I depart Quito with Robert on the back of the bike. He has on a dark jacket and red beret. He is very slim, and his small shoulder bag is only big enough for his camera and rain poncho.
The road is metal and partly cobbled. It’s winding, narrow, hilly, and in good condition. Near the top of one hill there is a brass plate going across the road, set in the cobbles, and a small sign: “Equatorial Line.” Robert gets off and takes photos. The outlook is quite scenic, and I ride my bike around and around the brass plate until I start to get dizzy. For me it was a big event—the halfway marker! 120 days, 8,360 miles from Punta Arenas.
We spend the night in the town of San Isidro. It’s been a good ride: 120 miles and only one puncture, caused by a small stone inside the tyre, somehow. We get a bed, meal, and breakfast for $1 each.