Decker Trip - Panamerican Highway 1966

Nov 12. The trucks passing by bothered me some, and it was bitterly cold. With my wool slacks and heavy socks I was very comfortable, though Magali really got cold feet and hands.
We thought we would make it easily to the border, but such was not to be. Had a skimpy breakfast of black coffee and bread in a hole of a place. No more milk. Somehow, we missed lunch because it was too soon before we got into the mountains, and there was no place to eat driving through that arid and deserted section.
[Marty remembers...]A note in the margin of Mom's journal says "eclipse" here.
I remember it was a solar eclipse, and it was a big deal.
We stopped and were all given black strips of negative film
to look through so we wouldn't ruin our eyes.
Just as we were in sight of food, we thought, Ken ran over a large stone in the road. It clanged, but didn't seem to produce any effect on the oil gauge. We drove on through desolate and breathtaking (literally) mountains till we arrived at the town of [after Santa Isabel]. It was too late to find any food at the "restaurant," so Ken had oil put in since the oil pressure was low. It poured out of a large hole at the bottom of the tank and only the Lord kept in what oil there was for the distance of about 30 kilometers. It would have been ghastly to be stuck in the mountains as we'd already remarked. As it was, we stopped right in front of the home of the best mechanic in these parts (an Arab). When the tank came off, they found it necessary to go the hour's trip to Pasaje ahead of us to have it soldered. In the meantime, the kids and I stayed and were welcomed into the home of the mechanic. They are fine and hospitable people and I had a good chance to give a personal witness. Ken got back about 6:30 and worked on putting it back till about 8:00. Ken asked if we could get food somewhere, since we didn't have any Ecuadorian money left. Our hosts prepared coffee and bread for us, which was received with gratitufe for the thoughfulness, but inward groans because of our empty stomachs.
Ken decided to drive on as far as the pavement, which we did--like zombies. We pulled off the road just beside a river--in Arenillas. What a welcome change of climate! Only one blanket necessary and no freezing feet.