More Langston in Bolivia

Further Adventures of Langston in Bolivia

A little rock climbing at El Penon:

The most biking I've done since the Ascenso in October:

AnnaMaria and I:

She says she wants to climb but she really just wants to swing:

Langston and I went on a thirteen mile run to the Muela del Diablo and down to Puente Lipari.  It starts with a mild uphill for a few miles but we are headin for the highest point you can see in the distance:

After about an hour of steady uphill, we have gained some elevation:

Close to 13,000' here:

Passing the Muela after gaining more than 2,000':

Still some more uphill:

Unsettled weather in the Hampaturi which seems the norm for this season:

Langston's down there somewhere:

Lots of snow for this time of year:

Our destination is the lowest point in the middle of this photo:

Aimee makes fun of my running vest but it's the best way to carry water while running that I have found:

Lots of downhill:

You really don't want to fall in that water which drains La Paz:

Congratulations on a job well done:

The Yunga Cruz Trek

Langston, Roberto and I decided to do one of the treks in Bolivia that follow Incan and pre-Incan trails.  We settled on the Yunga Cruz which, at 70 kilometers plus some hefty driving time to and from La Paz, typically takes five days.  We opted to do it in two days.

Approaching the apacheta at the crest of the Andes:

We get a nice mountain view just to the east of the apacheta:

The trek starts in the small village of Chunavi:

The weather isn't too promising but at least it started dry:

Roberto and tree:

By running back and forth, Moonshine covered the trek at least three times over:

Too bad that clouds obscured the fantastic views:

We spent half of the first day wandering through mist:

And then it started to rain hard.  Soaking rain at 12,000' - 14,000' is a drag but eventually we found a tolerable camp site and settled in for the night.  Moonshine spent the entire night curled up in the foot of my sleeping bag but emerged dry and warm in the morning:

Just in time to get thoroughly soaked again as it rained hard all night and was still raining hard in the morning.  The trail had turned into an icy river and we had to carry the dog over many of the deep spots:

Normally trivial stream crossings were pretty sketchy:

Happy to get across that in one piece:

It was hard to imagine this place was ever dry:

Roberto looking a little soggy:

Me too:

Ocobaya, our destination:

Not so bad (heh.):

Langston's Graduation

We went to see Langston's graduation from West Point.  But first, we did a little fishing in West Virginia:

We caught a few fish and then went north to the graduation.  It was raining:

But we had the finest rain gear from the New York Athletic Club circa 1975:

We're off to see the Wizard:

Hats were thrown without regard to their final destinations:

Langston got his pins next to General Patton:

Proud grandmother et al.:

The whole sick crew as Pynchon might say:

I'm pretty sure we are Marching to Pretoria, but maybe I'm wrong about that:

Meanwhile, back in Hoboken, someone is learning to rollerblade:

Soon, we are back in Bolivia.  The background is real:

So we dressed up as Ninjas because the instructions for the climbing competition said it was a costumed event:

But it wasn't that type of costume event.  Even though Langston got to carry me double the required passage:

It was an Aparapita event so you were supposed to dress up like an Aparapita, obviously, and climb about a dozen routes, run between the route locations, fetch a colored rock way up a hill and cross a river via Tyrolean traverse.  Our friend Alex on the Tyrolean traverse, looking way more Arapitian than us:

And then, we are off to the jungle, the mighty jungle, but first we needed a last small bite of civilization at the airport:

And flying cows, of course:

The best plane in Bolivia:

Thirty minutes later, we are at the airport in Rurrenabaque:

The control tower in Rurre:

Our boat to Parque Nacional Madidi:

AnnaMaria is ready to roll:

Another view of the boat further up river:

Sunset near our ecolodge:

Back in the boat to go piranha fishing:

Langston looks pensive:

The flower of a ginger tree:

Fishing:

AnnaMaria catches a big one:

Chestnut Fronted Macaw:

Hammock time:

Our accommodations:

AnnaMaria prefers to really swing in her hammock:

A little tubing in the afternoon:

Some tasty mosquito food:

Well, it is a rain forest:

Lunch time:

Family photo:

What's everyone staring at?:

AnnaMaria having a temper tantrum:

Thus endeth our trip to Parque Nacional Madidi.