Following 7 months of fearlessly zipping around the villages and countryside of the Dominican Republic on helplessly bad roads with their mighty 125 cc motorbikes Pepito and CC Bournriguez (aka Keith and Jeff) turned up on the Puerto Rican island of Vieques to tear up this former military installation with their rental scooters.
The boys commandeered the scooters from the Fun Brothers shipping container rental shack in the little tourist town of Esperanza on the south coast and their trusty biker babes, Ida and Katita, jumped on the saddle right behind them for a fun filled day of adventure and excitement.
Revving up the mean machines, they were quickly off cruising the road along the ridge to scout out the countryside and catch views of the bays along the south coast, the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean.
Having gotten the lay of the land, they headed north on 997 to the town of Isabell II, buzzed through town, past the town square and down to the waterfront on the Atlantic side.
They surveyed the menus at the local food joints, including El Yate, before finally settling on Cafe Mamasonga for some tasty vittles washed down with cold Medalllas.
With their appetites sated, they sped off through Isabel II and barreled down Highway 200 along the coast to see what they could see. Following a dirt road along the beach they caught a glimpse of Isabel II, a gleaming city on a hill in the distance.
A bit further along the road was the must see 375 year old ceiba (aka kapok) tree where Ida and Katita did yoga to relieve their tired and cramped road weary muscles. The foursome learned that the native Taino Indians believed the ceiba trees were sacred and communicated with the spirits or "opias" who swarmed about in the branches so to be on the safe side they invoked the goodwill of any spirits calling the tree home . As time was limited they did not find another ceiba tree, cut it down, and build a "canoa" as the Tainos did.
The next stop on this route of adventure was the mile long pier that has fishermen and picnickers lining the first three quarter mile but a gate with a friendly guard prevents anyone from accessing the abondoned terminal and the end of the pier.
While there, they were compelled to investigate the hundreds of cairns that line the last quarter mile. A friendly conversation with the guard on duty resulted in access through the gate for Ida and Katita and revealed that the cairns were built by one of the other guards to fill his time while he was stationed at the guard gate.
Back on the scooters, the Bournriguez brothers and their bodacious babes frequently shared the road with the numerous horses that wander freely all over the island grazing on the grasses and walking along the roadsides.
After several miles cruising along the coast and making their way along the tree canopy lined road they found the overgrown, gravel turnoffs into the dense jungle that led to the former military installations.
After several failed attempts that took them down overgrown, dead end roads they located the roads that led to the abandoned Navy bunkers. When doors were to be seen on these structures, they were chained and locked. One can only imagine what secrets and stuff these concrete monstrosities now hold.
It took fortitude and persistence to find the nearly hidden turn off that would take them to Mt. Pirata, the highest point on Vieques and a destination of desire in their quest to fully explore the island. Unfortunately, after ascending half way up, they encountered a locked and chained gate blocking their access to the summit.
Katita said YES to tipping the scooters on their sides and sliding them under the barricade but, to her great disappointment, her three comrades in adventure all said NAY so the scooters were turned around and the adventurers sadly rolled back down the hill.
Yet another road took them to the radar installation but it was surrounded with high chain link fencing. Being thwarted again, they backtracked and made their way around, up, and down the curvy road to the other side of the radar installation. Just as they were about to whip out the cameras they noticed the sign prohibiting picture taking and warning of video surveillance and prosecution should you snap a photo.
As the day was too quickly coming to a close they hustled along toward Playa Grande to watch the sun settle down into the sea.
It was time to return to Esperanza, park their bikes under the palm trees on the beach at Sun Bay and dingy back to their vessels to eat dinner and catch some zzzz's