Mechanic in Azogues, Ecuador
 

Ay up guys and gals,
A recommended mechanic in Azogues, Ecuador. 20ish km north of Cuenca on Ruta 35.
Juan. He does mostly trucks but has a long standing interest in dirt bikes and a fine collection including a CR250 and a DRZ400.
S 02 43'48.8" W 78 51'09.9"

So the story, I was broken down at the side of the road. I left the bike outside a workshop where they were spraypainting cars and said that they'd keep an eye on my stuff and I walked into town until I could find a taxi and went around all the moto mechanics in town. Nobody would have anything to do with me at all. I was starting to make arrangements to truck the bike to Quito when a random passer by saw my bike, came for a chat and offered to tow me to a mechanic. This turned out to be Juan.
Turns out, due to a long string of events, I'd managed to shear all the splines off my drive axle. Juan machined a spacer, fitted a new sprocket with a boat load of Loctite and claimed it would get me to Quito where I have an "appointment" with a mechanic anyway.
He refused to take any money for the job, kept the bike and my luggage overnight at his house and went out of his way to negotiate a favourable rate at a local hotel.
Great guy, well into the bikes and loves hearing stories about bike travel. If you're in the area and need a bit of machining done, give Juan a shout.

Please say "Hi" from me.

Dunc.

Duncan
You are gradually building a new bike by the sounds of it!

how long do you think you will be in Quito? I should be crossing in to Ecuador in the next few days.

Delb

Take your time, I'll be here for another couple of weeks I reckon. My parts are finally in transit so I'm hoping they'll be here in a week and then another week to put the bike back together.
See a bit of Ecuador on your way, it's very beautiful and a complete contrast to the desert.
As for the bike, I've named it Theseus (after the Ship of Theseus) or Trigger (after Trigger's broom) for short :)

A good name for it! perhaps it should go on display when you get home!

will keep in youch with my progress - any recsfor towns, roads etx on the way there?

cheers

Crossed the border at Macara, very easy going but had to wait for the customs man to get to work before I could go through.
Macara to Loja is a nice bit of road, some dirt but not more than a few hundred metres at a time. Nothing like Bolivian dirt. It's almost like riding from the desert to the Alps in a day.
Loja is worth a couple of days, very pretty town but the only place I could find where I could get a beer during the day was the Grand Hotel.
All the roads between Loja and Quito are worth riding. Very pretty, windy, views, volcanoes etc. It does get cold in the rain though. There was thick fog most of the time I was on this road so I didn't get to appreciate the views properly.
Cuenca looks very nice but I only stopped to talk to a guy on a KTM.
Riobamba, again very nice but limited daytime drinking options.
Quito, expensive and La Mariscal is full of backpackers, plenty to do if you like nightlife but it's dangerous after dark. There was a shooting (I don't know the details) between here and the cigarette shop one night last week at about 7pm.

Thanks for that, I am planning to go across at Macara too but after that I want to go to Guayaquil to see if i can get a deal on a trip to the Galapagos. May stay at Loja on the way.

Good luck with the bike

Cheers.

There are about a million travel agencies in La Mariscal that do trips to the Gallapagos but I've just spoken to the girl on the hostel desk and she says it's much cheaper to go from Guayaquil.
If you end up on the island of Isabella, let me know, I have a friend working over there.

ok will do.

Let me know where you are in Quito and if i get there in time I will shack un nearby

cheers

I'm in a tent on the roof of Casa Helbling, it's just off 6 Diecembre. There's bike parking here and several bikes. Drop me a mail or a PM when you're on your way and I'll sort you out directions and reserve a room for you.

Ok will do.
by the way, when did you start taking your Malaria pills (if at all)?


Cheers

I started taking them two days before crossing the Ecuadorian border. I've stopped taking them now, there isn't any malaria above 1000m (or so I was told by the travel clinic before going to Bangalore a few years ago) and Quito is at something like 2800m.
I certainly haven't noticed any insect bites and I'm living in a tent on the roof so I'm in a prime insect dining location.

Thanks for that, i have avoided taking them so far as i have much worse areas to go in to & you are only meant to take the pills for 2 months.

reminds me - did you sort out insurance in Roja? If so where. thanks again