Author: randy

Some pictures of my last good hike, friends, plants, waterfall behind the house etc…..

Well I took like 20 pictures all weekend Daniela took 300. These are a few of hers.

The Biggest news is that there are a few new family members and the restaurant is beginning business.

Elena, Edwin, Daniela, David and Mateo have been busy working on the restaurant on top of all the other things they have going on.

Elena keeps busy managing the workers, attending classes, then around home. Edwin works during the day in Quito then comes home to continue working late into the night. Daniela teaching and studying then pitching in. David working at Shinny Dog and here. Mateo also working at Shinny Dog, a local restaurant and at home. It will be open officially very soon. I am very excited for them. I wish them all the success in the world and have the greatest confidence in their adventure. I will post pictures of all their work soon.

A new puppy has been adopted so back to six dogs. They gave me the honor of naming him so meet “Beauregard” or in Spanish “Borigar”. He’s a cute little guy what I would have called “Bait” when living in Greenwood. I haven’t told them the true meaning of his name “creature with a dark soul”. Samuray and Kaya have accepted him not so much Chokoreto, Chiso and Chaski. The little guy should stay away from Chaski and Chiso since they have a tendency to eat smaller animals and he looks delicious to them. I wish him no harm but we will see……..

Rosario (Elena’s mother) officially has someone special in her life, Rodrigo. They both invited their families to a soiree to let everyone know. After they made their announcement and all were introduced there was food, music, and dancing. I am super happy for them and wish a very deserving happy future!

As for me, I did get a 2 year visa and a Cedula. The Cedula is basically the same as a Social Security number in the USA. It is used way more often here. it is your formal ID and also used when purchasing pretty much anything. Just great another number to remember, ugh. I need to work a lot more on my Espanol. Seems that I am easily distracted. I am planning on a getting bike cycle soon and really want a motorcycle with a sidecar but we’ll see about the last one. One of my best friends in the USA has started Hospice. I love him and his family dearly and they are in my prayers. It only pounds into me how precious life is and that you never know when your number pops up. Sidecar?????

To my family and friends “Smile, Laugh and Love as much as you can”.

God Bless!

The pictures didn’t load correctly but you can see them if you click on the one.

Cerro Atacazo is a volcano of at the edge of south Quito. It is on the western side of the “Avenue of Volcanos”. At the summit the elevation is 14,642ft/4463meters.

Daniela and her friends were heading there for their first time and I was invited to tag along. I was looking forward to finally making a summit. It is considered a good beginner hike of about 2 hours each way. Well where we started out it turned out to be 3 1/2 hours to the Summit.

The sun was out but the higher in elevation the more we were in the clouds. The trail was mostly a gravel road all up hill. I think I did pretty good the first hour and kept the main group in sight. After that I got a little slower. Daniela and Ibis slowed their pace and kept me company. Ibis bless her heart even acted like she was winded. I really enjoyed watching Daniela interact with Ibis. Daniela is a teacher/student and Ibis is is a bright young lady so tagging behind them listening to their conversation in Español made my walk (did I say ALL up hill) easier. Daniela’s students and their parents really like the way she teaches and I can see why. She is very good with kids and I was impressed.

We stopped and took a break and as a hiker passed us on his way down he said we only had a 1/2 hour more to go. We were in the clouds, the wind was cold with a little moisture and the main group had already reached the summit. I decided to call it a day and head back down. I did not want to be holding everyone back as I already had Daniela and Ibis. I believe we were above 13,700ft when I whimped out. Well not really whimped out because with a little more time I would have made it. Just not fair of me to hold up the group. I will go back and make the summit. Being it was so cloudy you couldn’t see much anyway so I don’t feel I missed much by not making the summit on this day.

I really enjoyed the walk down and enjoyed the solitude. Even better my hands thawed out. On the way home while riding in the van Ibis and I had a nice conversation in English which she has a very good handle on.

I hope to keep getting better and maybe actually keep up with the groups pace one day. I sure appreciate Daniela’s patience for the gringo, thank you Daniele! If there is a next time I’m invited to go along with the group she can set the pace to push the group (after all she is the leader) and I will just bring up the rear. Again not fair for me to hold everyone back. I am really enjoying it I just need to stick to it. Thanks goes to Edwin and Elena for dropping us off and picking us up.

It was Carnival weekend and we were invited to dinner on the way home. Our second party in two days.

Just a wonderful time. Sorry the pictures don’t show much of the volcano but it was cloudy!

This area was named by the Spanish because it reminded them of an alter.

Two weeks ago I tagged along with a group that Daniela put together to hike to El Altar. Edwin and Mateo went also. It is a 20 kilometer hike back to the camp spot and another 2 kilometer hike up to the lake.

Daniela had done the trek two years ago. There was supposed to be 2 Kilometers of mud but it was more like 10 Kilometers. I knew they would have had to shoot me like a lame horse if I walked it so I hired a pony to ride. That still kicked my behind and many times the pony was knee deep in mud while going up and down the mountains. The ride in was way more dangerous than walking the way out even tougher. I was thrown off once on a steep downhill portion when the Choco decided to make a 90 degree turn on the way down. Landed on my backpack not my head.

It was a very beautiful spot and the weather was great. NO Rain just a little sprinkle in the evening. Woke up with ice on the tent. Everyone hiked up to the lake but I only made it half way and wisely turned back. I needed much better shoes than the rubber boots I was wearing. Also above 13,000 ft. was getting to me. If I had better shoes and took my time I think it would be great to try again.

The ride back was very tiresome and yes I was saddle sore.

I would like to spend more time just laying around and doing some day hikes in areas like this. To me after taking the time to get there I want to hang out for a while. The pictures don’t do the majestic beauty justice. I could of easily spent many days there even in the rain which it does most of the time. Not far to the Amazon from here.

I found another trail that is mostly downhill (right on). It starts at over 13,000 ft. and goes down to around 4000ft. that I want to check out in the future.

“ya all take care now, ya hear”

Super Bowl Sunday was the presidential election day here. 18 candidates trying to convince people they are the best choice.

Interesting facts:

1. You can vote after your 16th birthday
2. You are required to vote by law after your 18th birthday
3. If you don’t vote you will not get some government services unless you pay a fine of 40 dollars. This is 20% of the current monthly wage.
4. Some people travel to where they were born to vote.
5. You must vote in person.
6. Because of covid you must wear a mask that you will have to pull down to prove who you are and also bring your own blue pen.
7. You must show an I.D.
8. You are to practice social distancing while in line. This did not happen everywhere.

The people did not complain but did their obligation. There were concerns about covid and that is understandable.

The constitution requires the president to get 50% of the vote which did not happen. The two top candidates are having a run off in April.

From what I have been told neither is the best for the country. So now they decide the lesser of two evils. Politics ugh.

We went to check out a small bed and breakfast in Intag that was for sale. It ended up a little farther away from Tumbaco than I want but it was a beautiful drive. I would like to go back and spend more time checking out the various waterfalls and old ruins.

It was run by a young lady from Argentina and her mother. Very nice people and nice location.

We went on a little fishing trip to a small lake near by. No luck catching any fish but it was a wonderful day. Road was a little muddy. Suave Mojita didn’t miss a beat pulling friends out of the mud.

Last weekend Daniela and her friends were sauntering up the Cerro Puntas to get ready for a trip to El Alter next week. I tagged along but didn’t try to keep up with them.

They all reached one of the summits and I did make it within 2km. I felt pretty good to make it up to 4000 meters in altitude. I would have made the summit but ran out of time. Not a difficult trail but just up,up,up and up with not much of a break. My heart was a pumping!

I plan on going back to finish one day soon.

We all are going to El Altar but I am going to be a lazy gringo and rent a horse. Should be fun.

Patricia and Noe invited me to go along with their family to a place they had never been. It is a little over an hours drive from the house.

The local have made a trail that follows the river. You cross the river back and forth and pass 7 waterfalls with the last being the biggest.

It is only 18km round trip. A wonderful day.

For some reason the photos are not loading correctly but if you tap on one you can scroll through them all.