“Pure life” as they say in Costa Rica. It is a frequently used expression indicating a greeting, a farewell, and to express satisfaction.

At the risk of sounding like a broken record, I left Costa Rica with a determination to return and do all those things I didn’t have time for: Canopy gliding., windsurfing, and rafting to name a few. I also want to learn how to surf. Maybe when I am retired.

After leaving San José I got  a lift from Alejandro over the mountains. His nephew Daniel then gave me a lift further on after stopping at his farm to load up some feed for his cattle.

Then I rode over the Cordillera via Lago Arenal. here is a shot of mount Arenal with the peak hidden by clouds.

While riding I came across three guys who were biking from northern North America to southern South Americas (in the cycling world we call them end-to-enders.) They left Prudhoe Bay, Alaska 20 months ago and expected to arrive in Tierra del Fuego in another year.  When I met them they had cycled over 18,000 km. They were trying to do the whole trip on back roads (dirt). So their equipment was  little strange. Here is one of them, a guy who called himself Goat, and his bike. Not sure about the bare feet.

Here´s a few last pix. The lonely road:

windpower:

Finally, I came across this button for sale. At least some people have seen enough gringos!

The importance of family.

My time with the Ariases left me with an awareness of the important of family. I noticed that despite all their business ventures they always had time to watch their daughter’s football game, or their son’s bicycle race, or attend a ceremony for academic achievement for one of their kids. It occurred to me that these simple but time consuming activities are the basis of good parenting. It´s the small gestures that show support that give children confidence and helps them to succeed.

I read a story recently comparing American president Franklin Delano Roosevelt to Joseph Kennedy in terms of their parenting ability. FDR’s kids had to make appointments to see their father, and ultimately all led tumultuous lives overshadowed by their famous parents. They had among the five of them them nineteen marriages and fifteen divorces.

Kennedy, on the other hand, said once, “my business is my family and my family is my business.” His support, dedication and devotion to his children helped give them the confidence and ability to succeed in politics like few other families.