Hello followers. I am now in Quito, and it is quite a nice city. I plan to be here a few weeks waiting on a parcel, enjoying the city, and building a bicycle blender at ConstruBicis. I will also be studying mathematics, reviewing and practicing, to be an online tutor, to earn some money, and to get back in touch with mathematics in preparation to continue technical studies at a university in Brasil.

Guallabamba to Tumbaco

I am now in Tumbaco, Pichincha, a few kilometers outside of Quito. Today, I rode from Guallabamba to here, starting at the firestation, and stopping for three hours at the zoo. The end of the ride was a beautiful, long stretch of trail over a former train track. It wound through the hills and across the ravines, passing through tunnels...spectacular. The train path is perfectly designed for bicycles as it follows a trajectory to minimize ups and downs.
In the end, I am hosted at a Casa de Ciclistas that has been active for twenty-two years. The owner is Santiago who runs a bicycle repair shop out of his garage, and he repairs the bikes of some of Quito's wealthy mountain bikers.
Tomorrow, we will pick up tickets to Manu Chao who will play with Calle 13 in Quito next Tuesday. In a couple days, we will move to the Casa de Ciclistas in Quito, ConstruBicis in the Mariscal Sucre district. It is looking to be an exciting next couple weeks here.

Otavalo, Ecuador

At the moment, I am in Otavalo, Ecuador, a town about 90 kilometers, or 55 miles, North of Quito. I am hosted at the firestation, along with my three traveling friends, Javier, Pedro and Gary. We will leave tomorrow morning towards Quito, and will likely stay at the "Casa de Ciclistas" in Tumbaco, just 15 kilometers East of Quito. Then we will head into Quito, and we will stay at "ConstruBicis", a bike store and shop, with complimentary lodging for cycle tourists (also a "Casa de Ciclistas). I will stay in Quito for two or three weeks to work as a volunteer at ConstruBicis, to get to know the city, to hang out with friends, and have a goodbye party as our group of four will separate after Quito--Gary and I will cycle East to Coca (Orellana) to board boats on the Amazon into Brasil, and Javier and Pedro will head on bicycle towards points South. Once in Belem do Pará in Brasil, I will continue on bicycle in the Northeast, heading South along the coast. I may settle in the Northeast, or keep heading South. Gary will make his way, first on bicycle and then bus, to Rio, where he will meet up with friends and business associates who are opening a restaurant chain.

Otavalo is a small town with lots of indigenous heritage. "Otavaleños", or people from Otavalo, retain much of their ancestral culture. The women dress with pretty embroidered blouses, and the men wear single-braided pony tails. The typical Andean music made famous by Paul Simon's El Condor Pasa (If I Could) is prevalent here, and is played in the central plaza over the sound system.

North of Otavalo, we visited Lago Cuicocha, a lake created in the crater of a volcano. The peak of the volcano to the north of the crater lake is snow-capped and beautiful. Just outside of Ibarra, we also visited Laguna Yahuarcocha, the lake of blood, named when the Incans dumped hundreds of bodies of a rival tribe into the lake, before the Spanish arrived.

Ecuador has been delightfully pleasant, with beautiful scenery and friendly people. I particularly thank the fire-people of the now four stations we have posted up at so far in Ecuador. They have been extremely pleasant, friendly, and interested is us and our stories.

One particular fire station experience stands out in Ecuador--participating in yet another search and rescue dog class. (The first one was in Pasto, Colombia.) It was simply fun to watch the dogs play the game of find the person hiding and then bark to alert the search and rescue worker. It is a game, that is, to the dogs, but serious work to the rescuers.

Well, thank you for following my blog. I know I haven't written in awhile, and I hope to get back to writing more consistently. Cheers.

Biking from Pasto to Ipiales and Las Lajas today. Viajando en bici de Pasto a Ipiales y Las Lajas hoy. Viajando em bici de Pasto ao Ipiales e Las Lajas hoje.

Cali, Colombia

En Cali, Colombia, participé en un video promocional para un hostal. Aqui está el video:

Hace tres dias que arranquemos de Medellín. Hoy y ayer hicimos muchos kilometros, y nos tocó mucha subida. Ahora, nos encontramos en Aguadas, Caldas, Colombia. Es el tierro de pionono, del pasillo, del sombrero y el putas de aguadas. Vea a: El Putas de Aguadas para mas información.

Estamos en Medellin, Colombia ahora. De hecho, estamos en las afueras de Medellin, en San Antonio del Prado. Javier, Pedro y yo recorrimos todo Panama juntos. En la Ciudad de Panama, Gary nos alcanzo por autobus. Cruzamos a Colombia en barco de mercancias, pasando las Islas de San Blas. Llegando en Turbo, Colombia, Gary, Javier y yo recorrimos a Medellin, donde reunimos con Pedro. Estamos hospedados en la casa de ciclistas. Saludos.
We are in Medellin, Colombia now. Actually, we are in the outskirts of Medellin, in San Antonio del Prado, in a ¨Casa de Ciclistas¨, which in this case is the house of the owners of a local bike shop. Javier, Pedro and I biked through Panama together. In Panama City, Gary caught up to us, by bus. We crossed to Colombia in a small merchant ship, passing through the San Blas Islands. Arriving in Turbo, Colombia, Gary, Javier and I rode to Medellin, where we met up with Pedro again. Greetings.

Now in Changuinola

I biked from Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica to Changuinola, Panama today. Tomorrow, I will bike to Almirante, where I will take a ferry over to the Islas de Boca del Toro. Spaniard cyclists Javier and Pedro are there, and on Sunday we will ride out South together. We all met at Maya Pedal; a fourth Maya Pedal volunteer cycling South, Gary, will likely join us in a few days.

I am currently in Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica, and getting ready to bike South to Panama, and hitch a boat ride to Bocas del Toro.

Nicaragua to Costa Rica

I am on the Island of Ometepe in Nicaragua. Planning to head South to Costa Rica, likely on Tuesday.

Photos from Masaya, Nicaragua

Cycling Videos, Leon to Sandino, Sandino to Masaya, Nicaragua

Cycling Videos from Leon to Masaya, Sept. 26, 2011

Horse Drawn Carriage Video, through Masaya, Nicaragua

From Videos with Gloria, Chepe, and Pepe's family, Masaya, Nicaragua, Sept. 30, 2011

Videos of Folklore Dancing in Masaya, Nicaragua

Videos of Folklore Dancing in Masaya, Nicaragua, Sept. 30, 2011

Encierro - Bulls running through the Streets of Masaya, Nicaragua

Bulls running thru streets, Masaya, Nicaragua, Sept. 29, 2011, Pamplona, Encierro