Took another break today to horseback ride in what began as a very scenic ride through this beautiful land. At a latitude of 50.8 degrees south, Ushuaia is The most southern city on Earth. This city of 50,000 is the staging point for most of the Antarctic expeditions. It is one of the fastest growing cities in Argentina.
The town is rustic and natural, but many of the homes are painted in pastel colors in order to brighten things a bit. In winter the temps are well below zero and the sun rises only briefly. The towering mountains surrounding this city rise to an altitude of 6,500 feet from sea level quite dramatically. The city is very clean and crisp.
Now back to the horseback ride. It began with a steep climb along a narrow path to what was a great vantage point for panoramic photos. The shots taken (see below) show the harbor town and the surrounding majestic mountain peaks, as well as the pitch of the slope. Unfortunately for one rider in our group (who was a very experienced equestrian) it ended shortly after those majestic views. He was one rider ahead of me when his horse became spooked. The horse jerked unexpectedly throwing the rider off. It happened so quickly that I had difficulty processing it for a moment. He flew up in the air and dropped like an anchor to the ground. His body at first appeared lifeless. Another rider, who had prior experience as a medic came to his aid. As it turns out the unlucky rider suffered a minor concussion, some neck trauma, and a severely broken wrist. His hand swelled almost instantly to the size of a small balloon. On a selfish note, needless to say, it was a major buzzkill. I held on much tighter after that. I also decided that this would most likely be my last ride on a horse. So in this city, the southernmost on earth, a few firsts and lasts for me took place. See pics below.
