Wow! This turned out to be a very nice memory-jogger!
Thanks all! and greetings from Susan and me!

Tom Bradford

We made friends along the way.

THE SAGA OF THE ANDES AMIGOS
by JILL APPENZELLER

Thru deserts so dry they have never seen rain
We cycled and drank - we were feeling no pain!
Thru mountains and jungles, Tom leading the pack
With Sergio chasing, hot on his track.

Lunch was divine in a house made of salt
After crossing two borders - more than a brief halt,
Sandy and Susan had trouble with heights
But a few puffs of oxygen put them to rights.

And George who had seldom been seen on his bike
Was at home soundly sleeping while others did hike.
The king of the camera with photos so rare
O all of us biking - we hope that he'll share.

Sergio finally gave Janet her due
When he said "You good biker" and faster she flew.
She and Sergio raced up the road, down the hill,
She refused to be dropped, and so took a spill.

Judy went shopping whenever we stopped
Always smiling and happy - did she buy a lot!
With a big stripe of red on the back of her neck
She was slathered in sunscreen for the rest of the trip.

Ken finally discovered that bicycle pants
Were not made for undies, and that saved his ass.

Swazi and Nena were trying to teach
Dear Peter the language of Spanish to speak.
Even Miss Congeniality finally smiled
At his pronunciation, creative and wild.
They went dashing off shopping at every chance
Peter and Nena and Swazi, in pants
That though great standing up, when you sat grabbed your ass.

Long quiet Jim with his humor so dry
Would tell stories straight-faced
We would laugh til we cried.
With his vast store of knowledge and number-four bride
They're the best dinner partners, and man, can he ride!
"I'm slow as a tortoise" Ann says with a smile
but when you look up, she's ahead by a mile.
When Ann lost her credit cards, Jim was ecstatic
She thought it was tragic - he thought it was magic.

Susan and Tom were the life of the party
With Bourbon and I-pod and stories so funny
We laughed til we ached and danced til we dropped
And the next morning we always wished we had not!
But cafe con piscina would put us to rights
And we soon found ourselves right back on our bikes.

Sandy and Bob - they still act newlywed.
He went racing to find her when she was ahead
And dashed up the hill to find she'd left the scene
And was nearly to Salta and well in the lead.
In love with Vicuna at very first glance
Bob is paying the piper wiring money to France.

With Paola our shepherd, the van always near
(And occasionally passing too close to your ear)
We were well taken care of - we had nothing to fear.
Always there with a smile and a refill of wine
We are now spoiled rotten - we will miss you, my dear.

The bus a no-show, though the flight was a breeze
So resourceful Paola found alternate means.
With the Queen of Rinsewater blocking our way
Out on the sidewalk we had to stay.
Later, safe in our rooms, well watered and fed
Well toured and well walked, a short nap in our beds.>

From our days at Explora in a desert so bare
(Where Ann and Jim found you cannot get steak rare)
A week ago strangers, tonight we are friends
You surely must know we will soon meet again
But I find myself wishing this trip wouldn't end.

NO MAD COWS AROUND HERE, NO SIR.

OUR PEERLESS LEADERS

DID YOU KNOW AUDREY HEPBURN WAS ON OUR TRIP?

Look at the eyes. Click the photo to enlarge

Couldn't resist sharing this impromptu dance as we waited for the Queen to exit the Alvear. Ken

I thought this was a great shot of Peter! (And not bad of the steak, either!) Ken

Loved traveling with you guys! Let's do it again! Best, Ken and Judy

Los Andes Amigos

This is the meeting place for the fifteen people who got to know each other during the Butterfield & Robinson trip through portions of Chile and Argentina March 26 through April 2 2006.

Post your pix. Post your memories. But let's keep the critiques between us (individuals) and B&R.