to El Tambo: two days in one

March 26, 2017

"This is the road we want, but only by luck" Patrick says checking the GPS at the intersection. Whatever did we do before GPS? We were having some trouble leaving Cuenca due to road construction.

By the time we finished breakfast of pastries, yogurt and juice, the rain had started. Navigating out of the city back to the Pan-American was a challenge because of the construction of a light-rail system. At one point, thinking we were going in the wrong direction, we reach the intersection with the Pan-American North we need.

The first part of the ride to Azogues was mostly downhill and in the rain. We stopped at the bus terminal in Azogues for a hot drink and food break and rain eased up. When we arrive in Biblian our destination for today, the time is just before 11am. This looks like an interesting town with a church up on the hill but this just seems too early to stop. Yet the 1000 meter climb ahead and another 36 km to El Tambo is too much for us in one day. The original plan was to go to El Tambo tomorrow and the next day to the Ingapirca ruins.

Now is the time for making choices.

We want to make sure that we have enough time to cycle Central America and the route home that we've planned. The decision is made to take a ride to the top and cycle to El Tambo, saving a day.

Patrick negotiates the fee of $12 with a taxi driver and our gear and bikes are quickly loaded into the back. Ecuador has a great system of white and green striped trucks as taxis. Very useful in a land where many people are without their own transportation and a need to transport goods to distant markets or their countryside farms.

On the way up, the dark clouds that had been forming finally begins a light rain. Again on Sunday, there is a political rally for the upcoming elections. We are in the "parade" of cars and trucks with flags for Lasso. We are dropped off close to the top where the road has leveled off a bit. Then the downhill to Canar.

After Canar, we end up back in the political traffic, and continuing downhill until crossing the Canar river and the last climb begins. We stop to eat a salami sandwich and let the traffic get ahead of us.

We find the Chasky Wasy Hostal, and Patrick negotiates a lower price for the larger room, $25. We will stay two nights, tomorrow to take a local bus to the Ignapirca ruins. We found a great restaurant by the train station.

The Bar Restaurant de el Treen is very upscale and served a very tasty Cordon Bleu!

Tomorrow sightseeing.