Back in Pucón

I arrived in Pucón early Saturday morning.  Mathias, the owner of the ranch, and his daughter Mara met me at the bus stop in a shiny new truck with a “Campo Antilco” sticker on the back. Mara is thirteen years old and groaned all morning about her new haircut: her back-length hair is now gone, chopped off into a bob. Only one thin, long braid remains uncut. It is bleached yellow and colored blue. She pointed happily to it and said, “like yours was!” I looked to Mathias to see if he blames me for this fad, but he only smiled.

Leaving the states was harder this time. I had hoped that seeing the volcano Villarica again, and driving the long, dusty road out of Pucón and up to the ranch would replace my reservations with excitement. Maybe I should give it more time. I find Antilco hasn’t changed much from my idyllic memories. The Boss family is still here. Fourteen of the twenty-two horses I grew to know well are here and exactly as I remember them.  We use the same saddles and trails. The Mapuche community Quelhue has added a few more booths and entertainments to attract tourists, but remains mostly the same. Sebastian, a worker at the farm, is still here. Alejandra, the permanent Chilean worker I rode with often with and respected immensely, has left. But she has been replaced by another Chilean woman with the same build and same hair and same name. The new Alejandra occupies the exact same role, gives the same lesson to new riders, and has a similarly impish grin.  She’s only the slightest fracture in what otherwise seems to be a reproduction of my memories.

It is strange being back, but beautiful.  Summer here is warm and green. The sun cooks the forests and the smell of sweet, baked pine needles washes most of our trails. Antilco sits partway up a ridge of mountains, on the shore of the Liucura River. The river swells in the spring as the snow melts, but even now, well into summer, it tumbles violently, at times, creating rapids that attract many rafters and kayakers. The nearby lakes are warm, heated by the sun and volcanic springs, but the river is icy and a relief after hot rides. The ranch sprawls with several pastures, chicken coops, the main house and two cabins which are rented out to travelers. Of the many fruit trees, the cherries and plums are ripe and they are sweet and delicious. Before now, I only knew a springtime Pucón, but there seems to be no end to its summer wonders.

Two years ago Antilco ran four-hour, half-day rides every day and longer treks every few weeks. But, the earthquake a year ago still negatively affects tourism and so there are fewer travelers in Pucón, and therefore, fewer riders. In the three days I’ve been here, we’ve only sent out one half-day ride with three riders. Two years ago, we regularly had to turn tourists away. Strangely though, the interest in treks has risen. We sent out a five day ride to Argentina yesterday, although I didn’t go as the guide. Instead I led two inexperienced rides on a full day, seven-hour ride up the Pitraco mountains and into a valley which sits high between two crests. They were a young couple from Calgary, Canada and we had an easy ride, even though it grew hotter as the day went on and the bugs in the mountains are enormous and ferocious. They prefer dark colors, and tortured my horse, a black criollo named Tornado. Although they were beginners, the two riders were enthusiastic and handled the rocky, steep trail well.

I’ll be headed out on longer treks in a few weeks. For now, there are two other girls, Carmen and Monica, both German, working here with me. We share the work and take turn leading rides.  Last time, I did most things myself and I like having help and more company. So, for various reasons, my work is less than I was used to, which means more time with the family, although I miss the longer days of ranch work, preparation, and guiding.

Hopefully in the next few days the heat will break and we will have half-day riders.

Luego