Greetings from Santa Elena, Costa Rica

Buenas Noches!

What a day!

I left La Fortuna at 6:45 this morning and took a taxi to Lake Arenal.  After a 20 minute boat ride to the opposite shore, my next mode of transportation was waiting for me.  Her name was Loca, a horse! (Loca means crazy in espanol.  Pretty appropriate considering where my day was about to head)  I instantly knew she liked me!  I then introduced myself to my guide as Zoro!  That lasted approximately 20 seconds until he saw that I didn't have a clue how to even get on a horse.  Let alone ride one.  I then introduced myself again as Marcos and I felt like an idiot.

After about an hour of riding, we stopped at a mountainside cabin for fresh pineapple and water.  At this point, my body hurt but I was ok.

I kept to the instructions that my dear friends back in Boston gave me.  The experts with all things horses.  Kathryn and Mal!  Heels down and squeeze my thighs?? At least heels down!  Did you tell me to feed my horse pineapple too?? Shhh.  She looked hungry and I snuck it past the guide.  I think Loca loved it!  Hopefully she doesn't turn up dead in the morning...

I had amazing company for the morning.  David and Sonya from Holland and Leah and Paul from NYC! I have been truly blessed thus far with the folks I have been fortunate enough to meet.  Not only were these four accomplished jockeys, but they were even better folks!  Safe travels!

After another hour or so with Loca taking me over the river and through the woods, we made it to our camp!  So much fun.  My bum is sore.

An hour and a half later, my ride dropped me off in a tiny town called Santa Elena.  I  immediately went to the local school.  Unfortunately, the front gate was locked and the guard had no interest in letting me be an English teacher this time.

I was starving so I went across the street and ordered lunch.  When it came, the guy handed me two meals!  Lost in translation.  No big deal.  I ate both.  Meat of some sort and french fries.

While eating, I saw a guy driving by on a dirt bike with what I believed to be a microwave balanced on his head.  Nothing odd about that.  Felt like home.

Santa Elena is drastically less urban than where I spent the last few days.  It kind of reminded me of where I did some volunteer work in college when I was living down in Alabama.  Nothing bad.  Just a very simple way of living and very remote.  No Burger Kings here.

Then, randomly, some guy on the street asked me if I wanted to try the Superman Cables close by.  These were suspension cables that run 350 feet above the rain forest floor while holding you horizontal to the earth for a half mile!  I said why the hell not!  10 minutes later I was in a shuttle!  Upon arrival, I found out that there was also a Tarzan Swing 150 feet above the ground! I couldn't sign up fast enough!  This was bungee jumping at a slight angle so instead of bouncing up and down, you would free fall and then swing across the tree tops of the rain forest and back!  Of course, this was after you had to walk 50 yards out to the end of a suspension bridge that looked sturdy enough to carry ants!  Worth noting, I held on to both of my lunches!

Well, I certainly got my adrenaline fix with these two adventures today!  Absolutely unreal!  While doing this, I met some globetrotting adrenaline junkies from Germany and Norway. More world class individuals.  I have no doubt they played a role in getting me to jump!  Thank you! Thomas from Norway videotaped me on the Tarzan Swing!  I am fairly certain that there is about $10 going in the McGilvery Family swear jar if that audio/video is ever released of my jump!

I am beyond exhausted but I am off to meet my friends from Norway and Germany for some beers.  Maybe my first one!.. ok maybe not.  

Oh, speaking of Germans, I met a German guy the other day during my hike to the waterfall... He asked me if I had any advice for how to pick up women from Nicaragua... I told him "just be yourself buddy"... WTF... Nicaraguan women...I don't know...

View from the boat ride across Lake Arenal!

Making a move on the inside rail to pass  Barbaro and Secretariat! 

Is there any doubt over who the real cowboy is?  After telling the guy on the right that my name was Zoro, he hated me.

Loca and me in happier times.  PrePineapple!

Superman Cable: soon to be 350 feet over the canyon floor!

The bridge out to the Tarzan Swing!  I suggested they put a porta potty at the end.  I know I needed one!

International Adrenaline Junky Squad! Norway, Germany, and Beantown in the house! I am standing next to folks that have jumped off cliffs, out of planes, scaled mountains etc.  Amazing stories!



Over and Out

Mark/Chops


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