Sunday 27th April 2025 El Guabo to Puerto Inca
Nice little meal in a small restaurant, they did make a fuss of us, so you know me I milked it for a while, nice food and a few cold beers, the guy was from Colombia and very proud of it, loved his cycling, good night all around, though it did finish early, we do need our sleep! Stopped off on the way home for the normal chocolate cake binge, not much on offer so had to make to with some Jaffa cake things, very nice with a bit of peach yogurt.

Saved enough yogurt for breakfast can’t miss that, with a nut, raisin and maples syrup in the porridge enough to feed a thousand men or two weirdly, wonderful, eccentric cycling tourers, possible the latter, but it keeps us going.

Nice little steady eddy ride today, just easing our way down to the coast again, before we climb up to Quito, we are taking our time as we are meeting, loads of family there on the 11th May, Charlie, Max, Lyle and the sweetest rose of them all Sandra, they are all busy sorting out the itinerary with the help of Lenin, Patrick Plews son-in-law, who comes from Quito, he has been brilliant, all Bingo and I have to do is get there! Should not be that difficult.

Out of the surprisingly big town quite easy, but the road is not quite so good today, not much of a hard shoulder to ride on, traffic not to busy, but still means you need to concentrate a bit more, not one of my best trait’s I must admit, not sure what my best trait is to be perfectly honest, will get back to you on that one, from the top of my head, considerate and caring, I would like to think so, others may have a different opinion, but they are not in Ecuador, riding a bike.

Not much happening on the road, just keeping in the 18inch bit of road we have, the drivers are very considerate give us plenty of room when they can, still gripping the handle bars and very tense, start thinking of my yoga techniques to relax, love how my mind just bounces about, bit like the rugby balls I tried to catch all those year ago. Just concentrate on the cycling, as a bus comes thundering passed, little chat with Bingo, think we need to stop soon, my brain is on overload or more accurately I would love a coffee and ice cream, good thing about Ecuador seems to me lots of places to have a little drink. Sure enough we entered the little hamlet Barrio de Arriba, had a soft drink and coffee, little chat with the owners, very nice, gave us two chairs to sit on the veranda, well shelter outside the shop, their kids practiced their English with us, just a little bit better than mine, said are farewells and safe travels ‘viajes seguros’ and off went.

Riding with a smile and giggle, the way the kids engaged with us and their parents support lovely to see, all part of the tour spreading goodwill around this lovely world of ours, enjoy and embrace it, thats what I say as we turn the pedals and take in the culture, we are speeding ahead, then see a tandem heading towards us really going for it, full panniers and kit, but just a wave as they sped in the opposite direction, we both would have stopped for a chat, but looks like they was on an agenda, fair play. Hitting a good pace, but not really concerned about the pace, more about keeping a line and not getting too close to the traffic.

Closing in on Puerto Inca, not a very big place with only one hostel showing up on the maps, stop around 6 miles away in a service station with WIFI, no luck contacting the hostel, but have a little chat with the family back home and catch up on how the holiday planning is going, also check the fairest rose of all has actually cut the grass, Sandra assures me she has and only took her two hours, must have missed half of it.

Back riding thinking if there is no-where to stay here, its another 35 miles, so better get a move on, soon hit the little town, straight into what once was a rather grand hotel, now a relic of its former self, the guy just looked at me and said no hotel anymore, not good, but fair play he pointed over the road, their is a hostel there, sure enough there was and they had rooms, so all good. Not the happiest of souls but least we had a bed, and relatively clean, you could smell the detol / bleach, though I soon upset him even more, when I cleaned my bike, he came out with a face like a pickled onion, moaning about the water on his sandy patio, I just smiled as he tried to sweep all the water up. Bikes all cleaned so we are happy, bit of rest then taste the delights of Puerto Inca.