Day 3 Puntarenas to San Mateo, then Athenas

Friday 24th December

Today's ride started off along the sea front - down the unusual finger of land surrounded by mangrove swamps.  Saw a pelican, a frigate bird and more vultures.  Hot again but felt much better - helped by magic red powder in the drinking water and lots of snacks stops along route.  Lunch in a shady forest, most of us opting to do a few hours single track riding.  Technical but mostly ridable for me.  We stopped at a waterfall - time for a fully clothed swim, no problem in this heat and it felt great.  Back to the hotel in Athenas.  Really enjoying talking to everyone in the group - very interesting people such as Ros - a professional musician.  Huge Christmas Eve dinner.

Day 4 Athenas through the Tarcoles Valley (Ruta de los Conquistadores), Turrucares to La Garita

Saturday 25th December

Last look at the wonderful view.  8 of us to go on the harder route.  Actually only 4 hours cycling time but very hot and very steep hills that only Gary could ride up.  The countryside looks very like Cuba from the houses with music blaring out.  Hard to get going after a lunch of rice and beans and chicken (cassada).  There aren't many bits of me that aren't bitten - my own fault for not wearing insect repellent.  It didn't seem necessary when no-one else was getting bitten.  Today I got stung by something riding down the steep hill from the hotel.  Arrived at a chalet style hotel and cooled down in the pool.  Went out for a meal without the guides - Jane as interpreter - had a delicious steak and Chilean red wine.

Day 5: La Garita (shuttle through San Jose and Cartago) Lourdes, Orosi Valley, Orosi, Kiri Lodge (Tapanti N Park)

Sunday 26th December

Leisurely start to the day, with a two hour drive stopping off to watch the Tour of Costa Rica race.  Up hill cycle for a mile got us warmed up and then a long down hill to lunch.  Usual cassada and great fruit juices made it a struggle to get on the bikes for a final 7 miles to a hotel deep in the rain forest.  My goal to stay ahead of Jane - just managed it but it didn't count because her chain came off just before the end.  Pouring rain, but still able to see glimpses of amazing birds.  Once the rain had stopped me, Gary, Peter, Andy, John and Ditsie set off on a hike before supper.  It was much harder than the leaflet led us to expect and John and Ditsie turned back.  We carried on with the promise of a bat cave at the end point of the walk.  It was steep, muddy, slippery and overgrown.  We started to worry about the disappearing light and how long it would take us to get back, especially since an early part of the path had a steep drop on either side.  We increased our pace - reluctant to turn back without seeing those bats.  The walk was numbered so we knew we had reached the end.  But could we see any bat cave - well the secret is out - not a sign.  Not that we lingered long as conscious of the lack of daylight - we rushed to retrace our steps and made it with minutes of light remaining.  Feeling exhausted, with muddy and wet clothes.  So much for the relaxing pre dinner stroll I had promised Gary.

Day 6: Kiri Lodge (Tapanti N Park) to Turrialba

Monday 27th December

Bird watching over breakfast - scarlet rumped tanager, a honey creeper and a northern oriole.  Steep climbing to start the ride today followed by long down hill section with loose rock.  I came down it slowly.  I fell off on a slippery up hill bit, unable to get my feet out of the pedals in time, banging my knee.  Saw a beautiful blue butterfly (neon blue morpho).  The hotel is at the top of a very very steep hill, which took us all by surprise.  We thougth we were there and the hill just kept on going.  Lunch at the bar took forever to arrive.  We are staying in a little hut with a fantastic view from its own balcony.  Feels good to know a little Spanish.

Day 7: Turrialba (Rest Day)

Tuesday 28th December

Pouring rain, pouring rain.  Played two games of scrabble with John and Ditsie.  Read.  Went into the town of Turrialba, into three bike shops where Gary bought some bargain bike bits and we drank some coffee (not had any nice coffee yet).  A bit of a flat day.

Day 8 Turrialba to Parismena, Tortuguero National Park

Wednesday 29th December

17 miles today with lots of ups and downs on smooth tarmac at the usual furious pace.  I hit 36mph as the road was so smooth and sweeping.  Walked down to the water for the rafting trip.  Gary and I were with an American guide called Caleb.  Gary, Andy and I were the only ones to stay in the boat.  Grade 4 rapids were terrifying especially when the other boat completely capsized.  Justin and Ros were under for some time and were quite shaken, but all ok.  Lunch on the riverside.  Saw kingfisher, blue heron, toucan, osprey, king heron, egret.  A beer and a change of clothes then onto a bus to take us to the coast, where we boarded a small motor boat.  I spotted a green iguana in a tree, so we stopped for a closer look.  Tonight went to see the Caribbean sea and had a couple of beers before supper.  We ate in about 5 minutes - delicious spagetti, salad and garlic bread.  An early night with the sound of frogs, insects and torrential rain.  Another great day.

Day 9 Parismina, Tortuguero National Park.

Thursday 30th December

Boat tour with a guide to the national park.  Saw a crocodile with its mouth open and then leisurely crawl into the water, a sloth climbing slowly with its long claws.  Also a poison dart frog and turtle.  Free afternoon, walked on the beach, had a beer and then scrabble before supper.  Pete, Ros (Shiny Wheels), Jane, Justin and Andy stayed in the bar and got drunk.  A night boat trip after supper with a torch picking up eyes in the undergrowth.  Our guide stopped the boat and got out in his bare feet.  He called for help from the driver and the two of them returned carrying a cayman (small crocodile) into the boat to show us. 

Day 10 Parismena to Cahuita

Friday 31st December

We ate rice and beans three times today.  Started this morning with a motor boat journey, still time to spot a crocodile on the bank and some howler monkeys high in a tree.  Relaxing to zip along letting my thoughts wander.  Lunch of spicy rice and beans with fish in a beach front cafe served by an Afro Carribean man.  Swam in the sea and the waves were so strong they took my breath away.  We cycled along the coast through Lymon for 34 miles.  Very busy roads.  Tried to stay in a peleton formation - nearly killed me to keep up.  Gary pushed me to help.  I managed one section then right at the end the leaders speeded up.  Jane made a fantastic effort saying we could catch them.  I tried to follow her and was gasping for breath and couldn't keep it up.  It was fun.  The hotel is another chalet style place set in wonderful grounds with birds and black and green dart frogs.  Swam in the pool and relaxed to the sound of grasshoppers.  Buffet meal at the hotel with a truly dreadful live band (a real difference from Cuba).  Kevin found a gaudy leaf frog to show us and it leapt onto Jane's face.  Into town for some more drinks and a bit of a dance - home for midnight.

Day 11 Cahuita to Puerto Viego

Saturday 1st January

Feliz Ano!
Relaxed in the hotel garden, sitting outside our room.  Spotted a toucan in the tree and a squirrel cuckoo.  Cycled through the town of Cahuita, then into the coastal national park.  Enjoyed cycling over roots, beating the waves across the beach, but drew the line at log hopping.   Saw white faced monkeys and a sloth.  Cycled back along the road - again trying to keep up with the peleton - great fun.  This place is the most touristy yet with lots of cafes, bars and stalls selling trinkets.  Black rastas - marking the great change from the Pacific to the Carribean coasts.  Gary and I have a lovely chalet style room just off the beach.  Went for a walk to watch the sunset, paddle in the warm water and watch the crashing waves, surfers far out to sea catching frightening looking waves.  Celebratory cold beer out of our own fridge.  Great feeling.

Day 12 Puerto Viego (Rest day)

Sunday 2nd January

Last day of cycling - but only Peter and Andy joined us for our own ride down the coast to Manzanillo.  We started off along a beach path in the forest, with a plank bridges across streams.  Gary went across, Peter needed a second run at it.  Just as he was lining himself up for it, he couldn't get his feet out of the peddles and toppled over.  But not a man to be deterred - he still managed to cross the plank.  The path ran out and we continued on the road to Manzaniillo for an orange juice in a decrepid looking cafe, advertising ice creams but none on sale.  Continued along the beach crossing a deep estuary and into the forest beyond the path quickly turning to mud.  We stopped at a point with a view of choppy seas and pelicans on a rock.  Returning through the estuary Peter made a valiant attempt to cycle across - nearly losing his bike out to sea.  This afternoon did a canopy tour with Jane and Ros.  Not very thrilling but good company and views of the jungle.  Most interesting was a walking tree which moves in search of light and some huge ants.  Fun to be so high above the ground and then sliding down to the next platform.  Couple of beers from the fridge before supper  - this involved a bus ride to Manzanillo to a fish restaurant above this mornings cafe.  This was our last night together and Peter announced his awards for the trip:
Gary - superman, Me - grinder, Ros - best techy, Jane - snatcher, Mark - golden bib and best fall, Randall - bonk , Carlos - butterfly, Jim and Lisa - best couple, John - David Attenborough, Ditsie - sloth/cute bum, Newcomer - Justin, Kevin - one of only 2 in Costa Rica.  Andy - all round athlete.  Made us all laugh alot.  Pouring rain as we left and seemed to rain all night.

Day 13: Puerto Viego to San Jose

Monday 3rd January

Four hour journey back to San Jose.  Stopped in a supermarket to buy coffee etc.. Pouring rain suits our mood of the impending end of the holiday.  Hotel Carlos - nice comfortable hotel.  Off to the bike shop and Justin and Peter decide to buy a Santa Cruz Blur for about half the UK price.  Jane bought a heart rate monitor, Gary tried hard but couldn't find anything to buy.  Out for dinner - the best restaurant yet - parmesan and olive bread has never tasted so good, for being an unfamiliar taste.  Drinks afterwards to say farewell to John, Ditsie, Jim  and Lisa.

Day 14: San Jose

Tuesday 4th January

Leisurely breakfast on the outdoor terrace but the weather turned cold and wet.  Ros joined us for our own city tour.  At the National Theatre - joined an Italian tour group as they walked into the theatre.  Beautiful horseshoe shaped theatre with a sense of colonial grandeur.  Delicious coffee at last in the theatre cafe.  Gold museum with pre-Colombian artefacts and walked to the indoor market, felt a bit unsafe with lots of people around on the streets.  After lunch went to the Jade museum for more artefacts and Gary went back to the bike shop where he managed to find some bargains.  Farewell drink with Ros, Jane and Andy.  Final meal at a Carribean restaurant.

Day 15: San Jose (Scenic Flight) and Flight home to London

Wednesday 5th January

Mark, Justin, Peter, Gary and myself hired a small plane for $182 each.  Beautiful sunny day - such a relief after yesterday's weather.  A thrill to be in a small plane, feeling the turbulence. Saw a couple of volanoes and over to Puntaranas with its unusual finger of land.  Picked out our hotel and the start of the next day's cycle ride.  Taxi to the airport and the long journey home begins.

Altitude & Distance Plots (Polar 720i Heart Rate Monitor)

Day 2 Atenas to Puntaranas

Thursday 23rd December

Day 3 Puntaranas to San Mateo, then Athenas

Friday 24th December