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Downhill Bike Ride from Mountain to Sea with Snorkeling to Cool Down
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When my sister-in-law and her husband honeymooned at Silver Sands, they did this tour and recommended it to us. My son, Lal, 11 years old, and I decided it would be our type of adventure, so we planned that we must do this during our visit in August 2002.
It took us 40 minutes to get to Chukka Cove from Silver Sands that morning as there were delays caused by the huge North Coast highway building project under way. Once at Chukka Cove, we did the paperwork and were on our way by 9:00 AM.
(Photo copyright of Mysilversands Jamaica Villas)
We (a party of eight persons, the other six being three young couples vacationing at hotels in Ocho Rios) were driven up to the staging point (above) in a comfortable bus by a driver with two guides. Some 2000 feet above sea level and eight and a half miles from our destination, awaiting our arrival was a truck, loaded with bicycles and other equipment.
Our guides assigned our bikes and equipped us with helmets and knee pads.
(Photo copyright of Mysilversands Jamaica Villas)
At 9:45 AM, we started down, and with hands on the brakes most of the way, we followed the winding and sometimes bumpy road back to the coast. We stopped at the Mount Zion School (above; note paintings of Jamaica's National Heroes on the building) where our female guide gave us a history lesson as we rested under the shade of a huge tree in the school yard. We toured the premises and glimpsed into the classrooms. School was out for the summer holidays.
(Photo copyright of Mysilversands Jamaica Villas)
As we rode through Mount Zion, people on the roadsides smiled and waved. I had to stop as we went pass the Mount Zion Postal Agency (above). I wish I could have posted a letter from there.
(Photo copyright of Mysilversands Jamaica Villas)
My worry about traffic was ill-founded as we did not encounter a single vehicle until we were nearly back on the coast at Chester. Part way down, we stopped for a drink of water provided by our truck which followed us all the way. The views were breathtaking, and our guides even took photos with our cameras (see Lal and I above).
(Photo copyright of Mysilversands Jamaica Villas)
We stopped at the village called Spicy Grove (above). Here, we were treated to a cold bottled beverage with a snack of yam and salt fish (cod) roasted on an open fire in a barbecue fashioned from the old rim of a truck wheel. There was only one part of the journey where we had to dismount and walk, a steep hill that beat most of us. Our guides said 95% of the journey was downhill and only 5% was uphill. We saw 4 cars in Chester.
We turned off the road and biked along an old air strip that is now used for gliding, a visitor attraction conducted by a British national. We continued through the Llandovery Estate where I enjoyed the sight of the pawpaw (papaya) and scotch bonnet pepper fields.
We made our way back to Chukka Cove and headed for the picnic area by the sea (above), arriving at 11:15 AM.
Snorkeling was on offer but Lal and I declined as we had already done a lot of that at Silver Sands. Again our guides suited up those who were interested and we plunged into the beautiful cool calm sea in a secluded cove, sheltered by honeycomb rocks.
(Photo copyright of Mysilversands Jamaica Villas)
The sea was clean and clear, and very refreshing after a long sweaty ride. Just the right thing to top off a three hour tour. A videographer had followed the tour, taping us all the way, and offered a video to those interested in this sort of souvenir of their experience.
Note:This page has been posted as a community service. This is not an endorsement of this business. Above are notes on our experience when we visited. We recommend that you telephone before your visit.
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