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| Topo Trail Map | Map Legend | Bikerag Pictures |
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| Topo Trail Map | Map Legend | Bikerag Pictures |
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Ecuador - Quito - Mountain Bike Trail Experience By Cliff Krolick of Back country excursions in Parsonsfield Maine |
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Since I'm a New Englander I usually treat
myself to a break from winter each year and head south. This past
February my Ecuadorian friend Maria, who's currently in the U.S. about
to receive her U.S. citizenship, hooked me up with her two sons, José
and Juan Jaramillo, in Quito, Ecuador, for a one-week biking adventure.
José and his girlfriend, Andrea, met me
at the airport and took me to Maria's lovely four-bedroom apartment in
Quito. Juan was expected in the next day from Asheville, NC, where he'd
just completed a wilderness EMT program, and Maria, who had been away
for almost eight months, was to return a week later with her
newly-acquired American citizenship.
Maria and Juan hadn't been around much
lately and without realizing it, José forgot to pay the electric bill.
The power had been terminated just that night so there was no
electricity, but thankfully there was still hot water. What timing!
Next thing I knew, it was 6 a.m. and José
was waking me to go riding. Every day before heading to work, José likes
to hit the trails for a few hours. I gulped down some bottled water,
took a few extra B and C vitamins and hoped that the altitude change
(almost 3,000 meters, or over 9,000 feet) wouldn't do a number on me. I
wasn't having any headaches, so that was a good sign.
Did I mention that all the bikes are
stored and repaired in the main living area? After all, this is the way
it should be if you're crazy about your bike.
Let the climbing begin
Andrea met us downstairs and we saddled
up, opened the gate and headed up the hill. We were out early, before
the rush hour began. Parque (Park) Metropolitano is just a little way up
the hill. For the locals and mountain llamas, these hills are no
problem. But for a flatlander -- which I'm not by the way -- it's
a challenging climb. The only saving grace was that it was mostly on
pavement. The first climb is always the hardest, right?
After bobbing a little traffic and about
four or five long, steep climbs separated by brief level areas, we
reached the top of the hill 20 minutes later -- here's where the park
begins. By now I was struggling to get acclimated and realized I should
have brought another lung or two with me.
While I gasped for air and gulped more
water, we were off to some single track. Parque Metropolitano is nicely
laid out for hikers, walkers and mountain bikers, and strangely enough
all seem to be smiling ("Buenos dias!") and respectful of each other.
Quito,
enjoy mountain biking in the city No
shortage of trails!
The park is approximately 800 hectares
(about 2,000 acres) with a lot of natural and manmade single-track
trails. Most importantly, it's just minutes from the city. In fact, it's
actually considered to be inside of the city. The best thing about it is
that it sits on the top of the hill, so once you're up there the riding
is fairly level.
Although there are small ups and downs
and short, steep climbs, you've already done the hardest work getting to
the park. Your other option is to drive there, which we did one day.
There are lots of trails. For hard core
mountain bikers, there are close to two days' worth of different
single-track rides. There are even some "off limit sections," that most
riders wouldn't find, but if you're lucky enough to get behind a skilled
local, you might find some.
Several very large sink-hole-like drops
make you feel like you're Alice in Wonderland following that elusive
rabbit. Some of those drops give a whole new meaning to the phrase
vertical free fall. They've even named one technical area
"Disneyland." The trails seem to ride fast with few rocks and roots,
just hard-packed ground.
I was there in mid-February, somewhat of
a dry period, but I guess these areas could get nasty in wetter weather.
There are certainly enough technical spots and challenges, but these can
be easily avoided by following alternate routes around them.
There seemed to be plenty of space for
both hikers and riders. We'd routinely hook up with different riding
partners and small groups, and the many hikers we passed never seemed to
be bothered by our presence.
At the halfway break we went to a
fresh-squeezed juice bar, where you can order any number of juice
delights. My favorite combo was orange and carrot, but the
orange-banana-mango combo looked good too.
Ah yes, a true rider's paradise.
If you go
For complete information about traveling
in Ecuador, visit
http://www.vivecuador.com,
but here are some of the basics:
Riding in Parque Metropolitano
I can't think of a better guide than José
and he may be able to put you in contact with additional guides. A guide
will cost you about $20 an hour or $70 to $80 per day (group rates are
less) -- it's well worth your while. José can be reached at:
jjaramillo@aekia.com.ec.
About Quito
Quito is a bonanza of both old and new.
The old section of the city is composed of tight alleyways, shops and a
central square. Numerous museums explore the rich history and blending
of the Spaniards, Catholicism, folklore and indigenous populations. New
Quito is artsy but be prepared for poverty everywhere. I always explore
the Mercado Centrale, where you get to hang out with the locals, but
there are new malls and large supermarkets where you can find whatever
you need.
Getting there
There are direct flights into Quito from
Houston (six to seven hours), Miami (three or four hours), or New York
(seven hours). The Quito airport is located in the city and is a modern
facility you wouldn't expect for a third world country.
Hotel, restaurant and transportation
costs
Ecuador is one of the least expensive
countries to travel in Latin America. Here you'll find good quality
food, lodging and transportation at low costs compared with other
countries of the region. You can get a good meal in a nice restaurant
between $5 to $7, though you can find much lower if you sacrifice a bit
of comfort, and their fancier restaurants may charge $15 or more.
There's a wide variety of hotels and
hostels, so there's a wide variety of prices as well. You can find
surprisingly clean and comfortable places between $5 and $15, though
you're better off choosing an option between $15 and $70 to ensure
better quality facilities where your comfort is assured. The top-end
hotels start at $70, still a reasonable price. Good quality restaurants
and hotels will add a 12 percent tax to your bill, and another 10
percent for service charge.
Getting around is very reasonable, a bus
ride will cost only about $.20, and a taxi will run you between $1 to
$5. As for tipping, tourist guides, porters, waiters and other people
related to the tourist industry will expect a tip, but taxi drivers will
not.
Safety
Ecuador is considered one of the safer
countries in the Andean region, however, it's always a good idea to be
cautious during your visit. Ecuador's urban centers, especially Quito
and Guayaquil, are generally more dangerous than the countryside.
Mountain biking
Ecuador offers the cyclist seemingly
endless back roads and trails to explore. The Incas, who were legendary
road builders, and their living descendants have been carving scenic
paths for centuries. Today, in many areas mountain bikes are a major
form of transportation -- hey, they know what's up.
For most people, the extreme cycling
environment of the Andes is best enjoyed going downhill.
The Andes create a playground of huge
vertical descents and gut-wrenching climbs at altitudes where the snow
line and the equator meet. Descents of 3,000 meters (10,000 feet) in a
single day can be obtained in several areas of the country. The
world-class decent directly down the slopes of Cotopaxi Volcano, the
technical descent down Pichincha Volcano, and trips that take riders
from the heights of the Andes to the Amazon Basin are all highly
recommended.
Cliff Krolick runs Back Country
Excursions, a mountain biking center and lodge in Parsonsfield, Maine.
Back Country Excursions offers off-road mountain bike vacations,
rentals, lessons and guided riding for all levels. In addition, they
lead international trips for bikers to Costa Rica and Tuscany during the
off season. For more information, visit
www.bikebackcountry.com.
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| Disclaimer: Caution - Use this map at your own risk. Bikerag.com and affiliates will not accept responsibility for an personal injury, property damage or trespassing while using this map. Trail users shall obey all signs, and always obtain permission from the land owner to use trails for any sporting activity. Permission to use trails should not be assumed. This map simply contains topographical information and trails that existed at one time. Trails shown maybe be missing, not accurate, closed, overgrown etc.... | ||||||||||||||||||
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