I have now done two days cycling and reached Latacunga. The
first day was an experience, (35 miles) getting out of Quito was quite hard as
most of it was uphill with a cloud of diesel fumes from all the trucks and buses
that past by. I made it however and then had a long descent into Sanolqui.
Although after that it was pretty much uphill all the way to Machachi. I decided
not to stay in Machachi but go on to a Hacienda in Alosi a couple of kms away. I
thought this would be okay even though I had spent the last 10 miles feeling
light headed and rather sick. However I was wrong! The Hacienda was another km
after Alosi up a steep stony dirt track which is the last thing you need after
35 miles cycling at altitude mostly uphill. By the time I got there I just want
to sleep, but spent the next twenty minutes trying to get the price of a room
which if you had seen the place you would have thought it was worth all the
effort.
I spent the rest of the night eating, drinking and chatting to a middle
aged German chap who had come to Ecuador alone even though he was married and
had two children. I think he might be separating?
Today was not too bad even though I spent four hours climbing to 3000 metres,
most of the time riding 100 yards and then having to stop to get my breath back.
However once I was at the top it was down hill all the way to Latacunga which
took an hour and a half to do the same distance. I would advise anyone going
down hill at 50 miles an hour on an 60kg bike including gear to be careful when
you try to stop as it can be like stopping a drag car especially if a large
truck is overtaking you at 80miles an hour.
I have mostly be travelling along the
Pan American highway which isn't the best cycling but this has given me a chance
to get used to the hills and the altitude which has been tough. Tomorrow I will
ride to Banos which should be more fun as I will get off the PA Highway and ride
the Ecuadorian B roads which can just be a dirt track.
Anyway I have had my $1.50 chicken dinner (took 20 minutes to order and
10minutes to eat, I need to learn some Spanish) and I'm off back to my $10
dollar hotel room to drink a beer on my balcony whilst breathing in the diesel
fumes of the buses and trucks that pass by -Latacunga what picturesque city.
