The Adventures of Dave, Lindsay, Cora and Edie

So you may have heard... we got pummeled with snow for over a week. It was nuts. Having moved from Montana, we were totally excited to have some fluffy white stuff for Christmas. It always makes the holiday genuine. Well, after a day or two the inches really started stacking up and then we realized, Western Oregon is ill-equipped with snow plows. None of the neighborhood streets saw a plow for the duration of "Arctic Blast 2008". It was less than a foot, but when the temp isn't super low, the snow turns into something between mashed potatoes and wet cement. No matter who you were or what you were driving, you were struggling to get around. It's sad to say, but we've never been so glad to see the rain... (Thanks to our friends who came into town before Christmas and had to deal with PDX being shut down for 24 hours while they waited to get home for the holiday.)

We were up at Mt. Hood a few weekends ago and headed up to Timberline Lodge, the only place on the mountain that had any snow to speak of. Peeka thought it was fantastic and ran around digging her nose in it. She's definitely a Montana girl! Our newest family member, Newman, wasn't such a fan. My mom and step-dad recently brought home a miniature schnauzer puppy that is small but full of attitude. However, even with the lovely holiday coat my parents bought him, he couldn't stop shivering in the snow. Not so tough now, little guy. Thought you'd enjoy photos of the dogs at Mt. Hood. After missing last year's epic ski season entirely, we are praying for snow and hoping to hit the mountain sometime in 2008. Mother nature may have something else in mind when Oregon has beautiful bluebird days in December. Something is not right....

Some photos from our big night out in Oregon City on Halloween. Plus, a few photos from our trip to the Sauvie's Island pumpkin patch a few weeks back with our nieces and nephews. We did it all - corn maze, riding on the flat bed out to pick our perfect pumpkin and sipping on fresh apple cider. That's why the Fall season is my favorite!

Tomorrow it will be exactly 1 year ago that we left for our 6 months of travel. Our first stop was Eugene, OR on Halloween to trick or treat with our nieces and nephews. This year won't be quite as exciting or memorable because after waiting to see if any kids show up at our rental house begging for candy, we'll be hitting the streets of Oregon City in our makeshift costumes for a "big night out on the town." It's amazing how quickly life changes.

After years of talking about it, we finally made a trip to Alaska. It's definitely all it's cracked up to be. Seriously huge, full of wildlife, with monstrous mountains, glaciers, and rivers. It's certainly the smallest we've ever felt. Not only is the landscape immeasurable, but when you're standing on your two feet out in the open, you're the smallest mammal around. Alaska's great like that. We spent about 5 days bussing and hiking around Denali National Park and Preserve... and the weather was great. Perfect for hiking and sleeping in a tent. No bugs and no crowds. (The tent part was interesting though... somehow Dave grabbed tent poles belonging to a different tent. But we figured it out and made it work.) Mt. McKinley peeked out a few times for us and we were amazed every time. A truly spectacular mountain. (I've marked a photo so you can get an idea of the scale.) The video shows us trudging through a little Alaskan bush on our unsuccessful ascen...

Now that it has been several months since we came back from our trip, we've reluctantly decided to get back to work... which we quickly realized was totally lame. However, if you absolutely have to work for a living, we both ended up in pretty good positions. Lindsay is starting her 3rd week as the Donor Relations Officer for Boys and Girls Aid - www.boysandgirlsaid.org - a great non-profit that does foster care, adoption, temporary shelters for youth and a mentoring program called Mentor Portland. She's enjoying being back in the non-profit world but still adjusting to a full-time work schedule after working only part-time or not at all for the last year (yikes!). She's missing the world of conservation and environmental issues but hopes to fulfill that passion through some volunteer work in the near future. Dave has had an intense summer keeping up with school and two part time jobs. One job was working with Lindsay's Dad selling automotive parts around Oregon and ...

Every year, we meet up with some good ol' friends from Seattle and head out camping. This year brought us to a State Park in the shadows of Mt. Saint Helens. We have a great time sitting around the fire, taking turns making the meals and wandering through the nearby hills. Of course, over the years the camping has changed somewhat. Kids! No, we don't have children. But some of our friends do, and this keeps us all on the lookout for wandering toddlers and fallen pacifiers. Things have changed, but we're having as much fun as ever before. Our schedule works around nap times and early bed times... but maybe that part hasn't changed at all! Another change might be our furry friend Peeka. She likes to keep us on our toes... eating scraps that aren't scraps and barking at anything moving in the woods. Fun fun! We also got to take our new wheels into the woods for the first time. As you can see from the photos, we packed 'em in and tried it out. It was great. The bed ...

Dave's life, and therefore our life, lately has been his Chemistry 100 class online. Labs, discussion boards, assignments, weekly quizzes, and more. Thought you might enjoy a look at "A day in the life of Dave Nelson."

Over the weekend, we made an addition to the Biedel-Nelson family....a beautiful Griz burgandy Volkswagon Vanagon Camper. Yahoo! We've randomly been talking about getting one for the last few years (though we never actually thought we would) and when a friend mentioned they were selling theirs, we jumped at the chance. And yes, it sleeps 4 people, has a fridge, stove and even running water. Camping trips will never be the same. Our first test run will be this weekend at Mount Saint Helens with some Seattle friends. They'll be so jealous when we snuggle in for the night! And for those future visitors to our home in Oregon City, you can now choose between our guest bedroom downstairs or your very own camper out front. Unfortunately, only one of those choices includes restroom facilities. Ain't she pretty?!?!

This year's 4th of July holiday was a bit of a contrast to last year's holiday, when we were on a roadtrip and camping trip through Canada's Rocky Mountains. Yesterday afternoon, we ventured to Monroe, WA with our dear friends, the Klinglers, for a demolition derby at the county fair grounds. We didn't know what to expect and were pleasantly suprised with the level of entertainment provided. The place was packed with a variety of local residents and we spent 5 hours watching the different derby events - flipping cars, junk car races, buses jumping over limos and trailers, yellow school bus races and the grand finale....the demolition derby (I'll be honest, the people watching was a true highlight). Our favorite event ended up being the demolition derby with the cars pulling boats behind them. This added a whole new challenge for the drivers. The night ended with a short but colorful firework display. Honestly, the best $16.50 we've spent in awhile. Hope you...

Oregon City, that is. We recently rented a nice little 3-bedroom house in the historic part of downtown Oregon City. It's a mellow, blue-collar town about 20 minutes southeast of Portland and we're psyched to have found a place after running all over the city for weeks looking at houses. The house is within walking distance to all the basic necessities - places to walk Peeka, a cafe, restaurants, a funky little downtown, the willamette river and more. We also just discovered that the park just a few blocks away has live music every week in the summer - BONUS! Our official move in date is July 1st when we will open up the storage unit and see our belongings for the first time in 8 months. A bit overwhelming but I'm sure it will be like Christmas when we see all the clothes and sporting equipment that we forgot we had. I think what I'm most excited for is to finally sleep in our own bed and have our own kitchen again. The simple things. This is Dave's first week of cl...

Well, we've spent our first few weeks back in the country trying to avoid reality but it has finally caught up with us. After a few days in Palm Desert for a friend's wedding and a long roadtrip to Idaho and Montana, we are officially living in Oregon now. We're excited to explore a new city (Lindsay hasn't lived here since age 17) and get settled into our lives here. New jobs, a new house (eventually), a new city and Dave is also going back to school. We'll keep you posted on things and definitely let us know if you're in the area. Let the next adventure begin!

The perfect place to end our adventures in South America...Buenos Aires. A city with grand architecture and a european flair. Buenos Aires is known for it`s futbol (American soccer), carne (MEAT) and tango, a romantic style of dance. Last night, we attended a local futbol match and enjoyed both the game and people watching. The Argentinian people go crazy over futbol! A few more days to explore before we catch our flight home.

Our mode of transportation through the wine country of Argentina.

After a few relaxing days in and around Talca, we headed north in Chile for a vibrant city by the sea, Valparaiso. We spent our time wandering the streets to check out the artwork and murals that covered the city. A college town with a great vibe. In Valparaiso, it´s clear to see the effect Pinochet´s dictatorship had on the psyche of this town. The older folks are subdued and quiet about it all, while the youth express anger and sadness through some truly unique street art. Our next stop was Santiago, where we did a whirlwind tour of the city (and also slipped in a few movies at the theatre near our hostel). Parts of the city were very cool but one day was enough to see the highlights. So long, Chile...back to Argentina we go for our last week! **Yes, Dave did shave his beard and was sporting a mustache for a few days on the road. I had to beg him to get rid of it because he thought it was cool.

If you have ever looked at a world map, you know that both Chile and Argentina are incredibly long countries. We initially started our travels in the southermost part of Argentina and have been slowly making our way North. That being said, we estimate that during our time in South America (Peru, Bolivia, Argentina and Chile) we have probably done at least 25 fairly significant bus rides ranging from 3 to 27 hours. Travel Days are often exhausting and at this point, we have a system down that seems to make them more tolerable. Many of the long-distance buses leave early in the morning so our day begins with an early alarm clock so we have plenty of time to pack up our belongings (which at this point fit in two large backpacks and two small day bags), stuff down a quick breakfast that usually consists of bread, butter, marmalade and tea before making the trek to the bus terminal. Before your big bags get thrown under the bus, you must be sure to have certain things on the bus wit...

We climbed an active volcano in Chile. Seriously. Crazy thing is... it only took us four hours to get to the top. The views were great and we had a blast. The volcano sits at 2,847 meters (9,340 feet) and is a short drive from the tourist hub of Pucon. We spent a day sitting in hot springs and waiting for the weather to clear up and it paid off. We drove to the trailhead at the base of the mountain which also happens to be a ski resort... much like Mt. Hood in Oregon. Sadly, this is a very easy and therefore popular volcano for folks on the South American circuit. So we were in lines on the trail. But, we had a good time nonetheless. It was Lindsay´s first time with crampons and an ice axe, so she had fun with that. The top was windy and very cold, but the worst of it was the fumes coming from the volcano. Huge plumes of stinky sulphur stuff. I think that´s what the geologists call it. Anyhow, Lindsay´s mom will be happy to know that she climbed an active volcano without incident. And ...

The city of Bariloche is actually within the park boundaries of Parque Nacional Nahuel Huapi and is located on the grand and scenic Lago Nahuel Huapi. It reminded us a little of Coeur d' Alene but Bariloche is 150,000 strong. After a few days of checking out the area via rental car, we began our much anticipated hut to hut trek in the park. Packing was a breeze without tents to worry about but somehow we managed to still have gigantic backpacks to carry up the hill. Too much food, perhaps? The traverse we planned to do was open only to experienced trekkers so we took full advantage of our collective experience and enjoyed a strenuous but spectacular hike through the high peaks of Argentina's lake district. The descents were long and difficult and the climbs often required a version of rock climbing wearing packs but the views were unforgettable. The huts were all situated on various mountain lakes and had large bunk rooms set up for stinky backpackers to catch some shut...

After leaving central Argentina, we ventured north and stumbled upon a mellow little town in Argentina that ended up being a trip highlight. The town of Esquel. Few tourists, a great park in the middle of town, a cozy place to stay, great food and access to a gorgeous, but quiet, little national park. We rented a car one day and drove into Parque Nacional Los Alerces, which is named after the stands of giant alerce trees which we never actually saw. We did a scenic hike through thick bamboo and took in the views. The only other people in the park were some local trout fisherman who were testing out their equipment on the local lunkers. And to end the day we found a parrilla, an Argentine BBQ, where we enjoyed juicy steaks with the locals. It was nice to be off the typical tourist route for a few days and we will definitely return to Esquel at some point.

Yep, we´re hiking in Glacier National Park. Sadly, it´s nothing like the Park we have back at home. There are a few mountains in this park that are like nothing we´ve ever seen, but more importantly, the glaciers here are gigantic. About 200 miles long. They make our glaciers look like someone dropped a roll of paper towels on a windy day. Little here, little there. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hielo_Sur We tried to get a guide to take us up to the ice field, but it´s late in the season and we missed the opportunity. But we still got to see some amazing smaller glaciers, and enjoyed views of Mount Fitz Roy (first two photos) and Cerro Torre (third photo). Lindsay and Kori went on a nice overnighter by themselves and enjoyed their own pace and didn´t have to endure another night of stinky boys. I think they liked it and were lucky enough to have clear views the entire time. The boys went off to climb on some ice and get to a peak where we could at least see the ice field. Again, the gla...

Somehow we`ve managed to have pretty incredible weather in a region that is known for drastic weather changes and unbearable wind and temperatures. I am convinced that Pacha Mama, the Inca goddess or "Mother Earth" who is responsible for the weather, is watching over us because we purchased a sculpture of her while we were in Peru. In ancient rituals, they used to sacrifice guinea pigs or llama fetuses in her honor but it seems all you really need to do is buy a little sculpture and think of her when you get a beautiful day. Although our weather in Torres del Paine wasnt´t perfect, we didn`t encounter the heavy rain, random snowfall, or debilitating wind that we kept hearing about. And the weather was so bad the night after we left the park that many fellow travelers cut their trips short after waking up to rain, snow and freezing temperatures. And then we arrived in Los Glaciares National Park on a day with strong wind and overcast conditions (which we hear is how it had...

This place is off the charts! Typically, when people talk about Patagonia, they´re talking about a few of the national parks down here. We just drank in one of the classics. Some believe one of the best hikes on earth. 9 days, 8 nights, 98 miles, 12 pounds of salami and cheese, and 10 bags of pasta later.... we completed a trek of the entire Torres del Paine National Park. The scenery we saw along the way was varied and elaborate - glaciers, jagged peaks, thick forests, snow-capped mountains, roaring rivers, glacial lakes, ice bergs and more. Truly a life changing trip. Along the way, we battled mosquitos, intense wind, rain, sore feet, an awful cold for Lindsay and some very unappealing bathrooms. As you can see from one of the photos, (no doctoring needed) the weather was as unpredictable as the next turn of the trail. But there were also some moments of luxury with hot showers and hot meals to balance it out. Some folks do what´s called the ¨W¨ while some folks do the longer ¨Circui...

Ushuaia, Argentina is a charming place that claims to be the world`s southermost city. Regardless of whether or not that is true, the location is just miles away from Tierra del Fuego National Park and is right on the Beagle Channel. To tell you how far South we are, cruise boats leave Ushuaia daily for Antarctica. Breathtaking! Definitely a tad touristy and overpriced but we were able to find some funky spots along the way and thankfully, every hostal in town includes access to a community kitchen so we got to know the local grocery store. And we also got to experience our first dorm-style hostal. Thankfully, we had a room full of incredibly quiet sleepers! Brent and Kori arrived the day after we did and we headed into the park for a short backpacking trip with our new Dutch friend, Jill. The views were incredible and it was a great way to get our legs moving before we start some long treks further North. Yesterday, we spent a long day on the bus on our way to Puerto Natales, Chile. A...

We have been on quite a journey the last few days! After our 3 day Salar de Uyuni tour, we made our way across Bolivia and into Argentina. We left Uyuni, Bolivia and took a seven hour bus trip to Potosí, Bolivia for a night before taking a three hour bus trip to Sucre, Bolivia for two nights. Potosí and Sucre are both quaint UNESCO cities with lots of charm and Potosí is actually the highest city in the world. Potosí, at one point was the second largest city in the world, thanks to huge silver deposits found in a nearby mountain. Of course, at the time of Spanish colonialization, this was hugely important for Spain and for the economy of South America. From there, we took a short flight to Santa Cruz, Bolivia where we had a day to look around this tropical city and link up with our new Bolivian friends, David and Jorge, before moving on. Next, we took a long flight to Buenos Aires, Argentina where we only had a few hours to look around, eat a tasty steak and get to bed early so we...

Southeast Bolivia is home to the world´s largest salt flats. This amounts to huge expanses of flat land surrounded by snow capped mountains. Big lakes, super dry deserts, and llamas, alpacas and vicuñas everywhere. As you can see from the photos, there are a few interesting things going on here. First, and most notable, is the huge population of flamingos. There are three different species that summer in Bolivia and winter in Chile and Argentina. But what makes it even more interesting is that the salt flats are roughly 14-15,000 feet above sea level. We are way up here. That makes the hills and mountain surrounding the plains almost 20,000 feet. Mt. Everest is less than 30,000 feet. This is home to flamingos? Yep, lots of em.

La Paz is a big, bustling city built into the mountains. It`s the world`s highest capital city. The women wear bright, traditional outfits with funky hats on the top of their heads (photo included). We walked the streets, visited museums, went to the theatre for a dance production, went to a movie (in English!) and got a city tour from a local who happens to know a friend of ours. Definitely one of our favorite capital cities so far.