Today we took an active tour that involved climbing from 4800 meters to 5000 meters of Chimborazo, the highest mountain in Ecuador. We didn´t go to the summit, more than 20,000 feet, only experienced mountaineers attempt that trek. Phillip and I, joined by a 39 year old English man named Lee, were driven to the 4800 meter point by our guide, Louis. It was about a 30 minute drive out of town, passing alpacas:
and their cousins, the vicuñas. (a third cousin is the llama). In the following picture you see the vicuñas, which are only found above 4000 meters. The wool is only harvested from their chests, and only once every 3 years, so it is some of the most expensive wool in the world, over $400 a kg (2.2 pounds).
After making our way to 4800 feet, Louis let us out and showed us the path to the 5000 foot hut. He stayed with the bikes and made us lunch. This is the terrain and snow we started our climb from.
It got snowier the higher we went
and the clouds rolled in as we climbed.
We did make it, with several stops for me to catch my breath (after all, airplanes pressurize their cabins at 10,000 feet and we went to 16,404 feet.)
I think Phillip was making snow angels ¨for the grandkids,¨but maybe he just collapsed!
The summit was obscured by the clouds and snow, but here´s the view from this point looking back the way we had come.
We walked back down, which was much easier and ate the delicious lunch that Louis had prepared, soup and sandwiches with coca tea. Then, it was time for the bikes!
Remember, it was cold enough for snow there, so we were all decked out in gear to keep us warm and safe. The total ride was 36 km (22.37 miles) with the first 8 km over an unpaved road formed with volcanic dirt and rock. (No pictures as it was foggy there) The remaining 28 km was on a paed road, but it didn´t have much traffic and Louis followed right behind us. No mishaps and the only incident was when Lee´s front brake went out, but we stopped right away and Louis got another bike down for Lee to ride. The terrain changed from what you saw in the vicuña picture to this:
As we got farther away from our mountain, the clouds began to clear from it, so I leave you with this view of the snow-covered mountain that we climbed and rode our bikes down from....
WOW!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteYour Cuz
Ha! I'm with Ernest, I can only manage a happy sigh after this post. I'm blessed to have some awesome in-laws, you know that? You guys are truly inspiring.
ReplyDeleteOh, I did manage a jaw-drop at the price of that wool- I've never even heard of it, but that's more than cashmere, I guess? Wow. That alpaca is a beauty, though!
P.S.- Just in case the snow angel really was for the grandkids, I'll be sure Tirzah and Mia see this picture tomorrow. :-) Phillip might like to know that Mia always recognizes him in pictures and says "Pawpaw". She even saw a man yesterday and said it, and she must have been thinking of her Pawpaw Phillip, because he did resemble him a little.
I'm impressed! Last time I rode a bike down a mountain I got a fractured femur and ankle, 3 weeks in two hospitals, a ride in an air ambulance and 10 weeks off work. I can't say that I recommend it :-)
ReplyDeleteWe're back on bikes, but I avoid mountains.