Bike ride around the lakes!

So on New Years Eve we spent the day on a 15 mile bike ride around a few lakes in Bariloche. We rented the mountian bikes, sweet helmets and radical reflecters from a local bike company and went on the famous chico circuit (check out our swanky style below). The scenery was awesome, it looks a lot like Tahoe in the summer here. Really forested, with a ton of wildflowers and a lot of snow covered peaks. The water is an awesome clear blue, as you can see in the pictures. The ride had some hard parts definatley, but overall it was´nt too bad. We are not too sore today, but when are they going to make a bike seat that actually is comfortable so your ass doesnt hurt the next day?!?!? During our ride we stopped at an awesome beach and spent a couple of hours picnicing and I went for a quick swim in the water, pretty cold. I think that one of the best feelings in life is to work up a sweat outdoors and then jump into a snow melt lake, it can be shocking but it one of the most refreshing parts of life. You can see below that I was feelin´it! The beach was beautiful and the landscape is picturesque- really a lot like Lake Tahoe except with even more lakes. This ride was an awesome way to end the year of 2010, in the outdoors. We really like Bariloche and I think that this is the first place we could see ourselves living in South America. Their are a ton of outdoor activities in the summer and winter, there are pine trees and plants everywhere, the outskirts of town are pretty clean and the people are your classic nice and friendly Argentines. We have had more besos (kisses) here than any other part of South America. The town is also not as touristy, more Argentines on vacation than other countries. Plus we found a really awesome health food store and a real Mexican restaurant. We can eat other food than meat and pasta (even though those can really hit the spot)! We are obssessed with the Mexican restaurant and spent our entire New Years Eve here, unlimited food and margaritas, what more can you ask for in life? New Years Eve was awesome and we were really glad to spend it together just the two of us in a whole new place. This is the first time we have spent it with just us two and no friends and family. We kept it pretty chill and toasted with the locals in the restaurant with some good champagne. It´s funny, there is more of a countdown for Christmas than New Years down here, but we love the new traditions. We walked on the lake after New Year and then came back to our hostel for karoke with a host that looked like Paulie Shore from Son in Law, I mean an exact replica, it was wait for it.....legendary!!!!! I tried some Black Label Scotch for the first time, is scotch suppose to be warm?? I think I will stick to Tequila, beer and red wine :) Today we are just chillin around in the 88 degree weather, and might go for a swim in the lake again. Just relaxing before a long bus ride to Pucon Chile, I think that bus rides are way overrated by the way. But we are glad to be going to another lake town by a volcano. Hopefully we are going to get a job at an eco-hostel that Julia hooked us up with. So I will fill you in with all that in a couple of days. Happy 2011 to all of you and we hope to have some great experiences with you in the next 12 months. The end of 2010 was hard for a lot or family and friends, but we wish peace and some clarity to those who lost someone in the last couple of weeks. Our thoughts are with you. Also heres to the new years resolutions, hope you all made one. Finally we hope that 2011 can bring about some much needed changes with our government and the world environment. Listen to Democracy Now as much as you can and let others know about the issues that you think are important. If enough of us know about the true issues change is bound to happen. We love you all and will hit you up from Chile. If any of you see Cuz in the next week tell him DONT!

 

Enjoying the outdoors at the end of 2010.

Here is an awesome picture to show the water color, it was so clear. Amber is feelin´ it!

What is more refreshing in life?

Me jumping in  the lake in my skivies (sp?)

The simple life, just taking it all in.

Our beach picnic view, amazing!

The top of a long up hill, we made it. I had to rep the helmet even though Amber told me to take it off, again repping the swanky bike style!

This is Amber modeling 2011´s new reflector style, work it with that view. Tyra would have to say fierce!

Another view of the lake from our ride, now can you see why we could live here. Looking at property prices for the future.

Again with the helmet style and the crystal clear light blue water.

A hot warm day in Bariloche in December! I want to be here for every New Year, screw the cold!

Our hostel right next to Moto del Sur. I took this pic for you Duffy, moto seems to be big here as well. Wonder if there are tracks here, ill try to get a closer pic tomorrow.

A sunset pic that I had to include. Over the lake taken from our first hostel. A shot from earlier in the night is on the earlier post. Ciao!