set of ski-pro-instructors. Sure to be the source of some good stories the rest of the week, once this pack of "red-blooded" guys realizes I'm in a room by myself.

[bklyn]

Trayc you're inspiring me to get this SA thing done sooner than later!

Go for it. Gracias muchacha por "Behind the Wheel Espanol".

I worked at VN for a short time in that same rental shop.

Si. Pero, puedes decir mañana?

Yo, Tracy!

OK, I'm jealous.

Run away with me to SA.

16k................. You need to pack in some of this http://ecom1.sno-ski.com/product340.html It's yummy when that high.

Didn't you guys use that on Shasta? I was thinking about that TR while I suffered.

\Good friend and old college housemate of mine, who I figgered might fly in the same circles as you.

We have friends in common but don't know each other personally. He lives close by, I see him often.

[upallnight]

trayc--you are a phenomenal writer/narrator. truly gifted!

this TR could probably stand on its own WITHOUT pictures...and that's saying a lot!

[Ubersheist]

FKNA - that's all I can say.

[Buster Highmen]

Quel bon fromage!

[Buster Highmen]

p.s. if you ever see any material like this for sale, please lemme know

[PNWbrit]

Great stuff Trayc.

p.s. if you ever see any material like this for sale, please lemme know

A new toque?

[LeeLau]

trayc - wonderful stuff

[RootSkier]

FKNA.

That is all.

[spanky]

Wow! How'd I not see this till now? Enjoy the trip and keep the posts coming.

[hoarhey]

Wow! Great pics and what an experience for first visit to SA.
Muchas gracias!
For charlie horses, etc, if you have any down time in Santiago, there is a nice spa (Spa Mund - down the street from German consulate) that has good massages for $30 an hour.
Portillo offers reasonably priced massages as well.
I had one massage in Valle Nevado, and it wasn't very good.

[ex-groomer]

Ok,its official. Tracy rocks. Thanks for the stoke!

[bklyn]

Days 6, 7

la línea - the line

The line snakes over one cheek, across my nose and then dives into the other cheek. It is a separation of cafe con leche vs cafe sin leche. A line that formed after two days of sunshine. A line that would have gotten me in trouble if I called in sick Thursday and Friday, after catching a Wednesday evening flight to DEN or SLC to catch a storm and then returned on a Monday red eye. The line cannot be covered with foundation and concealer. The line would give me away to savvy co workers and clients, even if I happened to fool the boss.

Sometimes the line must be earned. The exertion of the climb demands my focus, I concentrate on my breath and curse every day I made a lame excuse to skip exercise. The line is a narrow bootpack before me spanning snow and scree. At the top, the line is a ridge separating one slice of heaven from another. To my left, the line exists only in my imagination, on a blank canvas of untouched snow. Then the line races behind me trying to catch me with tiny bouncing balls of slough... but I speed away to the right and then to the left. Up in the air, the line is abandoned until I return.

The line takes it easy, except when 25 people are waiting at the bottom of the poma. The line disturbs the rigid corduroy on an early morning warmup run. Each night the wind made the line disappear under chalky buff.

The line is a ribbon curling down from the Andes to Santiago. Hasta luego Valle Nevado y amigos nuevo.


Let's go Knicks! (note the 'dope pant')


Mi amiga, N


Las Lineas en powder after our hike


Yesterday the chair came to a grinding halt, but they started it up again. Today, no mas. Oh well, I wanted to hit some of those lines again before we left.


Looking across at my handiwork, oops, hard to see in the photo.


Can he feel my tatas in that hug? I think so.




Hasta luego, D, J & E




Saying goodbye to the crew on the bus.


On top of the bus, Titu secures the bags. Seeing that pile, I'm glad I'm not returning to the airport.

[splat]

Send me a ticket.

We'll open a taco stand in Los Molles...............

[Cono Este]

hmm. that looks fmailiar, I spy.

Way to go Tracy, thanks for the stoke.

[rippah]

Trayc: I'm delighted that you kept the anvil of literacy ringing even at that high altitude. You wordsmith, you.

Nice pix too.

Thank you, thank you, thank you.

r.

[jibij]

Trayc...sooooooo gettin' it done. I'm planning to make the trip south next summer. Wanna show me the ropes?








double-entendre intended.
edit: and velvet is preferred

[shera]

Very nice reading. Thanks.

[Mtn Man]

Goggle tan lines....so hot right now

Nice TR and looks like a great trip overall! Glad you had a good time out there.

B)

[Hicks]

Some seriously nice stoke in there. Rock on!

[Big E]

Great TR, sounds like a fantastic trip.

[Utarded]

I just found this thread. So cool! Thanks for the awesome TR and pics.
So stoked and ready to rock and roll down there next week.

[Yossarian]

Awesome TRAYC!

[Sutter]

Sweet sweet summer stoke indeed, what a ride.