Monday, February 25, 2013. Hotesteria Andaluze Near Riobamba Ecuador.

Sunday morning we reconnected with Keith and Jim and headed south to the border into Ecuador. On the way I took a few pictures of the ride, one of the things we liked about Colombia was that motorcycles have a special free lane around all the tolls. It is usually a narrow path with high curbs on both sides. 

Here was one scene along the way, a mom, dad and child with spare tire and umbrella riding down the road…. all perfectly normal. The roads and scenery were phenomenal.

Deby staying close behind. 

Easy roads, with not as much traffic, nice. 

At noon we reached to border for one of the easier border crossings of the trip. Immigration out of Colombia was much easier than going in. For the vehicles, they just wanted us to hand over our import documents to a woman standing next to the road. I don’t know, she looked official and said something in Spanish so off we went. 

Entry into Ecuador was slightly more difficult. The country requires mandatory vehicle proof of insurance. The rest of the group purchased theirs online before the trip, somehow I missed that memo and went with the ADVrider advice to purchase insurance at the border crossings. No problem, usually, except on Sunday when the insurance office is closed. I had to figure a way to get ourselves into the country without insurance! Yikes. I hope no border patrol officers are reading this but I just made the mandatory copies of my declaration page of my US Progressive Insurance policy and handed it in with the stack of other papers. Before I knew it the aduana official was stamping forms and sending us on our way. All I have to do is drive safe for a few days, hmmmm.

Some more typical city driving. 

As the day wore on we found our selves looking for a hotel near Otavalo, Ecuador. We stopped on the outskirts of town and sent out scouts for a hotel. Deby and I found a run down place that seemed abandoned and Keith and Dave came across the Hosteria Purto Lago. A pretty swank place that immediately was added to my list of places to return one day.

Hotel Purto Lago lobby. 

Our villa. 

Fairly nice room inside too. 

Nice view of the dormant volcano from our front porch. 

After dinner the hotel had someone come around and light the fireplace, the only source of heat. Deby thought it was pretty romantic, no complaints here. 

Ahhh, another rough day adventure riding through South America.

Next crossing the equator!

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