Via Byway, My Way.

> Americorps

> One Saturday morning way back weeks ago, Markus, Kathy, Mitzi and I to
> a hike up Cero El Baul vista point. It is like Portland’s
> Council Crest Park for Xela, about a good 90 minute walk
> from Parque Central up a road and up a steep foot
> path to the top.
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> Hiking up the road away from the city with Markus,
> Kathy and Mitzi.
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> We followed the road with views of the city on the
> right. Reminded me of the road to Pittock Mansion
> in Portland’s West Hills.
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> City views.
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> More views.
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> Markus hikes ahead, while in front of him are some
> locals carrying food up to the park to sell to other
> families who picnic and spend some the day there.
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> Unfortunately the path is littered with garbage
> and other debris, a common site all over the city
> and country.
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> Markus and Mitzi hanging out at the top of the El
> Mirador (viewpoint).
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> A big cross marks the spot for the El Mirador.
> This cross is visible from the city below.
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> Pretty sad playground equipment. There is a
> swingset frame, but no swings. Where are the
> slides? Ah, one more pic to go…
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> Hiking up the main picnic area, which features a
> monument. Since I can’t read espa񯬬 the other 3
> translated the plate description for me, but I have
> long forgotten it. I think it was a memorial to
> something, sounds logical so that’s what it will
> have to be.
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> The slides! You need nerve to take the plunge.
> Made out of smooth concrete, you slide down the very
> steep hill, and at the bottom is a very small crash
> landing area. You better stop in time or you’ll
> crash into the small wall, or worse, crash through
> the wall, over the edge and down the hill!
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> Markus gets ready.
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> Markus and Mitzi take the slide aboard smashed
> plastic soda bottles.
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> Showing off what we use to slide down the slides.
> You can go without the bottle, but the hot friction
> will burn a hole in your pant bottom! I brought my
> frisbee on this day and it worked like a wonder–but
> I thrashed it in the process.
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> Set for another run.
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> Losing control is easy to do and will cause you
> FLY!
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> A scattering of the tools to make you go —
> cardboard, plastic, bottles, etc.
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> Stopping is the hardest part, you don’t want to
> use your hands cause you’ll burn them off. So you
> use your shoes to stop, the speed you pick up while
> going down is incredible. The rubber literally
> burned off my soles.
>

This entry was posted on Thursday, April 6th, 2006 at 12:21 pm and is filed under Travel. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.