Oregon to Ushuaia on an XR650L

[Ulyses]

Originally Posted by purpledrake

Ummm, so are you the crazy MF that I see near the summit, the one with:

No hiking boots/proper backpack/hydration system/sunscreen/clothing/food/map....... but somehow are carrying:

Golf club/bottled beer/basketball/fireworks/rubber rafts/Costco-sized container of Cheerios.....???

Every once in a while I see such nuts, and wonder who they are. Now I know.

Looking forward to climbing with you soon.

PD

haha! Like my brother said, there's the right way, the wrong way, and the Bissinger way! Faster and more dangerous is always better!

[Ulyses]

Originally Posted by ONandOFF

I'm still with you in Guatemala, how freaky that speedboat encounter and how unfortunate the slippery roads and other maladies, but can't blame it on the political boundaries as it's all in God's providence. You have a lot of blessings, just remember who to thank. Enjoy, but go light on the space gravy!

[DucHym09]

Working on a drilling rig 180 miles off the coast of La.
Pretty nice adventure your on!

Originally Posted by Ulyses

Thanks! Where are you guys at?

[Ulyses]

Day 81 (January 4, 2013)
Quito, Ecuador to Banos, Ecuador
Day's Ride: 210 water-logged Miles



I guess they call it the Rain forest for a reason.

Before I left Medellin, Al recommended that instead of going directly south from Quito, I should head east, cross over the mountains, and then travel south, skirting the Amazon before heading back west to the termales (hot springs) at Banos.

I got a late start this morning; partly due to having post-marathon legs from yesterday's little escapade and partly due to having to rewire my rear blinkers. Escaping Quito wasn't nearly as bad as I thought it would be. I only got lost once!



After getting out of Quito and crossing through some of the suburbs, the road started to climb......



.....and climb, and climb! Before long I started noticing those ominous gray clouds from yesterday. Then, I was inside those ominous gray clouds and it was raining. I figured that this storm would just be localized to the pass and that I should keep pushing and get over it as fast as possible rather than stopping to put on my rain gear.




Unfortunately, it was a long way to the top. I finally topped out somewhere around 13,500 feet and realized that I was starting to get that numb feeling in my arms again. I stood up on the pegs to stretch my legs and realized that my pants were slightly frozen. Snap!

I pulled over and put on my rain gear. The rain continued throughout the decent. I finally dropped out of the clouds and started to warm up, but continued to get soaked. Luckily, the rain was pumping up the streams and there were tons of beautiful water falls cascading hundreds of feet down the sheer sides of the valley that I was riding through. It was almost enough to make me forget how miserable and wet I was. But not quite.





As I descended closer to the Amazon side, I kept expecting to break out of the weather. Unfortunately, it just started getting cloudy and rainy again. I finally got down into the rain forest, but couldn't see more than 20 feet in front of me due to the fog. The visibility would open back up again just enough to make me optimistic, then close down again in the blink of an eye. And the rain continued.

All of the streams and rivers were swollen with water; they looked like giant torrents of chocolate milk.



When I had started this morning in Quito, I had planned on getting all the way to Banos before nightfall. However, as the water-logged miles wore on, I began amending my plans and looking for a likely place to hole up for the rest of the day and dry out.

Suddenly, the rain stopped and I emerged from the fog.

The rain forest stretched away into the distance as banks of clouds and mist swirled along the base of the Andes. It was breathtaking.



I kept riding and eventually arrived in the town of Tena. I figured that I would stop there and find a hotel to dry out at. Before looking for a hotel, I stopped at a tienda to grab lunch: a Red Bull and a Snickers Bar.

I sat on the curb like a drowned mariner, emptying the water out of my boots and wringing the moisture from my beard. As I sat there moping and shivering, my iPod suddenly started playing Dragon Force's "Through the Fire and Flames". Suddenly my resolve was renewed. I chugged the Red Bull and jumped back on the bike. I couldn't let the rain forest win. Screw it, I'm going to Banos!

I cranked the music and started riding again, albeit a little faster and more dangerously. After a while the Red Bull made it through my system and I had to stop for a piss break. As I was about to climb back on the bike, I noticed these leaf cutter ants:



I felt like I was in a nature documentary. I kept riding and finally made it to Puyo and the turn off to head back up into the mountains. The river flowing by the road was bloated and swollen with muddy run off from the rain; I stopped on an old abandoned turn off to snap some pictures.





As I rode back up into the mountains, the rain started picking up again. The condensation inside my helmet kept fogging up my visor and I had to ride with it a quarter open; the rain drops hitting my face at 60 MPH felt like tiny rocks smacking into my face.

A few miles outside of Banos I stopped to take a picture of some massive zip lines (they call them "Canopy" in Spanish for some reason) when I suddenly noticed that the zip lines were going over a series of massive waterfalls.







The water was churning up so much mist and spray that I could hardly make out the bigger of the two falls.

I made into Banos around 4:00 PM and found a Hostel near one of the Hot Springs. Hostal Casa Real; $15 for a private room with wifi, private bathroom, secure parking, hot water, and free breakfast.



The first order of business was emptying out my so-called "goretex lined" boots...



...and wringing out my socks.....



After arranging my gear to dry out, I headed out in town to see the sights. The local waterfall:



An old school Laundromat:



The local church (one of the more beautiful that I've seen):





After sight seeing I got some of the town's famous taffy (melcocha) and retired to my room. Tomorrow morning I'm going to hit up the hot springs early to beat the crowds.

[alvincullumyork]

Originally Posted by purpledrake

Ummm, so are you the crazy MF that I see near the summit, the one with:

No hiking boots/proper backpack/hydration system/sunscreen/clothing/food/map....... but somehow are carrying:

Golf club/bottled beer/basketball/fireworks/rubber rafts/Costco-sized container of Cheerios.....???

Every once in a while I see such nuts, and wonder who they are. Now I know.

Looking forward to climbing with you soon.

PD

What fun is it if you get to the top and have nothing to do?

Originally Posted by Ulyses

The first order of business was emptying out my so-called "goretex lined" boots...

Mine were never really all that water proof. Still good boots though.

[Brown Falcon]

Sounds like a miserable day riding in the freezing rain... Glad you made it through alright. My buddy and I took our XRL's up Mary's Peak the back way last Saturday in 36 degree weather. Had a great time, but it was sure cold riding, and our visors fogged up bad. Snow hitting you in the eye with your visor partway open isn't really fun either...



Stay dry my friend!

[alvincullumyork]

Originally Posted by Brown Falcon

Sounds like a miserable day riding in the freezing rain... Glad you made it through alright. My buddy and I took our XRL's up Mary's Peak the back way last Saturday in 36 degree weather. Had a great time, but it was sure cold riding, and our visors fogged up bad. Snow hitting you in the eye with your visor partway open isn't really fun either...



Stay dry my friend!

To the parking lot were the trail starts, or all the way up to the summit on the trail?

Summit is a loose term in this sense.

[theturtleshead]

Get down to see the Pylon del Diablo waterfall-it's a classic,about ten minutes back the way you came!Take a run up to the Luna Run Tun hotel while you're at it.
Al

[Brown Falcon]

Originally Posted by alvincullumyork

To the parking lot were the trail starts, or all the way up to the summit on the trail?

Summit is a loose term in this sense.

I never said summit...lol

We rode up the gravel road from Harlan, hit a good amount of snow right before meeting up with the main paved road. It was getting close to dark so we headed down the mountain on the snowy pavement. Only hit a couple really slick spots. We sure got a lot of funny looks from everyone up there in their 4x4 SUV's and trucks!

[junkyardroad]

A fluffer of a 14er...
I climb in similar gear every time, never figured out why people wear/carry/pack so much crap.
Maybe I've just been lucky

Great pics of the rainforest

[alvincullumyork]

Originally Posted by Brown Falcon

I never said summit...lol

We rode up the gravel road from Harlan, hit a good amount of snow right before meeting up with the main paved road. It was getting close to dark so we headed down the mountain on the snowy pavement. Only hit a couple really slick spots. We sure got a lot of funny looks from everyone up there in their 4x4 SUV's and trucks!

Awesome!

[PDX Alamo]

This is one bad ace ride report my friend, thanks for taking us on the adventure. Started learning Spanish in hopes of doing your ride next year. Seriously incredible journey

[Ulyses]

Originally Posted by DucHym09

Working on a drilling rig 180 miles off the coast of La.
Pretty nice adventure your on!

Nice! Good to have you along for the ride!

[Ulyses]

Originally Posted by theturtleshead

Get down to see the Pylon del Diablo waterfall-it's a classic,about ten minutes back the way you came!Take a run up to the Luna Run Tun hotel while you're at it.
Al

I'm pretty sure I saw that one.....it was massive! I'm in Alausi tonight; I can't decided whether I want to ride the "nariz del diablo" or just go watch the train go down.. What do you think?

[Ulyses]

Originally Posted by Brown Falcon

I never said summit...lol

We rode up the gravel road from Harlan, hit a good amount of snow right before meeting up with the main paved road. It was getting close to dark so we headed down the mountain on the snowy pavement. Only hit a couple really slick spots. We sure got a lot of funny looks from everyone up there in their 4x4 SUV's and trucks!

Nice! I'm jealous! I miss the snow.