Note: Every article is written in basque and english. Scroll down to read the english version.

EUSKERAZ ( 2016/09/30 )

Pasochoako baserrian

Baino Jorge Juan ez nuen kasualitate hutsetik topatu, Diegok jarri gintuen harremanetan. Bere baserrira joateko bide bazter batean itxoiten ninduen bere Land Rover txurian. Hemen bidea guztiz aldatzen zen, harri kozkorrez betetako mendiko bideak ziren eta inguruko baserrietako zakurrak zaunkaka bortizki ateratzen ziren bidera, kozka egiteko mehatsua eginez. Uff, horrek urduri jartzen nau, zakur hostiya hauek! Ez det ulertzen zergaitik baserritarrek ez dituzten arriskutsuak diren zakur hauek beraien barrutietan gordetzen.

Baserrira iritsi bezain laster nere pisukideak ezagutu nituen. Txekor tamainuko bi txakur! Bi Dogo Aleman beltz, baina hauek gozo gozoak ziren, mimoso hutsak. Jorge eta bere emaztearekin, Margaritarekin, bazkaldu nuen. Margaritak baserriko admnistrazioa eramateaz gain, amagina da, erditze naturalak egiten dituzten klinika batean egiten du lana. Kontatzen zidanez, musika, masajeak eta dantzaren bidez, erditzeak sortzen duen mina baretzea da helburua, erditzea naturalagoa eta momentu berezi bilakatuz.

Bazkalostean, luze aritu ginen berriketan. Jorgek, Andeak, oihaneko indigenak eta Ecuadorreko politikari buruz hitz egiten zidan. Nik berriz  Euskal Herriko eta Europako berriei buruz. Baserria liburuz eta argazkiz betea zegoen. Kultura, jakin-mina eta naturarekiko pasioa sentitzen zen baserri horretan. Esan bezela, Jorge, argazkilaria ere bada, baina ez nolanahikoa, “ultraligero” delako hegazki txiki bat du eta airetik ateratzen ditu argazkiak besteak beste. Behi belaze artean dauka bere aerodromo partikularra eta Quito eta inguruko beste piloto batzuekin elkarbanatzen du mendiko aerodromo hau.

Eta nola ezpa, berarekin hegan egitera gonbidatu ninduen. Nik ezin nuen sinistu! Bizitzak eta kasualitateek ekar ditzaketen sorpresak. harrigarriak izan daitezke. Quitotik Murphy lagunarekin atera nintzen eta hurrengo egunean inguruko sumendien gainetik hegan nenbilen “ultraligero” horietako batean. Horrelako serendipiak ikeragarri gustatzen zaizkit.

Ikusitakoak ikusita, hemendik aurrera eta orain arte bezela, nere plana, planik ez izatea da!

ENGLISH ( 2016/09/30 )

The farmhouse of Pasochoa

It was not a coincidence to come across with Jorge Juan, though. It was Diego who put us in contact. Jorge was waiting for me in the corner of a country road in order to go to his farmhouse. Here, the road was completely different, a mountain trail full of big stones and the dogs from the nearby farmhouses came out threatening with their barks as if they would bite. Dammit! That gets me very nervous. I can’t understand why the farmers do not keep these dangerous dogs within their property.

As soon as we arrived at the farmhouse I got to know my flatmates. Two dogs as big as a calf! Two black great Danes, although these ones were very nobles and loving. I had lunch with Jorge and Margarita, his wife. Margarita, apart from taking care of the farmhouses administration, she is a midwife and she works in a hospital where they practice natural births. According to her, the goal is to calm down the pain of giving birth by means of music, massages and dances, making the birth more natural and special.

After lunch we had been chatting for a long time. Jorge talked me about life in the Andean mountains, about jungle natives and politics in Ecuador. On the other hand, I shared stories about the Basque Country and Europe. The farmhouse was full of books and pictures. It radiated love for culture, desire to know and passion for the nature. As already mentioned, Jorge is also a photographer, but not any kind of photographer, he has an “ultralight” airplane and among others, he takes photos from the air. His aerodrome is in the middle of a cow meadow and he shares it with other pilots coming from Quito or close villages.

And as could not be otherwise, he invited me to fly with him. I couldn’t believe it! Life and random coincidences can bring astonishing events. I started the trip with the “friend” Murphy and the following morning I was flying over the volcanoes in an ultralight airplane. I really like these kind of serendipities!

And given all that has happened, from now on and as usual, my plan is, not to have a plan.

Euskeraz

Sumendien ibilbidea (Pasochoa, Cotopaxi, Tungurahua, Chimborazo, …) . Pasochoako baserria atzean utzita hortxe abiatu nintzen Cotopaxi sumendiaren parke naturalera. Eguraldia aldiz ez zegoen nere alde, euria goitik behera ari zuen eta Cotopaxi sumendiaren aztarnarik ez zen ikusten, laino arten gordea zegoen. Parke naturalean sartzeko harrizko 9 km-tako malda bat igo behar nuen eta bizikleta eta alforjen artean ia 50 kg ditudanez, furgoneta batean gerturatzea gomendatu zidaten. Eguraldiak iritziz aldatuarazi ninduen eta zuzenean Latacungara joan nintzen, han Warmshowers-eko Javier-ek bere etxean geratzeko gonbidatu ninduen eta deskantsua gustora hartu nuen. Bidean igo behar izan nituen maldak eta alturak, faktura pasa zidaten eta nahiko nekatua nengoen. Bigarren etapa zen eta hankak ez zeuden ohituak.

Latacungatik, Ambatora abiatu nintzen, Via Flores-eko bidetik, Chimborazo sumendiruntz (6310 m). Lurreko erdigunetik neurtuta, munduko mendirik garaiena da eta beraz eguzkitik gertuen dagoen puntua. Zalantzarik gabe hau izan zen etaparik gogorrena. 2500 metrotatik, 4800 m-tara, 50 km baino gehiago aldapa gora.

English

The avenue of the volcanoes ( Pasochoa, Cotopaxi, Tungurahua, Chimborazo, …)

Leaving behind the farmhouse of Pasochoa, I went towards the Cotopaxi natural park. Unfortunately, the weather was not helping, it was pouring and there was no trace of Cotopaxi volcano, it was hidden behind the clouds. In order to enter the natural park, I had to climb 9 kms of wild trail with almost 50 kgs between the bike and the saddlebags, so they recommended me to take a van for that stretch. The weather made my mind up and I decided to go directly to Latacunga, where another member of Warmshowers was waiting for me, Javier. The steep slopes and the altitude itself took my toll and I was really tired. It was the second stage and my legs were not used to it yet.

From Latacunga I rode to Ambato and from Via Flores road towards Chimborazo (6310 m). Chimborazo is the highest mountain measured from the center of the earth and therefore, the closest point in earth from the sun. Without a doubt, this was so far the most difficult stage. From 2500 meters to 4800m. More than 50 kms uphill.