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December 3, 2017
Day 21 [Sun 12/03/17] - La Cruz, Guanacaste, Costa Rica to Dominical, Puntarenas, Costa Rica
Update: I am alive and well and resting peacefully at the Rio Lindo hotel in Dominical, Puntarenas, Costa Rica.
Starting Odometer: 9,857
Ending Odometer: 10,105
Distance Traveled Today: 248 miles
Distance Traveled This Trip: 5,502 miles [10,105 - 4,603]
0 miles - La Cruz, Costa Rica
118 miles - Punta Arenas, Costa Rica (2:49) 118 miles
110 miles - Dominical,Puntarenas, Costa Rica (2:50) 228 miles
My ride today looks something like this.
So Steve, it looks like I'll miss the ferry tomorrow, and then catch one the following Monday, which isn't ideal, but it is what it is. So I'll plan on spending a couple of days in Costa Rica and catching the ferry from Panama to Colombia on Monday December 10th, I think? Also, I'd like to ride down to the end of the PanAmerican Highway and get my photo taken at the Darien Gap. I think that there's a sign that says "End of the Panamerican Highway".
What's funny is that, if I'm not mistaken, now I'm on the same path that I took last time I was down this way, which is kinda fun. Seeing what (if anything) I remember from the ride in back in June of 2013. That was almost exactly 4 1/2 years ago. Man how the time flies. How does it get by us so that, suddenly, you look around and think...Man I haven't been to Costa Rica in a LONG time?
I archived my current track (again) on my Garmin Montana 600. I'm not really clear what this does, but it did create a second archive in my GPS dated 12/3/2017. So now, I have two archived tracks: 12/2 and 12/3. Woohoo!
OK. So, I entered my expenses from yesterday, archived my tracks, copied over my video from the GoPro. Planned my ride for the day. Now, I'll oil my chain in the parking lot, gas up, and head down to check out the ocean. Honestly, I kind of miss it as I've been in the jungles, mountains, and plains for several days now. Kinda miss the beach.
In the morning, I walk out and look at the view, and it's just staggering. Breathtaking. I'm looking out over this bay off of the Pacific Ocean. At night, you couldn't see this, of course. So I had no idea of the view that I was missing. But in the morning, people are eating breakfast or lunch, looking out at the stunning views of the Nicoya Gulf. Breathtaking. I decide that I have to drive down there, so I drive down to the beach. Then, I turn around and come back, gas up, and get out of town.
Now, I'm rolling south and east, basically following the coast. The roads are just amazing down here. There aren't words. It's as if Costa Rica got up this morning and repaved all of their roads in 12" thick asphalt, just to make me happy. Really a welcome change.
Also, there are signs that indicate when a store has an ATM. What a concept. I know, right? Shocking. You can imagine my surprise. Almost like a civilized society.
So I'm just following Waze. Working my way down the coast. There's one place that I remember from last time. I stopped went down to the beach, and the guys down there offered to take me out in a boat. So, I got in a boat with them and we went out into the Nicoya Gulf. It was beautiful. I'd like to find that little fishing village/cove that we left form. And I think it was near Jaco.
But first, I've planned a little excursion out on this peninsula to Punta Arenas. It's a pretty cool little peninsula that just out into the Nicoya Gulf. It appears that it used to have rail service, also. I get out to the end and stop for a snow cone. Delicioso.
Then, I get back to the coast, and am rolling south, when I come to what I think is the same beach from last time. I roll my bike down onto the beach, and promptly get stuck. I have to ask the guy to come over and help push me out.
But I get the bike back on solid ground, and then I walk around. I'm pretty sure that this is the same place that I stopped last time. If not, then it looks nearly identical, anyway. It's exactly as I remembered.
Now, I get back on my bike and take off. I'm trying to ride 250 miles today.
I've re-arranged my camera equipment today, so that I'm riding with both cameras out, but they're on the harness now, instead of around my neck, which is safer, I think.
I'm rolling south, and south east. Pretty much all day long.
Some things I notice about Costa Rica:
1) There pretty much are no speed bumps any more, which is nice.
2) People have fences now. In the last few countries I went through, they would just tie a rope around the cow's/horse's neck, and let them graze on the shoulder. Plant crops in the median, etc. But here, in Costa Rica, is the first time I've really seen what I'd call "ranches", where people put up fences and graze livestock.
3) The roads are so much nicer I want to stop and kiss the asphalt.
4) I really don't see nearly the military/police presence that I've seen in the other countries
5) I saw a radar gun in use today for the first time on this trip through Central America.
In Punta Arenas, I gas up again. It's going to be dark before I get to Uvita, I think. Also, at the end of the day, it's threatening to rain.
I'm just running through this massive banana plantation for miles and miles. Like...how many bananas does one planet need? Seriously?
Now, it starts to rain. Then it stops again. But there's not much daylight left. I'm not clear that I'm going to make it to Uvita. I'm running like 80 mph and it's trying to rain. This is not good. The sun has set. And I come to this little hotel on the side of the road that says Rio Lindo Hotel. I check in and, and I'm bringing my gear in off of the bike, it starts to rain. I dodged a bullet tonight.
Posted by Rob Kiser on December 3, 2017 at 7:20 AM
Comments
Hey Rob, sounds like you will have a fun week wandering. Enjoy!
Posted by: Steven A Baldwin on December 3, 2017 at 10:34 PM