Riobamba, Ecuador
Saturday, November 29, 2008
We booked a hiking / biking trip to the Whymper Refuge on Volcán Chimborazo and mountain biking down to Ambato. Our guide was William, other guests included Phil {Aus} and Max and Stephanie {DE}. We started later than expected due to the Two wanting better bikes and then running back to their hotel for something. It was an hours drive to the first Refuge in the Chimborazo National Park. From here we hiked 40mins to the Whymper Refuge at 5000m. It seemed hardest 2/3 of the way up, passing through dazzling snow fields but we made it and had a look around. Back down at the lower refuge we had cocatea and dried biscuits. William had assembled our bikes and we cycled [jolted] down the road to the park entrance. If you like skull battering, spine rattling, cross country adventure biking, this is for you! Poor Max lost a pedal and argued so much about it and his poor quality replacement that William almost cancelled the trip!
Well he didnt after some political re-translation by Alexander! We passed through some wonderful scenery {if you could tear your eyes off the potholed dirt back-road for a second!}.
So, today we climbed to 5000m and then cycled 60km! And boy do I have a migrane! But it was worth it!
