Thanks everyone for the comments! So kind
Alright! DR motorcycle adventure continued - cavebiker
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Of course skip the dribble if you like and just check out a few photos.
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Navigation was tricky all day but I knew it would be. I’ve tried some of these routes before and have failed. But now with smartphones and offline DR road maps everything is possible. This requires often stops in the shade to check position and make corrections if necessary. Fun stuff and stopping is always a good way to get a feel of the area.
The plan today is to stay at a motel in Navarrete, a nice place Heidi and I stayed at before in route to Punta Rucio. It’s been a long day and I’m running late but I know the motel, I thought. The place turned into condos now, no motel! I see no other motels up or down the main drag so I hit the freeway bypass around Santiago blasting on looking for anything. I see nothing so just take a random exit and start searching. I ask some dude in front of a small market if he knew of any motels near. He hollers at another dude down the block. We all get together, the guy from down the block assures me he knows of a place, all in Spanish. I motion for him to jump on the bike, he does and off we go. Down the road and a couple side streets we stop in front of a building. My buddy gets off and walks over to the door and knocks. A guy behind the door looks through a cage hole and talks. A thumbs up. I confirm, a room starting now all night until 8 AM tomorrow, just me. There is gated private parking and beer on site, unreal what a score! I’ve used these by-the-hour rooms often when traveling Latin America. If it’s not real busy staying the entire night is usually not a problem and the bike security is always top notch, for obvious reasons (wink).
I slip several dollars in Pesos to my helper and offer to take him back to where I found him. He says no, he lives just up the block and he’s stopping for food. Super happy friendly dude.
The motel guy opens the metal gate. By the time I park the bike and chain it to a pole he has a chair setup for me incase I want to hangout outside in the courtyard. Perfect, my room is clean, the bike is right outside, there’s a frig with cold beer and it’s a beautiful night…
The next morning starts with fog and a drizzle. I stop to look for food and hydration at the same market I got help from yesterday.
Empanadas! This with water and coffee is a perfect way to start any ride.
I look for a place to chill and eat. The rain is coming down hard now so this place looks good. The palapa is attached to a market where there is a lot of activity. Looks like people chill and drink beer here often, the place is lined with used big beer bottles with a napkin wrapped around. An old guy walked down the street and came under the palapa with me. Everyone is so nice on these back roads. This guy went around to all the big green bottlers and carefully took off the napkins wrapped around them. He ended with a big net stack of them. We said goodbye and he walked back up the street. I get it. Wow. I’m in the real world now…
More people waiting out the rain. Our conversations our lively no matter how bad my Spanish is.
More rain and another abandoned building shelter opportunity, good stuff. You have to pay special good attention on these roads especially when parking. Even cars will not be happy if they veer too far off the road.
Looking for more coffee, a favorite part of biking for me.
Good spot.
I love the hanging meat in the DR.
Taking the back way to Puerto Plata. This is the first time I’ve seen it paved. It still has its charm and I love it and the improvement for the people has to be huge.
More shoulders to be careful of. But at least it’s paved and hopefully future tropical torrents won’t destroy the shoulder and road.
A good end to the day, Puerto Plata Malecon always a favorite.
Cruise ships now dock near town and people get bused in. It seems the cleanliness the security and the general bling of the area is up. I like it but will always miss the day when local food and drink karts lined the Malecon. I just don’t miss the garbage on the beach back then. In a perfect world you would have both. Maybe local food cart make cruise ship tourists nervous? It’s a wild atmosphere, I can see that. Again both would be ideal.
Hang on! There is still more Dominican Republic ride report to come! 
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