Day 5

I rode over to the Ecuador side and no one checked shit! I tried to get on the line for the immigration but I needed to fill out a health form on the bridge between both countries. I walked back over and a guy showed me how to do it on my phone. I went back to immigration and showed a woman the completed form on my phone. The line was about 100 people long or more. Last time I was here I had those whole border crossing done in about one hour. This was gonna take some time. I waited in line for about an hour or more and it went perfectly.

I started to get in line for Aduana to get my bike visa and it was a disaster. Pure chaos, people cutting the lines, and no communication. I finally got my passport over to the woman on the computer. After 3 hours I ended up waiting for them to do the paperwork. The Finnish guys caught up to me in that line and she started to work on their bikes first and I threw a bit of a fit saying I was there before them. I was in a rush to get to Quito before sundown and I wasn’t about to get screwed because these guys like to travel in a group and hold up a line everywhere. 15 minutes later I was on my way.

While I was online I was talking to a few of the guys and they said they were riding from Alaska to Ushuaia in 13 weeks. THAT’S INSANE. What’s the point of the trip then? I did the math and they were averaging 1.6 or so border crossings a week. That’s insanity. It looks like they are just riding and riding and riding and not stopping to see anything. I couldn’t do it. Most of them were in their 60’s. Some retired, some not. What’s the point of taking this trip that is a dream of a lifetime only to fly though it. I could spend 4 months in Mexico alone easily.

I threw my winter gloves on since I remember Ecuador being cold as hell last time I was here and hit the road like a bat out of hell. I don’t even know what speed a bat out of hell moves at so I’m going to assume I was moving faster than that. I probably was. GPS said 4:40 to Quito. One of the other Finnish guys said no way in hell I’m gonna make it before dark. I said you got my IG so check up on me in 3 hours. Haha

Right off the bat I was passing cops on double yellow lines not caring what’s about to happen. I was finally riding legally for the first time in months here. I was pushing it so hard the entire way. Passing cars and trucks on the shoulder and on the outside of turns. No cops chased me, there were a ton of road blocks with checkpoints and power was out in a few towns so there was miles and miles of traffic. I was riding on the shoulder of oncoming traffic for all of that. I love South America, anything that doesn’t go to the USA goes here.The weather was wild. I hit 90 degree temps on the ride and it was a bit steamy in my winter gear with winter gloves on. Next thing I knew it was 6:10 as I pulled up to my Hostel.  3:10 total 🙂

As I pulled up I noticed a black African twin with Canadian plates. YES. A few seconds later Pierre walks up and introduces himself. He just got here a few hours ago too with another buddy. What a long long day and I finally am about to make some friends. We unload our bikes and the woman in the hostel told us they had parking for us literally next door but it was very hard to get the bikes in. I was so relieved to be here and with some English speaking friends and the hostel worker was so kind and sweet and spoke English too. oh all the small things that can turn a day around in a heartbeat. We unpacked for a few minutes inside and then went to deal with the bike parking.

She opens a gate on the sidewalk with about a 16″ wall under the doorway. We have to get our bikes up this ledge!!! I went first and got it right up. The doorway was just a bit smaller than the width of my handlebars. I got the bike and flipped it around. Pierre on the other hand was struggling so I offered to help. I jumped on his bike and got it up there while his friend Christian was talking shit about him! haha

We went inside and got our rooms and got settled in. Did I mention how thankful I was to have a place to sleep with some new friends? This hostel was gorgeous, spacious, cozy, and clean. Was much nicer than the place I stayed at last time I was here in the old city center. I’ll never go back to that area ever again after being here. I met another rider from Germany. The 4 of us went out for some Arabic food right after I showered and had a nice chat about all kinds of things. Work, bikes, gear, life, traveling, and our lives before the trip. After dinner they got some bottles of wine and we sat on the terrace outside on the roof of the hostel drinking and talking more about life. We talked about plans for the next day. I had a long day ahead of me working on the bike at the shop getting it all ready for the rest of the trip so I went to bed at about 10:30 and that was that.

On my ride to Quito today it was wild how unpleasant I was feeling with a bunch of anxiety. Once again being so far from home and having such a long way to go. As soon as I met these guys with the atmosphere of the hostel it was all gone in an instant. A complete 180 in a matter of seconds. These are the moments I love about this trip. A complete roller coaster ride and you never know what’s going to happen at any given time. The way the night ended boosted my morale so much and I was ready for the rest of this trip on another level. Well see how long this holds up for!

Also my memory, I don’t trust it anymore. The entire summer I was thinking of the road from the border crossing to Quito and I specifically remembered a bunch of spots in Ecuador. Funny because I hit these roads in Colombia long before the border crossing and it confused the hell out of me. I would have bet my life and everything I had that these certain roads and views were in Ecuador. I don’t understand how I can’t remember these specific parts of the ride with how beautiful it was. I’m starting to not trust my memory anymore but it doesn’t matter anymore because everything from here on it south of Quito will be new territory and i’m so excited for it. The trip has officially begun once I leave Quito.