Ecuador alternate north/south route
 

If you have done the Panamericana from Quito to the Peru border and are looking for an alternative, ride the route from Quito to Loja through Papallacta, Tena, Puyo and Zamora. This drops down into the upper reaches of the Amazon basin with great views of the mountains and the jungle. It is green and lush and still with enough elevation to not be too hot and sweaty. There is a portion of the road (100 km) between Limón and Gualaquiza that is unpaved with rough and muddy sections. The majority of this route is paved (some of it quite new, only finished in 2009), smooth, fast and curvy with hardly a pot hole in sight--and virtually no traffic. Portions of this road north of Limón are a sport bikers dream. Highly recommended. Nice little towns along the way. Take a side trip to Misahualli to see the monkeys in the central plaza.

An excellent side trip is from Macas to Riobamba through the southern portion of Parque Nacional Sangay. About a 100 km mudfest in the wet, but good ride.