Issue:
Spring 2001

Text:
Andi Seiler

Photography:
Andi Seiler

Geographic Region:
Costa Rica, Central America

Pages:
58 - 66

Tankbag Maps:
Download Map 1

Visit the gallery for more pictures

 

It has rained all night long, and the railroad track on the bridge is soaked and slippery. There are two rows of boards lining the bridge to allow cars to pass. After careful scrutiny, we choose the more stable-looking row of boards on the right side. After only a few meters, though, our lane is covered with holes and gaps everywhere. Some of the boards are missing entirely! I try to concentrate while driving at a snail’s pace behind Gernot, a police officer from Kiel. Sometimes I have the feeling I’m not driving at all. Instead, I try to keep my balance on the bike by pulling the throttle and stabilizing while applying the rear brake. The thin lining in my Gore-Tex jacket is wet, totally wet, and it seems to stick to my skin like Super Glue. Then, suddenly, it happens: Gernot is losing his front wheel on the wet track. Just now I realize that the right side of the bridge is missing a railing. And 20 meters below is the river. Our quick-witted “Commandante,” as we will call Gernot from this moment on, somehow managed to let himself fall to the left—the bike and he are saved. I shudder to think what would have happened if Gernot had lost it totally. In addition, our German tour guide, Jost, tells us that it is not uncommon to find crocs in the rivers over here.

Next morning the “Commandante” is the first of us to sit on his bike again. He is running his engine to warm it up and gives us the signal to take off. He mentally got over his accident of the day before pretty fast. One hundred fifty boring kilometers (94 miles) of Pan-American Highway are waiting for us before we get to the capitol. The bridge Puente de las Americas, the symbol of Panama City, connects North and South America. While driving over it we have a great view to the Bahia de Panama with many yachts and boats to the south and the Panama Canal to the north—important for passenger and cargo shipping. The canal is not only a fast shipping channel, it is also a wildlife and nature reserve with plenty of small dammed lakes.

After a long boat tour with Harald, a real “Viking” from Sweden, Jost and “Commandante” Gernot are blowing their horns for the assault on Fuerte San Lorenzo. A nine-kilometer long (5.6 miles), dusty dirt road is ahead of us. It leads us right to the middle of the Fort Sherman US military base, that serves as a Tropical Jungle Training Center. Finally, we arrive at a plateau high above the mouth of Rio Chagres and the town San Lorenzo, fortified by the Spanish as a defense against pirates and the English fleet of Admiral Sir Francis Drake.

Tough dirt roads are taking us to Lago Bayano farther west. There we take off on a suspicious, shaking canoe toward streams that empty into the lake. Rocking and rolling, the canoe makes its way through reeds to little bays in the middle of rocks and to mysterious caves with tons of bats. Suddenly, a crocodile shows up in the dark water right beside the boat. For our tour guide, Jost, and the skipper it is nothing special, but for the tourists from Germany it’s a totally new experience to look right in the mouth of the reptile. A touch of panic adds some movement to the game, and the skipper reminds us to calm down, “Tranquilo, tranquilo!”

We are happy to be back on terra firma—and back on the roads of course. We pull off the dirt road of the Pan-American Highway onto a red-colored loam trail that winds its way up to the Nusagandi nature reserve. This route to the station of the Kuna Indians, where they administrate the rain forest reserve, offers many hills with some great views into this gigantic floral garden. And as you would expect, it starts raining. The trail gets more and more slippery. The treads of the Enduro-tires turn red with mud pretty fast. We get stuck.

It is almost dark, we have fallen frequently and we’re oh so tired. There are still about 10 kilometers (6 miles) to the Indian station ahead of us, so we have to make a decision. We choose to leave the bikes at a farmhouse we passed some miles before. The most enthusiastic guys in our group are quiet and a little bit disappointed that we couldn’t make it today. But not one wants to be Don Quixote tonight, and so we continue our trip in Jost’s four-wheel drive that takes us all the way. At the end of this long and exiting day we have toast with “Panama-beer” and fall exhausted into our beds as the jungle plays its special leaf-drenched lullaby.

The next day brings us clear skies and a dried trail. Our time in Panama is almost over. From Santiago we head toward the shore of the Pacific Ocean. In the evening we ride rocky trails to Carlos’ Lodge near Cerro Punta, our home for the night, a log cabin some 1,600 meters (5,246 ft.) above sea level in the middle of the so-called “Fog Forest.” In the early light of the following morning, hummingbirds buzz the house, and a Quetzal (typical bird of Costa Rica/Panama) sings his mystic, muffled song. The breakfast Carlos prepares is sumptuous, and also our last meal with our tour guide and friend, Jost. At the frontier crossing-point of Paso Canoa, we have to say goodbye and join Diego and Alex, our guides for Costa Rica.

The asphalt from Neily to San Vito is covered with holes and gaps, but it also offers an exciting, winding road. The diesel odor of the plains thoroughfare changes to fresh air. Banana trees side by side and pine groves add a verdant complement to the green grass of the mountains here.

On the dirt road to Manuel Antonio, we have some hair-raising moments, especially when Heidi has to pull off the road into a ditch at a speed of 100 kilometers per hour (63 mph) to prevent her from crashing into an awkwardly parked truck. Heidi and the bike do a spectacular triple somersault, but luckily she escapes with only a few bruises. After that ordeal, she really appreciates taking some time for relaxation and bike maintenance at the Manuel Antonio beach instead of riding farther.

The next morning we head for the volcano Arenal (1,633 meters/5,354 ft.). Compared to the Irazu (3,432 meters/11,252 ft.) that we visited two weeks ago, this fire-breather is way more active. It was 1968 when the volcano last belched flames and covered the village with ashes. Around 6:00 a.m. we are awakened by an incredible noise that reminds us of a massive thunderstorm. We open the doors of our hotel rooms in La Fortuna to the sudden growling of the volcano alternating with the much more subtle sounds of clicking and shirring cameras. And the volcano continues to shudder and smoke as we ride around Arenal Lake. An incredible experience!

Full concentration is necessary when managing the steep trail up to the Buena Vista Lodge right in the middle of Parque Nacional Rincon de la Vieja. Rocky trails alternate with fine sand, little creeks and fords. In spite of these challenges, each of us stays in the saddle of his bike. When we arrive at the lodge, we can’t help but notice that busloads of travelers somehow made it up here. All their commotion momentarily diminishes the romantic atmosphere of this lovely locale.

Our group of motorcycle tourists spends the last two days on the blissfully empty beaches of Samara. About 4,000 kilometers (2,500 miles)—most of them on dirt roads and rocky trails—lie behind us. Our muscles are tired and deserve some time in the sun, in the cooling water and upon the warm sand. Only when we arrive in cold, wet Germany will each of us will realize that we’ve seen a part of the world that couldn’t be more exiting, adventurous, fascinating and heavenly.

FACTS AND INFORMATION
In General
Our tour was managed by a German agency called Prima Klima Reisen from Berlin. Many of the circumstances have changed however, since the US and the US Army moved out of the country at the end of 1998. Corruptible government employees and police officers may very well accept payments to grease the wheels of the bureaucracy, but be careful if and when you decide to pursue this course of action.

The history of both countries is characterized by the rule of the Spanish Conquistadors. In 1821 Costa Rica left the Union of the Spanish Colonies and joined the Central American Confederation from 1823 to 1838. After that, Costa Rica became independent and declared an Independent Republic with its own constitution. In 1856, volunteer troops beat the mercenary force of megalomaniac William Faulkner in the battle of Santa Rosa. A bronze statue in Parque Nacional in San José serves as a memorial. In 1949, the elected president José Figueres Ferrer dissolved the military. This remains so today, a very unusual political situation for a South American country. A high standard of living, good tourism activities and a sound infrastructure are all in place Costa Rica. That’s why they call it the “Switzerland of Central America.”

The situation is very different in Panama which was subject to the greed of the Spanish conquerors early in its history. The treasures of the Indians were also a magnet for pirates from England, France and Holland. The English sailor Sir Francis Drake raided the fully-covered treasure chambers in Nombre de Dios on January 1, 1596. Another Englishman, Henry Morgan, defeated the Spanish badly, attacking the town of Portobelo and moving on to the Pacific coast to destroy the 10,000-resident town of Panama City. Still today, you can see the ruins of the old part of the capital called Panama Viejo.

Finally, the building of the Panama Canal by the United States in 1903 brought major changes to the economy of Panama. In 1983, General Manuel Antonio Noriega took over the country and the National Guard. After the drug deals and election scandals of Noriega, the US troops intervened in 1989. The general was apprehended in 1990, but he left a very bloody trail and a devastated economy behind. The country is still suffering from it. And it hasn’t gotten any better since the US pulled out of Panama at the end of 1998. A Chinese company now operates the Panama Canal.

Ways to get there
To get to the starting point of this tour, San José, you can take a flight from several American airports. You can count on another stop in the US, such as Atlanta or Miami.

Climate
Humid and hot climate dominates on the Caribbean side of the two countries, while the Pacific part is dry, mild and warm. The traveler will hit mild and humid weather in the fog forest around the Central Cordilleras. In the rain forest of the Comarca de San Blas, it is humid and warm. The high country of the Cordilleras in Costa Rica is different from the Pacific coast due to its lower temperatures. Motorcycle tours should be operated in the Central American summer (dry time without heavy rainstorms) from December through April.

Board & Lodging
To find a bed & breakfast, or a hotel in Costa Rica is not a big deal, especially in the bigger cities. The country has completely adjusted to American tourists. Booking early, though, is a good idea. In this way you make sure that you will get a room at the time of your vacation. It is always smart to be cautious and to keep an eye on your luggage and wallet if you are walking or shopping in the bigger cities. You have to be even more careful in Panama; people may try to deceive your swindle you very often—even the officials.

Money & Prices
US dollars are accepted everywhere, but not always traveler’s checks. The prices in Costa Rica are closely adjusted to the prices in the United States. You can still have a good meal for $15 in a standard restaurant. In Panama the prices are even lower. There are gas stations on the side of bigger, busier roads, but for some lonely areas you have to check for gas before saddling up. current gas prices are $1.70 to $1.90 per gallon.

Roads & Biking
Most of the roads on this trip were dirt roads, some of them rocky trails. If you hit asphalt, watch out for deep holes, gaps and heavy bumps. It is always a good idea to drive carefully, to look far ahead and to be prepared for animals, cars and trucks that don’t pay attention to the rules of the road or normal safety standards.

Places for Sightseeing & Shopping

• Downtown San José, old architecture, statues and shopping malls
• Volcano Arenal
• Volcano Irazu
• Downtown Panama with historic buildings (be careful and aware of thieves)
• Panama Canal (boat tour)
• Fuerte san Lorenzo (fort)
• Defenses of Portobelo
• Fog forest near Cerro Punta
• Highlands of Boquete with Volcano Baru
• Rain forest near nature reserve Nusagandi
• Lago Bayano
• Playas de Samara (nice beaches)

Books & Maps

• Rob Rachowiecki & John Thompson: Costa Rica, Lonely Planet, 4th Edition (May 2000), $19.95, ISBN 0-8644-2760-3
• Les Beletski: Costa Rica, Ecotravellers’ Wildlife Guide (September 1998), Academic Pr, $30.00, ISBN 0-1208-4810-4
• Scott Doggett: Panama, Lonely Planet (January 1999), $16.95, ISBN 0-8644-2566-X
• David McCullough: The Path between the Seas—The Creation of the Panama Canal 1870-1914, Simon & Schuster, $18.00, ISBN 0-6712-4409-4
• B & B Map Costa Rica, Berndtson & Berndtson Publications, 1:650,000, ca. $6.00, ISBN 3-928855-10-7
• Panama, ITMB Publishing, 1:800,000, ca. $7.00, ISBN 0-921463-65-0
  

Addresses & Phone Numbers

• Costa Rica Experts (Costa Rica-tours), 3166 N. Lincoln Ave., No. 424, Chicago, IL 60657, phone (312) 935-1009 or
  (800) 827-9046, fax (312) 935-9252, email: crexpert@ris.net, website: www.crexpert.com
• www.cr.com (a lot of information about Costa Rica)
• US Embassy in Panama, Avenida Balboa, Calle 37 Este, Panama City, phone 227-1777
• Instituto Nacional de Recursos Naturales Renovables (guardian of Panama’s Nature Parks), Panama City, phone 232-7223 or 232-7228
• Wildland Adventures (Panama-tours), 3516 NE 155th Street, Seattle, WA 98155, phone (206) 365-0686 or (800) 345-4453, fax (206) 363-6615, website: www.wildland.com