Thursday, March 22, 2007

Mar 11 - 21 - Our bike tour of Costa Rica, wow, where do I start??
Kevin picked us up at 9 & we met our biking buddies, Ann & Tony from Britain & Paul, our biker guide, a Costa Rican bike racer. We drive toward Lake Arenal, leaving behind the dry, hot lowlands in Guanacaste province, and begin seeing the tropical forest and the cooler mountain air. Driving thru dairy farming areas, we come to the lake, with windsurfers enjoying the wind at the north end. On to the small town of Nuevo Arenal and our lunch stop for a "casado", the typical hearty mid-day meal of rice, beans, meat or fish and a cool tropical fruit drink before getting on our bikes for the first time. It is pouring rain, but this turns out to be the coolest ride we have, and once we are on the road & wet, it doesn't matter, it is actually quite refreshing! We bike about 15 miles, around the lake, mostly paved & a beautiful lush route, to La Fortuna at the base of the Arenal Volcano. The bikes take a bit of getting used to for us as the gears are different, but they are real mountain bikes with great shocks, so the riding is smoother. We check in at Hotel San Bosco, in the middle of town and get right into the hot tub for a soothing break for our tired muscles. Unfortunately, it is foggy due to the rain and we cannot see much of the volcano. After a nice shower and dry clothes we walk around the town. It is similiar to a mexican town, but much cleaner, with wider streets and better stores. People are very friendly and helpful. Dinner is steak, lemon chicken, veggies and avocado salad, with red wine of course.

Day 2 we bike right from the hotel, thru prime agricultural country, with papaya, yucca, sugar cane and heart of palm plantations along side our route. The 20 miles today is all paved and the countryside is amazing. Paul stops to point out monkeys or various birds that he somehow spots while biking!! We cross several streams and rivers and the bridges are unbelievable. Many are just metal strips laid down beside each other, all uneven with no barrier on the edge, some have some metal sections missing, so you have to watch carefully! We go thru small farming towns and by many homes and farms of all sizes, well off and poorer areas. Our biking buddies Tony & Ann are in much better shape than us & so they stop occasionally to wait for us to catch up & we all take a break. We were worried that they would be younger & fitter than us, they are slightly younger, definitely fitter, but very serious bikers, so we are constantly challenged. However, the good thing is we can always get in the Land Cruiser with Kevin & hike a ride! We all pile in after our bikes are loaded on top of the truck and trailer when we arrive inland at Bayo Rodriguez, southwest of lake Arenal in Alajuela province, after biking the very scenic valley. We drive thru beautiful mountain scenery, heading southwest to the pacific coast. We stop at the Rio Tarcoles bridge to see CR's largest crocodiles in the river below. We pass thru the cooler, lush rain forest area at Carrara National Park, then head south along the coast and reach our destination near Parrita, at the wonderful Beso del Viento. It is owned by a french couple and the food is to die for, and a welcome relief after a hot day of biking and driving.

Day 3 we drive south and cut inland just before Quepos and start biking along a nice quiet road near Naranjito, with the mountains to our left. The road is rougher but not much traffic as we are alongside the African palm plantations. They have replaced the banana plantations in many parts of CR. The palm seeds which grow in bunches under the leaves are processed and mostly used for margarine. They are huge and provide lots of shade. Our route takes us back out to the highway and we shuttle down to Dominical, then bike again along a section of beautiful coastline to our destination at Finca Bavaria, a total of about 20 miles. We find the ride brutal today due mostly to the heat and humidity, but we finally make it! Finca Bavaria as you can guess is owned by a German couple and again the food is to die for, a fish barbecue over wood coals. The view from the dining room and our room is awesome, high above the ocean below, overlooking Isla Ballena. Dining is all together at big tables, for all the guests and the meals are set out on a buffet table, one choice only, but always delicious!! We are here for 2 nights to enjoy the howler monkeys swinging in the many trees on the property, and listen and observe the thousands of bird and butterfly population right outside our door.

Day 4 we are picked up right after breakfast by our kayak guide and taken to a nearby bay in Parque Maritimo Ballena, to learn to ocean kayak in the waves. The kayaks are shorter and wider than ours and are open. So first the lessons on how to read the waves, how to get out past the waves, into the ocean and how to surf back in on them. What excitement!! Our guide, Eric was excellent, and after the lesson he held our boat one at a time while we got started crossing the wave, then he came out and we all came back in, surfing the waves, holding onto our paddle to guide us. We all got dumped at one time or another in the 4 hrs or so that we were out, so we all learnt quick!! After getting out again past the waves on the beach we paddled past the point and over to another bay where we surfed in thru those waves and walked up the beach to see the huge caves that we could kayak thru at lower tide, but not today! It was a real challenge to get back out thru the larger waves that were now coming in, but after a few tips we all made it out and back to our starting point. It was quite a workout of different muscles and a fun learning experience!! We might have to get one of these kayaks and try it at Sheep Pond beach!! It is a free afternoon, so I take a hike up in the mountains while Gerry reads and relaxes. There is a well marked trail, but no exciting wildlife to observe while I am there. Back at the hotel when we hear the howler monkeys for the first time we think they are dogs barking off in the distance, but then realize and once you really listen, its like being in a horror movie, very strange sounds they make, often starting at 4:30 am!!

Day 5 we bike right from Finca Bavaria, on the paved, mostly flat highway south. It has a nice wide shoulder in most places. Some hills are long and steep and it is gruelling at times due to the heat - about 30 most days. We stop at Palmar Norte to attempt to replenish our cash supplies, a challenging experience at a bank where the bank machine will not take our cards at the ATM. So its inside to wait in line, but it is airconditioned, so we cool off at least. Then we shuttle down to the cute, touristy town of Sierpe for lunch. It is on the Sierpe River and has a little marina. We take pictures of the boats and the typical town square with the Catholic church at the end of the park, as seen in all towns in CR. After lunch at the waterfront, we have a boat ride down the river and out into the ocean to get to our next destination for the night, at Las Caletas in Drake Bay. This is another ocean experience and if I had known I would have asked Betty to hang her rosary beads on the clothesline for good luck for us!! When we got to the mouth of the river to enter the ocean the waves were all across the wide opening, with no break for us to go thru. The captain of the 25 ft boat studied and studied the waves and consulted with his friend in Spanish, they waited, (just for the perfect wave they told us) they went forward, they turned back, wait, go thru one little opening, turn back, and about 20 minutes later and alot of patience, there it was, that little break and off we sped, past the waves and out into the open ocean, down the coast to the bay where we jumped out into the water and ran and kissed the beach!! Somewhere in there we also pulled out the mickey of rye and took a slug to celebrate!! Las Caletas is owned by a CR (Tico) man and his Swiss wife, David and Jolanda. All the electricity is by solar or hydro power, so there are few lights. Our accomodations are in a "tree house", a main door that locks but all the other windows and door to the deck upstairs are wide open. They have curtains and the roof hangs over to stop the rain coming in, but no glass or screens. We are here for 2 nights and have no wild visitors while we are sleeping...yeh! There is hot water in the showers, but it is the last thing you want in CR, you need at least 3 cold showers each day or the pool or ocean to cool down in. Delicious dinner in the dining room where we meet people from Wyoming, Ontario, New York. This is a remote setting, so meal times are are set for time and choice. You choose from a small selection, but it is always excellent and varied.

Day 6 is a free day, no biking! We relax, read, the ocean is quite rough, but we do venture out into it abit. We miss the best snorkel time, Gerry is not well today, so he rests and recouperates. This is a great place to watch the birds, we see many species just sitting out near the dining area and on the point, with a beautiful view of the ocean. A large iguana comes for a visit on the grass and monkeys drop into the trees later in the day. So the cameras are clicking away. I take a lovely hike up the beach & along the shoreline trail in the woods, by several other lodges and tent camps where others are staying. This trail goes for many miles in each direction. The shoreline of CR is all public access, great idea!! At night I go on the night walk with "the Bug Lady", along with the couple from Wyoming & a couple from North Bay staying at the tent camp down the beach. Tracy, the bug lady, & her husband John, scout out intersting things for us to observe with our flashlights, as we walk thru the woods on a trail. We are first warned of the the safety tips, watch each step for vipers on the trail, and bugs that are poisonous in the leaves and trees ...great start!!! ...we all stay closer together now. I had no idea what you could see at night, like the (poisonous of course) wandering spider, large & white, snakes, luminescent bugs and beetles, frogs that shoot poison out, many other spiders, locusts, cock roaches. We saw crocodiles in the pond and an opossum in a tree, lots of shining eyes peeking out. Well, what an experience!!!

Day 7 starts with a boat ride to join up with our bikes at Agujitas, then we bike up the coast & inland across the northern section of the Osa Peninsula, near the edge of Corcovado National Park, and lush rain forest. When the mountainaous area starts, we shuttle across the mountains then begin biking again for a section into the town of Rincon for lunch. Gerry is better today, but not A-1 & I am sick full out this morning, so take it easy. We shuttle to Port Jimenez to the Choza de Manglar for a shower & rest. Then a walk uptown to check out the action, as this is the last town we will be in. We both recover, so head out for a sunset kayak with Joe. It is a beautiful evening, its low tide and we have a quiet paddle on the Golfo Dulce, which is very calm with quiet fisherpeople joining us. We have a leisurely paddle, hearing all about the area, a stop on a beach, some fresh pineapple then back to shore in the dark. After a quiet shower & change it is off downtown to a restaurant for dinner with the group & then an early to bed before our last day of biking.

Day 8 - After a fresh fruit and toast (with peanut butter - the hotel is owned by Canadians!), we head off in the already hot morning at 8 am. The route from Port Jimenez around the southern tip of the Osa Peninsula is fairly flat, very varied, lots of shade from palm and other large trees. This is real mountain biking as the road is "gravel" with large rocks, lots of mud & streams to cross and some long steep uphills and an incredible long decline back down to the flatter pasture land. At the end of one steep hill there is a stream that we all climb into to cool off, sneakers and all, it feels great. This is where Gerry jumps in the truck (mile 18), but I am determined to do the complete 27 miles today. It is hot, a few brutal hills, but I am pumped to complete the biking challenge. We arrive at our destination near Carate at the Lookout Inn just before 2 pm for lunch, tired and very hungry. But what a destination! It is high atop the rain forest with a great view of the ocean, the tree tops and tons of birds and monkeys. The owners Terry & Katya have built a wonderful secluded paradise. They have amazing chefs and staff & the veggie pizza that awaits us is devoured quickly. The rooms are comfy & large and we relax and enjoy the pools, the view and the company. There is a couple from Kenora that biked and drove by us and we enjoy their company over dinner, discovering that they know our friends there..!

Day 9 & 10 - we have lots of time to relax now, the area is very romote, we explore several hiking trails, photo the many flowers and birds (especially the scarlet mackaws), review the maps of the routes we have biked and say goodbye to Kevin & Paul as they head off to plan a bike trip to Panama. We have 2 full days to relax and see the area before flying home on Day 11. Lots of time to enjoy the awesome meals and company. The long beach is just below us, and the waves/surf crash non-stop 24 hrs a day. The surf is very high and is not safe much of the day, but is great to walk on the beach and watch the surf. If you close your eyes you would think you are in a severe winter windstorm in PEI & it never subsides!! There is a waterfall hike nearby, so we take that and the dog Margarita comes along with us all the way! Lots of reading and pool time, in between the meals Miguel & Johnson prepare. By 10 pm everyone is exhausted and in bed regardless & noone notices the surf noise then!! Tomorrow its time to leave, so we sit outside and look at the stars, trying to find the southern cross and the differences in our night sky vs this one....one last look...
The trip back to Victoria starts tomorrow, then we start to head east, pictures of CR to follow...

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