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The Border with Haiti

I enjoy a perfect night of camping with a cloak overhead made of billions of stars. I wake up in the morning cold so I put on more clothes. I have a space blanket and two camp towels I could have used but instead built a small campfire and quickly warm up while waiting for the sun.

My camp is a 100 feet from a beautiful mountain river. The gorge is filled with the sound of rushing water.

I enjoy a slow morning reading, eating, hydrating and preparing the motorcycle for the days ride. My plan is to ride toward the Caribbean coast near Barahona, then along the coast to the Haitian border city, Pedernales. In Pedernales, I hope to find a hotel to stage myself for continuing the ride along the Haitian border. This is the border trail that is not on any maps. The only account I have is a couple sentences in my guidebook that talks about an extremely steep and rocky remote trail. That sounds like pure adventure to me.

Ok, I make it out of the mountains and I am now riding along the Caribbean coast on a good paved road.

I love some of the motorcycles here with huge homemade panniers. I wonder what they are hauling.

I cannot believe it, my shift lever again is loose making it difficult to shift. This is not good. I do not want any problems with the motorcycle while I am trying to survive extreme mountain trails.

The next village I easily find a motorcycle repair shop.

This bike is getting new rings installed on the piston. The bikes owner on the right is anxious for the job to be completed so he can get going.

I explain the best I could that this is the third time I have had this shift lever worked on and I am concerned about it. This mechanic seems to know what I said and thinks he has the ultimate solution. He clamps a vice grip pliers onto the shift shaft, adds some shim material to the shift lever then proceeds to pound the lever onto the shaft. He clamped the vice grip to transfer the force of his pounding onto the pliers and not onto the engine case, or at least that is what I assumed he did it for. Anyway, it worked. 50 pesos more and I am on my way confident I will have no more problems with the shift lever.

Fresh pineapple eaten roadside, Oh yeah!

A jar of cashews for $2.50. OK! Nuts are another perfect motorcycle road food. They last, can be eaten anytime and are a good source of protein.

Of course, once one person makes a sale, it attracts a mass of others trying to make a similar sale. I politely decline all other offers stating that I have no more room. That works.

The Caribbean coast past Barahona has some of the most beautiful beaches on the island.

I cannot afford much time to chill-out on the postcard beaches but did manage to get a few photos. The blue water and white sand beaches surrounded by palm trees looked stunning.

The rolling arid terrain and seaside cliffs make this part of the island feel like California.

This area attracts few foreign tourists but is a popular vacation spot for Dominicans. It is a beautiful area. I wish I could have gotten Heidi down here but the mountain road is too rough.

Near the southern most tip of the island, I turn northwest toward the Haitian border.

I make it to Pedernales, the southern most border village with Haiti. I zigzag around town looking for a hotel. I find the city beach.

Of course, I spot empanadas

My belly is full and my backpack is stocked with supplies for tomorrows ride, all is good. I check into an $11 hotel with secure parking and attached restaurant. I enjoy an evening pouring over my notes, guidebooks and maps. I wonder what the trail will be like, I wonder what the landscape will be like, I wonder what the people will be like. I hope I can find the border trail without much trouble. My mind spirals in one direction then another. Preparing for an adventure is almost as fun as the adventure itself. I am on the Border with Haiti …