Hola from Crucita Ecuador!

I left Denver on Saturday December 5th with paraglider on my back and pack on my front with what I’m already finding to be more than I need or want to begin an 18 month journey around the world.  I spent my first day in Quito, Ecuador and quickly felt at home when I discovered the Quito Incline!  Not quite as intense as the Manitou Incline but a good workout from climbing more than 2000 steps about 3/4 mile up to the highest point in Quito with a great view of the City.  I only stayed in Quito for a couple of days as Brenda will be meeting me there again in January.

On Tuesday I arrived in Crucita where I plan to stay for almost a month practicing my newly acquired paragliding skills and attempting to learn Spanish.  On Saturday the local paragliding club in Crucita hosted a Christmas party for the kiddos in the community complete with a clown, presents, and free tandem paragliding flights for the kids that wanted to try.  I assisted with the launching and even managed to get 3 flights in with nearly 1-1/2 hours combined flight time.  After a week in Crucita, I’m starting to get into a routine – run in the early mornings, paragliding in the afternoons, and learning patience in dealing with power outages and antiquated internet connections.