Exploring Ecuador’s Crazy Mountain Roads and Rally Culture

In the first of a new series of /MY LIFE AS A RALLYIST episodes, Ryan goes to Ecuador, grabs a rental car, and the fun begins.
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When last we received a missive from Ryan’s rallyist adventures, he was following a Porsche GT3 Cup Car through Targa New Zealand

Now, in the latest of a new series of /MY LIFE AS A RALLYIST episodes, he flies to Ecuador to meet up with his girlfriend Sherri. They rent a Chevy Spark and explore cool rally roads that lead them into a dormant volcanos and over the Andes. 

They find some great roads, meet some interesting people, and explore one of South America’s most fascinating, misunderstood and generally awesome countries. Their final stop is to spectate the Rally of Latacunga, a small regional rally, which attracts an enthusiastic crowd of spectators and stiff competition, and generates plenty of rally action from a field of buggies, hot hatchbacks and occasionally a Mitsubishi EVO.

Even the killer dust clouds can’t obscure the awesomeness of Ecuador’s grassroots rally culture. If you ever get the chance to visit, they will welcome you with open arms, and massive rooster tails of road clay.

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Mike Spinelli

VP of Content

A sucker for Ford-era Jaguar XJs and glitchy, early-90s BMW V12s, Mike was the founding editor of car culture site Jalopnik, and a former editor-in-chief of 0-60. He's also a co-host of the TV show /DRIVE on NBC Sports, which can be seen from time to time on NBCSN, usually after midnight.