March 31, 2017
to Ambato: No fun, no views just cold rain and traffic
"It's raining, time for the waterproof socks" Patrick says as we are packing up. "I think it rained all night" Rachel says. "Let's get to our next hot shower" adds Patrick.
For $1.50 each, we start with a breakfast of scrambled eggs and ham, toast juice and coffee in the hostel kitchen area. This would be a great place for a rest day. We have two more days of cycling before our next rest day. Navigating the one way grid of Riobamba, we return to the Pan-American and start the climb.
The rain continues all day. Yes, ALL day, which means also no views, the universe must not have liked our bragging of seeing the Chimborazo Volcano yesterday. As we climb over the next 27km it gets colder. Almost to top, our hands are cold and we stop to put on our woolen gloves Patrick's old Dutch Army mittens and the gloves Rachel bought in the Indian Himalayas.
Then the downhill becomes even more difficult than the climb. Rachel's front brake pads are worn and non functioning. Both of us with cold hands find it difficult to grip the handlebars and brake. We end up walking a few km until a small climb to Mocha. We stop in a restaurant with a covered outdoor area, grab warm clothes and head inside for a hot bowl of soup. Patrick changes the front brake pads on Rachel's bike and the rest of the downhill goes much better.
Though, it's never all downhill. We actually don't mind the few bumps to get over; warms us up. The road has been full of traffic, with the shoulder coming and going, trucks try to give us space, but we still get splashed. Buses are the worst! As we enter the outskirts of Ambato, the traffic worsens, again it's a one way grid. Patrick's back rear tire goes flat,just as we find the Park City Hotel. We check-in....
....and have a hot shower.
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Today's ride: 60 km (37 miles)
Total: 29,771 km (18,488 miles)
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