Vizcachadores

La Vizcacha, a rodent of significant size, was on the list of animals I had yet to see in the wild. It is a strange creature resembling which can only be described as a cross between a 4-H show rabbit and a Chinchilla and is about the size of a really fat housecat. They have long, brownish-red fur and are equpped with a long squirrel like tail. Carlos, my appointed guardian and boss during the day, led me to a spot that promised to be plentiful with vizcachas. They live in the rocky crags of the Andes, especially on the western slopes where they can sun themselves at their hearts desire.

As we searched the slopes from the base of the mountain, I was slowly losing hope of seeing one. We had walked 2 miles from the Estancia, and there were none to be found...at first. We patrolled the edge of the slope for a while until out of nowhere, one appeared. We looked at it for about a minute before we decided we needed a more picturesque view. There was about a 70 or 80 degree slope covered in bush-sized thorn thickets between us and the vizcachas. The rocks were jagged and they were completely unstable. They kind of had a flakeyness about them with patches of solid granite in between. One wrong grip or foot placing meant the other person was in for quite the trip back, you know, carrying the body and all.

The vizcachas seemed fairly nonchalant about us being there, but everytime we got almost within picture range, they would dissapear into the side of the mountain. Suddenly, vizcachas were emerging from under every rock and from within every crack, but we still couldnt get within range of our digital cameras. We split up into a high road team and a low road team so that if one person saw one from below, the other could approach it from above, hopefully without being noticed by the momentarily distracted animal. It became very frustrating at times. The animal would be out, then the animal would hide; Another would come out, the hidden animal would appear, then both would hide. Finally, I took a chance and climbed above one that had been hidden for a while to see if it might have appeared. Sure enough, there it was, but it didnt move this time. It just sat there because it finally realized we couldnt quite get to it. But this time, we were in range with our cameras. In fact, at one point, I was within three feet of a sunbathing vizcacha.

Our talking, limited as it is, pretty much ceased to exist on the way back. We were both tired from all the spotting, and climbing after the elusive vizcachas. Now, we are both veteran Vizcacha hunters, or in español: Vizcachadores.

From the perimeter of civilization

James Bowden

Mexirado

Imagine going to a town in the heart of the rockies. Its partly cloudy with a crispness in the air bordering frigidity. The chimneys are steaming with the fresh smoke of firewood. Without warning, a pack of stray dogs raid a series of trashcans for churros with no mercy right across the street. It phases nobody, and the pack goes about their day with a fresh meal compliments of the local restaurants.

I arrived yesterday by plane to a small airport about 50 km outside of the city of Coyhaique. I could only find two similarities between where we landed and Kansas. The first being gale force winds. The terrain of the valley we landed in is comparable to a vast aged parking lot. Its very flat, so the wind has a chance to pick up speed, and weather battered by so many winters that it had developed an extensive series of cracks which now hold streams of water.The winds were so strong during the time we were descending, I thought the water in the cracks was going to blow right out of its banks. The second similarity really made me feel a little more at home: cows. There were lots of cows. I love cows...The rest of the area around Coyhaique looks more like scrub lands with mountainous mole hills. There are a few large peaks, but nothing serious.

When we arrived in the city, I felt pretty good. I didnt have any trouble getting there, my bags were fine, no trouble with customs, and then I got to the hostal...which was locked. I thought to myself, "Alright, I will be ok until it gets dark, then I might have to break a window." Luckily a local car salesman helped me before I could get my hands on anything rigid. The next piece of bad luck was losing my debit card to a malfunctioning ATM. The cashier at the desk said it wouldnt work because it was upside down. The only reasonable explanation is that the difference in magnetic fields from the northern and southern hemispheres caused it to redistribute itself within the machine. Thats believable right? The city definately has the feel of a mexican town transplanted in place of Denver. If it werent for the mountains, and the smoke stacks, and it being bone chilling cold in my room at night, I would definately be in the street yelling "¡Viva la Mexico!"

The mishap with the ATM was tragic, but salvagable. Even though I am leaving a day later, it does allow me to spend an extra day exploring in Coyhaique. It will help me practice my spanish and hopefully find something barato (cheap). I leave tomorrow for Valle Chacobuco, where I will spend my next six months.

From the perimeter of civilization

James Bowden

"I'm a loner Dottie, a rebel..."

What do you do when you're fresh out of college, broke as a joke, and the student loan sharks are circling with the scent of unsubsidized promissory notes? Some may say "get a real job," and then proceed to live vicariously through Bear Grills, but I say nay. Leave the real world behind and become your own Bear.

For the next six months, I will be living in a tent in some of the most sparsely populated regions of southern Chile. During that time, I will be assisting scientist and volunteers in the re-establishment of wildlife communities decimated by ambitious sheep ranching. The emphasis is the preservation of two native species, the huemal deer and the puma. This conservation program was funded by Doug Tompkins.

Since the summer of 2008, I have known about Doug Tompkins, a top advocate of deep ecology, and the owner of large quantities of land dedicated to conservation in Chilean Patagonia. I learned of this interesting character from another interesting character named Wes Jackson. Wes is the founder of "The Land Institute," which is a perennial agriculture research center located in central Kansas. The first time I met him, he asked me what I wanted to do after I graduated. I, having only an inkling, replied that I wanted to visit South America for a while. Little did I know, Wes Jackson is kind of a big deal. People know him and he knows people. He began by telling me a story about Doug owning such vast amounts of land in Chile, that a dictator (I'm thinking Pinochet) would take his prisoners into the most remote areas and throw them out of helicopters. I mean, he really sold me on the place. Although a little intimidated, I still felt like that was my chance at traveling to South America. With a lot help from a former professor (whom I am indebted to), I began planning for what has now become a six month venture that ensues Tuesday September 22nd, 2009.

I have had a strange attraction to South America for sometime now. It must have been the years of Discovery Channel taunting me with the mysterious jungles, native peoples, and the ever lurking Chupucabra. The thought of becoming some sort of forest woodsman/jungle hermit is really quite attractive, and even more so now that I graduated. I graduated from Bethany College which is located in the most popular Swedish-American colony in Kansas let alone the U.S. I am a fellow swede myself. What does a recession mean to a swede? Everybody else is finally getting with the program. Full blood swedes have been pinching pennies for years. Good thing time is free.

Anyway, I will be making entries as often as possible, but I will only be near civilization a few times a month. I'm looking forward to my next entry. It should be pretty interesting.

From the perimeter of civilization
James Bowden