The Mulas walked out to the flat basin outside of Plaza de Argentina to acclimatize. It was expanse with a blood red stream of ice melt coming from the heart of a dying glacier. In this basin the noise and commotion of basecamp was cut away from the team who had become accustomed music, chatter, and machines of the main camp. The team walking in their shirts with no packs and casually carrying their water bottles were waylaid pilgrims without pretext or antecedent. The team went to the local bouldering boulder and looked at the trails heading out and over to the Plaza Francia and discussed the South Face route of Acocagua.
The bulk of the Mulas went to the cafe and drank the rest of the afternoon away. They plodded back to the dining tent and gorged heavily on wood coal cooked asado.
-Don Nguyen
