In your sixth photo, you are parked next to a small beach and a few boats. That is Playa Francés and La Ensenada. I have a few condos there. In that area is where Adolfo Lopez has many excavation sites for the first settlers who have arrived in the area over 4000 years ago. His work has changed all the previous assumptions about who first settled on the island.Ride through Paradise...
The ride is still super beautiful with a ton of places to pull off and get into the tropical scene.
Riding into town to the end of the road is way different from last time I was here. A lot of new (old) buildings ending at a guarded parking area. I ask the guard permission to go in just to take a few photos. No problem but a tip would be appreciated later he tells me.
This is the same spot Heidi and I took a photo of us with our motorcycle back in 1995. So cool, I remember us talking about wanting to move to this small island offshore.
This area has really developed for tourism, restaurants, coffee shops and bars. Tourists are preparing to load onto the boats some with scuba gear. Years ago, there was just one palapa bar here at the end of the road and less boats, mainly boats for local fishermen.
A woman notices me and asks if I would like some food or beer or pina colada. I say "coffee?" Si! Great DR coffee!
On my way out I slip the guard a 50. I get a much appreciated "gracias" in reply. "de nada"
On this ride I have seen several people riding horseback every day. Finally, I get a photo of one on a mule. Often, I take a photo just to remind myself to write about it. It is interesting and is way part of the local culture here. In Samana while looking for a room in the rain with motos racing all around I pass two guys riding horseback a few times riding through town looking like they are having a ball. So cool...
Los Galeras is not calling me to stay the night so I double back through Samana then head inland to continue this big ride of the island.
Samana, away from the tourist area is way more interesting to me.
This looks like the town's main guagua station, right where the towns outside market is. Mucha actividad (Much activity here).
Exiting Samana there is a lot of crazy moto traffic, like most tourist areas I have experienced here. Every day I witness things I cannot believe and today takes the cake! At one point I have a moto pass me and the car Infront of me while riding a wheelie the whole way AND the moto has three people onboard AND the driver has a bottle of booze in his hand! I catch up with them at a stop and witness the driver take a swig from the bottle. AHH! I blast in front of them and stay in front, they cannot keep up with me having three people onboard, but I think they were trying!
The fun Continues -->
- Thread starter cavebiker
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Dominican Republic motorcycle adventure. The DR is much more than the beach– The Big Loop - Tom Junkans
Folks, I recommend leaving comments without using the "Reply" function to avoid repeating the same pictures over and over again.
I hit the main autopista heading inland toward Santo Domingo
On the autopista there are more upscale travel stops but they still have traditional DR food. Mongu, yellow rice with beans and hot sauce, perfect road food. And strong DR coffee of course!
About half way to Santo Domingo I get off the autopista and again point inland to see more of the real Dominican Republic I enjoy and am here for. My original ride plan today was to turn East to loop the Caribbean coast all the way to Punta Cana, but the more I ride the developed tourist areas the less I like it. I am a firm believer that the closer I get to my ride destination the more I know what I want and where I want to go. This ride is a perfect example of that. I do not like being asked straight out for money, I do not like people trying to steer me places when I do not ask and I do not like people forcibly demanding to have a conversation with me when I am just trying to enjoy myself. When I am inland and away from tourists, I get none of that so that is why I am constantly changing my ride plan, a perfect way to travel in my book.
Me to!
I dig all the colorfully painted city name signs I am seeing everywhere on this ride. I never remember seeing this before on other rides here. I theorize these are all coming from the huge amount of tourist dollars pouring into the island from places like Punta Cana. I see this as a good thing probably increasing the pride of the people in the rural communities.
I love when dogs march up to me like they know me. Out of all the dogs I have been around on this island I have not once experienced any display of aggressive behavior from any of them. Maybe just lucky, or...
Gas stops in the DR are the best and the all chitchat associated. I do not know why people are so friendly. Maybe they just get a kick out of my crude Spanish. Not sure but I do enjoy it.
I am running out of daylight and this is the largest city in the vicinity, Cotui. I am sure I can find a room here.
There is a hotel right there but there is no good parking for a moto. I have been paranoid of my bike being stolen after I had one stolen here back in the nineties, and again another bike stolen in Mexico several years ago. But for Heidi and I that is a good thing. We have often stayed in crappy hotels with secure parking and have rested sound because of that.
The sky is getting darker like rain is on the way. More hotels more bad parking.
He has several videos on YouTube as well. Regarding your last photo in your last post, did Cotui get a sphere just like the new one in Las Vegas?
Have to comment on what you said about dogs. With only 1 exception, my experience has been the same. For some unknown reason, a male dog on my route to the gym decided he didn't like me. I have no clue as to why. It has been a struggle although I haven't seen him in about a month. So the agressive ones are here, just a decided minority (of one?).
Almost out of town I spot what looks like a love hotel. Heidi and I and just myself have used these hotels because they are often near larger cities in Latin America and they always have secure parking. Depending on the night I usually must do a little sweet talking to get them to allow me to stay the entire night, opposed to just an hour or so. My Spanish has always been good enough to get my message across; I need to stay the entire night. It is just me and I want nothing else except maybe a beer. When I first walk in there is one woman in the office, then she calls in another for help. I am not sure what the issue is. I can hear the first woman on the phone saying something about I speak English and I do not understand much, which is all true. At least it is all upbeat and they seem to really enjoy my presence.
It starts raining, one of the women point to the adjacent room with the garage door open. I wheel the motorcycle inside the secure private garage out of the rain. They ask me to come back into the office and sit on the couch and wait. Another phone call. Another nicely dressed woman walks in. She speaks a little English. We say hello to each other in English then I proceed to explain my situation in Spanish. She gets it and precedes to explain to me in English that I cannot be coming and going in and out of the hotel, no going into town and back, they can get me anything I want I just need to call them using the room phone. That's what I couldn't understand in Spanish from the other woman, I'm sure. I pay the 1,400 pesos (~ $23 US) for the room and another 250 for a large beer, all is good...
I start unpacking the bike when one of the women walks over to me a with plastic bag that has two towels, two condoms and a bar of soap inside. Everyone is so pleasant they talk with me like they are my sisters and again assure me they can get anything I need or want, just great.
The rain continues the beer tastes good.
After dark I find I need to walk out to the garage to get internet service on my phone. It is the US presidential election night so I entertain myself with periodic updates on the results. I hide in the dark inside the garage so not to make anyone nervous. Two other night shift office girls are walking by and notice me. They give me a little whistle and approach me with big smiles and start politely repeating that if I need anything, agua, comida, cerveza (water, food, beer), or anything that I just need to call them on the phone. Again, super super sweet.
Exiting the next morning I snap this photo of the hotel entrance. !!!Funny!!! a sign of the election results yesterday...
I double back into town for food and coffee. I spot this tiny store with a table setup outside. Oh Yeah!
I ask if I can get two eggs and coffee (?Es posible dos huevos y cafe?)
Perfect! I hand them a 100 pesos bill (~$1.60 US) I get a 50 peso bill back plus a few coins. Unreal!
Now I am ready to ride...
Fresh bread delivery in route. I love the homemade bike panniers I see on the island.
Further up the road I spot this. I must investigate.
Empanada de huevos (egg empanadas) I can dig it!
How can they make them so good and perfect every time! I can eat these all day.
The rain starts. It is looking super dark ahead. No messing around today, I suit up in my rain pants and jacket then wait for the downpour to subside under this shelter.
It clears up but I keep my rain gear on. This is interesting. This wood is being harvested for some purpose I'm not sure what.
The rain starts again in serious fashion. My rain gear is Gortex made for backpacking. Perfect for riding in a hot tropical climate but if it rains hard enough or if I ride in rain long enough, I will get wet. So, I take cover in this little overhang just off the road. I stay dry.
Still raining I pull into this gas station food mart for a Nescafe cappuccino. Yum, how can them make then so good!
The plan is to make it back to Heidi today. I have an early start so I should be OK depending on the rain situation and the mountain road I am on, we will see...
This is my turnoff town to the mountain road towards Gaspar Hernadez. It's been years since I've been on this road. It has always been a favorite. I just hope it is not improved too much like a lot of other roads I have done on this trip.
This what I am talking about! Bad roads, good people and cool scenery...
I love getting a photo of the bike with a church.
I ask a couple about the iglesia (church). They say "Si" and point to this. They run the church and live here.
Super nice couple. I offer a small donation and they are happy to accept.
Caribbean island roads, I love this!
The road does not disappoint, just beautiful.
I stop at this corner to snap the photo when I notice a woman inside a porch right where I'm standing with the bike running. As soon as I notice her, I kill the engine and strike up a conversation stating how beautiful it is around here and how fortunate I am to be here. I'm sure my Spanish is crude but she gets it and points up the road towards La Vereda and Jagua Clara stating I should go there. I suspect for the beauty I will see there. I thanked her and said I will go there another day (voy otro dia) How great! This is not too far from basecamp so for sure this will be a good day ride, just to check it out. These are some of the best experiences of my stay here.
Almost home, our temporary island home
I stop at the local grocery store for food so I do not need to leave once I arrive, I want to arrive a hero Basecamp! Heidi has the map out that I marked up with my potential route. She enjoys seeing where I am every day on the map and the route I am on. What a partner she is my crew chief extraordinaire!
I hope you all enjoyed this little (Big) ride around the Dominican Republic. It was a big pleasure having you all along 😊 What a blast!
Thank you for sharing your adventures. I enjoyed the pictures and descriptions of the places you traveled.