Day two of the Ecuador Skills Seminar started well with a healthy breakfast, the thankful arrival of Shannon who missed his Quito connection by a bitter ten minutes no thanks to mad airline boondoggling. He did manage to save the day when he was able to pick up my "lost" duffel, which flew down a day later than I did but must have told Shannon's duffel it was uncool to arrive on time so we are still one bag short for the group. After our morning rituals were complete it was off to our first mountain which, by most people's standards is no gimme with its summit pushing 15,700 feet. No gimme indeed but a 3,000-foot gondola ride did help our cause. Nick and I keep wondering why we don't have such a luxury to take us to Camp Muir on Mt. Rainier and all we could figure out is because Rucu Pichincha has erupted a few times in the last fifty years, a cable car makes good sense. The hike went off without a hitch, or major rain event which was forecasted but never materialized and the team enjoyed a great first Ecuadorian summit. Thank you volcano gods! After the hike we returned to the hotel to pack, rest and prepare for tomorrow's adventure. Everyone is doing great and getting along famously. Tomorrow we leave the big city for the big mountains. Yippee. RMI Guide Adam Knoff

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