January 5: Turu-Bari

Steven Dutch, Natural and Applied Sciences, University of Wisconsin - Green Bay
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Danielle Van Beckum adapting just fine to the tropical lifestyle.

On the Way to Turu-Bari

	Technically it's a suspension bridge, but "suspense" bridge seems more appropriate.
	The back end of Carara National Park actually includes some fairly high peaks (1500 meters)
	Looking north. Below: the local cattle breeds.

	Left: typical country road. Below: "Indios desnudos" ("naked Indians") are commonly used as living fence posts.

	One of the zip lines at Turu-Bari allows people to fly horizontally like Superman. A customer in flight is visible just right of the pole.
	Relief map of Turu-Bari. The site is a curious D-shaped bowl that appears to be an entrenched meander except that the Tarcoles River doesn't follow the bend and only a low mound occupies the interior of the bowl. Since the river follows a fault here, it looks like faulting may have caused the river to cut off the meander.
	Buying tickets.
	The upper cable car station.
	From left: Jaime Kozloski, Teresa Arnold, Kelly Hirsch, Sarah Glaeser, Bridget Engebose

	Getting fitted out.

	The first of our group hooks up.
	And the rest wait their turn.
	And we're off. Below: Phil Hahn hooks up and jumps off

	Between zip lines, elevated walks connect the stations.
	Looking across the bowl at the Tarcoles River. Below: scenes along the zip line course.








	They save the best for last.
	The last cable plunges half a mile to the center of the bowl.

	Here's why you look before grabbing anything.

	Headed for the cable car. This is how you get back up after the last cable.
	Greg Sheier peering out of the cable car.
	Heading back to the top. Below: views of the valley and the Tarcoles River.



	This cable car is a continuous loop, so it stops whenever a car stops at the top or bottom to unload. Below: more views from the cable car.


	Above: cooling off Left and below: views on the way back.

	Crossing the suspense bridge.

	The Tarcoles River from the bridge.
	Views of the bridge from solid ground.

	An overpass.

	Town square in Orotina. Several sloths live in the trees and are a point of pride for the locals, who eagerly told us where to find them.

	The guy at left was about 20 feet up in a palm tree but the one below was literally low enough to touch.


	Street scenes in Orotina.


	Setting a rendezvous time.
	Dan Meinhardt and Matt Dornbusch buying school supplies for Bijagual School.
	The group assembles.
	Amazingly enough, one of the sloths actually moved a body part in the hour or so we were there, proving that it is indeed alive and not just an epiphyte.

	Public school in Orotina.
	Palms with new shoots.

Created 18 January 2008, Last Update 24 January 2008

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