The Window Spoke To Me
Trip Start
Aug 02, 2007
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2
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Trip End
Aug 22, 2007
Day 2: (written by Ruth) Our Dutch tour guide picked us up from the hotel at 8am. We drove down the Panamerican highway to Volcan Cotopaxi, where we were heading for quite an adventure. The ride up was on a cobblestone road. It was beautiful but very bumpy. The guide dropped us off near the snow line. It was ridiculously freezing and windy! Sleet and dirt was blowing in our eyes. Quito had been nice and warm. We could barely stand up. Iīm thinking, if I canīt stand, how the hell am I going to ride a damn mountain bike down a mountain!!! This is after we had already told the guide that I had never been on a mountain bike...he said it was easy. Well, it wasn't. We started down and after we stopped for a "bathroom" break, an Ecuadorian rode up to us and asked if we had ever gone down Cotopaxi before. We said we hadnīt. He looked stunned. He asked if we had goggles...no...so he gave me his! What a nice guy! We said we would return them to him at the "restaurant" museum place where we were taking our first break, halfway down the mountain. I couldnīt believe he would just hand over his goggles. He didnīt seem to have an extra either. So, anyway...that began the treachorous downhill ride. In quick succession, I fell twice...amazing how great elbow and knee pads are. Thatīs when I decided that I was no mountain biker and would be better off in the truck with our guide. Mike continued down, us following, and I joined him again when it was less scary. We finished the ride on washboard trails, soft sand that meant riding almost sideways at times (Mikeīs "favorite"), and a couple of uphills that made us realize what the altitude does to you. We met our guide again at the end...Mike having ridden the entire 35 km down the mountain and me riding about 30km. We decided not to go biking again the next day as planned, which really didnīt please our guide. When he told us he could drop us off at the bus stop right there, I thought he was kidding. He was not. But, it all turned out well in the end. We took a bus to Baņos through some beautiful mountains and with nice people. We both really enjoyed the ride. Even the window thought it was bitchinī...you see, Mike was sitting by the window, and when I said something, I thought Mike said "bitchinī" so I turned to him because Mike does not say bitchinī. Turned out the window, which was open a crack, was making a funny noise! It alternated between bitchinīand ja (Skyeīs dadīs favorite)! So, we arrived in Baņos, very happy to be there (and clearly a little delirious), at about 6pm, found a hotel, and were happy to be in a nice town. We had a great dinner at a cozy place and overall had a great day.
