Emerging from Ranquilco
Trip Start
Dec 28, 2007
1
4
10
Trip End
Jan 31, 2008
Junin de los Andes, Argentina
Thursday, January 24, 2008
Darlene and I are back in the land of technology. Man do we have a lot of news. It is culture shock for us to now have the sounds of ringing cell phones, cars and lights. The small town of Junin de los Andes seems like a bustling metropolis after the last 3 weeks. Junin is actually a sleepy little town, wait till the shock of Santiago. We have become accustomed to the sounds of chickens in the morning, mourning doves in the mountains, the soft light of candles and the silence of the cordillera (mountains).
It´s hard to know where to begin. Our bus journey from BA turned into a marathon. As we left the stifling heat in the relative comfort of the bus we settled in for a 14 hour drive. Little did we know. 2 hours into the drive it started to rain. This meant that it was raining in Darlene´s seat. It poured down the window, across the floor and down the stairs to the first level. I was tucked in the back seat unaware. ( I had seat 10, curiously located beside 28 right in the back) I had Spaniards for companions, Darlene had a lovely Argenine girl for a companion. They served food, sort of like airplane food and the bus stopped. I thought they were taking a break, and went to sleep about midnight. Darlene found out we were stopped because a large tree had come down on the road. We waited 2 hours for someone to come and remove it. We thought that we should have been in Alberta where every other vehicle would have had a chain saw and a winch to deal with the problem. Darlene didn´t sleep much, I slept fitfully. First cold then hot as they turned the air conditioning off, I woke at 8 to desert, miles of desert. We watched 3 movies, lots of 80´s music videos and they fed us, supper, breakfast and lunch. They told us 2:00 for ETA, this stretched to 3:30 as we ascertained we were no where near Zapala. Little hamlets rolled by the window, run down houses, horses, guanaco and rhea. The whole trip took 19 and a half hours.
Luckily Ashley and 3 other guests were waiting when we got to Zapala. We then crawled into a small landrover and strapped the luggage to the roof. 2 more Canadians and 1 American. It was a 2 and a half hour drive to El Huacu where we met Skye, changed drivers and set off. One and a half more hours on a dirt path across pastures to the puesto know as Buta Mallin (pronounced buta majin). Here we changed to horses. Being that it was 7 or so Skye elected to leave the luggage, so we packed a change of clothes and set off on horses. Being on horseback was awesome even after 30 hours of travel. The scenery is stunning, open, dry and spiritually moving. 3 hours of riding and we were at Ranquilco. We got there just before dark at about 9:30. Luckily food awaited, pizza served on traditional Argentine wood plates. Our shower unfortunately was cold but we did not care. We got to bed about 11:30, exhillerated and exhausted.
So that was the start.
Our time at the estancia was incredible. We took a morning of rest then rode in the afternoon. We rode most days for anywhere between 3 and 6 hours, although there were days where we didn´t ride and days where some went out and others didn´t. One of the participants was older and only rode half the time the rest of us did.
The estancia is gorgeous, perched on a cliff overlooking the Tocomon river it was purchased for the sole purpose of fly fishing. It was and is still a working cattle ranch with about a thousand head including 350 cow calf pairs. There is a sense of timelessness to the place, newer buildings fit with the traditional buildings. Our room was in the building that used to be a school. It was low and flat with a straw roof showing under the newer tin one. Stone floor, cool adobe walls, a rustic bathroom and shower and comfortable beds. There are lots of buildings in varying stages of repair, all quite habitable and most used either by guests, gauchos, volunteers and other employees.
Highlights of the trip:
1. We took a ride up to the summer pasture at the Cordillera (pronounced Cordijera), or mountains. This was an awesome experience. A 7 hour ride into the Cordillera, lead by an old gaucho who traversed the steep inclines, rocks and flat planes with no bit in his horse´s mouth, all while leading his pack mule. His name was Hugo (pronounced Ugo) and I have seen few horsemen that equalled his skill in horsemanship, or in cooking. He is a jovial, slightly pudgy man with a hearty laugh and a keen sense of humour. When he needed to, he leaned forward, popped the bit in the horses mouth, dropped the pack mule´s reins and took of at a gallop to help anyone that needed it. Hugo is a character. He claims that at one time he could only afford water, now that he has more money he will only drink red wine, which he refers to as agua or water. Never drunk though. He sets up a camp faster than anyone I know and cooks for 12 more easily than 2 while making his grill from fencing wire.
The views were indescribable. We kept climbing till we thought we could touch the clouds. The valley floor fell away and the path became lava rock, steep and challenging. Never frightening though. We could see forever. I have never been able to see that far before, with very few trees. The wind was incredible. I have never experienced prolonged winds like that before. They whipped dust and debries, chapped lips and hands and did not ever seem to stop. The beauty was unmatched, though the wind was somewhat tiring. It died down later, but it was quite the welcome to the Cordillera.
Our camp was high at almost 4000 feet. Nice in the day, cool at night. I slept under the stars for 2 nights. We were supposed to go on from here for 3 more days, up over a pass where we could view Chile, but bad weather turned us back for home. A nasty summer storm blew in on the third night and it became apparent to those of us that ride in the mountains that we were not as well prepared as we should be for severe weather. So after a group discussion in the morning, and after we had dried out we returned to Ranquilco to regroup and for a shower.
It was still awesome, wouldn´t have changed it at all. Those of you who know me will get a kick out of our wrong turn while camping. Skye´s gauchos had baby-sitting duty while the gringos explored the valley, Laguna Negra, fished and hiked. 3 of us missed the home valley on a hike to the Laguna Negra. The gauchos saw us hiking home and came tearing back to point us in the right direction. These same gauchos had doubled us on horse back accross the stream, one at a time. They were insistent that we not remove our shoes to cross and had packed us on their horses amid much laughter. They had tried to direct us, but since our spanish was almost none and they yattered on anyway, we missed the point. They saved us from our mistake though. I am certain they could have tracked us if needed. Darlene managed to dodge them and never saw them once. She was on her own for the day and loved it. She took a convoluted route to and from the laguna, but didn´t have to be rescued.
2. Our second trip to the Cordillera (pronounced Cordijera). We had better weather, little wind, no rain and were better prepared. We went with different guides and fewer people. The dedicated riders went this time. We took a different route and ascended the Descecho to view the border of Chile. This was the most awesome ride. The scene at the top was breath-taking. I felt that I was on top of the world. We looked down at either valley and the cattle were mere specks on the valley floor. It was the most exhillerating ride, challenging yet peacefull. We descended into the valley, taking almost 2 hours to get down. We stopped at the puesto of a neighbour named Julio. He invited us to camp, and sent his son out for supper for us. It is amazing to send someone to the goat flock (located at the top of the canyon) to fetch supper. This only took a couple hours to find, catch and kill in the mountains as not to offend the gringo chicas. Little did he know that the vets had post mortem examined our last dinner. It was the most awesome meal. The best chivo asado (goat BBQ, pronounced chibo) we had while at Ranquilco. These people are incredibly welcoming, sharing and happy. We played futball or soccer with the kids while waiting for supper to appear. Their existence is simple by our standards, but they are happy.
3. Our trip to Buta Mallin. Here 4 of us elected to stay with the gauchos for spanish emmersion 101. We had lots of fun, using a spanish phrase book and dictionary. The gauchos spent quite a lot of time laughing at us for our attempts to communicate. Darlene, John, Anna and I had a blast. One of them had been in the Cordillera with us and been one of the rescuers. He was awesome. Full of life, fun and an incredible work ethic. His horsemanship was awesome. When we were trying to bring in the calves and they kept turning back, he jumped on Darlene´s horse and without stirrups did some very fancy riding. He spent a lot of time laughing with us and at us. I think he told us we were pretty good riders..... but we´re not sure.
We spent 3 nights here. Darlene´s back may never be the same after 2 nights on a stone floor. We managed to get warm showers, simple but awesome food and a ride to a laguna where to our amazement were flamingos. Yes flamingos in the middle of Patagonia and I have the feathers and photos to prove it. On this trip the gauchos were laughing at Roberto, a want to be gaucho who had wanted to come. They stuck him on a 2 year old stallion, that Sergio was training, riding with a lower lip strap only. He asked us how to make him go!! Amazing stallion, he never gave the rookie any trouble until he dismounted at the laguna and the jaw line came off. Sergio had to go collect the stud. Chipe and Sergio were having quite the entertainment.
We gathered cattle 200 pair from about a 500 acre pasture. 7 gringos, Skye and Chipe. 2 of us had some cattle experience and I spent the drive in the middle of the herd trying to push the lead cattle to keep them from turning around. I ate a lot of dust. It was awesome. We then separated off the fats, this can only be described as an event. Sorting was a little wild, but a lot of fun. The cattle respected the fences as poor as they are. One gaucho guarded the gate like a hockey goallie. I got chased by the mean bull.... let´s see twice or was it 3 times in 2 days. They gauchos loved that.
We got to have 2 beef assados while we were at Buta. Since there is no refridgeration, once you kill a cow, you eat beef till it is gone. The assado was delicious, cooked slowly over an open flame. Believe it or not I have started drinking both beer and red wine. As well I have developed a taste for Mattee. Sort of like tea it is the national drink of Argentina. Too much time spent with the gauchos I guess.
The marca happened while at Buta. This is their branding party. Lots of gauchos, wives and us gringos were there. The action started at daybreak when the gauchos brought the cows in (After mattee of course). I helped sort, they assigned jobs then the Marca began. This was chaos. Imagine 8 ropers on the ground, no horses, grass ropes and 150-350 lb calves. The object of this game was to rope the calves, released 2 at a time, tie them down and get 2 more. When 10 were caught, we branded, castrated, ear marked and I vaccinated. In Canada, there would have been much swearing. In Argentina, only laughter, teasing and dedication to the job. In the beginning 10 took 15 minutes, at the end 10 took 22-24 minutes. These guys are tough. Not the easiest way to work cattle, but done for generations. The gringos waded in too. Darlene and I tackled small calves and flanked them down, we´re not sure the gauchos liked our technique. By the end several had accumulated our leather gloves and we let them keep them. They have so little, a pair of gloves or sleeping bag is a great possession. We left the gauchos our sleeping bags, my down coat and vest as thanks for their kindness, hospitality and laughter. This meant less to pack!!!
Once 200 head were done we ate. More beef asado and yes beer. There was music, dancing on the lawn (and I use lawn very liberally). They saved the mountain oysters till supper, but yes we ate them too. The party went on till 3:00. I retired at 2:00. I have never seen a group of people so happy, having so much fun yet having so little (by our standards). The kitchen at Buta is at most 30´ by 20´, and we had 20 or more people in it at all times, 3-6 couples on the ¨dance-floor¨ at all times. There was one gaucho playing a guitar. It was exhilerating. I hated to leave the party, but I couldn´t keep my eyes open any longer. The revillry could be heard long into the night, by Darlene through earplugs and 2 sleeping bags about 300 yards away.
It was sad to leave the ranch, Buta in particular. We stepped back in time, touched the lives of simple people, were touched and moved by our experiences and emerged changed. We are excited to continue our journey, but saddened to leave our new friends behind. They welcomed us into their lives, and offered us all they had to share. We are humbled by the experience. We are looking forward to the new experiences ahead.
Edit:
We have thought about a few more events that deserve a mention in the blog.
Understanding that we are veterinarians, it wasn´t unexpected that we have our services called into action. We did a prepurchase exam of sorts on a horse, for the estancia. This wasn´t difficult because he was a little lame to start and it took nothing but flexing his knee to make it worse. We looked at a lame horse that had come down from the cordillera and did a house call to one of the many buildings on the estancia to look at a old horse. The most unique experience was being asked to preg check the milk cow. They had left her with the bull for only 20 days and they did not know if there would ever be any milk being that she is dry, so I improvised. I used a large plastic bag and a rubber glove and dove in. To the surprise of Skye the cow is actually 60 days pregnant. More milk to come in the future, and the cow gets to live another day. That was definitely the most innovative method of preg checking I have tried.
We have seen it all now. There is actually a horse at Ranquilco that likes to eat cherries. On one of our rides we stopped at an old building site. 100 years ago someone planted a cherry tree, it is now larger than any cherry tree I have ever seen. Easily 70 feet tall it was loaded with cherries. We sat on the horses to reach the cherries and gathered handfuls. They were incredibly sweet. We ended up with purple hands, purple faces and the horses got some purple hand prints. One of the horses decided sitting wasn´t good enough so he started eating cherries. For the whole time we were there he took mouthful after mouthful. He seemed to have some difficulty with the pits, but it didn´t stop him. A couple others ate some branches, but this guy was definitely after cherries. Bizzare, but funny.
The ranch site is ranquilco.com We recommend this experience to anyone who seeks the peace of the mountains, good food and good company. You don't have to be an experienced rider to enjoy this experience. You only need a sense of adventure, a willingness to go with the flow and the ability to enjoy simplicity. The accomodations are as comfortable as you like. If you want to camp, you can. If you want a comfortable bed, they have some awesome guest houses. Hot showers are available, as long as you can plan ahead to have the fire started. The experience is awesome!! I would do it again in a heartbeat.
¡Chao for now!
Theresa and Darlene
