We summited Rucu Pinchincha

Things are going well the weather is beautiful in the sixties. Yesterday we changed our plans and climbed Rucu instead of Gaugua. Guagua is proncunced Wa Wa btw and means baby. We changed our plans because they built an amusement park at the base of Rucu and we were able to take a ski lift cable car halfway up the mountain. As we were climbing to the cable car taking escaltors Tom said, ¨ This is the only way to climb! Always joked about catching the ecsulator to the top!¨ Hike still took us 6 hours to complete. Tough hike up loose rock and scree slopes. Four of us made it to the summit 15700 ft. Higher then any mountain in the continental US and higher then any mountain in Europe. Altitude took it´s toll and both Donna and I had wicked headaches when we got back to the hotel. Cheryl had a headache as well but Tom is on Demox. so he was okay. Asprin and a little rest and we were able to go out to dinner and were feeling great. It is feiesta time here in Ecuador the locals are celebrating Quito days til Tuesday. Lots of partying and people driving around drunk on open buses playing music. Kathy asked about food. Quito has everything from American fast food to guinea pig layed out with head and feet on plate. The quinea pig was $18 so I passed on that last night. Donna had cevecci, shrimp cooked in lime and I had arroz con pollo and a corn and pork dish, good local Ecuadorian food. Day before we all had crepes with either steak or mushroom or chicken. Again the food was excellent and cheap. Dinner costs about $18.00 fro two with wine. We are up early today having coffee and will be off to Tambopoxi for some more acclimitaitzation. Tambo is in the national park at 12000 feet. Ruminahui is the next hike and then some rest and onto Cotopaxi. We are not staying at the balck sheep inn - the arrangements were too difficult and then we could only get a room for four. I will try to write again after we climb Cotopaxi.

Life is good
Bobby & Donna

We have made it to Quito! Yesterday was a long day up at 4:30 to bed at 12:30pm. They lost our luggage but then it magically appeared. Works out our luggage got to Quito before we did! I{ll spare you the boring details. OK had this omen. Donna and I broke the thanksgiving wishbone waiting for the plane, The bone split into two equal peices and the top flew across the gate area. I picked up the three peices and brought them to Ecuador to drop off on top of Cotopaxi. Cheryl Toms girlfriend who picked us up her said it means we both get our wishes and win the lottery! What do you think? Tommorrow we take this ski lift to the top of Pinchinicha to do a three hour acclimitization hike. Quito is great so far. People are friendly and put up with my bad Spainish. Have to say the place reminds me of Paterson NJ sometimes weird. Ill try to keep posting.

Bobby & Donna