Let me tell you about my little trip yesterday.

Hillbilly

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Jan 1, 2002
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A few days ago, one of the kids I had helped in some way, or helped a friend help a kid, something like that; anyway the young fellow, well established in Brooklyn nowadays, came by to tell me that all was well and in our conversation he said that there was now another bridge over the Bajabonico River and that La Isabela and Punta Rucia were "ah? mismito"...so Dominican.

Anyway, my curiosity was piqued, and so I resolved to go up and see what was what. Previous to this, I had advised "Grandma" Or "Granny"--one of the posters here--to give the route a try. She sent me a note that said a local had looked at their vehicle and nixed the idea....

Sooo...we left Santiago at around 11:00 a.m. and took the highway to POP, turning off towards Luper?n and then when we reached El Estrecho, took to the LEFT into this little place where we followed a sign to RANCHITO (A left again)....about 400 yards/meters along we came to this beautiful new steel bridge over the Bajabonico...

"Wonderful! I thought...okay, this is cool..." Un huh...well not quite. There was maybe 20 kilometers (certainly more than 10) between the bridge and La Isabela. HOWEVER, the gubmint is WORKING on it...there were three places where they were installing big concrete tubing so that streams/occasional runoff, could go through.
This implied going down and then up an unpaved-short-stretch. No biggie.

We came out in La Isabela at the traffic circle to the west of the town. Signs to Estero Hondo and Punta Rucia, to the right...and at the first "Baden"--a low spot you have to slow down for--there was a wonderful place with ice-cold Presidente for $75 "la grande ceniza" ...well worth the stop.

And more information: the other road that comes into this particular intersection goes to Luper?n, but the bridge is not up yet, so you have to ford the river, like I did so many years ago. But the road is brand new.

We got to Punta Rucia at close to 1:00 p.m.--too long from Santiago, but certainly a good alternative from the North Coast... And when the bridge from Luperon is up, it will be really great!!

This new alternative route makes, let me see, ummmm, at least four possible ways to get there:
1) The old way going up to Villa Elisa, and turning right.
2) The current way, going to Cruce de Guayacanes and turning right
3) An alternate way, going up the POP highway to Llanos de Kelly (right before the bridge in Imbert--about a kilometer before) and turning left to Guananico (but the road is not so hot anymore). This comes out in Mamey and from there is the same as going to Cruce de Guayacanes
4) This new route from El Estrecho/Ranchito across the new bridge to La Isabela...

And there is a fifth possibility that I have not traveled for decades: Los Hidalgos-Gualete-La Jaiba-Estero Hondo...from what I hear, they are working on this road and it will be nice, over the top of the Cordillera Septentrional and coming out in Estero Hondo...


For those of you with some interest to see more of the country!!

Punta Rucia is just as beautiful as always. The Playa de Ensenada is now sort of closed off ($100 x vehicle) But the food at Elsa's is still soooo good....I had a pargo rojo, and we had cotorra, and a big centolla (?) crab...very good according to the experts...Beers were plentiful and so cold!! Life was *so* good at Punta Rucia!!!.

And yes, Life IS Good!!! Absolutely!!
HB
 
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Trainman33

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Dec 11, 2009
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You mean you came out this new way in Villa Isabela and not La Isabela I think. As far as I know you still can't get to La Isabela without a heavy SUV because the bridge between La Isabela and Villa Isabela was never completed. Is that bridge being worked on again?
 

frank12

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Sep 6, 2011
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Once Semana Santa is over with, i will take one of these routes mentioned above and video tape it for you on my enduro. then i will post the link here. i haven't been out that way in a very long time.

Frank
 

socuban

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Nov 24, 2002
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Nice writeup Hillbilly. I use a 4x4 route that takes me across the Cordillera Septentrional with spectacular views. After some rain though, the trail gets very sporty. It's East of the Villa Elisa and West of the Cruce de Guayacanes routes. Laguna Salada - La Caya - Pozo Prieto - Loma Soliman - El Firme - Gualete - La Jaiba - playa La Ensenada.
 

Hillbilly

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Jan 1, 2002
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That is supposed to be the route that they are "working" on. It goes from La Palma on the highway between Mamey and La Isabela, and come out near the fort in Estero Hondo!! I am sure on a 4 x 4 it is pretty spectacular!!! And yes you can access it from Laguna Salada too....good call..

HB