Page 11: - Dominican Republic 2011! - Tropical Adventure /w Pics -
The high voltage electrical problem we had with the motorcycle seems to be solved. We have had an unbelievable stretch of rain here lately, which has allowed us to test it several times, no problems riding in the rain anymore.
Last Sunday I rode off to do trial run on the route I thought my friend Coulter and I will do together his first day on the island.
The route is in Yellow. It looks straightforward enough. But that is one of the great things about the Dominican Republic, it never is. The first real obstacle is trying to find the turnoff onto highway 25. It is marked highway 25 on my maps but there are no highway 25-turnoff markings anywhere. I did see a sign pointing down a road to the village Los Ciruelos. Los Ciruelos is the first village on highway 25 on my maps, so I think I have the correct road ‘for sure’.
I pass a river that is on my map. Then I start heading up in altitude on a bad paved road. I get to the top of a big hill. The road turns to all gravel. It looks like a long driveway. I could not believe it is highway 25. I get off the bike to look at my map. I look down and see coolant leaking from my radiator. Suck! This is not good. The radiator feels super hot and coolant is pooling up on the ground.
I turn around and slowly limp back to Cabarete. This adventure will have to wait for another day…
I get the radiator fixed. Then, the shift lever comes loose. I could not tighten it up enough to fix the problem. A new shift lever fixes that. Then the rear break linkage disconnects. I get that fixed. This is good. I do not want any of these problems while on the road on a big adventure. Now, a week later, I am off to try this route again. (Did I say I got a heck of a deal on the motorcycle :)
Today, Sunday, I take off again trying to find the adventure route I have marked above. Of course, the turnoff I took a week ago is the wrong road. Today I find the correct road. It is a good ride but not completely successful, and I guess that is what makes it even a better ride.
Photos of the ride. Enjoy…
I ask permission to take a photo. I am hand the bottle of rum.
(In Spanish) “Thanks but I just want to take a photo of this beautiful place (big smile)”
Laughs!
I am always in search of empanadas while on the road. I think I spotted some.
Yes, chicken Empanadas and some of the best ever. 10 pesos for two ($0.26) I like rural Dominican Republic.
It is a lively atmosphere here at this stop
I stop to buy some water. I am not worried about parking the bike here.
Typical road (highway 25)
I tell these people that a friend of mine is coming here in two weeks and that we will stop here. They got a big kick out of that.
Higher up into the mountains people are drying coffee beans in the sun.
I am having a heck of a time trying to find the dirt road that leads from between highway 25, through the center of the Cordillera Sepetentrional mountains, to highway 21. It is marked on all my maps starting just after the village ‘Bonita Martinez” The problem is that there is no village of that name, and, there are five times more named villages along highway 25 then indicated on my maps. I am having a difficult time figuring out where I am.
I think I found the trail, just passed the Bonita Martinez School. But wow! It is a heck of a dirt bike trail. This photo does not come even close to showing how steep and rugged the trail is. FUN
I meet some people who were walking up the trail. My maps I have show one village marked along this trail so I asked if they know of the village. ‘Never heard of it’ I turn back. I figure I will try to find the trail from Highway 21 next because the trail starts at a village. That should make easier to identify. Or maybe I will just wait for Coulter to show up and wing-it then.
Much more to come…
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