Chile, Patagonia and the Trans Andes

Chile

A land strange and unknown to me at least; what do I know about this remote South American -end of the world country. Long thin, it's border defined by the Andes, water falling on the west is Chilean water falling on the east is Argentinian. Easter Island, Patagonia, the Allendes and Pinoche, some vague concepts of travel, writing, politics and many conflicting views. What I really know is that I didn't know anything. Some rumours abounded; they had mountains and ski resorts so all the ingrediants for a mountain bike adventure were there.

This trip is a multi-part story that will not see a conclusion until after the Trans Andes on January 24-29th. But for the first part and the common theme, the Trans Andes, the route, the area and the culture are all to be captured in a Ride Guide segment.

Some time earlier this year, Juan Pablo Santiagos the director of the TA had dialed me up and invited me down to Chile. Naturally I figured if going all that way, lets crank up the excitement and make the most of it, so I contaced RideGuide and put together a team.

Viola, Chile in November - actually not so chilleee, actually quit warm about 25 degrees. Our goal, segment 1- to get the lay of the land for Ride Guide and secondarily a Rocky Magazine Road trip, segment 2-would be to follow up with the race in January. For the second part of the initial November trip I figured there must be some other people looking to explore and create some adventures. I threw out some invites, contacted some guiding companies and mixed in a little flavour I call Chile, ha. But lets put that pot on the back burner for a bit and get on with shooting the Ride Guide segment.

Josh the cameraman for Ride Guide and I met in LA, flew LAN Chile via Lima to Santiago. Piece of pie, easy, and only a 5 hour time change to deal with. We met Juan Pablo in Santiago, who by the way is an x-World Cup DH racer and grabbed a domestic flight south to Tecum on the northern edge of Patagonia. Patagonia is an undefined geographical region in Chile, not to be confused with their states, provinces or as they call them regions (12). We were in the Araucania region considered to be the middle south of the country. While the majority of the wine growing takes place in the arid Santiago area (800 K north), here it was lush rainforest, logging and mucho Volacanic activity.

As usual the rideguide.ca is about culture as much as wicked riding, so

we ventured out to visit a traditional Mapuche Indian village. They are very representative of global aboriginal struggles to maintain traditional ways in the maelstrom of moderm conveniences. The particular Senhorita that we conversed with was very sharp and very tourism savvy, she expressed some concern with the governments involvement, but let us know she was open to sharing her ways with us and finding some mutualy agreeable ground with the officials. This was on a whole the shocking example of Chile; advanced, calm and reasonable; from the Mapuche natives to the not stressed out airline people, Chile is a first class nation of warm hosting people.

Juan took us out to the sponsor hotel, the start of day 1, in a land reserve and area know as Huilo Huilo. This alone is enought to consider your holiday goals achieved; a full eco-resort in a rainforest built like the ewok village of Star Wars. The next day it was out to explore the course and the land, we were in the middle of a lush rain forrest with Volcanos rising in every direction- we only saw 3 from our vantage point, but apparantly there were a possible 13 to be seen on a clear day above the green canopy.

We spent a number of days exploring the resort and the first few days of the route before our time ran out and it was time to exit stage one of Chile. We had met Louis the director of operations, we had met the local course designers and we had a much better deeper understanding of what Chile is all about. Much of the philosophy of the Trans Andes is similar to that of the BC Bike Race, not to mention Juan was riding a Rocky Mountain Bike, it was very comfortable and reminded me of home.

As we headed back to Santiago we stopped at Stage 3's finish, a natural Volcanic hot spring with a resort built around it, then a night in Pucon, checking out the lay of the land of this Whistler type village the host of the final stage and party.

I was sad to leave having only spent 6 days ripping around such a big country, but knowing this was only the first part of an overlapping trip and that once back in Santiago I would be picking up part 2, I cheered up, grabbed a beer with Juan and promised to be wayyy fit by the time TA arrived in January.

It was only a matter of one night before the boys arrived and the gong show would ensue again. The snow was flying at home in BC and we were in shorts and jerseys down in South America, maybe the old adage "snow birds" is taking a new direction -Chile anyone?

Cheers

Dre

A Friday Ride

Not often, but should happen more, yes? A Friday Ride.

So once in awhile you hear about these massive group rides that go on in Squamish, Whistler, Pemby and this time North Vancouver.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=taBmTyUtVZg

It wasn't the nicest day to host the Sea to Sky here in Van-Groovy, but hey at least we can ride year round. Not like we are waiting for wind or waves or snow, it's just a little rain.

Anyway this is the second year of this particular event here on the Shore, put together by a notorious gangsta who will remain anonymous for now. Last year it was Seymour, this year Fromme and looking ahead we can see that the plan for an extended Triple Crown will see us riding Cypress, likely in the snow next year.

The cast of characters was large and full of life from all different locals they came with one goal, show us the 'Goods'. As a guide, a host and a rider I too wanted to impress. These rippers were mostly once a year riders to the shore, that in itself is a mystery, anyway always the question, what route, what trail etc etc? Not like I'm gonna tell you but it was epic, awesome and rad, so watch the video, look at the pics and get out for a Friday ride whenever you can.

“Let Us then be Up and Doing Still Achieving and Still Pursuing” ~ Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Later Dre

Deadlines harumph

Nothing like a deadline, eh!

(nothing like a party deadline, gotta get there before it's over, Halloween at Ryder's Eyewear with Marc Cambell, Dave Howells and Chris Christie)

Funny thing is, just as Grant Lamont and I finished some reconisaince on Whistler yesterday we got around to mentioning those exact words. Somehow, you set or they set or a deadline is set and things get done, somehow the mortgage gets paid on time, the course gets mapped on time and the race starts on time. I don't think I've missed very many planes in my life, for that matter.

(Sunset while out digging and photo shooting)

Some people have looked into the wording 'deadline' and have attempted to shift the lexiconic nuance of limit/border/reaching a term, but to date nothing quit highlights the importance of getting it done on time like - dead(I don't want to die) and- line(draw a line in the sand) go ahead and cross it!

(Riding with Bike Mag, now those guys have a ton of publishing deadlines, whooosh)

In the recent few months winter has been a deadline, the rain the snow and the coming of the cold weather. We are told this will be the worst stormy winter in a long while. Well, that coupled with my recent re-invigoration for 'railing trail' had me pushing hard mini-epics right into November. Now that deadline seems to have passed and it's still a balmy 10-17 degrees here in Vancouver with some inversions, beautiful yellow and orange leaves and fog madly drifting around like a sci-fi movie set. Really quit glad that that deadline has not yet manifested.

(Grant Lamont on Yummy Numby)

Every morning my kid wakes up at 6:50 am, that is a deadline that generally I dread. I have never been a morning person, nor do I think I ever will be, but that doesn't change what he does or how loud he is in the morning. So I think I am adjusting and it's fun being in a whole new world, the morning world it's just a non-negotiable deadline that has me spend more time with my family ok, sounds good to me.

(Peter V at Rocky Mountain Bikes, working on deadlines, while I drink Redbull and slow down his productivity)

We have set some deadlines at BC Bike Race and we have now set our 2011 route. It's a good feeling to know as we tick things off towards our goal that the deadlines we are meeting are all moving us towards the bigger goal. Many of the deadlines we self-impose don't happen, that's why we get consultants in business to help us and coaches in other parts of our life. Each hour of every day is a deadline and the other big one; Christmas is coming and so is 2011.

Video of New BCBR Stage in Campbell River -http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dIuODerfIfs

But, while one deadline does not arrive on time there are many others that will. I and a few guys are heading to Chile on Nov 15ht and that is one flight I don't want to miss. It means though, that I have to get a lot of things tied up and sorted before that plane leaves with me on it. So it would seem that deadlines abound, good, bad and those flakey or those carved in stone, but I think it's more of a philosophical question - how do you deal with 'deadlines'?

Dre