After checking out some beaches yesterday, we headed out today for some swimming. We went to Crashboat beach. The traffic around there is pretty horrible, but once you get there it’s nice. It was busier today (Fri) than it was yesterday, but not too bad…I’m sure it’s packed on weekends.

Ev and I found a spot on the south end of the beach and waded around, did some snorkeling, and generally hung out. It was a relaxing & slow day. Can you believe this is the first time we’ve really been in the water since we got here!

Tomorrow I think we’re going to head out to the center of the island and check out a couple of towns. (I might put this off, since I’ve been doing a lot of driving the last two days, and am pooped.)

Today Ev and I went driving around the Isabela area (in the northwest part of the island). My brother and his wife are coming down to PR in late March, so we wanted to do so “recon” on places to go.

We went to some of our usual places (a hidden beach by a golf course, a forest for hiking, etc) to get some timings. Traffic around here can be pretty bad, so I want to come up with the most efficient ways to get places. Nothing like being stuck at a stoplight during your vacation!

Since we were in the area, we checked out Crashboat beach. I heard that it was a surfing beach, so I didn’t have high hopes (meaning, it might be too rocky, or very rough surf). But, I was very pleasantly surprised. The water is very calm there and very clear. We walked down one of the piers and could see the bottom–in over 30 feet of water!

We could see a bunch of different fish, and there were people snorkeling around the piers (where the fish gather). Being a weekday, it was pretty quiet. Busier than our “hideaway” beaches (where there’s usually no one else there), but not bad at all–it’s probably a lot more crazy on the weekends. Plenty of good parking, lots of picnic benchs, and it seems well kept (except for the bathrooms, which are frightening).

I’m glad we were able to find a calm, clear, beach area in our vicinity. The other gin-clear beaches we’ve been to are all in the southwest (Boqueron, Gilligan’s Island). They are nice, but it’s a long daytrip (2 1/2 hours one way) to get down there.

I’m going to be putting together a “where to go” and “what to avoid” site pretty soon. I’ll let you know when it’s up.

We spent a good part of our day riding around on our bikes. We did a short ride in the morning, then came back home. Just in time to meet our mailman and get our Performance Bike packages–horray! We got a couple of lights (since I love nightime riding–very peaceful, somewhat scary), water bottles, and some “hoists” for our bikes.

In the afternoon I installed the bike hoists in the garage. Basically, they are rope and pulley things that lift the bike off of the ground. If you had a really high ceiling, you could use them to get the bikes way out of the way. We wanted to get the bikes off of the ground because of the lovely rats. You see, the rats down here love to get into cars (etc) and eat at the cables. For some reason, they like the taste of insulation! So, to (hopefully) prevent this, we now have our bikes 4 feet off the ground.

(At night, the two “puppies” [now young dogs] get put in the garage where the bikes are at. So, our bikes get guarded by them, which is nice. It’s kinda interesting–they really do know who “should” and “shouldn’t” be around. If a stranger comes in, they are all barking and growls. I guess that’s what you want in a dog. It’s funny, because they are still pretty small, but they sound like they’d rip your throat out.)

I wanted to break in my new Nite Rider light, so Ev and I just went out for a ride. I’ve had Nite Rider stuff before (mounted on the handlebars), but this one mounts on your helmet. Let me tell you, you may look goofy with the light on your head (you look like a coal miner), but it’s a thousand times better than the handlebar mounts. You can look around and see what you’re getting into. (I wish cars did that–especially on these roads–who cares what’s in front of you–I want to see the next turn!) Plus, the battery pack is small–it slips right into a jersey pocket. (My old Nite Rider had a big battery pack the shape of a water bottle. Nice design at the time, but you wouldn’t want to put it in your back pocket!)

The ride was nice and peaceful, plus it’s a lot cooler, so you don’t get so dehydrated. In all, I think we passed one car altogether. It will be interesting once we have a full moon, then we’ll be able to see the whole valley at night.

So a thumbs up on the following bike gadgets:

* Cateye TL-LD 1000 rear light. Super bright. A couple of modes and true 180 degree (almost 360) coverage–since it has two LEDs on each side, in addition to 10 (two banks of 5) in the rear. Down here, you really need a rear light, even during the day.

* Nite Rider Digital Head Trip 3.0. Made in the USA! A solid 15 watts of blazing power. Many modes (4 levels of brightness, flashing, etc). Small battery. Simple to install on the helmet, though a tad heavy (that’s the price you pay for a metal lamp). Even comes with a nice zippered storage case. Not cheap, but well worth the money.

And a general Thumbs Up to Performance Bike. They shipped fast (the next day) and have very reasonable shipping rates. We ordered the stuff last Wed/Thr and got both today (Tue), which is really good.

P.S. Sorry to those of you in Chicago who have to listen to this outdoors stuff in February. Right now it’s coming up on 11 PM and is 73 degrees outside. I see it’s 28 in Chicago. Sorry.

In the late ’40s to ’50s there was a lot of infrastructure buildup in PR. A number of dams and aquaducts were built, resulting in several man-made lakes. In fact, most of the larger lakes on the island are man-made (due to dams). For example, Dos Bocas and Guajataca are both the result of concrete and steel. For those who what to check out some of these, here are two that are easy to get to:

Dos Bocas: Take 123 south (or 10 to 621 east) from Arecibo and get on 146 east. The far western part of 146 is where the dam is at. In fact, route 146 goes right over the top of the (barely) two-lane dam. You can stop on either side (though the west side is safer) and check it out. You often see people fishing off of the side. It’s gotta be at least a hundred feet high. Has a very small hydroelectric setup.

Guajataca: The dam is on route 119 (the ”major” road between Camuy and San Sebastian) around where it intersects with 478. This is the northern tip of the lake (these lakes all flow from south to north). 

You can get to it from Route 2 using 119 south. It’s kinda a weird route, since you look north through Camuy first–there is a shortcut, to the west, but it’s hard to explain–look for the Burger King & Taco Maker–it’s not otherwise marked. (I’m really starting to sound like a Puerto Rican: “Turn left at the pink church, go past the cow pasture, and there will be a burned out Texaco.” ) Or, you can some south on 113 from Quebradillas (113 connects to 119 north of the lake).

Again, like Dos Bocas, you drive right over the dam (119 is the route). This dam is a lot shorter, and much wider. You’ll think you’re on a low bridge and not a dam.

We headed down to the Rio Abajo Forest Reserve today. It’s along Route 10, between Arecibo and Utuado, just west of Lago Dos Bocas. We wanted to check it out and do a bit of hiking. Unfortunately, when we got there the gate was chained up. Since it was Monday, and many “tourist” places are closed on Mon/Tue, we figured that was it.

So, we headed over to TJ Ranch to hang out there (since it’s pretty close by). They mentioned that it seems like the forest is always closed. (Problem being that the hiking trails seem to be accessible from the visitor area–and that area is closed and surrounded with barbed wire fences.)

Later on we visited some other friends and had a very nice dinner. They mentioned the same thing–they were able to find some trails, but they were not clearly marked, and were pretty much at the end of the road (621, west). The times they have been there were also for naught (visitor center closed).

So, if anyone is interested in hiking this forest, try to call first (if there is a number anywhere). Otherwise you might make a trip in vain. I’m not sure why this is the case, since we’ve never had problems at other forests we’ve visited. There is supposed to be some good camping here, too, but we didn’t see anything. Maybe we’ll try on a weekend and see if we have better luck.

It’s a shame, because the Dos Bocas area is a very scenic spot. When coming from 22 / Arecibo, you take Route 10 south. Instead of taking 10 all the way down, get off on the 123 south exit. (Route 123 is the original “old” road between Arecibo and Ponce. It’s gradually being replaced by the high-speed Route 10.) It’s a very pretty route, running through the valley in parts. You’ll also pass over a river, see a small waterfall (you’ll hear it before you see it), and a house with a big (20′ long) dragon sculpture in the front yard!

If you want to do some hiking “nearby”, the closest forest would be the Guajataca Reserve, near Lake Guajateca. Lots of well maintained trails, and the Viento (Wind) cave is here (be sure to bring a flashlight–you are on your own in the cave). Plus, it’s close to the lake, which is worth taking a look at.

Well, it’s been a couple of weeks since we got out bikes. So far they are working out okay. The trouble I’m having with mine is with the fancy hydraulic disc brakes. Clamp down on them too hard (which happens a lot in this area–lots of hills) and they squeal like a pig getting killed. Man, they are LOUD.

I’ve taken the bike back once to have them checked, and they say they are okay (pads just need to “break in”), but I’m skeptical. For now, half of the countryside can hear me coming–it’s at the point where I don’t want to brake, because of the noise. There is supposed to be some “anti-brake-squeal” stuff available (for cars) which I might try. For now, I don’t need a horn/bell on the bike.

Riding around here (with us out of shape) was pretty discouraging at first. This area is quite hilly–no flat-as-glass Illinois here. Here you have uphill battles that last for MILES.

The first route we took was going south-west from the house (along 455, for those with maps). The first part of the trip was really fun–it was all downhill. I was easily doing 35 mph (on a mountain bike, none-the-less)…with disc brakes SCREAMING. (When I hit a puddle, the discs threw off steam!)

Coming back was like a death march. If I wasn’t on BP medicine I probably would have had a heart attack. Mile after mile of steep uphill. I tried part of the stretch again the other day and even a small section killed me. (There’s just no place to get warmed up.) Just goes to show what years of sitting in front of a computer will do to you.

Anyhow, there are some flatter parts in the area–but they all require driving around. We have a small bike rack for the car, but there’s nothing that kills the urge to ride than knowing you have to drive someplace. It’s just a hassle for the daily ride. I was discouraged.

Yesterday Ev and I went out again, this time in the opposite direction. On a whim, I turned down what looked like a sideroad (in between farms). Lucky I did! It’s hilly, but a good mix of up-and-down, so you can build up speed to make it up the next hill. It is also infrequently used (it leads to a little community of about 20 homesteads), so you don’t have to worry about getting killed by a speeding car coming around a blind corner. (There are enough killer potholes to keep the riding interesting–and keep the cars from speeding.)

As a bonus, the route is about 3 miles long, starts about 2 minutes from the house, and is mostly downhill on the way back home. “Three miles?” you say “that’s nothing!” Well, I agree. Three miles in Chicago is nothing (taking out the killer traffic–cars-bikes-people). But, when you have a 25 degree grade to climb, it’s another thing altogether. No wonder why all the roadies we see out here have tree trunks for legs. Strong guys who are just barely getting up some of these inclines (tough for cars, let alone bikes).

So, I’m pleased. Found a good training route, close to home. I can go back and forth a couple of times to build up my stamina. Plus, it’s got really beautiful views that look out across the countryside. (It’s kinda elevated, runs along the ridge–you look down on the valley.) Now I just need to get out there everyday. (Just ordered a new headlight from Performance Bike, so that I can ride at night, when it’s much cooler. I’ve bought from Performance for ages [over 12 years, at least] and I’ve always been happy with them. They ship fast and have good prices.)

One of the things we’re considering doing down here is some Eco Tourism (hiking, biking, etc). Well, in order to do the biking part, you need a bike, right? (Okay, I know: Those who know me are aware that I have about 5 bikes right now: tandem, recumbent, road, mountain, and folding. But hey, they are all in Chicago!)

So, I was looking around for bike stores. There’s one chain on the island, but it didn’t look too promising (didn’t really tell me what brands they carried, plus, I’m not a big fan of ‘big” companies). Luckily, while searching for trails, I ran across Xtreme Bikes, in Aguadilla (Xtreme Bike PR). They looked like a small business bike shop–the kind I like. So, Evelyn and I decided to check them out today.

Now you gotta remember, when it comes to most “specialty” stores in PR, they are typically postage stamp sized and don’t have much. I’m talking 10 x 12 sized stores. So, I wasn’t keeping my hopes up. However, I was betting on one thing: On their website they show themselves as a Rocky Mountain Bicycles dealer. For those not into bikes, RM bikes are hand-built in Canada. Real people welding the frames. Real people building the wheels.

So, off to Aguadilla we headed. It’s about 45 minutes from home, depending on traffic (the side roads are the easy part–the main roads [like 2] get all backed up). When we got there I wasn’t too sure, but lo-and-behold, it was a decent sized bike store with probably 25 bikes on the floor. Helmets, glasses, shoes, gadgets, etc. I was pleased.

When we got there we were greeted by Lizette, who we found was one of the owners. She was very friendly and helpful, which isn’t always true of store employees here. (As in the US, there are those people who want to help you, and those that don’t. Unfortunately, there are a lot more lazy unhelpful ones than good ones. When you find a good one they are like gold.)

I took a look around and eyed a couple of Rocky Mountain bikes (they also have Kona, a few Specialized road bikes, and some Iron Horse). I took three of them for a spin, two full suspension and one front-only. Man! It was nice to get on a bike again. Zipping down the Calle Marginal at mach speed, then slamming on the brakes (disc, front and back–sweet!) and hearing little kids squeal as the bike slammed to a stop near them. (If I could understand Spanish, I am sure that they said “do it again!”.)

The only problem is, I haven’t been on a bike in ages, so soon after I felt like I was gonna have a heart attack. But, I survived, and was hooked. Evelyn, not wanting to be left out, also took a couple for a spin, and found a liking to a hard-tail RM bike.

In the end, we ending up walking out with a new Rocky Mountain Element 30 for me (Ron’s Bike) in red, and a Rocky Mountain Trailhead for Evelyn (Evelyn’s Bike) in black–of course. Also picked up some new Giro helmets (my old Giro Ventoux is probably 10+ years old now, and still in good shape–but still in Chicago)…I never ride without one.

So, Ev and I are gonna find some (quieter) roads tomorrow and break in the bikes. Heck, we might even be able to ride them around her parents land–just watch out for the cow pies! After that, we’re gonna check out some beach trails, and a really cool trail in the dry forest in the south (Guanica). Once I’ve put a few hundred miles on the frame, I’ll write up a full review of the bike.

I’ll post some pictures tomorrow (once it’s light out). All you ladies out there will get to see me in my biker shorts.

Evelyn and I visited a regional forest on our last trip. It was to the east of Arecibo…need to look up the name. The thing I noticed was that they allow / have mountain biking trails. Once we have our bikes down there, we’re going to give them a try. I’ll keep you posted. (One other thing was that the park was pretty busy, so if you are looking for silence, this probably isn’t a good place–lots of people with picnics & beer.)

This forest is located in the northwest, near Arecibo. (If you are in the area to see the Radio Telescope or the Rio Camuy Caves, be sure to stop be here also.)

Evelyn and I have done several hikes in this forest. It’s usually quiet (very few visitors compared to other forests) and the trails are well maintained.

Be sure to visit the Wind Cave, which is on one of the trails. Now if you are expecting wind, then look elsewhere, since it’s never been windy when we’ve went there. However, you will find some steep (but well maintained) stairs that lead down to a clean cave. You’ll see bats and bugs and the usually amount of dripping water. Be sure to bring flashlights–headlamps are better–you won’t see anything without them. We’ve gone about 500 feet into the cave (no crawling is necessary) and plan to do more once we live on the island.