14th February Cuenca – Riobamba 168 miles

We got away reasonably early today so should make Quito but we are going to visit an Inca ruin en route. The weather is foul yet again and we still wending our way around and over the mountains, dodging rocks and peering through fog.
After 2 hours we arrive at the Inca ruin and realize that we have only done 55 miles. We go off around the ruins still wearing our crash helmets as it is still pouring, it is quite interesting and much bigger than we thought it would be but the weather does not inspire us to spend ages contemplating it.
We have 200 miles to go and 3 ½ hours, should be a breeze but we know we won’t make it so plan K, pick a town you like the sound of en route, Riobamba, that will do.
We are still running in pouring rain and very often, fog. I arrived at a right hand bend and noticed as I was mid bend a band of mud about 3 meters wide covering the whole width of the road, my immediate reaction was to come up and use more road but I noticed through the gloom an artic coming towards me so I had no alternative but to commit to the bend and hope for some grip. Almast as soon as my front wheel hit the mud it slid away and I was down, fortunately as the back wheel hit it it also slid and spun the bike round which kept me on my side of the road. A pick up following the lorry enquired if I was OK and I said yes but solicited their help to lift the bike up, it was all quite hairy as it was thick for in the middle of a bend, but apart from a few scratches to the crash bars and pannier, no harm done.
When I caught up to Martin I relayed what had happened and he enquired which bend because he had had a similar experience it transpires on the same bend. He did what I was going to do until I saw the lorry and went right across the road staying upright and then ventured backacross the road and a lorry was coming and all he could hear were air horns and air brakes and he just got back across. So dodgy moments for both of us in the same place.
We come into Riobambe which is quite a large town and find a hotel out of the guide which is a real gem. We are on the 8th floor, so great views of the city and our bathroom has a floor to ceiling window, so that you can sit in the bath, which has lights in it and look out across the night sky of the city. Lots of other things such as Wifi, restaurant and gymnasium which we didn’t try.
Quito tomorrow for sure!!