Happy New Year everyone! I hope this past year has been fruitful and that the upcoming year holds lots of excitement as well.
We welcomed in the New Year in a home-made, wood-fired hot tub that my brother and I welded together a number of years ago. It is a fairly agricultural design and we didn’t fully get the construction finished but it works great and is a lot of fun! The flames come up through the heating pipes and underneath the tub as well to heat the water.
On New Year’s Eve, we had to shovel snow into the water before we could get in as it was far too hot! The only warning is to not stand too long in the center of the tub as the metal bottom is hot on the feet from the flames underneath, even when the huge amount of water in the tub has been brought down in temperature a bit. If you are open to simmering in a giant cauldron over an open fire, then a wood-fired hot tub is the way to go.
The New Year is often accompanied by many New Year’s resolutions and unfortunately, in spite of best intentions, most resolutions get abandoned by the end of January. I have found it helpful though to really think about one or two major things that I want to accomplish each year, so that my efforts are focused and more deliberate. Starting a bunch of major projects and not getting any of them finished is a road that is far too easy to follow. It also clutters your mind and leads to lots of unneeded stress. Better to put your energy into completing one major goal so that you can check it off and with a new-found sense of accomplishment, move on to something even more ambitious. Make 2017 the best year yet!
Aconcagua Update
As many of you already know, my sister Laura and her fiancé Logan are currently in Argentina climbing Mount Aconcagua. This will be the last of the Seven Summits for Laura so it is an exciting one. We’ve been posting updates on my blog which some of you have probably seen but for those of you who haven’t yet had a chance, here is a quick synopsis so far with some photos.
Aconcagua Update
As many of you already know, my sister Laura and her fiancé Logan are currently in Argentina climbing Mount Aconcagua. This will be the last of the Seven Summits for Laura so it is an exciting one. We’ve been posting updates on my blog which some of you have probably seen but for those of you who haven’t yet had a chance, here is a quick synopsis so far with some photos.
After spending two hectic days in Mendoza they followed the Mendoza River in a mini bus, northwest through the Andes Mountains, arriving in Los Penitentes (2750m). After a day of logistics they were shuttled again to Punta de Vacas where they began their trek. First night at Pmampa de Lenas (2700m). Day two was a five hour hike to Casa De Piedra where they got their first glimpse of Aconcagua. Day three was up the Relinchos Valley until they eventually arrived at Plaza Argentina, also known as Aconcagua Base Camp. They have been acclimatizing well and are eager to keep climbing. Communication off of the mountain is a challenge so it may be a little while before we get another update.
“Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow.”
— Albert Einstein