For reasons that can't be explained, I haven't been blogging like I should. The following entry is almost two weeks overdue...
"Listo para el aventura?" Carlos asked me as I rode up to the Los Cebos McD0nalds at last Sunday. The email said time of departure for Isla Puna was at 6:30 en punto, but Carlos and I were the first there at 6:45. Eventually, other cyclists began to trickle in We waited for about 30 minutes before more cyclists showed up and we loaded our bikes and gear into our 15 passenger furbonnetta, !! A week later, and I'm finally posting my Isla Puna trip. Better late than never. I woke up at 6a.m. last Sunday to meet our furgonnetta van and the group of adventurous cyclists at 6:30 (en punto!) at the Los Ceibos McDonalds.
We arrived at the fishing port of Posoja at 9 a.m. and hired boats to take us across the Gulf of Guayaquil to Isla Puna. We wouldn't return to Posoja for 13.5 hours. On the Island, the beginning of the ride seemed questionable to me. We started on the beach, on the beach, like right next to the surf, and for the first 5-6 km the sand was too soft to ride, we had to walk. Later, the sand firmed up, and it was like riding on cement except with an untouched beach vista for 180 degrees. We stoped for a break in the "town" - I use that term lightly here in Ecuador - there was a loose collection of shacks overlooking an amazing virgin beach, and a few locals selling food and sodas. We continued, mostly along the beach, for about 20 more km, and took a lunch break before going to the interior. At this juncture, one (out of 29) of the cyclists decided to return on the boat back to the little port town to rest and wait for the group. Several other riders probably should have stayed as well, for good reason, but that will come later.
Upon entering the interior of the Island, it took us about an hour and a half to find a kid on a horse that gave us proper directions for our return route through the middle of the island. Before this, we were pedaling around aimlessly down no less than three alternate and possible routes. But luckily we continued with the guidance of a local and began our return. It was getting late in the afternoon, 4:30 or so, and we were still together as one big group, trudging along. With a group more than 5, there will always be different levels and different speeds, and with this giant group it was well pronounced. In the first group, we advanced for 5 or 10 minutes and waited at the top of every hill for at least 7 minutes. We decided to split up..
One group continued, and we agreed to wait at the restaurant on the island, for the others.
I arrived just as the sun was setting... The last of our group didn't arrive to the port until 11:30 p.m., needless to say, we split up again.
As we were crossing back to the mainland in our 150hp passenger boat at about 10:30 p.m., I was dipping my hand in the water to agitate the phosphorescence(neon sparking lights dancing in the wake of the boat) I was thinking, what an amazing trip though...sometimes (ok, a lot of times) I get caught up in the crazyness that is Colegio Americano and my job, and I need journeys like this to remind me why I am here in Guayaquil: Not only to dote after little first course students and try to teach them something, but to learn spanish, make new friends, and experience the raw / undeveloped natural wonders that this tiny country has to offer. I've been here for almost a year, and I haven't even scratched the surface..
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