Costa Rica Solo - Earthquakes, Beaches, Monkeys and Crocodiles

[sandalscout]

Excellent Pat, glad to read this one! Looks like great fun, there are some killer photos in this! Must've been nice having a camera that worked from Day 1 this time, huh?

[jerdog53]

Love it!!

[whizzerwheel]

Great story and pics...thanks for taking the time. I love Costa Rica!

[poolman]

Originally Posted by sandalscout

Excellent Pat, glad to read this one! Looks like great fun, there are some killer photos in this! Must've been nice having a camera that worked from Day 1 this time, huh?

Sandalscout - Thanks! My Dad surprised me with a nice little Coolpix for the trip and it worked from day 1 (unlike my luck in Peru).

Originally Posted by jerdog53

Love it!!

jerdog53 - I appreciate the kind words!

Originally Posted by whizzerwheel

I love Costa Rica!

Whizzerwheel - Loved your Costa Rica ride report! You guys were clearly having a great time, and I tried to visit some of the places that seemed familiar from your posts.


The next installment is coming soon...


Best to All,

[poolman]

And here is where I bit the dust...



Many riders develop careless habits over time. I certainly have a few, but one in particular is taking pictures with my left hand while operating the bike with my right.


I had just completed a right hand sweeper and was cresting a hill on decent dirt and gravel at about 80 KM per hour and noticed a beautiful bay to my left. With the exception of holding the camera in my left hand I was in good form... up on the pegs, throttling out of the turn, etc.


I was just snapping the picture when my front tire started bogging down in a loose, sandy patch. My rear tire decided this would be the perfect opportunity to take the lead for once.


Thinking I could save it, I shifted my weight back and throttled up, hoping to un-stick the front end. Unsuccessful in my attempt, I proceeded to perform an 80 KM/Hr, third-gear, full-throttle, 180 degree low-side.



At least I didn't drop the camera!





A quick personal inventory only revealed a few tender spots, nothing major. The bike was fine but flooded, so I emptied the float bowl and it started right up. I was once again amazed at the abuse my Giant Loop Coyote luggage can handle, and I am certain it protected the bike as well.



This rider had just dropped his daughter off and stopped to see what I was doing. I like his mini-Tenre:




Oh, and here is the picture I wrecked trying to capture...


I rode into the town of Tambor and tried to find lodging. I looked at a Hostel that charged only $8.00/night, but the crowd was way too loud and way too high. I then checked an artsy Zen yoga resort that was priced at $300/night. Finally I stopped at the Barcelo Tambor All-Inclusive Resort, directly on the beach, and secured an oceanfront room with unlimited 24 hour food and drink for less than 1/4 of their published rate (the manager asked me to keep my special price confidential).

Nice digs for a dirty, beat-up bike:


The biker was looking sort of dirty and beat-up as well:


After enjoying a few complementary poolside drinks and soaking in the Jacuzzi I returned to my room and dressed for dinner. The only damage I suffered from my crash was some mild abrasion on my sunburned wrist. The area between jacket and gloves seem to be the primary vulnerability of my gear:


The Barcelo has a nice steakhouse overlooking the ocean, and I enjoyed a delicious dinner to the sound of the breaking waves:


A raccoon came to my table looking for leftovers as a monkey tried to pass unnoticed in the distance:





More to follow...

[Oldone]

Thanks for taking the time for this great ride report. I love reading about other countries and this really gives a lot of information. Lots of enjoyment.....

Gary "Oldone"

Grampa’s Lake Superior Ride
Grampa’s National Monument Ride

[srad600]

Great report and my wife says "awesome photos!". Costa Rica is on my short list of places to ride and this report has done nothing but confirm that I need to make it happen. Thanks.

[poolman]

Originally Posted by Oldone

Thanks for taking the time for this great ride report. I love reading about other countries and this really gives a lot of information. Lots of enjoyment.....

Hi Gary,

Thank you, I'm glad you are enjoying it!

Originally Posted by srad600

Great report and my wife says "awesome photos!". Costa Rica is on my short list of places to ride and this report has done nothing but confirm that I need to make it happen. Thanks.

Srad600,

Glad your wife likes the pictures, it sounds like the two of you need to plan a vacation!


Best to All,

[poolman]

I opened my shades to greet another beautiful day on the Nicoya Peninsula and stepped onto my verandah to take in the sights. A massive iguana was enjoying the morning sun while a squirrel occupied a nearby tree:




The warm pacific ocean relieved my aching muscles as I went for a morning swim:




I dressed in my lucky Neduro Dakar shirt to avoid any future spills:


The previous day's crash had me feeling a little beat up, so I decided to extend my stay at the Barcelo for another night and spend the day exploring the Nicoya Peninsula. I adjusted and oiled the chain, re-inflated the leaky rear tire, adjusted the clutch, and set out to ride. My route for the day:


I rode clockwise along the peninsula to the laid back town of Montezuma. The descent into Montezuma was on steep dirt and nearly impossible to control without a working rear brake (I have only had a front brake since the first day).















The Montezuma waterfall is a 30 minute hike from the nearest road. The old guy in the background offered to watch my bike for $2.00. He looked like he would pass out within 30 minutes, but I paid him anyway and started hiking up the riverbed toward the falls.







I made the hike in Sidi motorcycle boots, carefully avoiding the fashion police:




I relaxed at the falls for a couple of hours, talking, swimming, and cliff diving with locals and tourists alike:




When I returned to the bike the smell of wood-grilled chicken was wafting through the air, so I wandered down toward the beach to find its source. I bought a plate with 1/2 marinated chicken, rice and beans from a beach vendor for about $3.00. The flavor was even better than the aroma.

I continued down the beach and then diverted east across the peninsula through a hot, desolate landscape to the town of Asepaleco on the Gulf of Nicoya. I love stopping in small villages and meeting the locals, but there was not much to see on this route. I continued clockwise around to the village of Lepanto and turned onto a dirt track.














Entering a small village, I noticed through my dusty face shield that a large crowd had gathered at the roadside and that a heavy rope with red ribbons was stretched across the dirt road, blocking passage. Fires were burning in oil drums on each side of the road.


I know in Central America this usually means some sort of protest, but my instincts told me otherwise. I lifted my face shield, proceeded forward, and realized a priest had organized the roadblock along with several teachers and 20 - 30 school children. The kids surrounded my bike and explained they were collecting a voluntary "escuela peaje" (school toll). To my left was indeed a small school currently undergoing renovation. I offered 10,000 Colóns (about US $20) toward their cause and they were clearly overwhelmed.




They say no good deed goes unpunished, and sure enough 40 KM later on a desolate dirt road I found myself caught in a wildfire:






Not wanting to back track 50 KM to an alternate route, I doused my riding gear in water and raced through the intense heat, over the ridge, and into the cooler valley below, then back to Tambor for some all-inclusive food and beverage indulgence at the Barcelo.





Relaxing poolside I noticed an amusing intercultural phenomon. The clientele at the Barcelo were 98% Spanish speaking Latin Americans and Europeans enjoying the Easter holiday. Very few spoke English. However, the music being piped throughout the resort was primarily American pop, although slightly outdated.

The resort "party leader" invited kids onto a large stage to sing karaoke, and about a dozen children aged 8 to 12 excitedly gathered onstage. The song selected was "Hollaback Girl" by Gwen Stefani . Does anyone see where this is going?

So, all of the non-English speaking kids started singing along to Gwen Stefani, following the lyrics and Karaoke ball on the giant screen ...

"It's my sh*t, it's my sh*t"
"It's my sh*t, it's my s*it"
"My sh*t is bananas, B_A_N_A_N_A_S"
"My sh*t is bananas, B_A_N_A_N_A_S"

Their parents were so proud, and had absolutely no idea what their children were singing!

Here is the song on YouTube:





More to follow...

[Hipster]

Poolman, I'm enjoying your ride report. Were you there during the high season, and was it difficult finding reasonably priced hotels without having reservations?

[poolman]

Originally Posted by Hipster

Poolman, I'm enjoying your ride report. Were you there during the high season, and was it difficult finding reasonably priced hotels without having reservations?

Hi Hipster,

I'm glad you are enjoying it. High season in Costa Rica generally referrs to November through April (the dry season). My trip was in late March / early April and included the week before Easter, which is a holiday week with schools and offices closed in much of Central and South America. In other words, my travel included a holiday week during high season.

Even at that time of year there were vacancies in every town I visited. In fact, inquiring in person rather than booking in advance not only enables you to find accommodations you are comfortable with but can save 50% or more off published rates as well. It may be different in the mega-resorts along the Atlantic coast, I didn't go there.

I hope this helps,

[rtwpaul]

did you have the GPS plot your whole ride and keep tracks? or did you just plot it on google for lurkers to see a route when you got back?

looking at some of the places you have been i think i will spend more time there on the way south

[poolman]

Originally Posted by rtwpaul

did you have the GPS plot your whole ride and keep tracks? or did you just plot it on google for lurkers to see a route when you got back?

looking at some of the places you have been i think i will spend more time there on the way south

Hi Paul,

I've been following your ride report and you are certainly racking up the miles! Good question about the GPS. I downloaded a free Costa Rica map set for my Nuvi, but it was not very detailed and did not include any POIs. I basically navigated using the waterproof map from Amazon and referred to the GPS to make sure I was headed in the right general direction.

The route maps I have been posting are from Google and don't include a lot of the secondary tracks I followed. Normally I post my Spot tracks, but for some reason my Spot didn't communicate well in Costa Rica and only logged a few locations on most days.

I highly recommend traveling through the Nicoya peninsula on your way south. The people are friendly, the beaches are great, and the riding is spectacular.

Ride Safe,

[busdriver803]

Great report - Costa Rica is on my short list of places that I need to spend some time. This just confirms it Thanks for taking the time to share.

[rtwpaul]

can you send me a PM with a few must NOT miss locations, on the road again tomorrow but at least i know i will have it on file for reference, as you seem to have found some great places off the beaten track...only send me the budget places big resort areas are not for me