Leaving Villa de Leyva and Heading South

Busting out of the Zona de Camping

It took us three tries to get out of Villa de Leyva. Each time we’d leave we’d get a little way down the road and decide there was an adjustment we wanted to make on the van. Thinking it would be easier to do it in a familiar and back to the Zona we´d head.

Our last night there was a Saturday. We returned to the Zona and as always we had the place to ourselves. Then two cars pulled in with about 12 college aged kids who immediately set about partying. No problem, we’d enjoyed the company of other kids during our stay. Mike went to check the internet and while he was away two more cars pulled in. I started to have a bad feeling. When Mike returned he read my mind, saying, “Maybe we should go somewhere else for the night.’ We were gone in 7 minutes.


We’d been in Villa so long we knew of other places offering camping and we ended up at a place high above town. It was an interesting way to bid Villa de Leyva good-bye, having a bird’s eye view of our little burg. The next morning we went by the Zona to see no less than 15 cars and twenty-plus tents crowding the place we had called home for over a month. It was a big holiday weekend and boy, were we glad we had vacated.

Our final view of Villa de Leyva

NP Iguaque beyond Villa de Leyva

When we finally left Villa, we headed to an area we had come through earlier and found an isolated piece of land with great views and no one around. We loved Villa de Leyva, but we were definitely in a fish bowl and we were craving some privacy. We spent the whole day gaping at the incredible views and sighing relief that our engine project was behind us.

Our campsite between Arcobuco and Tunja

Chillin'

Then we worked our way south and west nipping Bogata, crossing the Central Cordillera and dropping into the coffee growing region. Though it was great to be on the road again, almost instantly we felt the van just wasn’t running right.

But wait...Did she always run like this? Did she ever have power?  We were in some steep mountains. And every day we (Mike) would make adjustments trying to dial things in. Eventually we knew the engine was dialed in and we began to suspect there were other problems.

Nothing to stop us from continuing our travels, but clearly making driving tedious. There was no 'fahrv' in the 'nugen'. Each day Mike would try something different as he tried to zero in on what the issue(s) were, careful not to adjust too much lest he create confounding variables.

 Dawn at Los Nevados National Park (approx. 12,000 feet)

Our travels took us to Salento where we crossed paths with some fellow travelers we had met in Mexico. We had fun comparing notes and getting to know Trond and Roz a bit better.

 

 Mike, Chettie, Trond and Roz

We toured the area west of Salento, up the Valle de Cocora known for its soaring wax palms. It is a pretty area but the rain that had been falling daily since we got to Villa de Leyva now started to fall heavily and it started to cloud our fun.

A study of wax palms in gray

Salento's wooden buildings, different from the adobe we'd been with for so long.

As Roz and Trond left seeking sun and their new roof-top box, Ernesto and Claudia arrived: Swiss travelers in a tricked out Land Rover Defender. Roz and Trond had also told us of another VW Westfalia they had seen in Salento with Swiss plates, so we passed the word on to Ernesto and Claudia and they set off (in the rain) to find their countrymen. When they returned they invited us to dinner with Steph and Janine. We had a great time with them, again sharing road stories, talking politics and life.

Janine setting the table. (Yes, Ernesto and Claudia are travelling with a full place setting for six!)

Claudia, Janine, Ernesto and Steph feasting on a great 'Stone Soup' dinner

Steph showing off his VW belt buckle (this guy was dyed in the wool VW....his jacket is VW and the dinner contribution they brought came in a Westfalia bowl.)

By now we were getting pretty tired of the rain and also the van issues. We knew of a German engine rebuilder in Pasto from some earlier travelers and we headed that way to seek out his advice. Carlos Koch was a nice guy and he referred us to another engine dude who gave the engine a once over—checking the timing and valve adjustment. While there, Mike also put in a new oil pump that Jim had brought but that hadn’t been installed.

Still, the Burly Bitch (her new nick-name) just wasn't running right.

While in the Pasto area we stayed at the very lovely Hotel Sandamanoy on Laguna de la Cocha. It is a nice old lodge in the Teddy Roosevelt tradition. We were the only ones there and although the rain continued to fall it was a very pleasant place to stay. We got to know the staff and owner. They were all great. The Laguna is beautiful and I snuck in a little boat ride during one brief break in the weather.

The Burly Bitch at the Hotel Sandamanoy

Hotel Sandamanoy

Laguna de la Cocha

Hotel Sandamanoy from Laguna de la Cocha

Laguna de la Cocha

Still, the ever-patient Mike continued evaluating our vehicle problems, which ran to a failing clutch master cylinder and an erratic voltage regulator on the alternator that produced several-seconds long 18.5 voltage power surges (twelve to fourteen volts is normal). These surges subsequently confused the fuel injection system.

The old girl just wasn’t having fun, and I don't mean me ;-)

We then crossed into Ecuador. The scenery continues to be outrageous. Soaring peaks, lush valleys, rios, lagunas, lagos, and oh, yeah, hot springs. But more on that later.

We came across a Volks Wagen dealer in Ibarra and decided to have some parts shipped to them directly, which we are waiting for. The service guys at the dealer cleaned the fuel injectors and declared one bad. No problem, new ones are on the way. Mike cleaned the brushes on the alternator and that seems to have settled the power surges down. New alternator is also on the way. The oxygen sensor, new in the last month, has also been cleaned and seems to be sending the proper voltage to the injectors.

We are clearly headed in the right direction, but only after some trying times made even more difficult by the ever-falling rain. And this is the dry season! Even the locals everywhere we’ve been have commented on the weather. Today was the first day of true sunshine since we left Villa de Leyva….but the day isn’t over yet.

Don't get me wrong. Despite the wet weather and the car issues we have had some great adventures and seen some beautiful places. I mean, we're in Ecuador! We are enjoying ourselves and our travels and we are looking forward to that which is to come: the rest of Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Chile and Argentina. Ushuia for Christmas!