a school semester...

Este es el octavo año que tenemos el gusto de operar el Kroka / Nahual Ecuador Semester. Un programa de 4 meses enfocado en los valores de la vida sencilla, la permacultura, y los deportes de aventura como una forma de vida. Entre las muchas actividades que hacen los estudiantes a lo largo del programa y que meticulosamente describen en su propio blog, hay dos expediciones de un mes de largo cada una. Este año les acompañe en una corta sección en su cruce en bicicleta desde Ibarra, en el valle interandino hasta Cando, en la selva ecuatoriana, donde dejaran de lado las bicis para continuar en botes por el rio Jatunyacu hasta Shiwacocha. Un semestre de colegio que inspira.
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For 8 years we have been running the Kroka / Nahual Ecuador Semester. A 4 month long outdoor academic program that focuses on simple living, permaculture and adventure sports as a way of life. Among many activities that happen throughout  the whole length of the program, which students carefully document at their own blog, there are two 'month' long expeditions.  This year I just joined the group on a short section of their journey from the Andes to the Amazon basin, where they will switch the bikes for boats and continue by river. An inspiring school semester.

-- Campamento en los bosques de eucalipto de Angla en Imbabura.
-- Camp on Angla's eucalyptus forest. Imbabura province

-- 14 Specialized Rockhoppers esperan la salida / 14 Specialized Rockhoppers resting before the start.

-- We fitted the 26ers with racks, home made handlebar bags and frame bags

-- the 29ers where trying our latest version of home made seat harnesses which
our friend Romi carefully put together.

-- First day. Along the inter andean valley.

-- Morning clean up. A daily ritual that every student performs before we start biking.

-- Some color seasoning as we climb up towards Oyacachi

-- Mathias (who is teaching this section) wisely exchanged his bike for a horse with a local kid...

-- ...the crew observed incredulously as the exchange of vehicles happened. 

-- Gajes del oficio / Occupational hazards

-- Picking a campsite for day 2 / Buscando un campamento para el segundo dia.

-- Up, and up higher on the third day.

-- until we reached 4000 meters to start traversing towards Papallacta on the other side of the Andes.

-- 4th day. Oyacachi to Papallacta.

-- Finallly heading down to reach the hot springs.

-- Parking at Jamanco thermal springs.

-- the results of intense bare-footing, farm work, morning runs, biking and expedition life

-- A deserved hot shower before they keep biking down to the Amazon. I head back to the farm.