Vacation Report #2 (Blue Mountain Bike Tour). Now with pics!

Member

This is how it was supposed to be:

The following is included in the package:
1. Transportation with snacks on the buses (pick-ups and return)
Snacks? What snacks?
2. Rest stop at Annotto Bay for fresh fruits on BMT, and most important restroom stop.
And 6 dollar bags of pretzels! I thought I was at Hardees!!
3. Brunch at 'Papillions Cafe'(an open-air restaurant in the Blue Mountains), including eggs, toast, banana fritters, beignets, famous Blue Mountain Coffee, fresh fruit juices, limeade and more!
4. Bicycles with basket, protective helmets, knee & elbow pads and rain gear when necessary.
Basket? We didn't get no stinkin baskets!!
5. Lunch (also at 'Papillions Cafe'), is Chicken Jambalaya with salad and more, also includes fruit juices. There are sodas and the famous Red Stripe beer to purchase.
6. Blue Mountain Tours has Small Gift Shop items to sell such as:- T-shirts, sweat shirts, tank tops, coffee, coffee mugs and a lot more
7. Guided tour (educational and enlightening)
The bus driver was more informative that our "guides" were.

Your tour begins from one of our selected rivers with a friendly greeting from your guide. Throughout your journey of Jamaica's countryside you will hear the local dialect and interesting facts about Jamaica's colorful past. Our tour offers the best way to see rural Jamaica. 'Papillions Cafe' is one of the most picturesque stops in Jamaica and where you will experience a wonderful Jamaican brunch with a touch of Cajun from New Orleans, Louisiana. After brunch you'll be oriented about your day and what's in store for you. You will then travel to Hardware Gap, the highest point you can reach by vehicle, and view Kingston from Hollywell National Parks '5,600 ft above sea level'. At this point you will be fitted with your bicycles, which are equipped with baskets for your cameras. Now we begin our descent, a low grade (5 to 10 mph) picture taking tour. We have designated picture taking stops so bringing plenty of film!

Surrounded by a beautiful rainforest, you will see the Blue Mountain coffee plantations and glide-down through the extraordinary country-side where vivid colors inspire poetic musings. There are numerous waterfalls to explore as we coast down the mountainside. After stopping for lunch you'll see a demonstration of how coffee is processed. Chocolate, banana and plantation orchards surround you, along with various fruit trees. The second half of the tour includes several waterfalls, so don't forget your swimsuit and a towel for a dip in a crystal clear pool.

Let me tell you how it really was:

Keith and I thought this sounded really cool so we forked out our $90 dollars each (yes american money) to take this tour. Our day started out early the bus picked us up at 8am. The bus driver again was very informative and entertaining. The first 2 hours went by pretty quick. We also had to make several emergency stops along the roadside so the guy that drank too much the night before could get out and puke. After 2 hours we came to the first "rest stop". Here you could purchase snacks and drinks. ($6 for a bag of pretzels!)

After this stop we made our way up the mountain. It was another hour or so before we got to brunch. Brunch was really good. Then we went about another hour up the mountain. It was almost exactly 4 hours of bus riding.

This was my first indication that this may not be such a great day.

I was completely underdressed, wearing shorts and a tanktop. The air-conditioning on the bus had been cranking all the way there, then we get out (remember we're on a mountain, oh yeah... in the rain forest. Is it always raining in the rain forest? It was this day.) I was freezing!!

We finally get to the top and we get our bicycles and rain coats. Have you ever tried riding a bicycle in a full length raincoat? Down a mountain? In the Rain? My bike was a whole other story. LOL

The handle bars were not even in line with the front tire. I think it had one bolt holding it together and the brakes were really iffy. It was very foggy when we started out so we really couldn't see anything. We rode right down the same road we just drove up. The guides kept everyone together pretty well. About 40 people in all.

In the flier we read there is like 30 different species of birds and tons of magnificent wildlife on this route. All I saw was a cow. The flier also spoke of natives working the coffee fields balancing things on their heads!! The only native I saw was walking up the mountain in a pair of brand new Nike's and talking on a cell phone. We did see lots of children going to and from school. They all wear uniforms and they look really nice. I didn't see one single kid with a dirty uniform. They even had schools way up in the mountain.

Anyway it quit raining when we got out of the rain forest. The guides really herded us all down the hill about as quick as they could. I didn't get many pictures cause its really hard to snap pictures and not ride right off the side of the mountain. They stopped a few times for picture taking, but you couldn't just ride down the mountain at your leisure and take pictures of what you wanted too. All the way down the mountain several guides would point out every pot-hole and loose gravel and sharp turn. "Pot-hole on the left!! Pot-hole on the right!! Pot-hole in the middle!! Slow down!! Sharp turn!! Double sharp!!" Imagine that in a Jamaican accent for 18 miles of bike riding. LOL

I know they were just doing what they were supposed to, but it was kinda funny.

Lunch was really good. I got to try the world famous Blue Mountain Coffee. (That I had never heard of before this trip.) The taste was much akin to taking an ashtray that is full, pouring water in it, and gulping it down.

I apologize to anyone that likes it tho cause we could have bought some really cheap. I did some research on the net and holy cow that stuffs expensive!! Shocked

The crystal clear pool at the end was freezing cold and after I had froze all day I didn't feel much like an ice bath. We stayed all of about 15 minutes there before we were on the bus for a 3 hour bus ride home. We did stay long enough for me to acquire some mosquito bites. 2 of which broke out in blisters 2 days later.

Should I be concerned?

The day was kind of miserable mostly. The bus ride really started to get to me after a few hours. But they were right about the memories lasting a lifetime. Everytime Keith and I drove by a pot hole today I pointed and shouted: "Pot-hole on the left!! Pot-hole on the right!! LOL

Frightened Inmate #2

The Pinball

Pyromaniac

Great report! I like to hear it how it really happened.

Member

That's so funny! Sorry you had to go thru that experience just so we could laugh at your expense.
Hubby and I recently ordered a pound of Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee from Green Mountain. We love it! Maybe the coffee tasts different if you drink it sitting on the sofa reading a book rather than after riding down a mountain in a rain slicker.

Member

Here's me looking thrilled.

Here is a cool picture of the view.

AZhat

Great Report and pictures!

How did you ride a bike in that raincoat?
That was a dress!!! Shocked

I'm glad you could return home with a few funny memories though.
You'll always think of that ride down the mountain when you see potholes.

The Movie Geek

I haven't read the report yet, but those are sweet pictures. Is that a bald eagle in that bottom pic?

Member

Master of Prissface

That is hilarious.....well, now it is. Then, I bet it was a bummer. At least you can laugh about it now, and dang, that view is pretty!!!

As for the coffee, they must not have made it right, I love it, I just refuse to buy any here because it is RIDICULOUSLY expensive for the authentic (not the "blend") stuff. Did you have it at your hotel also and still not like it?

So, overall, did you have a good time and bring back lots of stuff to laugh about??

Member

Great report! And if I may say so...you look darling in yellow! Mr. Green

Frightened Inmate #2

Back at work now?

The Movie Geek

Member

Excelent

Great picture achey. The rain forest picture is great

and I like you in your job too Wink

Vacation Report #2 (Blue Mountain Bike Tour). Now with pics!

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