Annika is already able to ride a bike on her own (for the most part), thanks to her Strider bike, but it also helps to have someone show her the way like her friend Lexi. Unfortunately, Lexi and her family's time here in Bogotá has come to an end and we had a little play date picnic to say goodbye.
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Such is life as a diplomat...
On a rainy Sunday morning, I drove to Cotopaxi National Park to drop Vince off for his 5 day bikepacking trip. Yes, 5 days bike riding at high altitude climbing up and down thousands of feet. I too brought my new bike, which Vince graciously packed and shipped to me, to ride for an hour or two max. Bike riding at 12,000 feet on sandy or grassy unpaved roads was difficult but the views definitely helped.
In any event, the drive up to the base camp at Cotopaxi, roughly 15,00 feet high, was cold and snowy - first time i ever experienced snowfall in Ecuador. Vince rode back down while I drove and took pictures. We later did a little riding in the park taking a brief break for lunch. I left Vince where he and 2 others began a 5 day bikepacking adventure.
Just 40 miles east of Quito, and at an altitude of 10,800 feet, are the Termas de Papallacta, the hot springs of Papallacta. With Vince and Michelle having just arrived to Ecuador, we figured the hot springs would be a great way for them to get aclimated to the altitude. Vince and I did a little bike riding and it turns out he was in no need of aclimating. I, on the other hand, gave up after ascending just 500 feet at roughly 12,000 feet. We did manage to do a little hiking along the entrance to Reserva Ecológica Cayambe Coca and although it was cloudy, we got some good views of the Cascada de Baños. To view the entire album, click here.
Zuzan is in town visiting this massive city. We took Suzan for a leisurely bike ride along Plaza La Reforma. This is a great way to explore the city at a leisurely pace plus there are several areas where one could "rent" a bike for free! When we arrived at the zocalo, we were greeted with giant alebrijes! Washington Post has an interesting article covering these alebrijes.
