Intro

Day 211 found me waking in Sucua, a town that had offered a quiet respite. The broader journey through Ecuador was unfolding, and today promised a departure from the main highway, a decision I felt good about. My mood at the start of the ride was simply present, ready for whatever the road had in store.

Ride Overview

I covered 40.25 kilometers today, with an elevation gain of 497 meters and a loss of 733 meters. The weather was partly cloudy, a mix of sun and intermittent rain. The surface changed dramatically as soon as I left the Troncal Amazonica, transitioning from smooth pavement to a challenging, bad gravel road. My average speed reflected the terrain, a slow but steady 10.29 km/h over 235 minutes of actual riding.

Highlights

After leaving the fire station where I'd been allowed to camp, the immediate mission was breakfast. Just outside Sucua, a small place caught my eye: "Las Delicias del Gringo Loco." Inside, I met Steve, a Canadian expat, and his Ecuadorian wife who ran the place. While waiting for my tigrillo, Steve shared tales of his retired life and vivid experiences from various corners of the earth. The tigrillo itself was sublime – moist, creamy, the best I’d had in Ecuador, a secret recipe the chef wouldn't divulge.

Despite the later difficulties with slippery stones, I felt a quiet satisfaction in choosing the parallel road over the Troncal Amazonica. The views of the Upano River were captivating, winding its way through the valley, and the near absence of traffic made for a peaceful journey. It was a conscious choice for scenery and solitude, and it paid off visually.

Later, after a particularly trying incident, I pushed on, needing to find a new place to stop. A few kilometers further, I found the Kurintza Shuar Community. Their polideportivo seemed a beacon of hope. After a respectful conversation with the community leader, I was granted permission to stay. Setting up my tent and preparing a simple dinner of pre-cut veggies, pasta letters, and tuna, I felt a sense of relief. They even provided a bucket of rainwater for washing when I asked, a gesture of unexpected kindness.

Lowlights

Lunchtime arrived, and as I sat at a polideportivo, I realized I’d forgotten to buy bread in Sucua. My meal was sparse: two bananas, a single radish, an Ecuadorian yellow dragon fruit, and an apple. The yellow dragon fruit, I must say, is incredibly sweet, perhaps my favorite fruit in Ecuador – darn delicious. It kept me going until dinner, but the oversight was a minor frustration.

Already by noon, a gentle rain had begun, lasting for about two hours. This, combined with the road conditions, created a new challenge. The path was often made up of loose, oval-shaped rocks, and when the road inclined, my wheels would slip. It threw me off balance more than a few times, a constant wobble, but fortunately, my quick reactions kept me from falling.

Then, on the last day of carnival, a truly stupid incident unfolded. In the Pania Community, a child approached with a water gun. I clearly stated, twice, that I didn’t want to participate in the carnival water games. The child just grinned wider. I maintained distance, repeating my refusal. When words seemed to fail, I picked up a small stone, not to throw, but to emphasize my point. A nearby drunk man saw this, picked up a much larger stone, and began shouting threats. Suddenly, I was surrounded. People held buckets, trying to convince me to join their water games. I tried to explain about my limited dry clothes and expensive equipment. While struggling to understand their rapid Spanish, a woman poured a bucket of water over me. The situation escalated instantly: the man threw the stone at my shin, I nudged the bucket lady, she fell, my bike toppled, and everyone was screaming. Someone eventually de-escalated, and explanations were exchanged. The stone-thrower claimed it was a private road and foreigners were bad. I pushed my bike a few meters away to change my soaked clothes, ignoring a lady who said I couldn't change there. There was giggling as I changed, but I didn't care. Pushing on, another group stopped me. One man apologized for what happened. We exchanged polite words, and he wished me a safe journey. I am profoundly glad carnival will be over tomorrow.

Overnight

I stayed at the polideportivo of the Kurintza Shuar Community, located at what felt like the very edge of the world after the day’s events. This place mattered immensely; it was a sanctuary after the chaos, a quiet corner where I could pitch my tent and process the day. The simple act of being offered rainwater for a wash felt like a profound comfort.

Reflection

Today confirmed the unpredictable nature of long-distance cycling, not just in terrain but in human interaction. It hammered home the importance of staying calm under pressure, even when the situation feels overwhelming and unfair. The quiet takeaway is that even in frustration and conflict, small acts of kindness, like a delicious breakfast or a provided bucket of water, can still shine through and offer a quiet resilience.

Route summary

• Date: 17.02.2026 09:47
• Distance: 40.25 km
• Elevation gain: 497,375 m
• Elevation loss: 733,352 m
• Duration: 543 min
• Time in Motion: 235 min
• Average Speed: 10,293 km/h