Andrew, Mike & Kimsan next to one of the jeep taxis that took us 45 minutes up the mountain
Gear -- none bounced out on the jolting ride
Unloading what's not needed for the loge and preparing for the hike in
Re-packing Maureen's bag after lightening her load
The journey begins
Little did we know this was the easiest part by far
The river provided a refreshing spot for a break
Another breather. Barbara, from Poland (not in our Meetup), has the trekking poles
Nice place, yes, but the location is a bit remote
David Vaughan, owner of La Danta preserve, and our guide
Another angle on the same place -- sure you don't want to buy it?
Maureen got stuck in the mud, but Mike pulled her out
Nice spot for a break and a snack
Ted with the huge leaf of an umbrella plant
“No, you move off of MY rock!”
Maureen's favorite part of the hike in to the lodge
David stops for a quick drink
Tina's “Gilligan” hat was prophetic: “a 3-hour hike . . .”
Mike explains to Barbara how monkeys scratch themselves, sending her deep into thought
Tina's happy we're going to get going again, Angie is serene, and Maureen's hat lights up in the camera flash
Finally, we're at the border of the preserve . . .
Mike's our proof that we really were there
Angie learns the lodge is only 20 minutes farther
David waits for the stragglers
We're almost there . . . it's only been 4 1/2 hours
Unfortunately, the hike turned Andrew into some sort of night-vision vampire, but Tina does not realize the danger
Mark made it, barely, gutting it out through heat exhaustion
Maureen, this is the photo you wanted so you could see what you looked like at the end of the hike
David leaves us to recover before dinner
Tina is more tired than she looks
Look at the click beetle in the center -- 2 dots glow in the dark like eyes
Costa Rican coffee made fresh in our camp kitchen
The center of our sustenance
Look carefully to see the compass carved in the floor
If you can guess what this is . . . let Andrew know
It's not an adventure until Andrew gets hurt
This must be a footprint, but it obviously did not come out well
A number of photos look misty because it's so humid in the rain forest the camera could not cope
The “legs” of a walking palm
The hike to the waterfall
Yes. we're in the jungle
David frequently stopped to point things out and explain what they were -- no idea what this was
Check out the fuzzy little red spikes all over this leaf
Walking palm
Kimsan with dreadlocks beard
Kimsan with low-priced hair extensions
This 500' waterfall is part of the preserve
Lower part of the waterfall
It's far away, but we hiked around to swim in it
This spider makes a cylindrical web
Wow, these photos of animal tracks came out great, didn't they?
Don't eat it, Andrew! Red means danger!
Another stunning mud shot
It's just beautiful out there
These were the most slippery rocks ever -- all fours was the only way to go
Nice butt shot of Kimsan
Andrew before jumping in the cold water
Big Mike before jumping in
The swimming hole was in a beautiful spot
Andrew and the waterfall
Our swimming hole -- I switched to video after this, and captured the intrepid swimmers
Just to the right of the feeder you can see the hummingbird
View from the lodge kitchen
Another view from the lodge
Hummingbird moved too fast this time
There's the hummingbird!
Ted next to a giant fern. Can you tell it has been raining in the rain forest?
Mike and Kimsan as the camera fogs up
Mike, Bernardo (our guide for the hike) and Barbara
The jungle was dense along the monkey trail
Mike alone ahead on the path
You really have to watch your footing, so it's hard to look up and around
Ted deep in the jungle in front of a massive tree
The inside of the lodge
Rustic but comfortable
The site of clothes drying and card games inside the lodge
Mike chills out in the hammock on the lodge porch
The cabina where the women stayed, viewed from the lodge porch
Mike knows how to relax
View from the lodge porch
Another view from the lodge porch
More from the lodge porch
The kitchen and eating area
Mark packing up to hike out
Breakfast before the hike out
Lydia, our wonderful cook, and her second-cousin, “Rainy” (I don't know how to really spell her name)
A better pic of our little friend
Bernardo. Lydia, Maureen, Rainy, Amy, Tina, Ted, Angie, Mark, Mike, Kimsan and David
Bernardo, Lydia, Rainy, Maureen, Amy, Tina, Ted, Angie, Mark, David, Mike, Kimsan and Andrew
OK, we're tired of photos by now
Tina on the hike down
Angie on the hike down
Ted on the hike down
Tina at lunch after the hike out from La Danta preserve. Note the hard-earned bottles of cold beer on the table (Imperiale, of course).
