South-West Gets Scholziger

April

Eat ‘Em All

Posted by Michi Scholz . Published on 15 April 2010

Consume more horses! Cook them, grill them, fry them, whatever them, at least please eat them! Our two day hike north of Ushuaia through some deep valleys could have been even more beautiful if you had eaten more horses. There exisit some people who prefer horse back riding through rough landscapes instead of hiking on their bare feet. This would be no problem and I would not have such a problem if these people used special paths with their horses, but not the same paths as hikers do. The result in this humid region is that all hiking paths are mud pools and our hike was rather a mud war than a chilling adventure. Horses turn a narrow trail into a highway of mud. Tartar will be our best friend!

Consume more dogs! Fry them, grill them, cook them, whatever them, at least please eat them! Wild dogs can get a really annoying natural phenomenon. When you think about leaving the city down here and exploring the outer region on your own, make sure to carry some pepper spray or a big axe with you. The further you get out of the city, the less conscious the people get with their dogs. Why do all giant dogs have to run around freely, barking and jumping on every foreigner passing by, the improvised fences not holding back even a cow …?

Tonight we had our coldest night in the tent. First time that I had to close my sleeping bag completely. Must have been around -3 degree Celsius. Sell your synthetic fibre sleeping bag, buy a down one. The only reason buying this plastic stuff is its lower price. All arguments that down bags have problems with humidity are nonsense unless you sleep without any cover in the pouring rain. One rainy week of hiking is no problem, two are no difference. Sleeping in the cold night outside is no problem, the morning dew stays outside and gets not inside of the bag, it dries away fast. Once the wind carried my sleeping bag into a river and even this was no problem because the outer material is water repellent and within these few seconds nothing has happened. For five years now I had not a single day having humidity problems. Goose down rocks!!

Nice it was down here! Patagonia is very cool! Especially the Chilean islands, national park Los Glaciares, Torres del Paine, La Pampa and the vast distances. Tierra de fuego is something comparable to some northern European stuff but on midday you’ll find the sun in the north instead of the south. Tomorrow we have to head north again, poco a poco I have to reach Buenos Aires. There are only two weeks left, ohjeh!