Cyclists passing thru

It had been about a year since we hosted any adventure cyclists, the last people being www.familyonbikes.org who are now in Mendoza Argentina. The twin 12 year old boys (with the help of mom and dad) are trying to get into the Guiness book of world records for being the youngest to have biked from Alaska to Tierra del Fuego.

A few weeks ago Mike Shrattner contacted me through my posting on www.warmshowers.org a website dedicated to providing free accomodation to cyclists. This is what someone would see if they clicked on my link:

Steve TOBER
Email: click to email
Username: SteveTober
Quito/Tumbaco, Pichincha Ecuador

I've bike 40,000kms through 40+ countries and would like to return some of the many favors I have recieved in my travels.
We are in the valley below Quito...a 30-40min city bus ride up to Quito from where we are, just out of Tumbaco...in Cununyacu. You can avoid cycling thru the 50km long city of Quito. If coming from the North...go thru Cayambe, El Quinche, Pifo to Tumbaco. From the South...Turn off the Pana at Tambillo, 10k? b/f Quito and down to Valle de los Chillos and then to Cununyacu and Tumbaco. We have a guest house out back with a shower/toilet. Long haul pana cyclists only please. Please email me for 1st contact.

Preferred Notice 1 or 2 weeks
Maximum Guests 2
Nearest hotel/motel/accomodation: 5km
Nearest Campground no idea...can camp in our yard if you want
Nearest Bike Shop 3km
Languages Spoken English Spanish
Services this host may offer:
•Bed
•Food
•Laundry
•Lawn Space (for camping)
•Shower
•Storage
•Use of Kitchen
Members I Recommend and Who Recommend Me
Members Recommending Me

Member Recommendations

mschratter
Dec 2010 I had two wonderful nights staying with Steve and his family. His home is warm and welcoming. Steve is an avid cyclist and when it comes to cycling Steve knows the area very well.

Separate guest apartment and bathroom is a nice touch.

vogel.je@gmail.com
Host
Dec 2009 We had the privilege of staying with Steve and his lovely family for a couple of weeks - and enjoyed our time with them. Steve is a GREAT source of information since he's cycled so much in Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru.

Their little house out back is wonderful - we had our own shower and bathroom and could come and go whenever we wanted.

Although they don't live right in Quito, it was an easy bus ride in to town and buses run every few minutes. We foudn it much preferable to stay in Tumbaco and bus into Quito than to have to pedal through the city with all its traffic and narrow roads.

Thanks so much for everything Steve!
Nancy

petervanglabbeek
Host
Feb 2009 I stayed with Steve and has family in Bogota, for more than a week.
It was great, I felt welcome and very comfortable.
Steve has traveled a lot and has lots of stories, books, maps and other info.
The house is easy to find following the bikepaths of Bogota.
Don't worry about the huge city, Steve will give you directions.
I highly recomment this member!


Of course I erased all the negative reviews...ha ha.




Mike is a grade 5 teacher from Vancouver and biked to Quito in only 4 months. He's raising money and awareness for the Canadian Mental Health association and plans on cycling 40,000 in 15 months....around the world. He did a couple of presentations for us here at the school. He just emailed from northern Peru and stated that he thinks he "blew his knee" He's been riding hard and fast and on the edge of his physical limits. He may have to rethink his plans. www.ridedonthide.com to follow his trip.




Pius and Margrit are a Swiss couple in their early 60's and have been biking around the world for 3.5 years, with no plans yet to stop. Their website is titled, "By bicycle into retirement" http://www.joergersvelotour.ch/index_en.html
They stayed with us for 5 days, left their bikes and gear and took off to the Galapagos for 8 days. They should be back tomorrow and will then head north. They are a great inspriation! Lot's of great stories and life experience and Pius is a great cook!
http://www.joergersvelotour.ch/index_en.html

It's great to give something back, as I have experienced so much kindness on my bike adventures over the years. Of course, the time we spend with these adventurous souls, enriches our lives as well.

Who will be next?

Volcan Atacazo 4463m

Peter in action.

Have you ever seen such an ugly summit?

The views make up for lack of summit asthetics.

Antisana on the far right.

This little guy had just died...old age? He was still warm and rigor mortis had not yet set in.

The obligatory llama shot.

10km SW of Quito is a bump of a volcano, with the largest number of communication towers on a summit than I have ever seen! Nevermind...the views were stunning. One can practically drive to the summit, leaving only 1 hour hike to the top. Peter and I had planned to park further back, so we could walk for 2 or 3 hours and get more exercise. However, we weren't sure were we were until we hit the end of the road!
We chose this lower peak b/c there has been alot of snow lately...yes snow, here on the equator. This morning there is fresh snow at around 4000m....quite low.

Salad

With special thanx to Al for the gardening inspiration, which led to the colourful, tasty end product!

Camping and "tri"cycling

The inspiration for this "tricycle" came from this book. Have a look at the cover photo...not sure I'd want to pull them across North Amercia though! Best wait until they get bigger and can both do some of the pedaling!
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/images/1891369652/ref=dp_image_0?ie=UTF8&n=283155&s=books





Maria pulled Carla 20k and then I decided I would have a go at pulling both of them. Much easier than I thought! Although I wasn't carrying any touring gear such as a tent, stove etc...

Up the old rail bed, turned bike/run trail.





A bit out of focus, but I love the contrasting hair colours :)




And so as promised....dad finally took Ramon camping. Took a taxi about 3 km down the road from our place and walked up part of the volcano for an hour to a flat, grassy, lower peak. No crying for mom and a good solid 8 hours snooze.

Dad's pack and Ramon's pack. Another 15 years and we'll swap :)

Dad's "tricycle"

Quito Half Marathon

IAAF/aims certified course. About a 400m drop...with a 2 km uphill at the finish. Starts in Quito at 2800m and finishes on the Equator. Maria ran 1:20:05...good for 4th and 300usd (last year she ran 1:30) Dad and Ramon in the baby jogger, ran 2:07 ish....The grandparents looked after Carla. She's in the terrible 2's at the moment and I didn't think she would handle over 2 hours in the double jogger very well. Last year I ran 2:20 with both kids.
A cool, cloudy 7 degrees at the start. Quito is full of great races if anyone wants to come for a running holiday. Don't know who took the photo....Maria rescuing Ramon from Dad at the finish.

Beds are trampolines

Carla's racing car

Papi Ramon and Mami Maruja's 2 week visit

Papi Mon and Mami Maruja have been with us for 2 weeks. They will go with Maria and the kids to Pasto tomorrow. It's been great having a full house with all the generations!


The kids watched La Mami slaughter a chicken for soup.

Fresh pineapple, mango, and papaya for breaky every morning.


Bull fight...corrida de torros

Changing of the guard at the presidential palace in Quito this morning.

With cousin Sarita.

Bull fight band.






Old railway tunnel...now a bike route!

Chirimoya tree...sweet, custard like fruit.

Playtime with grandparents

Adam comes for a visit

Best pals :)



The typical lead foot Schmok...although driving fast is quite normal here. Squealing around the corners. Damn good driver though...much better than this old man...half blind, feeling my way down the from the mountains.


Doing what he loves best....kicking back and hanging out....and a cervaza always helps.



Chevy Alto...plenty up pep, even with a full load and great on gas...which is only 1.50 us gallon here.

The kids love him....and now ask where he is....guess that means they miss him.


Young, handsome and single....counting his colesterol, and watching what he eats, just ain't on his radar screen.....yet!

Course he has his bad hair days like the rest of us.

With those climbing skills...I hope we make it up a mountain one weekend.





The new addition to our family....Ramon enticed him out of a sewer grate with some pork a few weeks back and so he stuck with us. Bertha is her name.



Can't help but wonder how such a white baby came out of a "chica morena"




Cloudy, cool weather on the equator?? The coast has it's seasons, unlike the Amazon that stays fairly wet most of the year.


Carla having a drink after a hike up a hill.


The book is you're friend: It teaches you culture, knowledge and feeds your spirit. Take care of me!

Sure are alot of Zambranos in Ecuador.

Running over the new 2km bridge in Bahia de Caraquez.

500usd richer. Gatorade guy trying to give her stuff for the foto. Organizer looks like he needs to get into shape for his own race. And the obligatory "sexy" girls to hand out prizes and pose for pics. Ramon is behind the sign.


I must be getting old....my "little" cousin Adam is now 27 and it doesn't seem that long ago that I held him as a baby! He has decided to explore South America for the winter and we were privilaged to have him start his adventure by hanging out with us for 10 days. The school vehicle broke down the day before we were to leave for our 1 week holiday, so we had to rent a car. We tried out a small mom and pop agency here in Tumbaco and got their last car...a tiny Chev Alto with a 1 litre motor, for only 30usd per day. Served us well and we put on over 2,000km! Drove to Manta where Maria came in 3rd in a 15km and won 500usd. Adam took off to Montanita, a surfer town and few hours further south, where he has started Spanish lessons and surfing lessons when it warms up. Hope he's back for another visit or two on his way to the jungle or for xmas maybe? The coast was cloudy and a cool 23 ish, which was a surprise, but nice for the kids. Then we drove up the coast and up to the Colombian border for another race, in the border town of Ipiales, where Maria was 5th. We drove back yesterday with the grandparents, who will stay with us for 2 weeks. Amazing what you can fit in such a small car!
On another topic...I have the bragging rights for the lowest colesterol. I told Maria, that while she continues to beat me in all the running races, that I would beat her with my colesterol count. She had hers tested for the first time and it's 173. Mine was 190 6 months ago and is now 137! Yippee!