Lava Racing

Today was the first of the group excursions we’ll go on while we’re here diligently learning Spanish. We drove to Parque Nacional Cotopaxi, the centerpiece of which is, yeah, Cotopaxi, which also happens to be the world’s highest active volcano. The bus took us pretty close to the top of the mountain, where we were given our bikes, helmets, and gloves, and we started the descent down some really rough trails. I wasn’t nervous at all until I realized the trail was rough (we needed to pay hard attention), the ground was soft (hard braking wasn’t a good idea), I wasn’t comfortable with my bike (odd brakes, odd shifting), and there was a large wave of molten lava descending down the mountain after us (only the fast survive). However, I had no problems, and it was a really, really fun ride down…. and at the very end of the first leg (the volcano segment), I beat Lisa in a sprint to the finish. She might tell you I caused her to wipe out, and I guess I did, because I knew when I started sprinting, she would too, and that did lead to a really nice spill…. But in my book, a win is a win, and the lava didn’t get me. There was steady rain for the second leg, which took us to lunch, so we were all pretty soaked. There was a third leg after lunch, but due to our general state of dampness and the promise of some uphill riding (and the shock of the loss of two of our slowest groupmates to the lava), about 20 people decided to sit it out. Too bad…. What a fun ride.


For the first time since I've gotten here, Cotopaxi was visible from the streets of Quito. Normally covered by clouds, it was a beautiful sight at 6:45 this morning.

I don't know what these mountains are called, but they're not Cotopaxi.

Inside Parque Nacional Cotopaxi

The view from our starting point near the top of Cotopaxi. It's really hard to comprehend just how high up this is and just how vast that land at the bottom really is. So just know that this is really high up and the land is really vast.

Cotopaxi as seen from where we stopped for lunch.

In other news, I’m suddenly allowed to flush my toilet paper. As I was clearing my place from dinner Wednesday night, my abuela said, “I have a suggestion for you…. It might be better if you put your used toilet paper in the toilet.” Naturally, I felt awful and a little awkward and I started trying to confirm to myself that she had told me last week that it needed to go into the trash can. I asked her whether that was what she had said or not, and she said, “Yes, because the school told us we should not have you flush it, at least to start with… but I’m telling you that you can flush your used paper.” This did not need to wait until now, but the issue of my room smelling vaguely of poop has been solved.

I’d also like to add that if you’ve never had the power go out while in the basement of a wax museum exploring a mock historical dungeon, you’re missing out. And if that’s happened to you, but the tour didn’t continue after everyone pulled out their cell phones to light the path, you’re REALLY missing out. And if it wasn’t in Spanish…. Well, yeah.

I promise some pictures of mi familia really soon.

SHOUT-OUTS GO TO: Ryan for working his butt off on housing, Erin, and Horse.

From Ecuador,

Andy