Ipiales, Colombia/Ibarra/Quito Ecuador pt.1

The ride started pretty smooth for about one minute, after that it was and has been uphill 90% of the time. I'm not sure on the mileage since my strava ain't working but I'm pretty sure it would shit it's pants with the amount of elevation. I just downloaded an app that'll record via GPS not requiring service.

Its been hard getting used to the weight of the bike, everything handles in slow motion and you really feel that weight on the uphills especially since I'm doing like 4mph.

Fellow bike tourer Ernesto. He started his trip in Nicaragua and has planned a two year journey.

I found Ernesto resting at a bus stop between Tulcan and Ibarra. We talked for a bit and found out we had the same destination so we started riding together.

Day one was from Ipiales, Colombia to Ibarra Ecuador. It's about 50mi but the hills are brutal. We started seeing all green and damp then we descended and it became very arrid. They closed the road for an hour twice because they were cutting a mountain face to widen the road, those shovel operators are fucking crazy.

Cool monument between Tulcan and Ibarra

Crazy operator

Due to the road closures we weren't gonna make it on time so we picked up a ride before it got dark. When we arrived to Ibarra it must've been around 18:00 and we had nowhere to stay. We went to the fire station to see if we could set tent, they said no, so we went to the Police station and after some begging they let us stay in a tiny concrete room with no windows or lights. We set our sleeping bags and just passed out.

Next day we head out to Quito, it's like 60miles of the most painful climbing I've ever endured. Not much to say about this or pictures to take, I was just suffering the entire time. We finally got to Quito and the traffic is like L.As but with no structure, pretty scary.

We asked around to find some hostels and we ended up in a pretty touristy area, we found hostel Nassau, showered (after 3 days) and passes out.

Cemetery nearby. We also ate some potatoes with spinach. Real antibonk.

Finally in Quito, the traffic was insane. That fixie guy that makes movies would love it.

Hostal Nassau was $22 a night between is two, neat!

Panic time and Cartagena, Colombia

PANIC#1: I contacted JetBlue 2 days before my flight and they told me "No cardboard boxes on the plane for international flights". I thought I'd be screwed since I don't own any fancy $400 bike bag, but on the last day I went to Performance Bicycle in Carson and got a $50 soft bike bag and some foam from FedEx kinkos. It successfully made the trip from LAX to FLL to CTG.

PANIC#2: I arrived to LAX and was in the line to check the bike bag. The guy at the counter checked my passport and said: "Where is your return ticket? You cannot check this in unless you have a return ticket", I started to feel that nervous blood rush and I really thought I was screwed then. The guy suggested I buy a ticket and then canceled it or some witchcraft but I was completely broke. He then told me I could also show my Colombian passport which I also didn't have with me. Then I remembered I had my Colombian citizenship card I got when I was 18 and he said that would work, BOOM! I got lucky.

I've been in Cartagena since December 30th, 2014 hanging out with my girlfriend and parents. I lived here for 18 years in the past, went to high school and graduated.

Cartagena is definitely the place I call home. Every time I come here I just feel at peace despite of the chaos that this city is in December/January. I'm lying, it's always a shit-show. The citizens don't respect the law, the law doesn't respect the citizens and the government only cares about the money in their pockets. Somehow, I still find beauty in all of this, there is a certain romance about it. I just have some very fond memories in this place.

Sometimes I wish I was in charge here, there would be some SERIOUS change and I would have to be armed 24/7, sleep with a bulletproof vest and roll in an armored truck. I'd make sure every scumbag govt. thief would get what he/she deserves. There is a reason nobody speaks up around here.

I went to get my Colombian passport and let me tell you, the building is one of the worst places you will ever be in, the DMV is a breeze compared to this. ZERO organization, ZERO rules, lines? FUCK IT, it's a free for all! I saw people in crutches getting ran over by stampedes of uncivilized savages trying to get to the windows first. I had to elbow some people to stop them from filtering past me. Some old guy told a lady in charge: "You gonna hit me or what?" because he wouldn't admit fault to something that was obviously his fault...I've never experienced such neglect for rules and organization.

This is once again a Government issue. The building looked like a sketchy restaurant in a shitty part of L.A. Walls cracked, dirty paint, AC that doesn't work (let me remind you, this is Cartagena, the avg temp here is like 89F year round), no information posted, ABSURD waiting times (It took me around 8 hours) and just a general neglect for anything that makes sense.

I'll start pedaling on the 20th from Pasto, Narino.


NOTE: I MAY GET SHOT BECAUSE OF THIS :)

NOTE2: Thanks for the pics babe!

Castillogrande, this is where I was raised and no, I'm not wealthy

Tasty fruits and balancing acts

cool street in El Centro

Dudes fishing

Cartagena de Indias flag