CaucaViejo (Jericó-3)

Feb 9th, 2015

This was intended to be a travel-fly-travel day, but yesterday's events added one more fly day at Jericó. With Sofia and Paul tending to Chris in Medellin, Kari lead the morning  yoga session at the house in CaucaViejo. Note: By the next day we realized some kind of very small insect that lives in the soccer field grass was biting the crap out of (nearly) everyone's feet & legs. The marks and itching began the next day and continued for several more.

And on the subject of insects, we learned this morning about an encounter with bees. Simon, our trip's favorite Colombian guide and friend, was trying to locate Chris after his accident the day prior. He heard a hive nearby and knew he had to get out of the area. But these weren't just any bees. They were killer bees, and any threat to these creatures results in a high-pitched distress signal, causing the hive to swarm. Well, Simon had one of these bees land on his hand, and it proceeded to sting him. He held his hand as still as he could and briskly walked out of the area. This is what it did to him. Imagine what the entire hive would have done. We have the highest respect for Simon's calm, cool and nerves of steel.

Julie Spiegler found a hotel near the airport in Pereira the night prior with no one free to fetch her. Soon after breakfast we were ready to fly and headed up the hill while Julie S. Made her way north with a taxi. 

On arrival at Jericó launch, the clouds were just beginning to part. We were giving the valley a chance to heat. Perhaps :45 minutes later, a dark cloud from behind began to spit rain. Lucho, Julie W. & I launched to escape it and had 7 mile sledders to the River Cauca. The others took shelter under the dilapidated structure on launch.

It never amounted to much, and while the three of us were trying to get back up the hill for another, the others launched into a valley with light lift.

While we landed, packed and regrouped, Julie S. arrived and joined us. We were trying to find Julie W. who landed above the river in a field and became turned around on her hike out. Eventually, we were on our way, picking up Mike where Lucho & I landed, and Piet, at the bomb-out LZ, on the way up the hill. 

With the event from the day before, everyone was playing it cautiously. Ike was 2000m over the river and had plenty to go on glide for some degree of distance. But a compression knot pushed him to circle down where he had landed the day prior, and where Lucho and I had landed on our first sledder on this day. Most landed along the river. There was a nice river beach within walking distance to the compound that many used. Mike, Julie W., Jack & I chose the soccer field again in calm, glassy conditions. Lucho used a field on the edge of the compound and had to maneuver creatively to get his Enzo in with its flat glide. Kari & Kent had the longest flights on their Delta 2s, milking the weak lift for all they could. They chose the right time to launch, sandwiched by others on sledders. It was good to get Julie S. a flight on an impromptu travel day. 

That evening, we drove 30 km to La Pintada for dinner

where everyone we saw asked about Chris. News travelled fast and the locals were all aware and concerned. It was very touching. 

By the evening, Sofia & Paul returned with the details of Chris's condition and some photos of the X-rays. We all felt very bad for him and wished him a speedy recovery on our FB Messenger group.

Our plan for the morning was to pack up and return to La Pintada, this time to fly. It is along the way to Ansernanuevo, our next destination.