I am a truck by Kenny Varner

I am a truck by Kenny Varner

This is a VERY long post, but a lot to share, particularly toward the end.  I hope you find it worth reading; for me it was worth writing.

What a weekend!  Awesome is a word I have a whole different appreciation for.  Coming to the Andes mountains in the Termas de Chillan has been awesome.  Now when I typically use this word I had noticed that it becomes my catch all word "you're awesome" "that's awesome" "wow, awesome" or "awesome, awesome."  I will now never use this word again unless it meets the threshold of the Andes Mountains.

Mike taking in the snow

The mountains at Chillan (at the bottom of the hill

The weekend started on Saturday morning.  Claudia (my Chilean "I would rather you called me your sister than your mother") brought Fernando (her son, my host brother) to the TJS school to meet up with Ken and Margaret.  We then took the Itata highway from Concepcion to Chillan.  We went to the market, which was full of lots of visually intriguing fruits and vegetables.  We ate lunch in the market (Ken, Margaret, and I had Casuela and Fernando had a steak and fries).  After lunch we walked around the market, and Ken/Margaret purchased ponchos as gifts, as well as a really cool looking LSU color knit jacket. The spices and beans were incredible!

 

Spices and beans at the market

Dat's all folks! (I like to eat meat, BUT wow!)

We then went to the JUMBO store, a grocery store that makes anything in the US look tiny, even the biggest super walmart.  They literally have EVERYTHING.  We bought groceries and then met up with Veronica, Ricardo, Jordan, Little Ricardo, Antonio, and Matilde at the home of Ricardo's parents. They had just received crawfish (it felt like being back in Louisiana) and we looked at those for a few minutes and exchanged different cooking techniques. 

We sang happy birthday to Ricardo's father and then packed up into the cars and headed up for the 1.5 hour drive.  It was pouring rain the whole ride up, and we went from a fairly low elevation in Chillan up to about 3000 meters (that is a lot of feet).  The whole time we kepis saying "tell yourself I am a truck; I am a truck; I am a truck."  Now being a truck in a car that barely has any pickup is interesting, but we did well considering. Our cabins are very cool, and the owner started fires for us so that we were warm.  We woke up Saturday and cooked up our 4th of July feast with two types of potato salad, macaroni and cheese, hot dogs, sausages, relish, deviled eggs, chips, soda, and a really bad apple crisp (I did not have my food processor).  After we ate we headed toward the last stop before the top of the mountain to get chains on our tires.  Then we headed up the 8km pathway that was the most frightening drive I have ever made. I am a tuck, I am a truck.  At some points we were literally headed straight up the at a very sharp angle. I am a truck, I am a truck.

Once we got to the top we went to thermal pools, filled with 40C water (very warm) that is from the volcanos.  We then ran down the hill in bathing suits and barefoot through the snow (stupid, yes; fun, of course -- Ken had pictures and I will snag one soon).

On Monday we went to ski (it was a holiday here).  The mountain is beautiful and even though it was cold, the sun gave us a good day.  It has been 7 years since I went skiing and on the green hill I did well.  I should have adjusted based on the fact that we were on a 9000 foot mountain, but Ricardo and Fernando told me I was doing ok skiing and I should try a blue slope.  I have done blue in the US and even a black once and my understanding is that blue is supposed to be an intermediate level.  This blue was not.  It was a 25 minute ski lift ride higher than where we were which was already a 15 minute lift. I was frightened all the way up.  Once we got to the top I really lost my confidence and had a little breakdown.  It was all in my head -- once I got up there I literally froze and could not move.  I was 9000+ feel above the earth, on the Andes, looking over creation and I became paralyzed.  I fell about 90 seconds into the run and did not move for 20 minutes.  The others in my group left me and I sat there hoping they would come with a snow vehicle, St. Bernard, and hot chocolate.  Instead everyone fly past me and no one stopped.  Finally I noticed a guy in a  green ski instructor coat and pleaded for him to stop, which he did and he kindly but firmly said (in English) "there is only one way down my friend and it is on your skis, so stand up and move." Was this guy serious?  If it was only that easy I was thinking -- but he reached out his hand and I stood up with his help.  He gave me about 1 minutes worth of a ski lesson and then pushed me from behind and down I started going.  Was I frightened, YES - but I started realizing that I was going to be ok, and that I might fall 50 times going down, but that I would get down -- I was not going to die on a Mountain while supervising a trip.  What a relief.  I also started to focus on the music playing in my headphones and it was odd how perfect all the lyrics seemed to be.  Music got me down half way -- but after about the 15th fall I was really frustrated when a woman named Solange stopped and helped me.  I became instantly relieved.  Solange and her friends Erwin and Francsico were my guardian angles for the second half of the ride down.  They stayed close to me and inched me down a very large slope at the top of the Andes.  Francisco gave me encouragement, and taught me how to ski so that I didn't kill myself on the way down. Solange told me I could do it and to keep going.  When I fell they lifted me up.  When I thought I couldn't finish, they gave me encouragement.  It took me 2 hours (yes 120 minutes for you math folks out there) to get down a hill that takes most people no more than 10-15 minutes to ski down.  BUT, I did it.  With the help of my new friends the last part only took 20 or so minutes.  The music in my ears and the help of some new friends got me through.  I learned a great life lesson though along the way -- we are given many things in our lives we think we can't handle and we do a number on ourselves to convince our own mind that we can't do something.  But really most anything is possible.  What I needed was confidence and the experience of failing at something and getting myself back up again to try harder, applying what I learned each time.  Looking back I am really glad that what was an unfortunate set of circumstances worked to not only teach me a lesson, but also gave me some of the most gorgeous views of my life, and at the end of the day let me see that the kindness of complete strangers is always an interesting act of love -- that people who do not even know you can do something so kind restores faith in humanity and makes me eager to pass this kindness on to someone else who needs something in a moment where I am  positioned to help.  Below are some pictures along with some excerpts from the songs that played during the ordeal (thankfully I could hit reverse and see a full list of the songs that played the whole time).  Many cool songs played that captured elements of what was going on, but the five below that played at key moments happened to particularly capture the event.  You also now have a glimpse into my iPod :).

My heroes Solange, Francisco, and Erwin (with me)

A better shot of the rescue team :)

Chileans may be the kindest

 people I have ever met

Finally, the bottom - SAFE with sun setting

  

God Only Knows -- Natalie Mains rendition - When I first fell and sat for 20 minutes this song started playing about 2 minutes in and as I sat thinking, wow I could die on this mountain, I became very pensive about my loved ones and making sure I take the time to tell them that I love them.

I may not always love you


But long as there are stars above you


You never need to doubt it


I'll make you so sure about it

Stevie Nicks - Stand back  -- This played about 30 seconds after the ski instructor cam and took my hand, gave me pep talked, pushed me in the right direction and skied off (I never got his name)

No one knows how I feel

What I say unless you read between my lines


One man walked away from me


First he took my hand
Take me home

Solsbury Hill - Peter Gabriel - This song started about 2 minutes after Solange and Francisco found me and where give me a confidence building talk 

Climbing up on Solsbury Hill  / I could see the city light  /Wind was blowing, time stood still Eagle flew out of the night / He was something to observe /Came in close, I heard a voice Standing stretching every nerve / Had to listen had no choice  /I did not believe the information I just had to trust imagination  /My heart going boom boom boom  / "Son," he said "Grab your things, I've come to take you home." 

Life is a Highway - Tom Cochrane - This was playing as we were progressing down the hill and I was picking up pace, confidence, and falling less.  Solange, Francisco, and Erwin were my heroes at as we went along and it was more manageable with them I realized and appreciated that life is like a highway.  I was able to trust complete strangers and ride with them -- they did not hesitate and together we broke down the garden's gate.

Life's like a road that you travel on


When there's ne day here and the next day gone


Sometimes you bend and sometimes you stand


Sometimes you turn your head to the wind


There's a world outside ev'ry darkened door


Where blues won't haunt you anymore


Where brave are free and lovers soar


Come ride with me to the distant shore


We won't hesitate
Break down the garden's gate


There's not much time left today

Of all the songs that played, the last one that literally started when we reached the base and I was getting ready to take pictures was Phillip Phillips Home from American Idol.  The lyrics are beautiful and captured this experience.  That my iPod literally played a soundtrack for the experience is super amazing, but maybe it is not, I was just really attune to what the artists were saying.

Home - Phillip Phillips (This played at the very end and described the whole thing)

Hold on, to me as we go


As we roll down this unfamiliar road


And although this wave is stringing us along


Just know you're not alone


Cause I'm going to make this place your home



Settle down, it'll all be clear


Don't pay no mind to the demons


They fill you with fear


The trouble it might drag you down


If you get lost, you can always be found



Just know you're not alone


Cause I'm going to make this place your home