check out my new toy! by clicking on the "find me" link at the top of the page, you can track where i will be at any given point in time as i backpack the southern cone. cool, huh? i'll do my best to keep this blog more or less updated as i travel.

(note: the program works best with updated versions of flash, firefox, or safari. IE is sketchy.)

before heading out, though, gotta give props where they're deserved. first off, thanks so much to everyong at wri's info program. their kickass goodbye presents (an REI backpack and leatherman knife) are definitely being put to good use. a heads up also to quiltro, who set me up with his camping stove and cookware; to sam and nat, for mailing me real granola bars and all sorts of dehydrated comfort foods; and most of all to my lil' brother phil, for bailing on me at the last minute by breaking his ankle. sorry about your leg, phil, but jeez, talk about bad timing. get well soon, though, yeah?

well, i'm off...first stop: tierra del fuego. more specifically, ushuaia, the self-proclaimed end of the world, by way of punta arenas, chile.