Dominican Republic 2015

     

    We entered the world of all inclusive resorts with a top notch pick, Ocean Blue and Sand in Punta Cana. The weeks leading up to the trip were hectic with my end of the school year to do lists, changes in the bus business for Ron, Hannah's track meets and Algebra II tests, and finals for Tyler at Presentation. We were all ready for vacation. With an early morning flight, we stayed in Minneapolis Friday. A student had given me a gift certificate for The Outback Steakhouse, and as luck would have it, there was one just minutes from our hotel. I rated mine as the best steak ever! It was an early evening, as the clocks were set for 3:45. At five in the morning, we were at the airport. The flight was just fine, and four hours later we were at eighteen degrees latitude. The heat and humidity greeted us, and a few "uff da's" could be heard. The resort shuttle service guy shared a few tidbits about the island, and soon we were on the highway. Ocean Blue was less than a half hour drive. We pulled up to an open air lobby to check in,  and it didn't take long before we were on our way to the first buffet line!

Dominican Republic 2015

We spent a little time getting the lay of the land, each staking our claim in the room, and of course checking out the ocean. Before long it was time to eat again, our first night we ate at an Italian Restaurant, one of four resort restaurants.

The nights were gorgeous with perfect temperatures and no bugs! Strolling along the walkways helped the idea sink in that we were finally here.There were speakers hidden in the landscaping, playing perfect Caribbean music, which Hannah thought was the neatest thing ever. I must admit, they did add to the ambiance.

 Our first item on the agenda in the morning was to plan our excursions. Neri explained our options, and we chose the buggy rides through the countryside, zip-lining, and a day of snorkeling. That afternoon we were off, and the twenty minute drive to the go carts gave us a quick look at the local life. We donned bandannas and prepared for a dusty ride. We drove along the bumpiest road I've ever been on and arrived at a local beach. Ty and Hannah each ended up getting rather friendly with an iguana.

 

We went to a "ranch" and heard from locals how the cocoa bean is dried in the sun, pounded, and packaged, similar to the coffee bean. There was a cave with spring water, and many brave ones jumped in, including Ty and Hannah. They loved it. It was quite the adventure, though I must say we were all ready to climb out of those buggies- kind of a crazy ride, but a great way to see the area.

     Day two was spent at the resort, where the main decision for the day was whether to sit at the pool or the beach. The day was complete relaxation. We kept an eye on the ocean in the beach lounge chairs and dozed on and off. Getting a bit antsy to do something, we checked out the climbing wall, and actually Ty, Hannah, and I each made it to top. The guy with the rope and pulley came in handy too!

And, aren't swim up bars the real deal? After supper, we bowled and took in part of the entertainment show. The evenings were perfect, and we continued to marvel at the absence of mosquitoes.

    Day three we had snorkeling to do, a first time for all of us. So many colorful fish and lots of coral. Tyler even found a sea urchin. It was amazing! When we signed up, I recalled something about a party boat, but party it was. Great music, dancing, drinks and snacks on the boat, then some time on a sand bar to wade around in hip deep water. A shot of mamajuana, a local concoction of rum, honey, and wine seemed to be the thing to do. What a blast! That night we discovered mango smoothies and iced coffees at Mike's, a little sweets shop at the resort. That could be habit forming.

  

     Day four was another excursion day. Everybody rolled out of bed at 5:45 to see the sunrise. My oh my, as soon as the sun was up, the heat became intense. Ron and I had been rising early to get a beach run/walk in, and Ty and Hannah joined us this morning. There was a two mile stretch of resorts, so we could get in a pretty decent workout down and back.

After the first snorkeling stint, we had decided we needed one more turn, so it was off  to the Marinarium. This was much more tame group. We were able to snorkle as much as we wanted. I even held a sea urchin this time! We tried out the motorized snorkeling device and swam with tiger sharks and sting rays. I was envisioning tiger sharks that were maybe three, four feet long. Okay, I was way off. When I spotted one of the six-seven foot beasts in the corner, my heart wobbled a bit, but they weren't interested in us tourists. We indulged in a massage and tried the paddle boards. An excellent day. We enjoyed another great supper and discovered the crepe guy. This would become my nightly dessert from here forward. Payback for those morning miles logged in the Garmin. We spent time strolling along the resort grounds, played a little bingo, did a bit of dancing, and enjoyed the music and atmosphere. All smiles!

    Day five was zip lining. What a thrill through this lush mountain! The twelve lines were all exhilarating. There were guides at each platform to hook up your ropes and send you off, then another guy waiting for you at the other end. One of the lines was 800 meters, nearly a half mile long. But, before we knew it, we were already done. It was definitely one of the highlights of the trip. The bus ride there was interesting as well. We drove past schools, a Catholic church, and many little shops selling mangoes, bananas, and other produce. Some were just along the road, others in a village, each with a plastic lawn chair or two, and people sitting around waiting for customers. The homes were small one room shacks, often  pieced together with tin and scrap lumber. And, we thought the dune buggy road was bumpy-well this climb up the mountain trail had been given the name, "Dominican Massage". Yep, every bit of your body was jostled.

  

   Day six, our final day, was spent hanging tight at the resort. We tried out the kayaks again and split our time between the pool and the beach lounge chairs. Hard to believe this was to be our last day. It was tough to leave the water that last day, though Hannah was appeased when we agreed to take one more dip in the morning. She and I woke up for a morning sea dip, played a little ping pong, and took a quick splash in the pool. Then packing, breakfast, and off to the airport shuttle. Mike's was the last stop for a mango smoothie and iced coffee.
  We all had our favorites, but making the list for the "Best Parts of the Dominican Republic" were the zip lines, snorkeling, Mike's smoothies, crepes, seafood, swimming in the ocean, running on the beach, and best of all, family time. What a memory maker! Where to next?

RASDAK 2015

      Another bike over the head photo, but it just had to be done. The 2015 RASDAK route led us straight home, so it was too hard not to stop for this pic on day six. This was my fourth week long ride, and I'd like to say they get easier each year, but the hills can still leave me huffing and puffing, and the SD wind continues its attempt to beat us down. Like every year though, I end the ride with new friends, sore buns, a greater appreciation for the beauty of our diverse landscape, and tales of great adventure.
     We started the ride in the northern Black Hills with our first night at the Spearfish City Campground. This year our little party of three Webster riders, LeAnn, David and I,  grew by one. Bob Coyne, a WHS graduate now living in KC, joined us. Bob is an amazing rider and lead us through some pretty good headwinds throughout the week. It was fun to see so many familiar faces and watch as riders reconnected with one another. I found Dawn, Lisa, Janna, and Ann from 2014. It was like old home week on two wheels! That night, after our fearless leader, Kasey, gave us the low down for Sunday's ride, and we roasted bananas in tin foil with all sorts of goodies like chocolate chips, Resee's, walnuts, M&M's, and marshmallows. So started the week of indulging! With the first day's gear all laid out, I was lulled to sleep by the babbling of Spearfish Creek alongside our tents. There was a little rain in the night, but nothing close to a downpour, so all was well.
     

Sunday, we had 30 miles of some of most beautiful scenery of the whole week. Bridal Veil Falls made a perfect photo opp, we made a pit stop at Spearfish Canyon Lodge, and then enjoyed breakfast at Cheyenne Crossing.  Those eggs were put to good use as we climbed out of the canyon, but then it was downhill into Deadwood. As I was coasting along, I looked down to see that I was actually speeding, breaking the 25 MPH zone around a curve on the descent into Lead. I am a pretty cautious rider, but didn't have the heart to brake too much. With camp set up, we hopped on the trolley and spent the late afternoon in Deadwood. We felt we earned some ice cream, and Bob was in need of some serious coffee. So we wandered, people watched, and waited until it was time to eat again. As it turned out, we dined with two interesting riders from Sisseton. We were waiting to be seated, as were two other men, and it just seemed natural to invite them to join us. As LeAnn says, that's just a biking thing. Friendly and welcoming - two words that embody RASDAK. Bob discovered one of the fellows had a connection to some land that was once in his family. This particular spot was the setting for Harvey Dunn's, "The Prairie is my Garden",  one of the most recognized pieces of art in SD, and Bob's relatives are in the picture. Neat story. One guy told about the day he decided to take a bike ride to see his inlaws. Sounds simple enough, but he started in Sisseton and biked to Yankton! Yep, just shy of 200 miles, and I thought a century ride gave me bragging rights.
      The temperatures started heating up, so we were biking by 6:00 Monday for our 60 mile day. Our Sturgis breakfast stop was only 15 miles down the road. The dear waitress at the cafe was not expecting the disruption to her normal seven o'clock regulars, but in true biking fashion, Lisa and Dawn asked if they could help, and soon they were filling coffee cups and clearing tables. Before long, we had our protein and carbs in front of us. We biked to a little speck on the map called Union Center. Our stops were hosted by 4H Clubs. Not only did they have the usual spread of energy bars, hard boiled eggs, cheese sticks, Gatorade, and water, but they also had cans of sun screen. No need to dig in the bike pack for my little travel size that I refill each night. This was greatly appreciated as the cloudless sky left us to battle the sun's powerful rays. We arrived to find  a beautiful community center, hardworking ranch families, and a fantastic spaghetti supper. Father Zimmer, the priest from Sanford Sioux Falls, said Mass, to a small group. I also ended up putting my EMT skills to use alongside an RN named Karen to aid a young gal suffering from heat stroke. 911 was called as she needed IV fluids.It served as a reminder to all to be diligent about staying hydrated on these hot days.    

The forecast for Tuesday's 102 mile ride was 95. By 4:00 AM, there was activity in camp as riders were determined to use every bit of the cooler morning temperatures to face the day. There was a great pancake breakfast served by a youth group working a mission trip on the reservation. White Owl, Howes, Red Elm, and Lantry, mere dots on the vast prairie, were welcome stops. I doubt anybody skipped a rest stop on the route this day, as every rider needed a shade break. I rode with Dawn, Lisa, and Dawn, a great group of riders. So fun to gab and pedal! In Eagle Butte, we were completely spoiled as LeAnn's sister, Ellen, picked us up and opened her home to us. The Logan's river house is an incredibly fabulous home. And where else can you go but Bob's Steakhouse if you are at the river? Such a wonderful night's sleep!

Ellen drove us to Eagle Butte to start day four and we pedaled 65 miles back to Gettysburg. We had a pace line of twelve to combat the wind. It takes concentration to maintain the correct distance from the biker in front of you- close enough to catch the draft, but not too close. Crossing the Missouri was cause for celebration as we felt we were half way home, and actually, the climb out of the river bed was not too bad. We had some sprinkles as we approached town, but we knew Ellen had pie waiting for us at her cafe, The Coffee Bean, so whose spirits could be dampened too terribly much? After a warm shower and dry clothes, all was better. We spent our afternoon lounging at the cafe, browsing the shop items, reading the paper, and enjoying an internet connection.  We came for afternoon pie and stayed through supper. I had been eying the cheeseburger on the menu, but it got trumped by a Turkey and Ham Panini, so I decided right then I'd have to order my burger for breakfast. I did just that, and I do believe I could start a trend. It hit the spot, and I was full of fuel as we started off in our rain gear for our 80 miles into Mellette.
      Once again, LeAnn and her connections were my good fortune. An Aberdeen biking friend, Michelle, was joining the ride, and brought her camper so there we were in the comforts again. There was a great meal at a local church, and the Road Booty contest was held. Riders collect odd items they find along the road and come up with some outrageous story to fit it. One rider told of the bag of fishing lures that he found at the bottom of the river when he and his pal jumped in. He claimed a fish gave them to him to promote a new event, SADAK - Swim Across South Dakota. Lots of good natured, fun loving people on the ride.
     Friday's 68 mile ride was going to be a challenge with a strong southeast headwind, and the Crocker Hills provided a final test of wills. Just when it appeared you are at the crest, another hill was around the bend.  We made it though, and the ladies at the Crocker Church had a wonderful array of sweets to satisfy the palette. What a relief it was that day to turn at the 17 mile corner and have that south wind push us home! Pedaling into Webster was a wonderful feeling. Ron was there waiting for me. Everybody heard a shout out as they pulled up at the armory. There was a festive feel that seemed to spread among the riders. Ann and Janna were spending the night at our house, so we took in the golf cart shuttle. We showered, chilled a bit, and headed uptown for some beverages and supper. Lots of belly laughing stories told that night. The next morning, I bid my two B&B gals farewell at 6 AM, and laid back down on the couch to doze until it was time to send Hannah off to her ACT's. That was my excuse for not riding the last day, and actually, I didn't   feel a bit guilty about not riding this last day. My butt told me to stay home! Another fantastic ride to add to the log books.