Chimborazo

On Tuesday, we went to Chimborazo which is Ecuador's highest summit. Its last eruption is thought to have occurred some time in the first millennium AD. Its summit is the spot on the surface farthest from the center of the Earth, measuring 20,946,232 feet from the Earth's core to the peak. We traveled on a dirt road as high as we could drive. Then Judy and the children hiked to a cabin that was 5,000 meters in altitude.

Chimborazo has breathtaking views. Hoever, due to the high altitude, I had difficulty breathing. During the three hours of waiting for the rest to return, I became sick with altitude sickness. When we returned to Riobamba, Daniella's father took me to his doctor's office in the hospital and insisted on checking me out. Everything was fine except for high blood pressure which is normally low for me. He said rest would cure me and this morning I feel much better.

It seems like when I get in altitudes over 9,000 feet, I am very short of breath. Both Quito and Riobamba are over 9,000 feet and yesterday we were at an alitidue of over 16,000 feet. The other time I had altitude sickness was when I climbed Pikes Peak at 14,100 feet.