Can’t imagine I am getting up at 4:30 in the morning in below freezing temperatures to file this first report in the field. Not that I could get a good night’s sleep anyway, constantly waking up to a lower temperature. Right now I am huddled with other early risers around the campfire just to make life a little more tolerable, kind of surreal under a full sky of stars.
Yesterday was the first official day of the event. Some 132 competitors from all over the world got checked in and bussed out to the first camp. It was only a 20 minutes drive but it already felt like a world away. I arrived at the camp with Mary before everyone else and there were a lot of things that she did not like. Mary immediately went into emergency mode to get things sorted out. The athletes arrived to find their tents all set up nicely and after settling in began to mingle among themselves. Some even became tourists exploring the area around the site. It was like a mini village magically appearing in the middle of nowhere but by tomorrow morning everything will return to its former self again.
After a short welcome briefing to all the campers and a really sumptuous meal considering, Mary and a few team members, with me tagging along, headed out to tomorrow’s starting line to check that everything had been properly set up. It was a one and a half hour journey climbing up to an altitude of 14,000 feet. I don’t think I have been so high up before but luckily I felt fine. The location was on the top of a ridge looking down a grand valley, as I was told since it was pitch dark when we got there. It was so windy and cold I could not feel my face at all. Hopefully tomorrow morning the condition would be better as I couldn’t imagine anyone would like to stay out there for even one minute.
On our way to the starting line we bumped into Mr. Poblete and his family who were actually on their way to see Mary. He is the owner of the hotel we were staying in at San Pedro de Atacama and has been extremely helpful in making the race possible. To our surprise they have actually brought some Pisco Sour and snacks with them. As we were in a hurry we had an impromptu picnic on the road, amongst rugged hills watching the sun set. It was the best Pisco Sour I have ever tried and this certainly was one of the highlight of the trip so far.
Tomorrow will see the beginning of the race. Let’s hope the hilltop starting line will be more welcoming tomorrow than it was last night.
