Travel --- 12/27/2009 - 1/2/2010 --- Costa Rica
Off to Costa Rica!
12/27 Mark and I attempt to fly to Costa Rica. US Airways doesn't want to let us check any bags. The online bag check isn't working (we have a printout to prove it). The gate agent makes a 20 minute phone call to get permission to check our luggage. I thought airlines had mastered the art of "taking your luggage and losing it" over 50 years ago. Guess not. The next problem is that all three of our bags are over 50 lbs. Some slight of hand and emergency repacking gets us past that hurdle. Now we can sit on the runway for four hours in treacherous freezing fog. We end up stranded in Phoenix, Arizona for the night. US Airways pays for our hotel and gives us about $50 in meal vouchers. Thanks customer service representative Anthony!
12/28 We fly to Costa Rica where we meet Dave and spend the night at the Costa Rica Backpacker's Hostel ($13/person) near the Supreme Court building. It is fine, but not as good a value as other hostels in San Jose.
12/29 Head to the Musoc terminal where we get tickets for the 8:30am bus to San Isidro (₡2400/person... I think). We store our luggage in a hobbit hole and walk around San Jose for a bit. The bus ride goes smoothly... until the clutch breaks in the middle of the Cerro de la Muerte... Hills of Death? They didn't seem that deadly. Unless you happen to be a bus clutch. Anyhow, after an hour another bus comes along and we all pile inside. Reaching San Isidro we meet Eric who has a pickup truck to help us with grocery shopping. Mark sits with the bags, Dave and I change money, then Dave buys enough food to serve 13 people for 10 days, while Eric and I sit in the bed of Eric's truck and chat. This is probably my longest Spanish conversation ever. I use pretty much every word I know and turn to the dictionary for help a few times. Studying definitely paid off! Finally, we drive to Tres Piedras, meet Rolando and Maricel, and settle into what will be our home for the next two weeks.
12/30 Walking around to the south shore of the river I get my first sightings of the omnipresent Leaf Cutter Ants (Atta cephalotes) and Jesus Lizards (Basiliscus basiliscus). We ascend one of the Guacimo Colorado (Guazuma ulmifolia or possibly Luehea seemannii) trees. Move around a bit on our motion lanyards and check the tree out. Coming down, we leave p-cord behind so we can access the tree in the future. Then we head to the river bank to look at spiders -- the Arrow Shape Micrathena (Micrathena sexspinosa) and Wolf Spider (exact species unknown) -- and play with a few alternate ascension techniques. After that we pass the heat of the day watching Chestnut Mandibled Toucans (Ramphastos swainsonii) sitting in Cecropia trees (Cecropia obtusifolia)... what we call Toucan Trees. We eat lunch and plan our class. Then we take the steep hike up into the jungle where we check out three trees that we can use for the class. Two have p-cord on them from previous classes. Convenient! Hike down the hill entirely bushwhacking through the jungle -- which is quite an adventure. Then a refreshing swim and dinner. In the evening we do more class planning.
12/31 We take a long hike past TFI land down to the river, then back upstream to reach Paradise. We see a Roadside Hawk (Buteo magnirostris), a really cool Guanacastle Walking Stick (Calynda bicuspis), lots of butterflies, and a disgusting dead snake. At Paradise, we epic trying to shoot the king swing tree (another Guacimo Colorado). We break a throwbag, launch a ton of rocks (which all land on our heads), and finally shoot the tree. This is probably the most difficult shot I've ever personally made. We swing in the tree then hike back to Tres Piedras the short way. Spend the afternoon doing chores like putting p-cord loops in the new static rope and stitching the broken throw bag. Then a swim and dinner.
1/1 Hike down the road to a big, unclimbed Ceiba (Ceiba pentandra) which Mark shoots on his first try. Mark and Dave are good enough to let me get the first ascent of this tree, which I name the Bengali Tiger Trap tree. We play in the tree which is loaded with ants and has a few remaining patches of Ceiba spikes. We rig a high crotch, then come down from the tree. Our p-cord isn't long enough to reach the ground, so we tie a big rock to the p-cord and leave it 40' up in the tree with one end tied to the ground (hence the name of the tree). When we return, this system will allow us to get the longer rope up into the tree and over the branch. Returning to Tres Piedras, we enjoy a New Year's Day picnic with the community. Before the sun sets we see several gorgeous Morpho butterflies (Morpho peleides). Then we get a beautiful full moon, singing Vireos, and tons of fireflies. Pura Vida!
1/2 Dave is off to San Jose to get the students. Mark, Rolando and I wake early for a hard hike back to the jungle with very full packs. Rolando shoots the Ajillo (Pithecelobium macradenium) the one tree of our three which doesn't have p-cord. We climb the tree, find a perfect high crotch, and come down with everything rigged. Hiking out, Rolando finds a Black and Green Poison Dart Frog (Dendrobates auratus). We finish some last minute chores, then have a swim and a siesta. Tres Piedras is throwing a rodeo in the evening with some exciting bull riding and much drunken revelry. The fiesta ends when a poor fellow gets trampled by a calf. He is bloody but not particularly injured. And on that note... the students arrive!
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My fashionable tree climbing outfit. Orange shoes, pink pants, baby blue shirt and maroon jacket. With the yellow hotel curtain as a backdrop. Phoenix, AZ -- 12/27/2009 |
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Waffles! Free Waffles!! Phoenix, AZ -- 12/28/2009 |
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Toto, I don't think we are in Costa Rica. Phoenix, AZ -- 12/28/2009 |
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Sunset viewed out the airplane window as we approach San Jose. Costa Rica -- 12/28/2009 |
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One of many brilliant tile mosaics in the Parque Central. In the background is the Palace Theater. San Jose, Costa Rica -- 12/29/2009 |
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Oops... I mean the former Palace Theater. It used to be a famous gallery and performance space. Now it is a fast food mall. Seriously. San Jose, Costa Rica -- 12/29/2009 |
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Inside one of many churches. San Jose, Costa Rica -- 12/29/2009 |
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Our bus to San Isidro broke down near a fruit stand. Cerro de la Muerte, Costa Rica -- 12/29/2009 |
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Broken bus. First of three during my trip. Cerro de la Muerte, Costa Rica -- 12/29/2009 |
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Lots of food. Buying white rice in 50 pound batches it costs the equivalent of $0.57/pound. Not bad, but that is about what we pay in the United States. We bought 150 pounds of rice for the class. Lots of beans too. San Isidro, Costa Rica -- 12/29/2009 |
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Eric's truck loaded with food and gear. The 40 pound crate of tomatoes is in the cab. Tres Piedras, Costa Rica -- 12/29/2009 |
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Rolando draws us a map of Tres Piedras. Tres Piedras, Costa Rica -- 12/30/2009 |
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Rolando and Dave making a bamboo pole for the big shot. Tres Piedras, Costa Rica -- 12/30/2009 |
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First tree of the trip! Tres Piedras, Costa Rica -- 12/30/2009 |
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Arrow-shape Micrathena Tres Piedras, Costa Rica -- 12/30/2009 |
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Wolf Spider and moth Tres Piedras, Costa Rica -- 12/30/2009 |
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Beautiful landscape. Tres Piedras, Costa Rica -- 12/30/2009 |
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Maricel's house. Tres Piedras, Costa Rica -- 12/30/2009 |
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The coolest place to siesta in the afternoon. Tres Piedras, Costa Rica -- 12/30/2009 |
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Rolando, Dave and Mark. Tres Amigos. Tres Piedras, Costa Rica -- 12/30/2009 |
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Chestnut Mandibled Toucan in a Cecropia tree. Tres Piedras, Costa Rica -- 12/30/2009 |
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Chestnut Mandibled Toucan Tres Piedras, Costa Rica -- 12/30/2009 |
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Looking out across the valley over Tres Piedras. Tres Piedras, Costa Rica -- 12/30/2009 |
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Mark just thrilled to be reacquainted with his favorite Jabillio (Hura crepitans) tree. Tres Piedras, Costa Rica -- 12/30/2009 |
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Coming down from the jungle as the sun sets. Tres Piedras, Costa Rica -- 12/30/2009 |
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Coming down from the jungle as the sun sets. Tres Piedras, Costa Rica -- 12/30/2009 |
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Beautiful sunset. Tres Piedras, Costa Rica -- 12/30/2009 |
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Pretty! Tres Piedras, Costa Rica -- 12/31/2009 |
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Roadside Hawk Tres Piedras, Costa Rica -- 12/31/2009 |
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butterfly Tres Piedras, Costa Rica -- 12/31/2009 |
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Leaf Cutter Ant carrying a flower. Tres Piedras, Costa Rica -- 12/31/2009 |
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How now... Tres Piedras, Costa Rica -- 12/31/2009 |
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Good macro photo! Tres Piedras, Costa Rica -- 12/31/2009 |
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Guanacastle Walking Stick Tres Piedras, Costa Rica -- 12/31/2009 |
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Guanacastle Sleeping Dave Tres Piedras, Costa Rica -- 12/31/2009 |
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Termites Tres Piedras, Costa Rica -- 12/31/2009 |
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Mark climbing into the King Swing tree. Tres Piedras, Costa Rica -- 12/31/2009 |
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My foot swinging in space, far above Paradise falls. Tres Piedras, Costa Rica -- 12/31/2009 |
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Mark and Dave in the King Swing tree. Tres Piedras, Costa Rica -- 12/31/2009 |
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Mark and Dave in the King Swing tree. Tres Piedras, Costa Rica -- 12/31/2009 |
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We split a throw bag... Tres Piedras, Costa Rica -- 12/31/2009 |
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...so we launched rocks... Tres Piedras, Costa Rica -- 12/31/2009 |
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...until Dave could repair the throwbag that evening. Tres Piedras, Costa Rica -- 12/31/2009 |
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King swing Tres Piedras, Costa Rica -- 12/31/2009 |
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King swing Tres Piedras, Costa Rica -- 12/31/2009 |
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Linga's 210kg pig on New Year's Eve Day. Tres Piedras, Costa Rica -- 12/31/2009 |
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Dinner at Maricel's house. She was always amused by Mark's eating habits. Tres Piedras, Costa Rica -- 12/31/2009 |
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Dave and Mark in the Bengali Tiger Trap tree. Tres Piedras, Costa Rica -- 1/1/2010 |
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Tiny epiphyte in the early morning sunshine. Tres Piedras, Costa Rica -- 1/1/2010 |
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Self portrait in the Bengali Tiger Trap tree. I was surprised to look at this photo and see at least five ants crawling on me. This tree was loaded with ants. Luckily they weren't biting ants. Tres Piedras, Costa Rica -- 1/1/2010 |
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Standing on a branch 100' above the ground in the Bengali Tiger Trap Ceiba. Tres Piedras, Costa Rica -- 1/1/2010 |
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Ceiba spikes Tres Piedras, Costa Rica -- 1/1/2010 |
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Mark Tres Piedras, Costa Rica -- 1/1/2010 |
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Linga's 210kg pig on New Year's Day. Tres Piedras, Costa Rica -- 1/1/2010 |
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We set up a slackline for the local kids. Tres Piedras, Costa Rica -- 1/1/2010 |
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We set up a slackline for the local kids. Tres Piedras, Costa Rica -- 1/1/2010 |
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Rolando giving Dave a ride to catch the bus to San Jose. Tres Piedras, Costa Rica -- 1/1/2010 |
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Me and Mark melting ropes for the hammocks. Tres Piedras, Costa Rica -- 1/1/2010 |
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Rolando ascending into the Ajillo. Tres Piedras, Costa Rica -- 1/2/2010 |
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Rolando ascending into the Ajillo. Tres Piedras, Costa Rica -- 1/2/2010 |
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Mark and Rolando Tres Piedras, Costa Rica -- 1/2/2010 |
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Beautiful butterfly. They are hard to photograph because they tend to fold their wings while not flying. Tres Piedras, Costa Rica -- 1/2/2010 |
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Epiphytes Tres Piedras, Costa Rica -- 1/2/2010 |
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Some jungle trees don't want you to touch them. Tres Piedras, Costa Rica -- 1/2/2010 |
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Leaf cutter ants. The funny thing is that they don't eat the leaf bits. They create a huge, festering mound of leaf bits, and they eat the mold that forms on it. Biology is pretty amazing! Tres Piedras, Costa Rica -- 1/2/2010 |
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Black and Green Poison Dart Frog Tres Piedras, Costa Rica -- 1/2/2010 |
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Hiking down from the jungle. Tres Piedras, Costa Rica -- 1/2/2010 |
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Redondel De Tres Piedras! Tres Piedras, Costa Rica -- 1/2/2010 |
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Bull riding... Tres Piedras, Costa Rica -- 1/2/2010 |
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...Rodeo clowning... Tres Piedras, Costa Rica -- 1/2/2010 |
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...Roping... Tres Piedras, Costa Rica -- 1/2/2010 |
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...And drunken revelry. Tres Piedras, Costa Rica -- 1/2/2010 |