I got to do my first official hike in Ecuador Saturday and it was amazing. In spite of being just a few hundred feet short of Mt. Rainier, it was covered with tall grass and interestingly spongy plant life. We met at the Bakery in Tabacundo about 8am then set off for the hills .
Cerro Negro is the peak we summited and Laguna Mojanda is a set of 3 lakes nestled amongst the surrounding peaks. The largest is used for trout farming. It was a bit of huffing and puffing to get to 4,200m from 2,500m, but a few empañadas, candybars, and barbwire fences later – we made it! (Hauling potatoes and yucca up the hills in El Cristal was paying off on this trip)
We got to do some descending in my favorite fashion…by laying down some a$$ tracks. It was grassy, but steep and slick enough to work. While it´s much warmer than glissading down a snow field, the slivers of grass in your pants for the rest of the day are a little uncomfortable.
In all a great day with views of Cayambe, Cotopaxi, Cotocachi, and the Pichincha´s.
Pics, thanks to Cody: http://www.flickr.com/photos/40997171@N00/sets/72157622285676334/
I´m in Otavalo right now wandering around and doing some last minute things before the bus leaves for El Cristal. This morning I got to visit the comiseria in Tabacundo to get a denuncia for the theft of my camera and I felt like I had stepped back in time.
An old Señor pulled out a very antiquated looking typewriter, 3 sheets of plain white paper, and 2 sheets of carbon paper for copies. He loaded them up into the typewriter and wrote an account of what happened and what was lost. Signatures and stamps were doled out on each copy, then out the door I was.
Cerro Negro is the peak we summited and Laguna Mojanda is a set of 3 lakes nestled amongst the surrounding peaks. The largest is used for trout farming. It was a bit of huffing and puffing to get to 4,200m from 2,500m, but a few empañadas, candybars, and barbwire fences later – we made it! (Hauling potatoes and yucca up the hills in El Cristal was paying off on this trip)
We got to do some descending in my favorite fashion…by laying down some a$$ tracks. It was grassy, but steep and slick enough to work. While it´s much warmer than glissading down a snow field, the slivers of grass in your pants for the rest of the day are a little uncomfortable.
In all a great day with views of Cayambe, Cotopaxi, Cotocachi, and the Pichincha´s.
Pics, thanks to Cody: http://www.flickr.com/photos/40997171@N00/sets/72157622285676334/
I´m in Otavalo right now wandering around and doing some last minute things before the bus leaves for El Cristal. This morning I got to visit the comiseria in Tabacundo to get a denuncia for the theft of my camera and I felt like I had stepped back in time.
An old Señor pulled out a very antiquated looking typewriter, 3 sheets of plain white paper, and 2 sheets of carbon paper for copies. He loaded them up into the typewriter and wrote an account of what happened and what was lost. Signatures and stamps were doled out on each copy, then out the door I was.
4 comments:
Thanks for keeping a blog, April! It's really fun to read! And I know it can be a pain in the a$$ to write sometimes. :)
I'm jealous of the clear skies you had on your hike. We had no visibility on Guagua Pichincha (sp?)
-Susan
OMG What a fantastic trip so far! Love the way you are doing life. Every moment is an adventure. How's your Spanish now? I bet these people love you, your spirit and your heart!
Hiya Sis,
Looks like your having a great time! I loved the pic you took with your mascot. I didn't realize you had taken it with you. Sorry to hear about having gra$$ sticking to your a$$!! Hee Hee that made me laugh!
Love ya,
Mouse
Way to go on the summit! Sounds like a great experience. Sorry to hear about your camera and other goods you may have lost. Don't hesitate to let me know if I can send you anything... carepackage.
Post a Comment