Quito sits almost on the equator and almost two miles up, and the two facts together explain a lot. At about 2,850 metres the air is thin, the sun is fierce, and the days are mild whatever the calendar says, so the city lives in a permanent early spring. It stretches for kilometres along a narrow Andean valley, with Pichincha volcano rising on the western side and, on clear mornings, the snow cone of Cotopaxi and other peaks visible to the south and east.
This is the starting point for the Avenue of the Volcanoes, the name the German explorer Alexander von Humboldt gave to the double line of peaks that runs south along the Ecuadorian highlands, and a good ride begins here. Leaving the city takes patience, since traffic is heavy and the avenues are crowded with buses. Once you are on the Panamericana heading south, the road climbs and falls through green valleys and past farms and flower greenhouses, as Ecuador is one of the world's major rose exporters.
Practical points count at this altitude. Engines lose power in thin air, and carburetted bikes can feel flat, while fuel-injected ones cope better. Weather changes fast, with sun and a cold downpour within an hour, so pack proper waterproofs and a warm layer, since the nights are cold. Quito has fuel stations and workshops across the city, and you should fill up before heading into the mountains, as stations thin out in the high country. Take care with the sun, which at this latitude and altitude burns quickly, and leave valuables out of sight when parking.
Food in Quito is hearty, with locro de papa, a thick potato and cheese soup, and empanadas de viento, fried pastries with cheese and sugar. Try the fruit juices, many of them from fruits unknown elsewhere, such as naranjilla and tree tomato. The Mitad del Mundo monument, about 25 km north of the centre, marks the equator, though the real line is a few hundred metres away. The city's altitude can cause headaches in the first days, so drink water, go slowly and keep the first ride modest.