Geoff Warner, son
of Toad Hall's Dave Warner, will be competing in "the toughest
mountain bike race in the world," Costa Rica's La Ruta de los
Conquistadores, Nov. 3-5.
Geoff is the Colorado state mountain bike champion, so we assume he'll
be competitive in this three-day, 300-kilometer race that starts on
the Pacific side at Jacó and end at Moin, Limon, on the Caribbean
side, taking in Irazu Volcano on the way. It follows the route taken
by the Spanish conquistadors in their first coast to coast expedition.
The race, in its 13th year, has a very nice website at www.adventurerace.com
(though they don't tell us faulty in our history just when the conquistadors
made their trip, which, without mountain bikes, quite possibly took
longer than three days). Toad Hall is, of course, the popular gift
shop/café tourist stop on the north side of the lake between
Nuevo Arenal and the dam. According to the website, Jeff will be competing
against some of the best hard-core adventure races in the world. Dave
suggests sending emails of support to Geoff at geoff.warner@gmail.com.
Ed Yurica, president of Fuentes
Verdes Ecological Association, reports, "I attended a conference
/ workshop September 24, 25, on creating a biological corridor through
Costa Rica at the University of Georgia's eco-lodge and research
center in San Louis (outside of
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Monteverde). Great
place! My attitude was the same as ever: water is the life of any
corridor and if the lake and rivers entering the Arenal cuenca [basin]
are contaminated, "we be in big trouble sooner or later."
Speaking of water, it was missing
at the scotch-tasting party hosted by Jim and Renee Aoki on October
14. Guests were impressed by the kilt and accoutrements of Tronadora
resident David White, who functioned as liquor master (new term,
maybe). David is one of many Scots who have left Dundee, "the
city of jam, jute, and journalism," though he did not leave
his scotch behind. Among the eight to ten brands tasted were a couple
of quite palatably smooth single-malt whiskies. We are all now saving
up for a second such event.
Tomorrow, Saturday, Oct. 28,
is the fund-raising Halloween party at Christina Glass's commodious
home. The sponsoring group, Las Damas del Lago, is encouraging offbeat
clothing by offering to cut the admission donation in half for those
wearing Halloween costumes. Such spunky souls need pay only 2500
colones to attend. The Glass house is located within a few miles
of the Cinco Esquinas intersection on the road to Nuevo Arenal.
The turnoff will undoubtedly be marked. Party hours are 4 to 10
pm.
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