Page 2: - Dominican Republic 2024'
Tom Junkans (cavebiker) - A Motorcycle Ride Report -
Pushing East I pass Caribbean dreamscapes I remember, palm trees and beautiful beaches. The only thing different now is access and parking has improved. Thirty years ago some dirt biking was required to get to here.
TPickup trucks filled with fresh fruit and vegetables always amaze me here. Shop is setup anywhere in a parking spot with shade. A single traveler like me pays almost nothing and the chitchat is worth it times ten.
Fresh fish.
Love the rustic sea side communities on this stretch of road.
Nagua is bustling and more beautiful than ever.
I jump on the new super highway to Las Terranes. Nice road with cool scenery, great until I get into town.
Las Terranes! What has happened to our small mellow beach village?? The traffic is insane, commuters going, moto taxis doing their thing and kids just racing the main street loop!!!
I’m relieved when I see the Malecon and realize I am OK, and I know where I am.
I stop to catch my breath at a sea side cafe. I know there are affordable options near here but decide to go with my old standard just past the Malecon start and a block in, nice and peaceful. This is the same room Heidi and I had ten years back, how fun!
This is a great location to start a walking tour of the area. There are a number of improvements like this walking bridge to the old Malecon area, although all the old food shacks are bars are just skeletons now blocked with fence to reach them. Not sure what’s up with that I assume an improvement project underway. A new super plaza is already up just adjacent to the old shacks.
Score! A fresh batch of Empanadas by the expertos! What could be better.
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Walking back to my room I pass the Malecon central park, it has a liquor store and bar at the corner as well as the same across the street. A party seems well under way with a huge boomer stereo of a parked SUV blasting in competition with the liquor store’s music. Everyone seemed to be into it including crowds at the liquor store across the street. I recognize several bikers from the racing when I first come into town. I decided to take my beer back to the casa, although they offered to open it at the store. How nice…
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Wow! The peaceful little room a block off the Malecon is on an alley that’s now used as a motorcycle dragstrip at night. It could have not been louder. Too bad I love this place and will return solo, but with Heidi I will need to rethink.
Next morning I’m on the road again heading to places unknown. With my large paper map I plot a rough course across the interior towards the mountains on the other side of the island, near Constanza. The goal is to stay off major roads as much as possible thinking I will see and experience more República Dominicana I’m here for, we will see…
Hang on! Lots more on the way :)