Looking Back on 2009

This year has certainly had its ups and downs. I started the year some lofty goals, I like to aim high!

February I injured my back mountain biking. The results were devastating to my 2009 Adventure Racing plans since biking or kayaking was impossible (actually sitting was impossible). I tried acupuncture, chiropractor, physical therapy, spinal epidurals all to no avail. The Neurosurgeon recommended surgery and I had 90 days to decide before I permanently damaged the nerves.

March found me laying in the back seat of the car on most weekends so I could train in the Blue Ridge Mountains for the race in Switzerland. I flew to Maine to learn to snowshoe in the White Mountains; this was my new sport for 2009. I loved it and couldn’t wait to try it in Swiss Alps

April I am on my way to Switzerland to race in the Untamed Switzerland 3 Alpine stage race (One of my lofty goals for 2009). I could do this race since it had no biking or kayaking. My doctor thought I was crazy but he injected my spine with a slow release steroid before I left to help me get through the race. Switzerland was amazing; we climbed snowy peaks and did torturous descents. Our team raced hard and finished 4th. I made new friends and even got in a quick trip to Germany

May My back injury has not improved and my right leg is losing all of its strength. I am scared but I decide to have surgery and am on the operating table the week after I return from Switzerland.

June and July Recovery from back surgery is no joke. I sit only to drive to and from work for 3 months. I pray for a full recovery. I travel to Tampa to see Lorraine get married.

August I welcome my 7th grandchild, baby Tanner, it was a rocky road for him and his parents (but all is well now). I travel to New England to work on the support staff for the Untamed New England race since I still can’t race. We have a great family vacation in Rodanthe. The surf is going off and Jesse surprised us, returning from South America to join us. I am finally released from the doctors care and I begin hard core training, I want to race in September

September I decide to put my back to the test. We race in the 18 hour Back Bay Blitz adventure race. We finish first place over all, with almost a 2 hour lead from the second place team. I could bike and kayak and run for 18 hours straight with no pain, well no back pain that is.

October and November I travel to Peru to join Jesse for a few weeks of adventures. We do a 4 day bike, raft, hike to Machu Picchu (another lofty goal for 2009). I can see why Machu Picchu is one of the 7 wonders of the world; it is the most amazing site. We spend a week in the Amazon jungle. We catch and eat piranha, we swim in the Amazon with pink dolphins, we catch a caiman and I hold him, we catch a sloth I take him on a boat ride, we see tarantulas, birds, snakes, suffer 100 degree weather, and the unmentionable Ayahuasca. It is a true adventure of a lifetime.

 

December closes 2009 with lots of memories both good and bad. It has been a year with lots of love, tears, and fun with my family and friends and hopes for an even better 2010.

Machu Picchu

I arrive in Lima Peru at 1:30am on Saturday, walk outside the airport to a mob of Spanish speaking men all trying to get my attention (and my money). I finally spot Jesse in the crowd and he rescues me. We are off on our adventure. We have no specific plans other than a one-way ticket to Cusco. But we have some goals - I want to hike to Machu Picchu and see the Amazon, Jesse wants to see Pink Dolphins in the northern Amazon river.

We arrive in Cusco Saturday afternoon with no place to stay and Jesse works his "spanish magic" with the local people and we find a hostel.  I am immediately plagued with altitude sickness.  We went from Sea Level to 11,000 feet.  But I try Coca tea (made from the leaves of the cocaine plant) and it helps some.  I am out of breath climbing the steep stairs and we are planning to hike for 4 days to Machu Picchu.  The local people are amazing, colorful and I even feel tall for the first time in my life.   

We sign up for a 4 day Inka Jungle bike/hike late Sunday evening and are picked Monday at 6am to start our journey to Machu Picchu..

We drive to the top of a mountain at 15,000 feet, mount up on mountain bikes and start descending both onroad and offroad down the mountian to 5,000 feet.  The offroad is a washboard with huge holes and water running over it.  It is thrilling to ride so fast downhill.  We charge it but unfortunately for Jesse the offroad jarring stirs up his kidney stones and that puts a damper on his good time.

Next we meet up with a river guide who is trying to start his own white water rafting business and offers to take us down the Urubamba river on class 3 and 4 rapids to test out a new section of the river and his guide skills.  We jump at the chance and have the most amazing and thrilling 2 hour adrenelin ride down the river. 

Tuesday - Day 2 finds us hiking uphill on the Inka Messenger Trail. 

We are with a group of young people from Japan, Israel, Ireland, Wales, New Zealand, Australia, Denmark, Holland and US.  I am glad they are mostly in their 20's because I don't want to hike slow.  Most of this group is pretty fit, but a few are struggling. 

We stop at a local "rest" area in the middle of the jungle and mountains and dress up on the local clothing.   Jesse is holding a baby beaver in this group photo. 

I play with a monkey while we take a break

The views are amazing on our journey and the bugs are relentless.  Jesse and I look like we have the measles from the hundreds of mosquito bites.  

We end up at a hot springs in the middle of nowhere. It feels amazing. 

Day 3 finds Jesse sick with kidney stones and many of the group hung over from night on the town where our guide, Alfredo, was 'pole dancing' the night away.  

I went to sleep early, knowing we had a full day of hiking ahead. 

We cross the Urubamba river by cable car and bridge. 

It is a long day  but we eventually wind up in the town Agua Calientes.  I have a sore throat and laryngitis but I am not going to let it stop me from the final day and hike into Machu Picchu.

Day 4 we leave at 4:15am and climb 18,000 steps straight up to the entrance of Machu Picchu.  A few of us from the group hike it fast and we have to wait for the doors to open.  Machu Picchu is amazing.  The lost city high in the mountains.

We jump for joy that we have made the trek/

We come across a group of Llamas grazing in the upper part of the city.

The mountain in the background is Wayna Picchu.  It is a treacherous climb to the top.   All but 5 of our group have decided not to make that climb.  They are exhausted

Jesse and I start the climb. 

I am loving it, it is hard and just what I imagined climbing in the mountains would be.

This is the view from top of the world

Machu Picchu from Wayna Picchu

We made it to the top.