TRAIL TO MACHU PICCHU

                                   Briefing and Trail Mantra

           In Peru we had an in country guide but also had special guides and porters for the four-day hike into Machu Picchu. One evening before the beginning of the trek we had an extensive briefing. We were told what to expect and how things would go. He just neglected to tell us how many very steep steps we would be navigating. It wasn’t all that far---give or take a good 25 miles but it was very rugged. During the briefing I was a little puzzled why the guide kept repeating as he looked directly at me, “We will all make it.”

            We were the only Americans on the trip and my son at 45 was the old man! The three Brit men, three Irish gals, two Englishmen and Canadian gal all were in their mid to late 20s.

            Later in the week I would learn that the porters and guides generally quit the rugged trek by age 40 as their hips and knees give out. I was just shy of 70! We also learned that very few Americans make the trek because we generally are not in good enough shape. After the fact I can say I’m glad I did it but would never do it again and if I’d had a really good handle of what it would involve I would think long and hard about undertaking the strenuous adventure. I had my son with me  and I truly would not have made it if he had not been at my side all the time. I was just exhausted, but my son irritated an old Little League knee injury which I did not learn about until we returned to Cusco where he spent a day or so sucking ibuprofen while lying in bed icing his injury.

            At the end of the first day I secretly entertained the thought that if I could have hired a helicopter to take me out I would have done it. However, I enjoyed the magnificent scenery. The flowers were gorgeous and all the birds, especially hummingbirds, were a delight. The many gurgling streams was music to my ears. The trail was dry which was fortunate as it would be very hazardous if it had been wet. The path was rocky, and for some reason I expected a rather good hard-pack path. Dream on! The three summits were a challenge and there was one day I literally hugged the inside of the trail next to the mountain wall as the drop was straight down thousands of feet into thick lushness where no one would ever find you.

            My son and I were always the last ones  off the trail which really didn’t bother me. Someone has to be last, right? Hey, at least I made it through that day! All the time I felt like the little engine that could. I can, I can, I think I can. Just one step in front of the other. And finally I DID. 

WINNIPEG, MANITOBA, CANADA

Winnipeg and Oak Marsh Interpretative Center

Winnipeg, meaning meeting of muddy waters, is very flat. The Assiniboini River runs into the Red River there. The east side of the river was settled by the French, the west side by the English.  Two large, distinct areas remain today. In the French Quarter, the signs are in French first, English second. One half of Manitoba’s population lives in Winnipeg.

Alberta, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan are Canada’s three Prairie Provinces. Manitoba, also known as the keystone province, is the easternmost province, and is nearly in the geographic center of the country. Manitoba is derived from an Indian word meaning Great Spirit and in 1870 was the fifth province to join the union.

The province is divided into three sections, north to south.  In the north is the sub arctic, in the center is the Canadian shield or boreal forest, and in the south are the low lands or grasslands.

In 1997 the Red River flooded reaching several miles wide. When I saw it, it was a mere few hundred feet across. Lake Winnipeg and Lake Manitoba, two large lakes, are north of Winnipeg. Interlake, the area between the lakes, has a large Icelandic settlement. Winnipeg is home to both the University of Winnipeg and the University of Manitoba.

The Oak Hammock Marsh Interpretive Center, located 40 miles outside of Winnipeg covers 36 square kilometers, of which 9000 acres are under wildlife management. Originally St. Andrews Bog covered 450 square kilometers, but by 1960 the bog was nearly dry. In the 70s and 80s the Federal and Provincial governments, along with Ducks Unlimited, reclaimed the bog, and changed its name to Oak Hammock. Why Oak Hammock? Once upon a time there was a hamlet between two oak groves where people often hung hammocks between the trees, hence the name. The Interpretative Center opened in 1993. At the time of my visit there were 200,000 migrating water fowl in residence.         

The center is one of the finest I’ve ever visited.  The hands-on activities were inviting. A TV monitor, attached to a remote camera in the marsh, provided an extensive view, way beyond that of the naked eye. Computers had neat information for one to access. Metal rubbings, lovely wildlife displays, fish tanks containing marsh fish, various puzzles, and a water tank with sand were among the many offerings. A fair size theater was available for presentations.

The center entertains 40,000 school children each year in a four month time frame of April-May and September-October.

Outside, it was windy and chilly, but a docent explained, “The marsh contains marsh, meadows, tall grass prairies, lure crops, and aspen and oak bluffs. There are 25 kilometers of hiking trails and dyke walkways in the park. 25,000 muskrats live in the marsh along with many insects, reptiles, amphibians, and mammals like rabbits, deer, and beaver. Since 280 species of birds migrate through the area, the marsh is one of the best bird viewing spots in North America.”

It was a very interesting and informative morning, certainly worth the ride on a cold windy day.