A HIKE WITH SUE

Dec 6, 2022:  Not long after we arrived I met another tenet of our landlord named Cedar.  After learning we were adventurous he mentioned there is a hiking group that meets every Tuesday,  and gave me the contact info of a person named Sue, and I got in touch with her.  She explained that the hikes vary widely from strenuous to easy, and she tried to make the first Tuesday of each month the easy one.  I was interested in going for the chance to explore new places and meet new people, but it turned out that the dentist I was using was only in town on Tuesdays, so that delayed any hikes.  She has a list of those who hike and emails them with the weekly plans.  By Sunday, Dec 4, she mailed out the plans for the hike in 2 days, which sounded not too hard and not too far away.  But on Monday our landlord Richard said he needed to go to Loja to make a bank deposit, and offered to show us around a bit, so we accepted.  So another Tuesday hike got called off for me.

But by mid-day on Monday RIchard’s plans changed because his trusted Taxi driver Hernan had other commitments, so the Loja trip got delayed a day, which meant the hike was back on.  Sue sent me the meeting place and time, and I left our house at 8:30, and walked to town.  We met at the Coconut Coffee shop, and little by little the hikers showed up.  I think there were 22 today, plus 4 dogs.  I talked with some, finding out where they were from, if they were here permanently or just visiting.  I learned that of the nations represented, there were hikers from 7 of them: USA, Canada, Germany, Austria, Vietnam, Italy, and Sue was from Sweden. 

Due to the number of hikers we needed 3 taxis.  Many of the taxis here are Toyota Pick-Up trucks with a king cab, so each took 7-8 people.  We drove north to the next town San Pedro and hung a right, the same way we went to Bowens a couple of weeks ago for Thanksgiving.   But instead of turning left to the Bowens we turned right, and for the next 15 minutes zig-zagged up the hill.  Good thing the drivers had high clearance and 4 wheel drive trucks, because there were some steep places and once in a while they needed to switch to low gear then.  If you were scared of heights you probably would not have cared to look over the side.

We finally made it to the trail, and our guide showed us where we’d be headed.  But first, it was time for a group picture, and our guide did those honors for the owners of 4-5 cell phones.  Here’s mine:

The way Sue described the hike, it was supposed to be about 45 minutes up to the highest point, after which we’d descend to an alpine lake.  That sounded doable for me.  I figured I could take a rest as needed.  We all assumed this was how Sue understood it as told to her by our guide.  

So we merrily struck out “up” the trail.  After about 100 meters I was huffing and puffing, needing a rest already.  I guess I felt obligated to keep up with everyone else.  So I did my best, trying to not overdo it.  But after not too long up the trail I could feel my heart pounding in my head with a mild headache coming on.   Sometimes after stopping to catch my breath I’d get a little nauseated.   So fairly soon I determined  I simply needed to ascend at my own pace regardless of how the others were doing.  

The higher up we went the better the view got.  Malacatos was gleaming in the sunshine way below us.  A German lady was pointing out some landmarks of that town to me.  

                        THE TOWN OF MALACATOS WAY DOWN THERE.

Vilcabamba was easily visible as well, and we were now looking down on Cerro Mandango for a change.  At one point higher up I was actually able to see our landlord’s dwelling because he has a large blue metal fence just to the right of the entrance gate.  

HERE IS THE TOWN OF VILCABAMBA. CERRO MANDANGO IS JUST RIGHT OF CENTER.

The elevation where near where we started was 7,250 feet.   When we stopped to eat we were at 9,275 feet, so the air was getting thin, which did not help us as you would imagine.  I kept to my slow pace and was able to get over the light-headedness and nausea.  Eventually it was my legs that were getting sore, which was more of

 concern than the slow pace and thin air.  

Not too far up the trail we began seeing short plants, very similar to aloe vera plants, but they had backward pointing spines.  I made the mistake of feeling one and got two of them imbedded in my fingers.   The father up we hiked the more of them there were, often hanging over the trail.  I remembered there were a few ladies who wore shorts………..not a good idea.  Once down the bottom I counted 4 ladies with shorts, and each one had numerous pinpoint marks on their ankles and calves, some were busy itching them as well. Carl was wishing he had a pair of tweezers.

                        THIS IS ONE OF THE THOUSANDS OF SUCH PRICKLY PLANTS

We kept wondering when we’d reach the high point of our hike and descend to the lake.  After about 4 false summits I no longer worried about it and decided to just enjoy the view and camaraderie.  There were occasions when we had to traverse a gully and then back up the other side.  

                        HERE’S CARL HEADING DOWN INTO ONE OF THOSE GULLIES.

There was one point where we walked for about 50 meters along a ridge, and one step either way might not end well.  At another point the trail dropped off precipitously to our left and you certainly did not want to lose your footing there.  

                        HERE’S WHERE THE GUIDE HAD US STOP FOR A BREATHER

After about an hour the guide had us all stop for a breather.  I asked him “How much farther?”  He said about a half hour.  I think some of us then assumed his estimates were based on his past hikes, and as he was probably in his 30s, he could hike faster then many of the rest of us.  So we resumed our trek, surmounting each false summit.  We eventually made it to the top of one of those and were told the next one was the last one.  It looked somewhat formidable, steeper than anything we’d been up so far.  And to top that off, one of our group by the name of John, who was in excellent shape was now coming down from that hillside, having been to our destination.  He said he could not find any “lake”, only a wet meadow, and that the goal was basically “anti-climactic.”  So with that report, about half of us decided the rest was not worth it, sat down and ate our lunch, while the more ambitious continued on.  Due to lack of rain, the “lake” was not formed yet for the rainy season. 

HERE IS CARL WITH HIS DOG LEO.  CARL WAS FROM PORTLAND, OREGON, AND HAD BEEN IN VILCABAMBA FOR ALMOST 2 YEARS, SO WE HAD LOTS TO CHAT ABOUT.  HIS DOG HAS BEEN  QUITE ABUSED BY OTHER DOGS, SO DID NOT ALLOW ANYONE BUT CARL TO PET HIM. 

                        HERE’S A SELFIE OF ME, WITH VILCABAMBA WAY DOWN BELOW

                                HERE’S A FEW OF US ENJOYING LUNCH.

We took about 25 minutes to eat our lunches, and then it was time for the trip back down.  At least I would not be huffing and puffing anymore. Now my knees would be put to the test, so once again I’d have to pace myself.  My knees just ain’t what they used to be and don’t hold me up like when I was younger.  I’d have to pick my footing at times pretty seriously.   By now the clouds had come over and the sky was darkening overhead, something fairly normal for afternoons this time of year.  One expat who’d been here for some years said the rainy season was late this year, and that we needed it now.  

The trip down was uneventful and we all arrived in ones and twos at the field where the group pic was taken.  By then my knees were starting to feel it.  Plus, one of my legs began to cramp up.  Someone gave me some salt to eat, but it did not do the trick.  After a half hour I decided I’d start walking down the hill, mainly to find some birds, which had been in short supply so far. I walked maybe a half mile before the first taxi/pick-up came along and I hopped in.  But while riding back down in the back of a pick up the cramp decided to act out, and I had a hard time finding a comfortable position,  so was glad when we reached Vilcabamba where I got out to walk and stretch my legs.  

Some of the group were in the habit of going to a coconut bar after hikes and invited me along.  So I joined them.  It cost $1.50 for a topped off coconut with a straw, which I think held about 2/3 of a quart.  Sue was there and said this was the hardest hike they’ve done, and if I could do that one, the others would not be as difficult. 

Soon Rosie showed up and we were next headed to the small grocery store we like.  It was then that I really started feeling my legs.  We had to walk much slower than usual, and I told Rosie we’d be taking a taxi back regardless of how many groceries we bought.  While at the store I noticed a woman there checking things out.  She had a shawl-like sweater. She talked to the clerk who went and got some olive oil for her.  It was then that she knelt down and used her teeth to open her purse.  Then that I realized she had no hands.  I was interested in how she was going to get money out and what not, and then she looked at me, probably assuming I was staring at her (which I was).  So I figured I’d better smile, and she returned that gesture.  

After she left I asked the clerk about her having “no monos” (no hands).  She rattled off a few words in Spanish, ending with the word “Sola.”  I looked it up on my Google Translate App which said it meant “Alone,”  which I assumed meant she lived alone. I saw a dog in the store, which I had seen there previously, so asked the clerk if it was hers.  She said yes.  I told her I have 3 cats at home, and then began showing her pics of Buster,  one of them.  She just laughed and laughed.  Buster often lays flat on his back with his paws up in the air, so I take pics of such occasionally.

                                SO HERE IS BUSTER, IN ANOTHER UNUSUAL POSITION.

Right after that we headed back to the town square and took the taxi home.  I should sleep well tonight.  Oh, and by the way, my pedometer app indicates I walked 5.5 miles and went up 82 flights of stairs!