Friday Dec 23rd
Recovery day. After 2 hours sleep last night we all needed
some rest so after breakfast we took a walk around the main square and then
took naps. After it was more sight
seeing, dinner and bed. The main square is filling up with indingenious people
there to sell their goods at tomorrows Christmas Eve market
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| "Sure you can take my picture. For a dollar!" |
Jan. 6 – Jan 10
Back in Medellin. Arrived around midnight and got back to
our home hostel around 1:30 Am. New room and down for the count.
Woke up around 7 and had an email from Fred (the Moto Shop
guy who has been working on the KTM) saying it’s ready! We can either pick it
up now or wait until Tuesday ( Monday being one of many holidays down here).
Fred tells me there is at least 2 holidays per month where he has to pay his
employees. Max and I head over and meet Fred there ( he is closed for the
holidays but will open for us). The bike is indeed ready and Max takes it for a
test ride.
It actually will start with the kick starter and the electric starter works like it should. Hopefully no more pull starts! Fred invites us to ride with him and his friends the next day and we gratefully accept. The chance to ride with a gang of Colombians on KTM supermotos and the like is too good of a opportunity to pass up so we make plans to be back at the shop at 8 AM tomorrow. The 3 of us woke early had breakfast and were at the bikes by 7:30. Briners bike wouldn’t turnover so we tried jumping it without success. So Max and I did what any good friends would do. We ditched him! Like I said before the chance to ride with the Colombians trumped all. Max and I get to the shop a half hour late but no worries as the riders are still pulling in. There must be 15 bikes, 990 Supermotos, 690 super motos, a couple of Kawasakis, a BMW 1000rr and a smattering of other bikes. Fred gets everything going and we leave the shop like a hear of banshees (whatever that means). I’m up front with the leaders and Max is mid pack. These guys are serious! We immediately in the twisties, scraping pegs and swapping places. When we stop a number of miles along for gas Max doesn’t show!
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| Some of the bikes I rode with |
It actually will start with the kick starter and the electric starter works like it should. Hopefully no more pull starts! Fred invites us to ride with him and his friends the next day and we gratefully accept. The chance to ride with a gang of Colombians on KTM supermotos and the like is too good of a opportunity to pass up so we make plans to be back at the shop at 8 AM tomorrow. The 3 of us woke early had breakfast and were at the bikes by 7:30. Briners bike wouldn’t turnover so we tried jumping it without success. So Max and I did what any good friends would do. We ditched him! Like I said before the chance to ride with the Colombians trumped all. Max and I get to the shop a half hour late but no worries as the riders are still pulling in. There must be 15 bikes, 990 Supermotos, 690 super motos, a couple of Kawasakis, a BMW 1000rr and a smattering of other bikes. Fred gets everything going and we leave the shop like a hear of banshees (whatever that means). I’m up front with the leaders and Max is mid pack. These guys are serious! We immediately in the twisties, scraping pegs and swapping places. When we stop a number of miles along for gas Max doesn’t show!
One of the riders tells me he turned the wrong way. After
much consideration I decided to continue with the group. I figured it would do
no good chasing a moving target. We ended up riding out towards Bogotá stopping
for brunch and finally arriving at the destination, a park where you can river
kayak, zip line, swim or go spelunking. It being 3 Kings Day the place was
packed and worried about Max I headed back to Medellin. When I arrived back to
the hostel, to my relief, Max was there. Bummed out he missed the ride. This
was the first time on the trip I was really able to ride like a Cobra. I’m
sorry Max missed it but had he been there I would have worried about him the
whole time. All total it was a 200 mile day, mostly on fun roads. Tomorrow we
go to the Waterpark!
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| Holidays at the water park! |
At least that was the plan until we got to the bus station
and were told it was sold out. Plan “B” is to go even farther out to a swim
park. After a hour plus bus ride we arrive at a town in the country that is
famous for it’s climate and swimming parks. Not cheap but includes lunch. The
pool was packed with screaming children and beer drinking adults. Not my scene.
We ended up hanging for a couple of hours, then walked back to town to find a
bus back. No buses until 7:30! We ended up out on the highway and flagged down
a Combi van for the ride back. The traffic was backed up for miles so the van
driver invented a new route. Truly a “Mr. Toads Wild Ride”. He was passing rows
of cars on blind turns on narrow streets and finally got stopped by the cops
and got a ticket. To get a moving violation in this country you have to be a
total asshole! He totally disregarded our safety and the Safety of the on
coming cars. He dropped us off at the bus station, got a taxi home and that’s
all I remember of my second stay in Medellin.
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| Flaming shots at the Pyro Bar |
Wednesday Jan. 11
Back on the road again. We spent yesterday prepping the
bikes for phase three of this trip (phase 1 being Alaska to California, phase 2
California to Colombia). This included John putting in a new starter relay that
had gone out a couple of days ago. Max repacking his bike and me checking fluid
levels and checking valve clearance (no need to adjust. It’s a BMW!). We then
had one final get together at the Palm Tree “Bar” drinking Aguardentia and
beer. Then it was off to my favorite French restaurant for a pollo and
asparagus crepe. Oh yea and a number of bowls of their delicious popcorn.
The plan: Get up at 5:30, have breakfast (a must requirement
for my growing son), pack the bikes and be on the road by 7 am.
The reality: up at 6 (I’m feeling punky again today),
breakfast and on the road by 7:45. Now that’s not bad considering we haven’t
been on the bikes in almost 4 weeks. The ride begins! In the first 10 blocks
Max’s stalls the kTM (this is in heavy traffic mind you). I get hit by a bus
while pulling out in traffic (I managed to stay up) and Max pulls over because
he smells plastic burning (the Moto Shop left some wires loose that began
melting on his exhaust). After sorting this out we get on the main road south
out of town and look for a gas station.
A few days ago Max noticed Briners rear tire bead, that he had the Moto Shop put on, was not properly set. After a number of attempts with my little electric pump he gave up and decided to wait until we got to a filling station. We stop for gas and John uses their air to try to pop out the bead. He puts in 80 pounds and nothing! Next he lets out all the air, spoons the bead away from the rim, we find a bar of soap which we break up in some water and lube the shit out of the rim. We then begin filling the tire. 40 pounds, nothing. 60 pounds, nothing. 80 pounds, nothing. Wait… wait… wait… POW! The bead sets and we are on our way! We have 250 miles to Cali and judging from past experiences it will be tight getting there before dark.
The ride out of Medellin was not as bad as other cities we have left even though we missed our early morning departure time. At the outskirts of town the road immediately turns into a very small country road that begins winding up into the mountains. Once away from Medallion the towns became further apart and the traffic thinned out considerably. This being the main highway South we did have to contend with a number of trucks and buses but there weren’t as many as I would have thought. We climbed up to 8000 feet before descending into one valley after another. We would twist our way up and then wind our way down surrounded by dense jungle mountains. It was beautiful! The farther South we got the warmer it got and began seeing sugar cane fields up at 5000 ft. Then coffee plantations and finally pineapple fields. About half way Max could stand it no longer, took the lead and immediately stopped and the first restaurant (I use this term lightly). Between Max and John I think they could eat a whole cow or pig daily and still be hungry. As for me I’m still feeling a bit under the weather. These little Ma and Pop places usually just serve one dish. This place the special was pork soup followed by boiled pork, beef, fried banana, rice, fried egg and beans. I had a Gatorade and two small bananas. Those boyz did us proud and finished every last morsel on their plates! Just watching them eat all that food made me want to vomit! Oh I almost forgot the coffee. Max ordered a “café” and got a large bowl of highly sweetened coffee. I’m not exaggerating; it was a bowl full of coffee! It being close to 2 pm I’m anxious to get going. From here we are pretty much out of the mountains and follow a river for quite a ways. This eventually opens up to a four-lane highway and we are able to make good time. After taking a “shortcut” that Thomas found on Google maps (this shortcut actually work!) we got into Cali around 5.
Dufas guided us to within 2 blocks of our hostel. I stopped to ask directions and as usual everyone wanted to help. Finally an off duty police man ran into his apartment, grabbed a helmet, jumped on his scooter and led us to the place. These acts of kindness don’t come without price. He also had grabbed his camera and wanted pictures of him with our bikes and us. So as often happens we spend the next few minutes getting pictures of us and our guide, with his camera, my camera, John’s camera, well you get the picture. We picked this hostel because the owners also ride motos and do moto tours. We thought this would be a great place to work on our route planning but unfortunately they left the day before on a tour. Still it’s a nice place and there is on guy from Eastern Europe that has spent some time down here so maybe we can pick up some information over a few beers tonight.
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| Poster from the Palm Tree Hostel |
A few days ago Max noticed Briners rear tire bead, that he had the Moto Shop put on, was not properly set. After a number of attempts with my little electric pump he gave up and decided to wait until we got to a filling station. We stop for gas and John uses their air to try to pop out the bead. He puts in 80 pounds and nothing! Next he lets out all the air, spoons the bead away from the rim, we find a bar of soap which we break up in some water and lube the shit out of the rim. We then begin filling the tire. 40 pounds, nothing. 60 pounds, nothing. 80 pounds, nothing. Wait… wait… wait… POW! The bead sets and we are on our way! We have 250 miles to Cali and judging from past experiences it will be tight getting there before dark.
 |
| Briner tring to pop the bead |
The ride out of Medellin was not as bad as other cities we have left even though we missed our early morning departure time. At the outskirts of town the road immediately turns into a very small country road that begins winding up into the mountains. Once away from Medallion the towns became further apart and the traffic thinned out considerably. This being the main highway South we did have to contend with a number of trucks and buses but there weren’t as many as I would have thought. We climbed up to 8000 feet before descending into one valley after another. We would twist our way up and then wind our way down surrounded by dense jungle mountains. It was beautiful! The farther South we got the warmer it got and began seeing sugar cane fields up at 5000 ft. Then coffee plantations and finally pineapple fields. About half way Max could stand it no longer, took the lead and immediately stopped and the first restaurant (I use this term lightly). Between Max and John I think they could eat a whole cow or pig daily and still be hungry. As for me I’m still feeling a bit under the weather. These little Ma and Pop places usually just serve one dish. This place the special was pork soup followed by boiled pork, beef, fried banana, rice, fried egg and beans. I had a Gatorade and two small bananas. Those boyz did us proud and finished every last morsel on their plates! Just watching them eat all that food made me want to vomit! Oh I almost forgot the coffee. Max ordered a “café” and got a large bowl of highly sweetened coffee. I’m not exaggerating; it was a bowl full of coffee! It being close to 2 pm I’m anxious to get going. From here we are pretty much out of the mountains and follow a river for quite a ways. This eventually opens up to a four-lane highway and we are able to make good time. After taking a “shortcut” that Thomas found on Google maps (this shortcut actually work!) we got into Cali around 5.
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| In front of the Casa Blanca with the our guide who got us in the last two blocks |
Dufas guided us to within 2 blocks of our hostel. I stopped to ask directions and as usual everyone wanted to help. Finally an off duty police man ran into his apartment, grabbed a helmet, jumped on his scooter and led us to the place. These acts of kindness don’t come without price. He also had grabbed his camera and wanted pictures of him with our bikes and us. So as often happens we spend the next few minutes getting pictures of us and our guide, with his camera, my camera, John’s camera, well you get the picture. We picked this hostel because the owners also ride motos and do moto tours. We thought this would be a great place to work on our route planning but unfortunately they left the day before on a tour. Still it’s a nice place and there is on guy from Eastern Europe that has spent some time down here so maybe we can pick up some information over a few beers tonight.
Thursday
Woke feeling better today. I even ate breakfast! Max went
off to find someone to rebend his kickstand that got tweaked way back in Costa
Rica and I uploaded photos to my blog.
Later we walked down to Old Town thinking we could find a
good place to eat only to find it was probably the wrong part of town for three
gringos to be at night. A drunk came up to Max asking for money, Max being the
ultimate host pulled out his rum and poured the guy a half cup, the bum chugged
it down, crumpled up the cup, threw it on the ground, spat and grumbled some
non appreciated verbiage. Max is now rethinking his opinion on beggars. Next
time maybe just give them money to go and buy their own booze! We did find some
eats and headed back to the safety of our hostel. The plan: get on the road
early tomorrow and head for the border.
Friday
Up, bikes packed and ready to roll by 8. Opps, Briner stalls
his bike. Now the starter won’t work. Shit! We spend 3 or 4 hours trouble
shooting the bike before I call the day.
We’ll spend another night in Cali. John gets an electrician
to look it all over after putting the bike back together and by some sort of
magic the starter comes back to life. Cool, tomorrow we will leave early and
make some tracks. Since I’m fully recovered from my bowel issues I think going
out for some cocktails would fit the bill tonight. We head down to the biker
bar on the corner and eat Buffalo wings and drink some mighty fine Margaritas.
It turns out this is only a primer for Max. He hooks up with some Argentineans
and doesn’t get back to the hostel until 4 am! Shit, so much for our early
start tomorrow.
Saturday
John and I have pity on poor Max and let him sleep. After
breakfast we roust him and get on the road around 11. Since we are getting such
a late start we decide to make it a short riding day.
The late start and the possibility of getting in early enough to see the 49ers play the Saints make Popayan the perfect destination. Getting out of Cali was a breeze. We climbed back into the mountains and had a nice ride into Popayan. By the time we arrived I was feeling sick again. I just hung around the room surfing channels looking for the game and bummed I didn’t even have the stamana to go out and explore a little. My good friend Gaylord did keep me posted with quarter by quarter internet scores for the game. Sounded like I missed a good one. Maybe I’ll be somewhere next Sunday where I can watch the game.
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| Looking for a hotel in Popayan Col. |
The late start and the possibility of getting in early enough to see the 49ers play the Saints make Popayan the perfect destination. Getting out of Cali was a breeze. We climbed back into the mountains and had a nice ride into Popayan. By the time we arrived I was feeling sick again. I just hung around the room surfing channels looking for the game and bummed I didn’t even have the stamana to go out and explore a little. My good friend Gaylord did keep me posted with quarter by quarter internet scores for the game. Sounded like I missed a good one. Maybe I’ll be somewhere next Sunday where I can watch the game.
Sunday
Feeling better this morning but still didn’t get on the road
until after 9. More mountain riding through Colombia. This country is crumbling
down.
The Andes Mountains are a relatively new mountain range and the ongoing erosion caused by lots of rain, unstable rock and centuries of questionable farming practices are taking its toll. The roads are pretty good except where they are breaking away and falling off into the canyons. Also landslides are quite common so you have to be alert all the time because there may be problems around every corner. The truck and bus traffic wasn’t too bad on this stretch even thought it’s the main highway to Ecuador. We rode over a number of 10000 foot passes and it rained most the day. This is a coffee growing area and we saw lots of Mules carrying coffee down the mountain. Weird, all the men with the mules looked a lot like Juan Valdez! Along the road there are local people filling in the potholes with gravel scraped from the side of the road. At one stop three small kids were doing the work while their father walked around to the stopped traffic looking for handouts.
At another stop a one legged man was shoveling with one hand and looking for money with the other! Maybe our roads would be in better shape if the needy worked this way up north. Around 5 we arrived at Las Lajas where we will spend the night and check out the Cathedral in the morning. We accidentally ended up riding down the pedestrian road that leads to the cathedral, after a number of people, in a number of languages tried to get our attention I figured it out and had to turn the beast around on a very narrow, very steep road. I managed it with out dropping the bike and embarrassing the lot of us. Halfway back up the road we found a converted convent to stay the night in. This place is big! Lots of rooms, all small with small beds that were designed to be uncomfortable to test the devotion of those who gave their life to the ministry.
Our room was of a interior balcony overlooking a multipurpose room that this night would host a big crowd of screaming children receiting bible passages with their proud parents looking on and encouraging more screaming! This went on until 10, at which time I found sleep at last.
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| Breaktime |
The Andes Mountains are a relatively new mountain range and the ongoing erosion caused by lots of rain, unstable rock and centuries of questionable farming practices are taking its toll. The roads are pretty good except where they are breaking away and falling off into the canyons. Also landslides are quite common so you have to be alert all the time because there may be problems around every corner. The truck and bus traffic wasn’t too bad on this stretch even thought it’s the main highway to Ecuador. We rode over a number of 10000 foot passes and it rained most the day. This is a coffee growing area and we saw lots of Mules carrying coffee down the mountain. Weird, all the men with the mules looked a lot like Juan Valdez! Along the road there are local people filling in the potholes with gravel scraped from the side of the road. At one stop three small kids were doing the work while their father walked around to the stopped traffic looking for handouts.
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| Roadwork |
At another stop a one legged man was shoveling with one hand and looking for money with the other! Maybe our roads would be in better shape if the needy worked this way up north. Around 5 we arrived at Las Lajas where we will spend the night and check out the Cathedral in the morning. We accidentally ended up riding down the pedestrian road that leads to the cathedral, after a number of people, in a number of languages tried to get our attention I figured it out and had to turn the beast around on a very narrow, very steep road. I managed it with out dropping the bike and embarrassing the lot of us. Halfway back up the road we found a converted convent to stay the night in. This place is big! Lots of rooms, all small with small beds that were designed to be uncomfortable to test the devotion of those who gave their life to the ministry.
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| Our room in Las Lajas |
Our room was of a interior balcony overlooking a multipurpose room that this night would host a big crowd of screaming children receiting bible passages with their proud parents looking on and encouraging more screaming! This went on until 10, at which time I found sleep at last.
Monday
We wake early and walk down to check out the cathedral. What
makes the Sanctuay of Las Lajas interesting is that it is built over a river.
We met a Colombian, who now lives in Chicago, that is down here restoring the
stained glass in the cathedral. He told us this is the third cathedral built on
this site. The first was built in the early 1800’s, the second around 1860 and
the present one , built in Gothic Revivial architecture, was built between 1916
and 1940. It is an amazing sight and well worth the detour to see it. Next stop
the Ecuador border. This has to rate as the smoothest crossing yet.
Very well marked building with helpful officials. We processed out of Colombia with out any trouble and got ourselves and our bikes processed into Ecuador quickly. Three hours total! All day yesterday Dufas’s maps have been screwing up, showing the routes on roads that don’t exist and no longer showing towns and cities on the map. I think is a software problem. Leaving the border we took the wrong road that put us right in the middle of a busy town. After poking around we found our way out and on to the proper road to Otavala. We headed into the city center and found a hotel with parking without too much trouble. There we met Tom and Lara from Seattle. They are down here riding a KLR and a DR650. Tom used to guide bike tours on the Baja (motorcyclesadventure.com) and Lara is a GPS geek! Both have extensive riding and touring experience and turned out to be a great resource for us. Not to mention really good people. Lara donated most of the following day teaching me about my GPS and loading new maps on it. We all went to dinner but my sickness has returned and I cut out before the food came. Later that night I was blowing chunks! Actually I wasn’t really blowing chunks because I hadn’t eaten much in the last few days. But my body was going through the motions anyway.
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| Cathedral at Las Lajas |
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| The front of the cathedral |
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| Our Pastoral |
Very well marked building with helpful officials. We processed out of Colombia with out any trouble and got ourselves and our bikes processed into Ecuador quickly. Three hours total! All day yesterday Dufas’s maps have been screwing up, showing the routes on roads that don’t exist and no longer showing towns and cities on the map. I think is a software problem. Leaving the border we took the wrong road that put us right in the middle of a busy town. After poking around we found our way out and on to the proper road to Otavala. We headed into the city center and found a hotel with parking without too much trouble. There we met Tom and Lara from Seattle. They are down here riding a KLR and a DR650. Tom used to guide bike tours on the Baja (motorcyclesadventure.com) and Lara is a GPS geek! Both have extensive riding and touring experience and turned out to be a great resource for us. Not to mention really good people. Lara donated most of the following day teaching me about my GPS and loading new maps on it. We all went to dinner but my sickness has returned and I cut out before the food came. Later that night I was blowing chunks! Actually I wasn’t really blowing chunks because I hadn’t eaten much in the last few days. But my body was going through the motions anyway.
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| Our new friends Tom and Lara in Otavalo |
Tuesday
I woke with very little energy. Lara very graciously, and
patently, worked with me on my GPS. We loaded free Garmin Open Street Maps of
South America that have way more detail than the Garmin maps I had bought. I
love the way things generally work out. The first time Dufas really let’s me
down along come a GPS angel and fixes my problems. Thanks Lara! As the day
progresses I begin to feel better.
Max has me on some anti parasitic meds, oil of Oregano and electrolytes. Seems to be working. We all went out to dinner to a place Lara recommended and it turns out to be the place Charlotte and me stayed when we were here two years ago. I eat my whole bowl of pasta and felt fine. Could it be I’m finally cured!
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| Dropped my bike. Again! |
Max has me on some anti parasitic meds, oil of Oregano and electrolytes. Seems to be working. We all went out to dinner to a place Lara recommended and it turns out to be the place Charlotte and me stayed when we were here two years ago. I eat my whole bowl of pasta and felt fine. Could it be I’m finally cured!
Wednesday
Tom and Lara suggested we get insurance. They have been
stopped a number of times while in Ecuador and asked for proof of insurance.
It’s only $3 for a month so we would be remiss not to get it. After finding a
bank that sell it we find out they will only sell a year policy for $30. We
check another place and it’s the same. Max suggests a bribe would be the
cheaper way to go so we decide to get going without insurance.
At 10 AM we are off to find the center of the world (the Equator). The road we take parallels the Pan America Highway to the East. I thought we would cut over before coming to the Equator but was wrong. We crossed the Equator at a place that had on monument so we backtrack a number of miles so we can ham it up at the monument. We never did find the big monument but instead found a smaller much less crowded one (we were the only people there other that the guide). After the obligatory pictures we headed back the way we came and turned off towards Baeza. Our plan is to ride a loop that will take us into the upper Amazon. The road begins to climb and climb and we find ourselves at a 13,600’ pass! It’s not snowing but the rains looks like it will change shortly so we push on. While we were stopped Max noticed some hot springs along the way.
After riding down a couple of thousand of feet we came to the first of them. It was a run down place but had some tubs and a place where we could set up our tents but no food.
There is a town (Papallacta) 5k down the road and we decide to go and buy some food and come back. While down there we see more signs for hot springs but no food so we venture further up the road coming to a fancy resort (Termas Papallacta, look it up). Now I’m feeling shitty again and it’s starting to rain so I throw out the idea of blowing the budget and staying here. Max does his magic and gets us a 10% discount (playing up my illness) and within 30 minutes I’m soaking in a beautifully landscaped hot springs a mere few feet from our room! I manage a salad this night while watching Max devoured the best looking steak I’ve seen since crossing the Mexico border.
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| Lunch |
At 10 AM we are off to find the center of the world (the Equator). The road we take parallels the Pan America Highway to the East. I thought we would cut over before coming to the Equator but was wrong. We crossed the Equator at a place that had on monument so we backtrack a number of miles so we can ham it up at the monument. We never did find the big monument but instead found a smaller much less crowded one (we were the only people there other that the guide). After the obligatory pictures we headed back the way we came and turned off towards Baeza. Our plan is to ride a loop that will take us into the upper Amazon. The road begins to climb and climb and we find ourselves at a 13,600’ pass! It’s not snowing but the rains looks like it will change shortly so we push on. While we were stopped Max noticed some hot springs along the way.
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| We have now traveled as far to the east as we have to the south! |
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| Bikes at the Equator! |
After riding down a couple of thousand of feet we came to the first of them. It was a run down place but had some tubs and a place where we could set up our tents but no food.
 |
| Opps I must have moved a inch! |
There is a town (Papallacta) 5k down the road and we decide to go and buy some food and come back. While down there we see more signs for hot springs but no food so we venture further up the road coming to a fancy resort (Termas Papallacta, look it up). Now I’m feeling shitty again and it’s starting to rain so I throw out the idea of blowing the budget and staying here. Max does his magic and gets us a 10% discount (playing up my illness) and within 30 minutes I’m soaking in a beautifully landscaped hot springs a mere few feet from our room! I manage a salad this night while watching Max devoured the best looking steak I’ve seen since crossing the Mexico border.
Thursday
After an early morning soak and having a little breakfast
it’s time to pack up. Max goes for a hike and we start packing up the bikes.
While packing the bikes we meet a guy named Darin who is a missionary taking
doctors and nurses into the Amazon to do surgery on deformed kids.
Normally the other villagers would shun these children so it seems they are doing good work. My only issue with these missionaries is that there work comes with a price and that’s their effort to convert the villagers to western religion and western ways of living. We did get some good info on a place to stay in Misahualli. When we leave Papallacta we begin to descend toward the Amazon basin. After about an hour I can feel my breathing returning to normal and my nausea diminishing. By the time we reach 2000 feet I’m feeling great! The ride down is amazing. Together with my health returning, the vegetation is also rapidly changing. Coming down from 11000 feet to 1200 feet in 90 miles, the change in trees and such is dramatic. After reaching Tena we turn East and ride along the Napo River to the small town of Misahualli. Man, we are in the jungle now! We find our hostel easily and Max and I go out to look around.
The town is kind of undiscript. It has a small central square with shops and restaurants surrounding it. The cool thing is the square is loaded with monkeys! Two species in fact. The Cappuccino and the smaller Poco monkey.
They are a kick to watch, so human like. While watching these cute little guys one runs up to Max, jumps up his shirt, shoulder, head and onto the light post we are standing next to in a flash. He doesn’t realize it then but later notices his sunglasses have been taken from his shirt. These monkeys are a band of thieves! We find a guide and a boat for tomorrow and for the first time in a while I eat an entire dinner without ill effects! I have diagnosed myself with having altitude sickness. Bummer because we still have lots of time ahead at altitude. Oh well not to worry now, I’ll deal with it later. That night we witnessed on of the most violent storms I’ve been in. The lightning was non stop and it rained sheets all night.
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| Our private hot springs |
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| Yours truly at 13600' |
Normally the other villagers would shun these children so it seems they are doing good work. My only issue with these missionaries is that there work comes with a price and that’s their effort to convert the villagers to western religion and western ways of living. We did get some good info on a place to stay in Misahualli. When we leave Papallacta we begin to descend toward the Amazon basin. After about an hour I can feel my breathing returning to normal and my nausea diminishing. By the time we reach 2000 feet I’m feeling great! The ride down is amazing. Together with my health returning, the vegetation is also rapidly changing. Coming down from 11000 feet to 1200 feet in 90 miles, the change in trees and such is dramatic. After reaching Tena we turn East and ride along the Napo River to the small town of Misahualli. Man, we are in the jungle now! We find our hostel easily and Max and I go out to look around.
 |
| Even the monkeys ignore me! |
The town is kind of undiscript. It has a small central square with shops and restaurants surrounding it. The cool thing is the square is loaded with monkeys! Two species in fact. The Cappuccino and the smaller Poco monkey.
 |
| Max making friends. Note he still has his sunglasses |
They are a kick to watch, so human like. While watching these cute little guys one runs up to Max, jumps up his shirt, shoulder, head and onto the light post we are standing next to in a flash. He doesn’t realize it then but later notices his sunglasses have been taken from his shirt. These monkeys are a band of thieves! We find a guide and a boat for tomorrow and for the first time in a while I eat an entire dinner without ill effects! I have diagnosed myself with having altitude sickness. Bummer because we still have lots of time ahead at altitude. Oh well not to worry now, I’ll deal with it later. That night we witnessed on of the most violent storms I’ve been in. The lightning was non stop and it rained sheets all night.
Friday Jan 20
At breakfast I ask our host about the storm and she tells me
that’s the norm here. Hard to believe but I’ll take her at her word.
We meet up with our guide Carlos.
He fits us with boots, meet up with 2 other clients and go to the boat. The water has risen and pushes the boat high on the beach. This boats they run on the river are based on an old wood design but are now made of steel. It took all of us to push it into the Napo River. We first go down river a number of miles and pull up to the bank. It’s dense jungle but once in it there are narrow trails all through it. We take a hike through the mud, vines and trees with Carlos explaining all the different plants, insects and animals that live here. After crossing a couple of streams we came to a deeper crossing that required some fancy footwork (I’m not a fancy footwork kind of guy) but managed to make it to a large log crossing the stream, after slipping in the mud and being attacked by fire ants while climbing through some trees. John had his own trials with wasps and slipping off of a log into the stream. While I was jumping from one fallen tree to another I missed and filled my boots with water so while on the large log we used to cross the main stream I paused to empty them. I sat down and raised my leg to allow the water to run out of my boots.
Max yells “Dad, your camera!” just as I see my camera slip out of my pocket and ker-plunk into the murky water. I just sat there wondering what to do when I noticed Carlos stripping down to his skivvies next to me. Well I’m not going to let some guy do my dirty work so I strip down to my swim trunks and slide into the murky waters of the upper Amazon. Had I not asked Carlos about piranha this far up the Amazon (the answer I got was they are further down river) I might have hesitated longer. Feeling around with my feet I located it and was able to pull it up by its strap. This is camera # 2 on this trip. Next we head back up river, stopping at a families farm for lunch. These people live quite simply in raised wooden shacks and cook on open fires. We had trout with Yuca, a potato like root that’s a staple through out Colombia and Ecuador. Next is a wildlife refuge down river about an hour.
A very cool place called Amazoonia. They take in animals that have been illegally sold as pets and rehabilitate them, setting some loose and keeping the others that they deem unfit to cope in the wild.
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| The town of Misahualli from the river |
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| A river boat from the past |
He fits us with boots, meet up with 2 other clients and go to the boat. The water has risen and pushes the boat high on the beach. This boats they run on the river are based on an old wood design but are now made of steel. It took all of us to push it into the Napo River. We first go down river a number of miles and pull up to the bank. It’s dense jungle but once in it there are narrow trails all through it. We take a hike through the mud, vines and trees with Carlos explaining all the different plants, insects and animals that live here. After crossing a couple of streams we came to a deeper crossing that required some fancy footwork (I’m not a fancy footwork kind of guy) but managed to make it to a large log crossing the stream, after slipping in the mud and being attacked by fire ants while climbing through some trees. John had his own trials with wasps and slipping off of a log into the stream. While I was jumping from one fallen tree to another I missed and filled my boots with water so while on the large log we used to cross the main stream I paused to empty them. I sat down and raised my leg to allow the water to run out of my boots.
Max yells “Dad, your camera!” just as I see my camera slip out of my pocket and ker-plunk into the murky water. I just sat there wondering what to do when I noticed Carlos stripping down to his skivvies next to me. Well I’m not going to let some guy do my dirty work so I strip down to my swim trunks and slide into the murky waters of the upper Amazon. Had I not asked Carlos about piranha this far up the Amazon (the answer I got was they are further down river) I might have hesitated longer. Feeling around with my feet I located it and was able to pull it up by its strap. This is camera # 2 on this trip. Next we head back up river, stopping at a families farm for lunch. These people live quite simply in raised wooden shacks and cook on open fires. We had trout with Yuca, a potato like root that’s a staple through out Colombia and Ecuador. Next is a wildlife refuge down river about an hour.
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| Carlos, our guide, and Max crossing the log where moments later I'll drop my camera! |
A very cool place called Amazoonia. They take in animals that have been illegally sold as pets and rehabilitate them, setting some loose and keeping the others that they deem unfit to cope in the wild.
The volunteer who took us around was a German man that went
to school in the states at the same school Charlotte went to. Kind of a
coincidence. After a hour and a
half boat ride back up river we are back in Misahualli. Another night of rain
but without the lightning this time.
Photos to follow......
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