LOJA: WE WENT SOUTH… AND HEAVEN

With this route, we have accomplished 17 tours all over the country, one each month.
Our objective is to spread the 21x24 Challenge’s Cause: to protect life in the 980 000 hectares of nature, pure water and species, called Yasuní. It is a national park which belongs to all Ecuadorians.

Elite athletes as Franklin Tenorio, Silvio Guerra, Diana Landi, the climber Ivan Vallejo and the TV star Maria Teresa Guerrero have supported this challenge for the cause it promotes.

Rather than going south, we went to heaven. Vilcabamba in Loja province is a spot to visit, remain and live. For 50 years visitors passing by, have made Vilcabamba their home.

A group of 17 participants from Quito, Esmeraldas, El Oro and Loja had the privilege of running through this land. They got up early at 6am to make some warmups, before the masses of ‘carnival players’ would gather in the town’s central park to literally wash down people passing by with water and foam.

The runners left at 7am towards Cucanama by the Chamba river. Then went to San Joaquin Farm, a beautiful 6k neighborhood surrounded by trees, gardens, country houses and a spectacular scenery of the valley and the mountains of Podocarpus. Back on the road to Vilcabamba, they could enjoy a blurred vision of mount Mandango. Then they took the water channel road to complete the 21k of the challenge, right into the main park of the town.

This edition of the 21x24 Challenge was accomplished thanks to the support of Banco Solidario, sponsor of the Cause. Other sponsors are: Vivant, Podium and Amazonia por la vida. The National Police provided excellent support in this 17th route.

The next routes are:
• Puyopungo – Puyo, Pastaza: Sunday, March 11
• El Angel / Mira / Uyamá, Carchi: Sunday, April 8
• San Cristóbal, Galápagos Islands: Saturday, May 12. Follow this link to get more info:
http://www.cometogalapagosmarathon.com/
• Riobamba , Urbina, Chimborazo: Sunday, June 10
• Valle Hermoso, La Abundancia, Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas: Sunday, July 8
• Manteles, Patate, Tungurahua: Sunday, August 12
• Yasuní, Orellana: Sunday, September 9 (¡¡¡end of the Challenge!!!)

WE RUN FOR A CAUSE:
TO PROTECT LIFE IN THE YASUNI NATIONAL PARK
ONE OF THE LAST ECOLOGICAL RESERVES IN THE WORLD AND THE MOST BIODIVERSE

The Challenge 21x24 arrives to LOJA

LOJA #17 Sunday, February 19, 2012 - 7:00am

Meeting (6:30am) and departure point: Parque Central, Vilcabamba, Loja - 7:00am
Arrival : Parque Central, Vilcabamba
Supply points: every 5k

Characteristics of the route.

1. From Central Park to Madre Tierra hotel (1k and a half), take the road to El Chaupi for 10k and return with a short detour to Central Park (9k and a half).
2. The route is almost flat, green and beautiful. It goes around Vilcabamba.
3. We will have the support of the National Police.
4. Altitude: 1500 msmn
5. Temperature: 12 - 17°C in the morning.
6. We will be supplied by Vivant (water) and other beverages plus bananas and bread.

Bring: sun hat and sunscreen, light shirt and shorts or lycra. Extra and warm clothing will be kept for you in the supply pick up.
Other: energy bars, blocks, gels, Gatorade, Vaseline ... the usual. You won’t need the hydration belt.

About the area:
In Vilcabamba you will feel ‘disconnected’. It is called the Valley of Longevity, the timeless valley, valley of eternal youth. It is extremely quiet. Its name comes from the Indian word "huilco", which is a tree Anadenanthera colubrina (almost extinct) with hallucinogenic properties considered magical and sacred by the Incas, and bamba which means valley or flat surface.

This paradise is also full of energy and has plenty of attractions:
Hiking on Cerro Mandango. Horseback riding. Podocarpus National Park. Bird watching. Spas and relaxation. To meet very old people who live there in healthy and peaceful ways.

Getting to Vilcabamba:
From Quito by bus takes approximately 14 to 16 hours. There are good roads. In private car: 12 hours.By plane: There are three daily flights in Tame, 180dls at a cost of taxes. From the airport in Catamayo, to Vilcabamba is an hour. You have to go through the city of Loja. Cost: $ 30.

SOME HOTELS (there are lots and nice ones)
Madre Tierra. Phone: 07 264 0087
El Descanso de Ramsés. Phone: 07 264 0039
Izhcayluma http://www.izhcayluma.com/

NEXT ROUTES:PASTAZA #18: Sunday, March 11, 2012.
Puyo
CARCHI #19: Sunday, April 8, 2012
El Angel

For those who will not run the Challenge 21x24 and want to support the Cause of the protection of Yasuni, can do the following:
.Write your opinion about oil operations in Yasuni to mlhernandez@solidario.fin.ec or publish it in your FB or Twitter.
.Inform about the presence of oil companies in Yasuni.
.Get information and visit this unique reserve.
.And/or buy the Challenge 21x24 t-shirt

REGISTRATION SPOTS:
1. At the beginning of every route.
2. PODIUM Triathlon Store
Luxemburgo N34-340 y Portugal, Edf. Braganza Phone.: 593 2 3331 509
Quito – Ecuador
Fee: $25 (includes t-shirt, 24 routes, water and fruit stations)

Further information:
http://21kx24provincias.blogspot.com/
http://twitter.com/lourdeshernande
http://www.banco-solidario.com/
Contact: mlhernandez@solidario.fin.ec
Phone.: 95669133

WE RUN FOR A CAUSE:
TO PROTECT LIFE IN THE YASUNI NATIONAL PARK
ONE OF THE LAST ECOLOGICAL RESERVES IN THE WORLD AND THE MOST BIODIVERSE