After a somewhat nervous night's sleep, I donned my cycling gear, including the tour jersey & then marched down to the hotel's dining room.
Whilst pleased that we'd be starting, I have to be honest and admit that my nerves were getting the better of me and whilst I'm sure that the breakfast was nice, I could only manage a cup of coffee and a couple of bites of the bread roll they'd served up.
I'm not sure whether this is a hang over from my Italian exploits last year given the way that ended or cause I'm on a mountain bike (and one on which I'm still not totally familiar) or merely the fact that I've not ridden for nigh on a month owing to the flu!
Of course I'm also a little intimidated by the number of people within the group who've down a Cairo to Capetown or equivalent.
At any rate once breakfast had been consumed we all meet with our bikes by the front gate for the "short" ride from Quito to Mitad del Mundo a trip of only about 27 Kilometres and I've gotta say it felt good to finally be about to start! For the ride out, we pretty much stuck together at a reasonable pace through peak hour traffic! I somehow suspect it's not a city which is used to seeing and dealing with a forty strong peleton of cyclists. Fortunately they were all well behaved.
Once we reached the monument, essentially erected to commemorate the location, French explorer - Charles-Marie de La Comdamine calculated as being the location for the world's equatorial line in 1736 a a speech was made by the mayor, wishing us all good luck for the journey ahead and the start of our adventure formally announced as having begun!
Whilst the journey out hadn't been too difficult / tiring, I've got to say the return journey was bloody hard work. Whether it was the altitude, the gradient, the constant bombardment with smog, the close calls from the trucks and buses passing by or all of the above along with my general lack of fitness, I don't know! All I will say is that, I'm going to sleep well tonight!
Hopefully the little so and so, who tried (and very very nearly got away with) pinching my phone from inside my jacket pocket, doesn't sleep as well though. Having said that I do have to acknowledge that as a gringo, we do look very tempting and like walking Automatic Teller Machines!
For those I'm friends with on Strava, a more comprehensive version of the above is available!
Glad to see the ride finally starting for you. You will be okay just as you remember you are not exactly spring chicken. ha ha As long as you stay upright and on your bike. This awesome trip you are doing will be over before you know it and back home. In one piece we hope.
ReplyDeleteENJOY THE RIDE We will be watching this blog and envious of the places and experiences of your trip.
Lots of love from Pam, John, Emma, David and Kat xxxxx
And April and Tabby and Mark and Jess xxxx
ReplyDeletePacing yourself, one day and experience at a time. Within a week or so, your riding fitness will have stepped up and the impacts of the flue will be long gone. I haven't ridden at altitude, but have skied it and you do need a while to acclimatise. As I said in another post, in a few weeks... Great photos and stories already.
ReplyDeleteKeep those pedals turning :-)
ReplyDelete