So, was able to get out and around the island some these past weeks. It is actually very nice country, with an interesting range. Getting transportation arranged has been a bit, but now at the point of getting to see some of the island, which is great. My friend Young has been up for coming out to some of these spots, which has been good. Of course, the whole “hiking” (here, “bushwalking”) concept has taken some getting used to for her (“Yes, there will be insects and worms. Yes, we have to carry our food and filter our water. Yes, there will be mud” [ala Daniel Day Lewis...]).
Anyway, we first tried out Quamby Bluff, which was just a bit of a day hike a few minutes south of... the hamlet?... of Deloraine. Quamby was fun, but certainly after years of New York living my wood-walking legs needed to get used to things again. And yes, I really am that pale..
Later on, headed out to Meander Falls. The first bit was fun, and though the falls themselves weren't the most impressive things in the world, the terrain felt a bit more varied than that of Quamby. Because of a late start, once at the falls we had the option of returning via the same route or taking the Split Rock trail back to Meander Road. It was reported to be a tougher track, but faster. Yeah, not so much w/ the faster part. I think the only time I was ever really worried that I would die out in the woods was during a trip to Puerto Rico w/ my girlfriend at the time when we went off-trail for a bit, got lost, and a few hours day hike ended up as an almost overnight. Luckily captain Boy Scout had brought along some food and flashlights. Oh, and another important safety tip: if you're going to rural Puerto Rico, it's important to tell your travel companion that you have an anaphylactic allergy to banana before you go. Also, it might not be a bad idea to bring along an epinephrine injector. Just a thought.
Anyway, the least amusing part of the Split Rock trail was when there was an impromptu conference on the dolerite boulder scramble (marked by questionably maintained carins only for its length) that began with “This is terrifying. I don't want to do this anymore,” was punctuated with glucose repletion, and ended with “I know this is tough going, and I'm sorry and would like to let you rest more, but we really need to get off these rocks before the sun goes down.”
The most amusing part was how many times after that I said “Not far now..” (about 15 min intervals). I felt a bit like Papa Smurf ... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vi0tje6xfWs
Still, some good pictures :)
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And, 35 points if you get the reference made in this video (I couldn't even find a link to the scene in You Tube!). Yes, I recognize I said "underwater" river as opposed to "underground" river.
Cheers,
Uncle Traveling aws
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