Arnold's Odyssey

South America

February 1, 2000 (via email)	Santiago, Chile	>You must be pretty Chile by now, eh? You´re funny! We´ve been stalled two extra days in Santiago, Chile awaiting shipment of the remaining 79 bicycles that would not fit into our charter flight from Panama City (a Tradewinds Lockheed L1011 jet).
February 8, 2000	Valdivia, Chile	8-Feb-2000 (#6)  Total Trip Kilometers ~3567  Weight: ? * Valdivia, Chile   Friend Sokolik & I took the bus into town, skipping two days of riding bikes [thunder cloud picture] in cold drenching rain (no shame at all :-) )  In Santiago, a pickpocket got Bob B's wallet; on a hill, 3 urchins helped push me up - but while giving me a boost, were also rifling through my pannier and snatched my cable lock (but overlooked my wallet).  Hence a certain "paranoia" has set in.   Nevertheless, fun & adventure lures; flavors, colors, smells, sensations, sounds are new & intense - or is it a side effect of 250mg dose hits of Larium Anti-Malaria pills?!  Hmm.  Feb. Should be windows 2000 launch & prosperity, eh? Arnold * No scale but - no potbelly!
February 14, 2000	San Carlos de Bariloche, Argentina	14-Feb-2000 (#7)  Total Trip Kilometers ~4200 *San Carlos De Bariloche,   Argentina - "Don't Cry For Me..."   (This side is written in Argentina and them mounted onto an Arg. postcard - if I can find one!?  Otherwise, the flip side is a funky Studebaker Museum visited in Chilly Chile: we ducked in out of rain. [lightning and rain])   We biked up "Summit Paso International Cardenal Antonio Samore" @ 4290 ft. Elevation & it was cold!   But at least we were on concrete on the Chile side; the descent on Arg. side was 25 Km on steep gravel road route 231: potholes - mud - stones - semi trucks: pure punishment, but I survived w/o dive! "Ciao", Arnold [bike]