Due to some complicated logistics of getting a camera from USA to Ecuador, I was left with some time to kill. I was surrounded by all these awesome volcanoes and plenty of routes to go on. One that caught my eye was riding up toward the Quilotoa crater lake and then looping back to Latacunga via the Trans Ecuador singletrack route (a section I was planing on skipping since the singletrack is guaranteed to be hike-a-bike while going uphill, downhill was another case.) To top it off, I can play around with the setup and take the bare minimum for 2 days of food plus camping/cooking.

It was an easy climb out of the valley and into the bare windy mountains. For a chance, there were no fences, as the locals had figured it is easier to use a rope and move the animals everyday.

the first 1000m or so vertical took a good chunk of the day, there were two routes at the top but the wind blowing to the right made my decision easier.

The road kept going down and down and before I knew it I was at the bottom of a dry valley, looking up toward the crater rim. Another big climb to the top but I may just be able to make it.

Sheep are sheep but sometimes it feels like a fine line is being crossed.

In the late afternoon, I hit something of a rush hour. People and their flocks of sheep retuning from the pasture, sometimes carrying bags of greens for the cows (which I assume are more difficult to move and instead spend the day tied to a stick with a rope)

A road went off straight to the rim and it seemed to go all the day. As the sun went down it got colder and windier. It was a race to beat the sunset to the top and it didnt seem like I'd make it. A woman milking a cow beside the road told me I should sleep here because it is too cold up there. I said I'll go and see and maybe come back. The natives here are very nice and friendly.

It would make sense to drop down a bit for a more sheltered spot but there was a half protected spot on the rim.

While hunched over my stove, trying to warm up water for coffee, the native from the last house came up to check on me. I asked him if I can get to the main road on the trail, he said yes and pointed along the crater. Maybe we have a different undestanding of what passable with a bicycle means. The trail was awesome for the first kilometer or so.

On top of the few sketchy parts, there seemed to be a rocky carry-a-bike up to the ridge, I estimated 2-300m vertical. I retraced back and took some amazing trails down the crater rim. With cheese legs after the long descend, it was another 700m vertical climb to the top. When I pickup pulled over and told me to hop it... i did not argue.

At the main entrance to the Quilotoa, I was asked to pay $1 for a bicycle at a brand new toll booth, maybe they are trying to cover the building costs of the toll booth. There was a dirt road 500m up that was free. Another chance to look at the lagoon but I was mostly looking at the two goofball dogs playing around me. The whole thing was super touristy, restaurants, donkeys, mules, new hostels and hotels going up and many people in new clothes. I met up with Josh an american biking from California and going to Chile. He told me of two russians also on the route but I did not get to meet them. Would have been cool to meet russians and see that they are not all crazy people like youtube has you thinking...

It was almost unbelievable how mean these valleys were, criss-crossing the mountains from all directions. The day included another dip down, then up and then down and then up again. Nearing the end of a paved climb I caught the brick truck to the top. Very exciting to take a break in exchange for numb hands.

Llamas on the other hand are weird creatures, they look kind of mean but I am sure they have soft hearts just like their fluffy fur. This one below is a mom farting in its kid's face, it must be some sort of a show for affection

I caught up to the people returning from the pastures, the couple watching their donkey munch on grass was very friendly, smiled and told me some jokes. I am pretty sure they spoke in native and not spanish because I did not get a word they said.

Then I walked along with the four kids and the sheep. They were super surprised that I was going here and told me there was no road to Latacunga.

There was a little native village where people curiously came out to look at me. I asked for some water, "is it ok to drink". "yes", yup straight from the stream with a little bit of silt. The village was somehow overshadowed by a giant study institute. 3 stories and paint and fences out in the middle of nowhere. I wonder who goes to study there.

I am really thankful for no rain and no mud but all this wind at altitudes 3500m+ can be very very cold. Perfect weather to get sick. The route shoots off the road and up a valley where the road seemed to be cut from the hillside but not build. Overgrazed, short grass covers it and most of the surroundings making riding and pushing up easy.

It seemed the only covered spot for miles was here, the wind howling from the pass above and after kicking off some dried horse poop there was a perfect little spot to spend the night

All of a sudden sheep and llamas started coming down from all sides, for a short while I had my personal flock of sheep keeping me company and a band of llamas up the hill on the lookout.

Across the valleys women and children with dogs were rounding up the stragglers and taking them back home, I was in what seems to be the public pasture. It was just amazing to see them walking up and down these valleys and eventually a woman came to collect my flock of sheep. It is really amazing to see how friendly the natives here are. She asked me to go down and sleep in her house because it was too cold here and I assured her that I will be fine. Later a girl ran up as it was getting dark to collect her 8 llamas.

Morning was rather chilly but I had to get going, I only had a can of tuna and some bread left and town is still a long ways away. Only the fluffiest of llamas and the horses were able to sleep up high, the track although a good quality for the most part was largely unrideable due to the strong, cold wind taking the breath out of you - breathing was only possible under the buff or if I turn my head sideways.

and this is what the trans ecuador singletrack route is all about - getting that few km of singletrack at all costs. I was lucky to have done it in this direction, while there was lots of huffing and puffing and getting on and off the bike, I was able to ride a lot of it going downhill, feet up and the pedals squeezing through the narrow horse/cow track. Going the opposite way would be absolute torture and you will not find peace unless you can somehow comfortably carry the bike on your back.

Later things improved as I followed a water pipe down the valley, there was often a trail where normal people would go but not me, it was too tempting not to walk in the gusting wind with my bike...