felt good to clean all off the trail dust. Not that I was running toward the shower, seven days without a shower is hardly a blip in my on going dirt bag challenge record (which currently stands at 72 days without a shower). Still, I was beginning to smell a little too much like a horse.
I can't say that today was really that exciting. We woke up. At breakfast, then began sorting our gear for the journey home. We managed to eliminate one duffel from the mix - which when you're already traveling with mountains of gear is a huge relief. We also bought a bus tickets to Punta Arenas for tomorrow - straight to the airport.
I've been going back and forth on our adventure here and what it means. It's hard to ever really describe all the work, planning and effort that goes into preparing for a major expedition - especially one that has never been completed before. On the surface, we were not able to accomplish our main mission of gaining access to the Balmaceda Glacier, a potential exit point of a future larger (much larger) expedition. I don't like to say that things are impossible, but this was.
On the other hand, the whole purpose of a reconnaissance trip is to determine what is possible and what isn't. What logistics are necessary. Which routes offer quick and easy access. Who is trust worthy. Who had good horses. In that sense, our trip was hugely successful. We are coming home with considerable 'beta'.
It will take a while to process all this and begin planning for the next steps. But this is all the part of the process. And one of the things I've learned on expeditions is that problems are only problems if you let them be. There is a solution. You just have to be willing to keep at it long enough until you find one.
In somewhat unrelated news, I did receive an email from one of my Polar Training clients (form last year) who is currently in Punta Arenas getting ready to fly to Antarctica and last degree expedition the South Pole. I gave him a few last pointers (you know to in crease his polar swagger) as well as a few spots to check out in Punta. It is a bit disappointing to not be able to meet in person, but I'm hoping to live through vicariously through DeLorme inReach messages and tracking.
In case you were wondering what the weather was like when we first reached the Balmaceda overlook, check out this video:
