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Adventurous couple trek Peru

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By KYLE MARTIN kmartin@hernandotoday.com

Published: November 3, 2007

SPRING HILL — Ray Cannata takes the kind of vacations the brochures call "aggressive."

At 69, Cannata has held his own with hiking groups composed of outdoorsmen many years his junior.

That's fine by him, as long as he has his wife, 65-year-old Virginia, by his side.

He recently returned from his latest adventure scaling some of the highest peaks in the world, the Andes Mountains.

It was a dream come true. As a boy, Cannata explored the halls of New York's Museum of Natural History, dreaming of the day he would unlock the secrets of ancient cities as an archeologist.

A curator set his head straight. In all honesty, he was told, unless you inherit a hefty trust fund, you'll never support yourself as an archeologist.

Cannata took the advice to heart and set aside his aspiration. Instead, he spent his life in Vermont, raising two kids and holding several marketing positions.

When the time came to care for Cannata's aging parents in Spring Hill, they settled into a home in the Oak Hills subdivision off Deltona Boulevard.

But the Cannatas live life with flair and that changes this otherwise familiar story.

Cannata is a polite fellow, so he doesn't laugh in your face if you use the word "cruise" around him.

He simply points out that "cruises are too quiet for us."

Meaning, roughing it in the woods of Alaska is a more typical vacation for the couple.

The couple has visited several exotic locales, but there was always that dream of exploring Peru in the back of Cannata's mind.

The Cannatas had good results with the tour group Countrywalker before, so Ray Cannata asked them to pull together a trip to famed Machu Picchu.

They put him in touch with a company called Inns of Peru, that had built a series of remote lodges for hikers on a 10-day trek through the Andes.

The Cannatas were soon on their way.

Their first introduction to high altitude was an abrupt change from leaving Tampa International Airport at sea level to landing in Cusco, about 11,500 feet high.

They spent their first day resting and acclimating to the thin oxygen. But a brief respite was all they were given as the next day they set out into the jungles of Peru.

Their journey took them through a variety of climes and often a day's journey could begin in a forest shrouded with clouds and end in the shadow of snowcapped mountains that soared up to 19,000 feet.

The gamut of climate changes required backpacks full of rain ponchos, gallons of water and a fleece jacket. A typical backpack weighed 35-40 pounds.

Mules loaded with food accompanied the group, though the beasts also served as a way back to civilization if someone was injured or sick. Helicopters couldn't reach their remote location.

Each day brought a new surprise. There was the heart-stopping crossing of a deep gorge on a bridge made of logs. Cannata also caught sight of a condor wheeling overhead with a nine-foot wingspan.

At times, Cannata could only stop and marvel at the breathtaking scenery. "I felt like I was close to God," he said. "You could see why the Incas worshipped the sun and the mountains."

Eventually, they would travel to heights of more than three miles above sea level before winding their way down to Machu Picchu.

Often considered the lost city of the Incas, experts date the collection of houses and temples to 1450, although it was abandoned about 100 years later.

That saved it from destruction by Spanish conquerors because it was overrun by jungle overgrowth and hidden from sight. It was rediscovered in 1911 by a Yale professor.

Cannata was struck by the ancient ruins and the ingenious masonry that's kept it standing for these centuries.

His wife, Virginia, had a different experience. In all their travels, this was the first time for the couple to venture to a Third World country. Their trip included a visit to the home of a Quechua Indian, a tribe directly descended from the Incas.

Two skulls from dead grandparents were reverently displayed in a corner of the adobe house. "It was a good omen," to them, Virginia Cannata said. But "that's when I knew this wasn't a tourist trap."

So what's next on the horizon for the thrill-seeking duo? Camping at the bottom of the Grand Canyon has been scheduled for next year.

Last year's big trip was skiing — with a helicopter serving as the ski lift. Half-joking, a reporter asked the senior citizen if he's ever been bungee jumping.

"No," was the reply. "I like to keep my feet on the ground."

Reporter Kyle Martin can be contacted at 352-544-5271.

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