(Above lettl A few miles from Quito Is tile Mitad del Mundo, or "mIddle of tile
world," since It's where the equator separates Eartfl's nortftem and southem
hemispheres. Yes, tIIere's kind of a tourist trap there, and one can place a foot on
botll sides of tile world. "How often can you do tills?" we asked ourselves - so we
did.
(Above) Our sweep rider one day, George, didn't quite make It over tills tllree-Iog
bridge and dropped Into tile creek, drowning his XR. Thankfully, we were able to
pump the water out and get It running again, though It did put us Into tIIat night's
hotel after dar!<.
ILettl Nice llama. Texan Max Hunter extends an offering to one of tile locals.
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Tips fDr the ride
Though Ecuador's official language is Spanish, you don't really have to speak it to go on
a tour with Moto-Loco, since every one of the crew members is bilingual. Patrick Henry
and Fred Smith are actually expatriate Americans who've lived there for years.
Remember that distances are measured in kilometers, and capacities in liters. When it
comes to electricity and money matters, it's just like being at home in the United States just cheaper.
Intemet connections are hard to find and usually very slow. We also noticed very few post
offices, probably because we rarely went through sizable towns.
Don't be surprised to find yourself unusually tired after arriving in Quito. It's the altitude
(nearly 10,000 feet). Drink plenty of bottled water and get lots of rest. You're going to
need your energy if you plan on riding for two weeks.
Being on the equator means Ecuador doesn't get the long-day/short-day swings of the
seasons passing. Generally, the sun comes up around 6:30 a.m. and sets about 12 hours
later.
As we've come to expect, the closer you get to jungles (or the coast), the warmer and
more humid it becomes. As you climb, it gets cooler and drier - though it can rain at any
time, especially around the volcanoes. Pack the proper gear so that you're prepared.
AMA and BlueRibbon Coalition members, plus those in the United States or Ecuador
military or civil service, get 5-percent discounts. There are also group discounts of 1
percent per person in a group.
Check the very complete Website for additional information. The U.S. address listed is
primarily the mail drop for deposits.
Take your camera; you'll catch some great sights.
Relax and have fun.
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OCTOBER 9,
2002
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