Yuracruz y el Norte

Explorando tierras norteñas con una tribu particular. Nos saboreamos lindos caminos, el sol, la lluvia, y una noche entre duendes.

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Exploring northern ecuadorian lands with a very particular tribe. We all enjoyed the good riding, the sun, the rain and one night among the gnomes and fairies.

-- Yuracruz, a little hamlet above the lake, start point of our ride.
-- Empezamos en Yuracruz, el pueblito sobre el "lago de sangre"

-- 4 Flores de colores

-- Camino al paramo...
-- Up, and up to the paramos...

-- Buscando casa...
-- Looking for  home...

-- Un atardecer que se roba todo, magico,  lleno de colores y sabores...
-- The afternoon sun overtakes the whole landscape. Magical, colorful, flavorful.

-- Como dice la Marce: Dr. Zeuss tree.

-- Finalmente la Naya sale de su Chariot y empieza la exploración.
-- Finally Naya emerges from her Chariot, exploration begins.

-- Dinner time / A comer...

-- Desayuno with homemade granola and Palugo eggs.

-- y cafe del Pepe Nico

-- Guess who slept better?
-- Quien durmio mejor, Taitas o guagua?

-- Y no pueden faltar las criaturas del mundo miniatura.
-- and of course some creatures from the miniature world.

-- Misty morning and a common scene. These pair of mama's never stop talking, not even riding uphill at 4000m.
-- Mañana nublada y una escena común.  Este par de mamas no paran de hablar, ni en cuesta a 4000m

-- When people sees Naya on her cart...
-- Las sonrisas que saca la Naya con su coche.

-- Mi compañera

-- Just checking...

-- Down into the Yahuarcocha valley.
-- Bajando otra vez a Yahuarcocha.

-- Panza de seis meses en la izquierda, de cinco en la derecha. Dos "nahualitos" mas en camino.
-- Six months belly on the left, five on the right. Two more "nahualitos" on the way.

-- Cancha de volley con certificacion organica
-- "organic certified" volleyball court.

-- Tapiales. Una tecnica en extincion / Rammed earth. A technique on extintion.

-- Hola compañero...

Handmade life y La Cueva

Entre artesanías, pedaleadas y preparaciones para las expediciones de alta montaña que se vienen.

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In between crafts, short rides and preparations for the upcoming mountaineering expeditions 

- Double sided spoon crafted by Mathias on driftwood collected from the Arajuno river on the NHESP expedition. 

-- Bone and leather.
The NHESP students take a look at leather work we've done in the past in order to start their own projects. 

-- Señaletica organica de la Marce...
-- Organic signage by Marcela...

-- Niki, Ayra, Destino...

-- Post for a door...

-- Hole for a door post...

-- Going for a ride. Soche not coming this time.

-- I'am riding the Mariachi on a simplified 2x10 drivetrain with the alternator dropout on its shortest.
-- Simplificando la Salsa Mariachi. Le saque el plato grande y ajuste el "alternator dropout" a lo mas corto.

-- La Ciclovia. Tumbaco.

-- Tuneles...

--...mas tuneles...

-- y finalmente La Cueva de Rafa. Un restaurant en completa oscuridad operado por no videntes.
Una experiencia de sabores.
-- and finally what we came for. Rafa's Cave, a pitch dark "cave restaurant" where only blind people work.
A flavorful experience.

-- Lichens and plants on the cave entrance with (there is no light at all once inside the Cave)

-- Acacias on our garden are blooming...
-- Acacias Palugueñas en flor

-- and a new addition to The Band. Viola.
-- La Viola, nueva cantante de La Banda.

Mangatutu Hot Springs

As my ribs slowly come back into place and my right leg gives up the limping and complaining I found myself pulling out books and maps to figure out what can be a good recovery ride. Marcela has also been eager to ride, last week her daily commuting to school was broken by a wintery, cold and rainy spell, forcing her to drive almost every day.

Up to the Te Urewera Mountains we headed. Our goal was to park at the end of the paved road that takes you to Puketiriri and then bike to the nearby Mangatutu hot springs, it will be about 50km return trip on our lightly loaded machines.

What can be better for mind and body than soaking in “mineral saturated” hot water? Early bird start, bikes packed and ready; including stove, cooking gear, hot chocolate ingredients and a hearty lunch consisting of couscous, home made naan bread and some really tasty pre-packed MTR Panner Butter Masala.

After all the coastal riding done lately it was nice to be back in the mountains, I definitely feel at home there, a certain air and mystic about them that I cant find anywhere else.

The hot springs were just what we needed and the ride was enough for my sore ribs to get warmed up for some longer ones to come. First climbing through fertile farmlands and then traversing (up-down-up-down…) surrounded by impressive hanuka and manuka native bush. We made it to Mangatutu springs with enough time to soak lazily in the pools and enjoy the magnificent views of the Mohaka River valley.

Got home just in time to celebrate with a good dark beer (that was wisely given to me as medicine by our good friend Athea) and a hearty mexican dinner with the farm “vecinos”… 

-- Unlimited options. We decide to go for the hot pools!

-- Dont get your feet wet... 

-- Autumn still hangs to the branches adding a bit of color to the NZ winter.

-- Even though most of the ride was gravel road; Rivers, bridges and plenty of up's and down's keept us busy and entertained.
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-- Two pools with wood siding is what you get. A thermal waterfall feeds the pools.

-- "Thermalized" feet after long exposure to hot water.

-- Lunch step 1: Couscous. 

-- Lunch step 2: Curry + Couscous

-- Lunch step 3: Hot Chocolate + Naan bread!

-- Ti Kouka tree (Cabagge tree). One of the many inhabitants of the area.

-- Up the hill once more...

 

-- Thanks Athea the Australian beer was good for the ribs and the spirit...