Hello Ecuador!

June 16, 2024

First section of Ecuador done. 440 km, 12000m elevation gain. Poeh, that was a tough entry. The legs felt it. You'd think we'd be used to it by now, but somehow it felt like our bars were loaded with an extra set of plates.

It started with a series of dusty, incredibly steep, yet relatively short climbs. Trucks raging by blasting us with dust while we crawled up the hills made our heads spin, with sand coming out of our ears for days!

Next, a misty passage through a mountainous rainforest. Finally back at 3000 masl. Loved it.

Rain, rain, rain. Ah yes, the rainforest. We're getting a warm and wet Ecuador, with daily showers to mix in with the sweats. A sticky endeavor. Long live wet wipes and our newest gear upgrade, a sweat rag. Better late than never.

People, absolutely adorable. Stomach issues, present.

In many ways, our cycling experience through Ecuador so far, is reminiscent of cycling in Peru. And yet, there are marked differences too. No more honking cars, or racing moto-taxis. Dogs are mostly behind fences. Less hustle and bustle in the streets. More roofs on top of the houses. Green pastures. More organized and clean streets. In some places, it could just as well be Switzerland we're traveling through. Or so it seems. Surprising!

Riding into one of Ecuador's popular cities, Cuenca, we were welcomed by an energetic little girl. She reminded us of our own nieces and nephews. While dancing next to her grandmother, who was making corn cheese tortillas, she was persuasively guiding us to two little stools so that we could enjoy her grandmother's cooking. Who could say no to that!? We sat down, got some tortillas and coffee, and engaged in the questionnaire of the curious little girl. An ambulance stopped too, and the two guys that came out joined our little party for a break. It started to rain again, but it didn't matter. We don't take breaks that often, but in such moments we happily stay seated for a while!

Route: Zumba - Loja - Cuenca