| Distance | 84.53 kms | 52.82 miles |
|---|---|---|
| Climbed | 907 meters | 2,976 feet |
| Ride time (hours) | 6.51 | - |
| Avg speed | 12.9 kph | - |
| Avg climb | 3% | - |
| Max grade | 11% | - |
| Distance | 12,192.73 kms | 7,576.38 miles |
|---|---|---|
| Climbed | 141,653 meters | 464,741 feet |
| Ride time (hours) | 979.36 | - |
Thursday, July 4th, 2013
Since I had a good hiding spot I decided to sleep in a bit, not getting on the road until 8:40. Being out of food and water made for a rough first hour of climbing until I hit Palmiri where I bought some bananas, water, and bread. There was a restaurant but it wasn't open so I had to be content with bananas and bread for breakfast. I had some strong headwinds today and it was chilly until I arrived in Guamote.
Leaving Guamote involved a significant climb but after that the road was what qualifies for flat in Ecuador. Not too exciting, just lots of highway riding but with a good shoulder to avoid the trucks. In Cajabamba I stopped for my first real meal of the day around 3pm. I shouldn't do this because it makes me pay in tiredness later on but the pickings were slim until Cajabamba. At any rate I was rewarded for my wait with a delicious chicken soup and steak and rice lunch. It was easy going after that to get to Riobamba, but the city and I got off to a rough start with me riding around for 45 minutes unable to find a hotel. Finally I asked some cops and they set me straight. I got a room and went looking for internet to make some calls but none of the places had microphones... argh! The old lady at the desk at the hotel said there was internet but she didn't know the key for the wifi! Later on I got it from her son and was finally able to connect.
