chasingsummerp.022

Chasing Summer p.022

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Dec 25th - Popayan to Ipiales

Interactive Track : http://www.gpsxchange.com/phpBB2/download2.php?id=1611

When I told you that our hosts were very sweet! This is what we found waking up that morning…

Since they are still sleeping I leave the money for the room on the table and take the road South. It is scenic enough but I’m too tired to take pictures. It gets better and so I take a few.

I don’t often use words like ‘stunning’ or ‘breathtaking’ but this time they are the only ones that can describe that road. It’s like if Colombia is offering me one of my best Xmas presents! Unfortunately, this time the pictures are not even close to show how beautiful it is.

On some sections I want to stop on almost every turn and I feel so blessed to be on a bike and so to be able to do it.

The road is not bad either...

Sadly the sky is getting much darker

And soon it starts to rain...

I feel sad when arriving in Pasto: not only it means the end of this wonderful road but also Pasto appears pretty sinister compared to what I’ve just seen. I’m sure that the heavy dark clouds don’t help either.

The section of the road from Pasto to Ipiales is superb too but not quite the same.

Arriving in Ipiales I directly go the main attraction there, the Santuario de las Lajas. It’s the kind of edifice that looks better from a distance but the site where it’s built is spectacular.

Built on a stone bridge spanning a deep gorge where an image of Virgin Mary is believed to have emerged from an enormous vertical rock 45m above the river in the mid-18^th century. So now it’s a hugely popular destination for pilgrims in need of a miracle.

Hundreds of thankful plaques are fixed all along the way

Ipiales is not particularly attractive but there are a couple of nice plazas and an animated street linking the two. I just like the white and blue on the church and sky...

A couple of locals seeing me looking for a restaurant take me under their wing and we have an entertaining dinner together.

Dec 26th - Ipiales to Quito

Interactive Track : http://www.gpsxchange.com/phpBB2/download2.php?id=1610

I’m sad to leave Colombia this morning. It’s definitely one of the highlight of this trip, both for spectacular mountain scenery and for the warmth and kindness of its people.

To lighten my spirits, just on my way out of town I meet a couple and a rider each on a V-Strom and leaving in Medellin.

They’re also on their way to Ushuaia and we ride together to the border. We have a nice talk while doing the paperwork which was quite easy even if the lines are long. For them it’s even easier since they have a ‘Carnet de Passage’. Not mandatory anymore this seems to help and speed the process with customs a lot. I like the stickers they put on their bikes and helmets.

At the border I also meet my first American in SA who came from Washington DC on a big GSA with street tires.

He’s also going to Ushuaia (it’s going to be crowded!

). When I ask him when he’s expecting to be there he answers ‘in a week’ . And some people think that I’m traveling fast . He does have 3 months overall though but he wants to spend more time in the lakes region and (I think) will visit more on the way up. Still…

Ecuador...

It's the only country in SA that I’ve already visited (more than 15 years ago) and I keep a very good memory of that 3-weeks trip. Other reason to rejoice entering Ecuador is that the super is twice cheaper than in Colombia (about $2 a gallon).

The area just south of the border is beautiful too...

...with fields climbing steep and high on the mountains.

In the villages I’m crossing the people look different: more indigenous and more reserved too. If they’re always nice when I talk to them they seem less curious or at least keeping their distance more than in Colombia.

Hey, what about using the road to dry our stuff? It's flat and clean after all. I'm not sure what it is but there were 4 or 5 patches like that on the main road.

I had asked my friend Sean who leaves in Quito for road suggestions and he recommended that at Ibarra I’ll take the road south to Zuleta and then reach the main road again in Guayambe. It was a great suggestion! I’ve seen of course cobble stones streets but those are more ‘regular’ stones...

...and surprisingly it continued that way on the road too.

It was the first time on roads like that but definitely not the last in Ecuador. I go through small villages and nice mountains and I enjoy the remoteness a lot. Although the directions were not always clear...

When I arrive close to Quito I’m amazed by how much it grew! It seems twice bigger, but it might be my memory… It sits in a long and narrow valley at 2,850m of elevation. It’s great to catch-up with Sean, a Californian leaving in Ecuador and also with Jose, an Ecuadorian leaving in California (and visiting for Xmas). It’s awesome to have local guides: my 2 friends take me for a tour of the old city by night and the lightings make the place superb (sorry I didn’t have my camera). Then we go to an excellent restaurant offering views from above on the old town. When we arrive the clouds block most of the view but gradually, like if it’s a “special effect”, the buildings appear one after another. The number of beautiful old churches is just incredible. Each time we see a new one my friends tell me about the history and legends about it. Definitely a very special night!

Dec 27th to 29th - Quito

During those 3 days I’ve spent a lot of time trying to take care of the computer and GPS issue. In the USA we’re so use to do a quick search on the internet and just go from there. Elsewhere it’s a bit different! Thanks to Sean connections we were able to get some addresses selling GPS in town and we checked then all. Unfortunately they’re selling only the models for hiking and the prices are twice more expensive than in the states! Only a few companies in the States would ship directly here and with the weekend, the holidays and customs clearing it ends up very expensive and long.

But an email from SashaPave offering to loan me his 276 changes everything.

He sends it to Sean’s brother in law in vacations in the US and coming back in Quito on the 4th evening. Great: Reliable, cheaper to ship and no customs fees!

Then the computer. I get a message asking to ‘repair’ my Windows XP but my PC doesn’t have a CD player and of course I don’t have a XP install CD with me. Again, thanks to Sean’s connection we find an IT guys who has everything needed and who, after 2 days of effort, is able to get it to work again, although he couldn’t do anything of course for the potentially damaged hard drive.

We still had enough time to enjoy Quito and visit again the old town even though the weather (and light) was not great.

I love the colonial architecture, the narrow streets and how lively it is.

The plazas are just incredible, like the one in front of the Church San Francisco

Of all the beautiful churches the one that impressed me the most (from the inside) is La Iglesia de la Compania:

The whole interior is covered in gold leafs

And in total I heard that there is 7 tons of it

This one is more modern but impressive by its huge size

Quito is also awesome for the numerous points of view from the surrounding hills and for neighborhoods like Mariscal, where small streets are filled with dozen of restaurants and bars.

Trip to Otavalo

Interactive Track : http://www.gpsxchange.com/phpBB2/download2.php?id=1609

On Saturday morning there is a big and famous market in Otavalo, 85 kms north of Quito. I was pretty impressed by it on my first visit and decided to check it out again.

I get up really early but the fun road to get there awakes me quickly. I find the market more touristy than in my memory, especially around the ponchos and jewels.

But outside of those areas it's more authentic, for locals like the stand of traditional blouses...

... or those stands right on the street

But what I prefer the most is the food market

Some people have little to sell

Some other stands are more opulent

I continue to be amazed by how short many indigenous are, especially the older ones. I think this lady must not be more than 130 cm.

Okay, I'm starting to get hungry now

Yes, this is my plate on the right and I tried everything she had to propose. She's serving now the 'mote' made of big grains of corn cooked very long. There was also some 'sausages' of vegetable (I think) and a mix of leaver and other similar parts. Strange for breakfast but definitely tasty.

Before to leave the market I met those guys from Colombia traveling on 180cc proving that traveling on a bike doesn't require a big engine.

Back 'home' Sean is the chef for the afternoon BBQ

He also bought some great fruits and vegetables. The ones you see on the right are small mangos of a special variety: you need to malax them first until the inside appears 'liquid'. Then you remove the tail cap and drink the juice directly from it. They're absolutely delicious!

The ones on the left are called Aguave and look quite impressive. This is how it looks once open and then when eaten (the black seed). Not as good IMO...

Before to leave south I’ve the chance to spend time with Remy Sean’s other brother in law. He’s a real AdvDriver and likes to do the same stuff we like but with a jeep. With his precious help we plan a great itinerary for the next 5 days.

Dec 30th - Quito to Banos

Interactive Track : http://www.gpsxchange.com/phpBB2/download2.php?id=1608

I take the Panamerican first but the unofficial ‘goal’ is to use is as little as possible and soon (at Machachi) I turn to a small road leading to the North entry of the Cotopaxi NP.

The road becomes dirt rapidly and the scenery nicer.

"Cotopaxi is a stratovolcano and is the second highest summit in the country, reaching a height of 5,897 m. Cotopaxi has an almost symmetrical cone that rises from a highland plain of about 3,800 meters (12,500 ft), with a width at its base of about 23 kilometers (14 mi)." Knowing that I thought that the road to get there would be bigger but the North entry at least is very remote and with almost no traffic.

When I enter the park, it's already hight elevation and cold. The scenery is rough and beautiful despite the clouds.

And then I have my first glimpse at it. In real it's very impressive

Other horses on the way. This poor guy at the center has a broken front leg and I don't know if he will survive in harsh conditions like those :sad

This trail is fantastic, suitable only for 4x4 I think but really splendid. I also see my first wild lama! And it's a big one...

I continue the climb, higher and higher. I can feel that the power of the engine is reduced. I'm now above most of the clouds.

Yeah, I'm at the top (of the road

) now!

I'm really lucky that there is just a window between the clouds to the whole summit

I 'm going back on my steps a little and then take the south road towards the other entrance of the park. The road is larger and there are a few cars coming on it. The views are not as great either.

It's a new year tradition in Ecuador for the men to dress in women and block the roads to ask for a bit of money.

It's better since some are also dressed in military (but it's a fake gun).

I continued south on a parallel to the Panamerica before to join it for a bit. Then in Salcedo I take a small road again on the East side. It's so much better than the main road!

But there again...

I love that folklore but sometimes there were just too many of them so I forced my way once in a while. The road was often bad...

... but offering great views

The road climbed again in direction of Patate and I loved especially that part of the road

From Patate a dirt road going South takes you directly to Banos that you can see below. Unfortunately the Tungurahua Volcano that is on the right of this picture is covered by the clouds. This volcano is still active and had an erruption in 1999 that got the whole city of Banos evacuated for years.

Today however it seems to be only one of the many touristic attractions of the cities (with waterfalls, hot springs, rafting etc...). Banos is stuck between the volcano and this river/cliff