| Distance | 64.80 kms | 40.39 miles |
|---|---|---|
| Climbed | 2,158 meters | 7,080 feet |
| Ride time (hours) | 8.02 | - |
| Avg speed | 8.1 kph | - |
| Avg climb | 5% | - |
| Max grade | 20% | - |
| Distance | 11,564.12 kms | 7,185.53 miles |
|---|---|---|
| Climbed | 127,962 meters | 419,823 feet |
| Ride time (hours) | 919.36 | - |
Thursday, June 6th, 2013
I packed up and left the border at 7am after saying goodbye to the cops. The grades climbing away from the border were nasty, on dirt and rock, and my derailleur wouldn't shift down to the lowest gear. I had to stop and adjust the cable to get it to shift. There was an army checkpoint about 10k from the border where a couple of surly young men toting machine guns checked my passport stamp. My map of Ecuador and I are off to a rocky start: the maps said 17 kilometers to Zumba but it was more like 25. I was hungry and just wanted to get there but the climbing went on and on. When I finally got into Zumba I got a decent lunch for 2 dollars and stocked up on supplies. Internet was down for the whole town so no luck getting on line.
Interesting that they use the dollar in Ecuador but the coins are a mix of US and locally minted with their own version of a dollar coin, 50 and 25 cent coins. It started raining hard in the afternoon which turned the dirt road into a sea of mud. With the steep grades and slippery surface it was quite difficult to stay on the bike, the rear tire kept slipping and I would have to push to firmer ground before I could restart. At dusk I found an abandoned homestead with some flattish ground that wasn't swamped, I set up camp for the night there. It rained hard after dark.
Over 2,000 meters climbing today on dirt and mud, I was knackered.
