Peru Summary

Peru was a quality month of my life spent with great friends and some small sense of party mixed in.  I have now made my way down to Chile and will be settling into my new apartment down here tomorrow.  I have made contact with a school down here and have and interview coming up that still hasn't been scheduled.  If you want all the pics from Peru you can find me Jonny Walker on facebook.

Sadly I can't post them all on here.

While in Peru this time I did get the chance to try Cuy (AKA Guinea Pig) it was sort of like rabbit but not much meat.

I also got to spend some time outside of Lima with some ladies

and attend some great clubs/events

Watch Bob show off how Americans dance.

and then say goodbye as he left me as the only gringo still in Peru... I made sure that some of the TGIFridays sign was in the background seeing as how and American Flag could not be found.

Now after close to 60 hours on buses I am in Chile and getting ready to move.

PERU VIDEOS

Flame Exits Lima

Of the 3 random Gringos that shared an apartment in Lima, Flame was the first one to return to the real world although from what can be learned from some mild facebook stalking he apparently ended up on a beach back in the US for a while so it is not like he was that upset about the return.

Flame (left) is gone and Bob (right) is next to go.... 

as for me, I make no plans.

People in the casa

This is a shot after we prepared some food tonight.  From left to right is Sofia, Bob(owning the picture), Rocio, and Peke.  Tonight we made a bunch of food and stayed in(I think).  I only think this is the plan because it is only 12:30 and apparently we have people stopping by before going out on the town.  Lima never sleeps.

Livin It Up Down in Lima

Having rented an apartment here in Lima has kept me from taking up work in a hostel so I have had more to see the city.  Of course that has translated to sitting in the apartment a lot of the time and enjoying a few beverages but it has been fun. 

It is always odd to travel and not stay in hostels but I am considering this adventure a move so I guess I can change it up.

 Here is a picture of Bob on top of Sofia's house after a great meal with her family.  I only wish I could have ate more. (Sadly, the aforementioned beverages from the night before slowed me down a bit).

Lucky for me I checked facebook the other night and found out that a friend of mine that I had worked with in the Loki Hostel here in Lima over 2 years ago was celebrating his birthday so I got to go enjoy a drink with him to celebrate his birthday.  He never expected to see me again and especially not to celebrate his birthday.

In a recent development Bob and I decided that they need to make the show Jersey Shore here in Lima so we broke out our "Stunner" poses at a concert the other day.  Let's just say our Gringo essence was noticeable. 

Working Toward My Escape

I am currently in the process of looking for the cheapest method of getting myself to Chile.  I have decided that I will be moving there (if all goes according to plan) as early as this July.

 

 (with any luck this will be my plane)

Of course I have been to Chile before.... that is how I got to make the flight to Easter Island to see these guys.

 

Right now it appears that the best (most fun and cheap combo) is for me to fly from Washington DC to Lima Peru, Where my friend Bob will be for the next 2 months and staying with him for a while and ultimately renting and apartment in Vina Del Mar, Chile starting in August.

Where am I getting the money for this trip you might ask?  OK so I still haven't got that ironed out yet, but I am working on it.  I have taken up 4 jobs or so that have been going on for over a month now and with another month or so to go I figure I will at least have a start.  I am also certified to teach English as a Foreign language so maybe that will pan out down there.  If not the plan is live cheap and try to make ends meet.  Wish me luck.

VIdeo of Snowshoe Total

So here is the compilation video from the 30+ minutes I got this season.... just remember that all the best stuff is never captured on tape.

The Transition to "guy on couch"

I have staked my claim on the couch up on the mountain and already have my season pass now to "sneak" some of my stuff up there. It has been recommended that I can only have the shirt on my back to not take up too much space but I think if I take my television up life will be a little bit better for all.

I am considering writing a list of laws that all "guys on couch" must follow and as I collect data on this process I might begin to piece some of it together.

Winter Begins - I am back

Now that snow has replaced rain here in my part of the world my life is suddenly back in full swing. My friends have returned after hiking the entire Appalachian Trail and I am looking forward to a winter of snowboarding and remaining unemployed.... impossible you say?

Not when I have been deemed "guy on couch"

I have purchased a season pass already and can't await an endless winter of snowboarding.


These guys have hiked the trail and will now allow me to crash on their couch... (not the one pictured)


Here is a vid of the first snow of the season here in town.

Hiking the AT - 15 more miles

For some fun I went and caught up with the guys for the night... actually they stopped through again almost immediately after some more freak feet incedents and we shuttled them back.

We hiked in roughly 10 miles in to the shelter and the next morning another 5 to the shuttle vehicle. I enjoyed it but then realized that I am now up to approximately 95 miles of hiking so it looks like I might have to go back and meet up with them before they finish to get over 100 miles on the Appalachian Trail. Granted I have done over that if you count the River Trail here near town, but I can always use and excuse to road trip.

Vital Trail Training - Bearditude (Tude of the Beard)

I have been studying the pictures from the Appalachian Trail recently and have noticed that any training I may have done previously may have been focused on the wrong area. I stole the next 3 pictures from facebook to demonstrate my point. The 3 individuals pictured below from left to right are Fisherman's Friend, Crash, and Tumbleweed. They have all hiked from Maine down to Virginia thus far and I will be meeting up with them on Friday. I realize that they have grown into hardcore endurance athletes over the course of the trip but that is not the growth that I believe to be most crucial... they all share one common element that fuels their success.



Look here at Tumblweed (AKA BOB). Before departing he was incapable of any facial growth except for that small patch under the lower-lip now his beard required 2 quarts of 10W-30 every month to keep him running.


Don't even get me started on this guy. He has spent a 2 seasons up in Alaska perfecting the shore-to-shore beard but without the cold winds of the ocean I was uncertain if his beard would follow him down into the lower 48 but it has only grown more enchanting. One can tell from the photo that it now has the ability to control snakes.


In realizing my efforts up to this point have been on physical endurance and not beard awesomeness I have resorted to searching the past for signs of hope for my bearditude. The beard photoed below was captured last year but it has become my new focus of motivation for my current attempt.


Knowing that I hit the trail on Friday I have focused all of my efforts on starting a beard that will fuel my adventure and this morning I awoke with beginnings show below. I fell asleep clean shaven but with a dream of the future and after great physical exhaustion I now have a chance of survival on the trail.

Training on the Trail

I am currently looking ahead to the end of this month when I plan on heading to the Appalachian Trail to meet up with Bob and Russell for some hiking. In the spirit of being bored and out of shape I have decided to train a bit here locally on the River Trail.


I took a training partner with me to keep me going. This is Hector.

We only put in 4 or 5 miles but I did load down my pack to 25 lbs and will build up the distance and weight over the course of the month to get myself a little bit more prepared.

It is easy to train where I live because this is the average scenery.


I am hoping to do most of the state of Virginia when I meet up with the duo of Tumbleweed and Fisherman's Friend (Trail Names) so every step I take preparing will have to buy me an extra day out on the trail.

I don't want to pack - I want to ride

Now that my short trip to Snowshoe is over and I am packing and working on my thesis (yes I secretly go to school) all I really want to do is get one last day in on Sunday (and maybe a wild night on Saturday).

Bob on Lower Shea's

Me and Tanner in Bob's goggles.


Bob and I liftin it.

That being said I might shirk all responsibilities and go back tomorrow only to have to charge home late Sunday and do some heavy packing before flying out of DC on Tuesday en route to England.

At the Shoe

I had to get some boarding in before I head to the flat land of England. I met up with Bob for some time on the mountain at Snowshoe.

We started the morning out right.

Bob spent some time in the halfpipe. (yes they actually have a pipe at the shoe this year)

And I met up with some friends from South America at night.

All in all, a good trip.

Sweet Pool Underwater Montage

Got snowed in at the Inn at Snowshoe and went to the pool.

Visitor from the UK

Amy (From my travels in Peru and Argentina) arrived yesterday to the United States. She has been back in England saving up money to travel again and was convinced to fly over for New Years for her first visit to the USA.

She flew into the Dulles Airport in DC


I then got to play the role of tour guide and took her to see the sights in DC. The White house was all lit up for the holidays.


Lincoln was doing it big as well. (That is me in the front left...)


After the sights I acclimated her to American cuisine by taking her to one of our many chain restaurants fro RIBS. Apparently ribs in the UK just are not the same, and the portion size is a little different.


After a night in DC we came back to Lewisburg and met up with BOB.

River Trail Detox

After a night that involve such things as this (Yes mine is apple juice) I needed a little detox of the system and Bob actually talked me into going for a jog.



I think most parties had a good time

and BOB unveiled his Zoolander Blue Steel look.

The trail was much needed. Yes I actually ran (a little bit)

First Runs on the Mountain 08-09 - Video

Bob and I started out season today. Granted I was boarding in Chile just about 2 months ago, but it is great to be back on my board again.

Camping in July 08

After the beach I took a night off at home and then realized I needed a vacation so I packed up and headed out on a camping trip.

Some serious packing happened.


When we got there it was raining so we hung out in the picnic shelter for a while

It was really nice today

I made some serious Buffalo Shrimp

they were delicious

Now I am back at the house doing my online class and getting ready to head back to the camp for the night. It is rough being this guy

Chincoteague 08

SO Bob invited me on vacation...



I packed



Since my family was busy I said goodbye to Bob's... ignore what his dad is doing






The days were good

The nights were better

Just ask Bob... yes there are two pwople underneath him

There were good times

and emotional ones

(OK totally off the topic but if you see this guy... run)

Bob learned that he couldn't buy love (yes he is holding a quarter)

And I continued my WV tradition of showering outside.

This picture is just funny

Brian and Bob got a little too close

and we almost ran head first into a tractor trailer

Bob was yelling to "Bring it on!"

Then I became "The Man"

and Bob got a job at Chippendale's

The food was good

I was elected King

King of the Beach that is

To celebrate we rocked out

Me and Chris rocked these sweet glow-stick shades out one night

He used them to catch moths

I used them to catch ladies

and in the end we all felt a little bit like this