The second day we would see the famous huellas (dino tracks) around Torotoro. Joining the gang today was Gonzalo's second assistant, Shemputos.

View of the huellas from the side

We drove all of one minute to the river, where those without running water bathed and washed clothes. There were many elephant-esque depressions and three-toed wells in the rock. One child left her laundry duties to snuggle next to me with the dinosaur picture book Gonzalo provided.

The coolest huellas were on a hill with a great view of town. The double-line of deep tracks appeared to run upwards, very close together. Gonzalo explained that a large quadraped took short hops on its hind legs to eat from trees. Originally created in mud, the solidified prints were shifted upwards by tectonic forces. We saw a tiny print that Gonzalo himself discovered and some that hardened with mud squishing between toes or around the foot, giving a sense of weight and movement.

Solidified mud squished around the tracks

We weren't really learning more about dinosaurs than we already knew. But whether the fault lay in Gonzalo's exaggeration of his knowledge or in our Spanish skills, I'll never know.

Next we got back in the jeep to visit El Cañon, which Gonzalo referred to as "The Grand Canyon of Torotoro." While it certainly wasn't on par with the REAL Grand Canyon, it was quite beautiful.

I was pessimistic going down, already imagining the climb back up. The path was steep, narrow and slippery—I fell once and my anxiety over falling again caused me to breathe harder, which at high altitude doesn't work so well. Still, it was lovely and I enjoyed watching the walls of the canyon loom higher and higher above us.

Inside El Cañon

Hemmy poses at the canyon floor

At the canyon bottom, we clambered over giant water-smoothed boulders until we reached a small waterfall known as El Vergel, "the cow's nose." Hemmy and I had lugged our swimsuits and river sandals, but with frigid water and temps only in the mid-to-upper 70s, we settled for sunbathing.

We disturbed a large group of locals washing clothes and swimming that abruptly packed up and moved. Considering how long it had taken to hike this far, I was AMAZED that they would come here for laundry! What was wrong with the river by the town?

We picnicked here on the rock, drinking cool mountain water from a pool. Gonzalo had packed hot food that little William carried. Somehow, he managed to beat us down here.

After lunch Shemputos revealed himself as the REAL monkeyboy, as he stripped down, dove in the cold water and inexplicably began YELPING as he swam. I waded in to confirm it was too cold for swimming, but felt refreshed.

The climb back out was as difficult as I expected, and I was disheartened to see a large group of goats—led only by dogs—beat me to the top. Gonzalo eventually made a game for me...walking to the count of 10 then resting. We counted to 10 in 4 different languages until I collapsed, drained, in the jeep.

These goats quickly overtook us...damn altitude!

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