To the
End an
Gardner Robinson takes a spring break to the southern hemisphere from the Highway to the End of the World and Patagonia trails to Santiago’s wine country and colorful diversions in “Valpo.” 春休みを利用して南半球のハイウェイを走り世界の果てへ、パタゴニアの トレイルからサンティアゴのワイン農家が広がるバルポ（バルパライソ市 もしくは州）で出会ったさまざまな思い出を語る。
U
nfamiliar names on a travel itinerary are a beautiful thing. Summoning my best college Spanish, I read them aloud. “Puerto Montt, Punta Arenas, Puerto Natales…” Then I grabbed a map to see where I was going. The plan was to travel from Japan to the tip of South America in time for the Patagonian International Marathon (PIM) and explore Torre del Paine National Park. I’d then head north to the wine country near Santiago and the Andes mountains, and then drop by Portland, Oregon, on my way back to Japan to attend the opening party for Montbell’s new Portland store. I had a little more than a week to make it halfway around the world and back. First, I needed to get to Punta Arenas.
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T R AV E L E R
PATAGONIA Punta Arenas is sometimes referred to as the southernmost city in the world. Ushuaia on Tierra del Fuego and Puerto Williams on Antarctica’s Isla Navarino are actually farther south, but Punta Arenas is by far the largest city. It used to be named “Magallanes,” after Ferdinand Magellan who first circumnavigated the earth, sailing between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans through the straits that still bear his name. When I arrived at Punta Arenas Airport, I looked around for Krissy Moehl. Krissy was arriving late due to some terrible floods where she lives in Colorado. I also arrived the day before the race, so we arranged to meet at the airport
and catch a ride into Torres del Paine National Park together. Krissy had recently won the 2013 Ultra Trail Mt. Fuji, Japan’s most prestigious ultra-trail running event, and had been to Japan as a Patagonia (the clothing brand) ambassador. We chatted about Japan and whether she was returning to defend her UTMF title in 2014. “I try not to do the same race two years in a row,” she said. It was refreshing to hear an athlete be more interested in travel and new experiences than defending titles. I liked her immediately. She wasn’t the only pro running the 2nd Annual PIM. Ryan Sandes, Billy Barnett, Yassine Doubain and hometown favorites Veronica Bravo and Daniela Seyler Palamino would also participate, as would hundreds of