Ecuador on Two Wheels: A Photo Essay
Kaycee Landsaw Exploring Ecuador on Two Wheels: A Photo EssayScroll
After falling short of making it to the base camp of the Cayambe Volcano, we made our way back down to an open field and set up camp. It was a terrible, cold night’s sleep at 15,500 feet in elevation, but when we woke up we were greeted with an undercast of clouds while the sun peeked over the mountains.
When the rain stopped and the fog had cleared out, we wandered around the village of Piñán and talked with some of the local people. It seemed like they hadn’t seen anyone come or go into their little village in quite a while.
Within a few minutes of winding down the switchbacks, we were pulling our goggles off because they were so wet and foggy from the heavy rain. We found an overhang on the side of the mountain, pulled under it, and threw our rain pants over our gear. The rain pants saved us as we navigated our way back into town.
I called my wife to give her a download on what had been going on over the last few days. She said, “Did you even enjoy your trip?” Her response made me laugh, and I had a hard time answering, but ultimately my response to her was: “These are the things that make me feel alive!”
For me it isn’t about going somewhere to sit and relax on a chair by the sea, it’s about reminding myself of what I am capable of, and seeing the world in ways that most don’t get the chance to.
