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Equador Trip Day 7

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  Day 7 Our final day on the bikes started in Chugchilan at 11k feet. We had an amazing breakfast at Mama Hilda’s with fresh mango/bananas/pineapple, bread, and scrambled eggs. We wanted to get on the road early to get back to Quito early and get our PCR tests done in time to fly home. The roads were twisty and had a new surprise around every corner. Sometimes it was a dog, sometimes it was a landslide, sometimes the road was missing. You have to be on your game at all times. We went through a town and saw a sign we didn’t understand but it looked like road closed or construction. There really is just one road so on we went. We eventually did get to the section of road that was closed. We sat lined up behind a few other vehicles not knowing if it would be minutes or hours until the road is opened. While we were sitting there two dogs come out of nowhere and hung out with us, they were cute and sweet but seemed hungry and tattered. Wish we could take them all home. Anyway lucky for...
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Equador Trip Day 6

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  Day 6 We woke up in beautiful Banos, which was cloudy and rainy. We had an amazing breakfast, omelettes, croissants and coffee and juice. Bob spent some time wacking my pants and jacket to get the dried mud off then we loaded up and off we went. We headed up a beautiful and very steep cobblestone and rock road to the mountain across the valley to get a view of the Volcano Tungurahua, but alas after all the steep winding turns the top was completely fogged in. We continued on down into the valley and the views were amazing. The road was sketchy with lots of debris and wash outs just like most here and you had to be on your “A” game. There doesnt seem to be detour signs here at all and we’ve been on so many wonky roads that would NOT fly in the US, you would understand why we rode into a construction zone today in a village center that we think will be a park, we got up one side of the rectangle and all the way across the top before realizing we were not on a road at all. There wa...
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Equador Trip Day 5

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  Day 5 This morning we woke to chilly temps but a clear sky. Bob was out first turning all the bikes around for an easier exit from the driveway. Then we walked up to the panadería (bakery) which advertised Cafe (coffee) on the window but alas no coffee was found. We did get 2 baked goods for 40 cents!! They were bread with chocolate (kind of a cross between a croissant and a donut! Yum). When we got back we had breakfast. A plate with a round slice of meat (looked like bologna) and 2 slices of cheese, scrambled egg and more of the bakery bread with jam. She also served us peach juice, steamed hot milk and coffee. When you get juice in ecuador, its usually thick and frothy and amazing!! Most mornings of this trip breakfast was included and you don’t order, you just get served whats for breakfast. So its been Juice Roulette each day. Peach is amazing! Anyway, we packed up the bikes, assessed the GPS to figure out how we could easily get out of town without going up the crazy steep ...
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Equador Trip Day 4

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  Day 4 This was by far the most challenging riding I have ever done. Todays mileage was only 90 miles yet took us 8hours to complete and we skipped lunch!! We left Quevedo around 8:15, leaving the city was a challenge even with the quiet morning traffic. We jumped right into a palm plantation and then a Dole banana operation. As we gained elevation we went into the clouds and we couldnt see 10 feet in front of you. The road was super curvy and wet! Finally we climbed above the clouds but still couldnt see what Im sure were epic views. We stopped for another shitshow gas stop (the poor attendants having to deal with us stupid Americans!! ) We needed water too, the attendant sent us across the street to a tienda (store) but really just looked like someones shack. We fumbled our way through and bought water and snacks. Its always an adventure when the locals have to deal with us. Lots of laughing and giggles and smiles. We headed further to a town called El Corazon. We managed to go ...
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Equador Trip Day 3

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  Day 3 We woke up in beautiful Canoa Beach. It was 74 when we went to bed & still 74 when we woke up this morning. We had a short mileage day today so took advantage of the extra time by sleeping in and having a big long breakfast with a swim in the warm pacific ocean!! @Canoa Suites is owned by a colorado couple, Peter & Maija. They are amazing!! They set the tone here and its complete & total ZEN!! We were sad to leave paradise but had new places to explore in the Andes…Our route today took us through lots of farming towns. They actually plant on hillsides here. (I should say mountainsides they are so big) There was a lot of controlled burning today so there was a ton of smoke and dust in the air. One road had THE most potholes, dirt and craters ww’ve ever seen. It was a lot of zigging and zagging all over the road to get through!! You had to be on your game to navigate!! We went through many small city centers that were bustling and chaotic. We finished the day head...
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Equador Trip Day 2

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  Day 2 of our Ecuador Freedom Bike Rental tour! We left the cloud forest lodge this morning in rain and chilly temps. We headed into the town of Mindo, bought some water and took some photos. From there we went to hike a waterfall, Verde Cascadia. The owner, who knows Freedom, came running over when we pulled into the parking lot and even though he didnt speak english or us Spanish, he brought us up to park in his yard around back where we didnt have to lock up our stuff and gave us a covered area where we could change and keep our stuff while we hiked. It was very warm and humid when we set off and it is the cloud forest where its always rainy, the hike was so muddy and not like a typical mud, a snotty wet mess of mud with leaves added to help with traction! It was a long hard hike but we were rewared with 2 different waterfalls and lots of locals to chat with along the way. When we got to the big waterfall, we out our suits on and went for a swim. The water was very cold and th...
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Equador Trip Day #1

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I have a lowered 310GS, Bob and Minna are on Suzuki Vstroms 650s. We left Freedom about 10:30 and headed out into Quito traffic, which we learned yesterday may look chaotic but has some good communication and no road rage. It was learn a new bike by fire for sure!! We made it to our first stop which was the Equator & the Intinan Museum. We practiced feats of strength, watched the water drain test and did the egg balance game all while sweltering in the sun!! After we headed into the cloud forest with monster mountains covered in greenery and fog!! It was so beautiful. We stopped at Los Armadillos Cafe for second breakfast and to watch the hummingbirds. After leaving there we turned off the main route onto a dirt farm road. It wound deeper and deeper into the cloud forest going up up up until we reached Bellavista Cloud Forest Reserve. There we saw more hummingbirds. After that we headed down the farm road. It was pretty rocky and wet and you had to choose your line!! I was so happ...
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Location: Quito, Ecuador
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