Rio Tranquilo, Patagonia, Chile

El Puerto Tranquilo, Patagonia, Chile. 24-5-2010

Odometer: 4920.4 miles (20-5-2010)

The last 8 days has been something that is best summed up by nephew Phillip. “I….I….I don’t want to talk about it.” But, sometimes Phil, it is better to face up to it. So here is the short version. In all photos here after, la Poderosa will no longer look all shiny and new. Uncle Walter will no longer look all shiny and new, either. I know what the inside of 2 different rural ambulances look like in two different countries, Argentina and Chile. I know what the inside of 2 rural hospitals look like in said countries. I know what the x-ray machine in the former looks like and the CT scanner looks like in the latter. All of which I would not repeat. I would rather have encephalitis again. Well...OK...cholera...hmmm...fall into the Berring Sea or breake my leg?

However, there is a silver lining in all dark clouds. Well, actually, gold in this case. The paramedics and families in these rural areas are the only reason I bring the past week up. From the first pain medicine and steroid injection at the scene just out side Bajo Caracoles (BC) by Maria Leon and her ambulance driver Victor (el rey), (305 km round trip ride #1) to the owners of the Hostel(Hostel Ruta 40) in BC (Maria Luisa, Mario, and Tono) who let me stay 3 nights to recoup in their hostel, and feed me, even though it was shut for the 6 month low tourist season and they were gone, to the police in BC, who guarded my bike in my absence, to the paramedics in Rio Tranquilo, ( Jose Miguel, Francisco, and Jesse) who correctly shipped me off (ambulance ride #2, 221 km one-way) to Coihaique for a head CT after recognizing that my symptoms of nausia, vomitting and dizzyness may be from an undiagnosed head injury from 3 days ago, and who also wrote to my family to inform them of my trip to Coihaique, Chile, to the last paramedic,( Lidia) who, after a negative head ct, negative exam, negative labs, and I still passed out 3 times,( each time just standing there waiting in the check out /payment line, in the er) as I was being signed out by the ER physician, stood up and made them admit me for three days of observation, ( and who’s face was in the little circle of faces each time they got me to come around and put me on the gurney, and came to visit every day) to Paulo, a young highschooler who is doing his volunteer hours now in hopes to get in to medical school next year, who translated what I couldn’t get, and brought food, because family’s normally do that, to the last family here in Rio Tranquilo, (Hostel Los Pinos, Alfredo, Irene, and Rosa) who guarded my bike for me the four days I was in the second hospital, held my room, and now are still taking care of me as I write this, knowing full well their visa account is closed for the season and won't work, (its the only card I have), that there is no cash machine available for 221 km, and I do not have enough Chilean Pesos and $US on me to pay the current bill, let alone the next few days expenses, to all those otherwise involved that didn't get mentioned, I can not thank all of you enough. Wow! How could I! Where would I start? Where would I end? Thank you!

And some of you were worried about me before I left the states. Come on people.

If the Cold Spring, Richmond and Rockville Fire Departments are half this helpful, then all you meat loafers had better be going to all their events and spending all your money in their support. Small towns can’t run without them. I don’t think so. Don’t care where you are. Little towns need volunteers, or you got nothing.

A huge, huge hug to all who volunteer.

Uncle Walter

Sorry, only one picture taken, I was kinda busy trying to get my arm to work, or didn’t have access to my camera, while being put back onto the gurney, again and again and again.

Final Tally:

DIGGERS at 170 mph: 0. My bike don't go that fast.
DIGGERS at 50 mph: 1
SUMMERSAULTS BY UNCLE WALTER: 3. full layout into rock/dirt-1, crumpled into rock/dirt-1, wet noodle into rock/dirt-1.
SUMMERSAULTS BY LA PODEROSA:2. i think. the first i wittnessed first hand somewhere between my summersalts 1 nd 2 as i was upside down in the air, looking backwards toward la poderosa as she was also upside down and backwards in the air. the next i am not sure, as i was busy with my own routine, but the big digs in the dirt suggest another tumble by the bike.
X-RAYS: 1. negative for fracture.
CT SCANS OF THE HEAD: 1-negative as well.
DAYS FURTHER BEHIND:8
UNCLE WALTERS AS GOOD AS NEW: 1
NEW BODY WORK FOR LA PODEROSA: duct tape and wire, also good as new.
TOTAL HOSPITALS/AMBULANCES BILLS: $221.00. US.
TOTAL DEBT TO VOLUNTEERS: unpayable.