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    I dag
    Calbys going wildFeb 2018Rejsende
    Arc de Triomphe
    1Rollercoster!!The Obelisk from Egypt is 3000yrs old. Put up where Guiliotene from revolution was.Notre Dame Cathedral.PhotoshoppedView from the top.1Dancing dreamsJoan of Arc

    Paris and home!

    15. juni 2018, Frankrig ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C

    The first thing we did in Paris was ride along the Seine on our loaded bikes past almost every great monument.  It was a great way to enter the city.  When we stopped to see Notre Dame Cathedral, (which was amazing and surrounded by throngs of people) we were approached by a woman from Vancouver about to depart on a bike tour with her family and I just happened to ask if she knew someone, and sure enough we both know Marnie and Denise in Vancouver.  It was great to share stories and tips, and it felt as if we were passing the torch. 

    Paris is like a museum. I'm sure the inside of the museums are fabulous, but the outsides, and all the monuments, squares, and old apartment buildings are just as interesting.  Although Paris has 20 times the population density of New York (and that doesn't include the tourists) they have enormous squares like football fields and lots of green space.  We did a day trip on the train to Disneyland and had some good rollercoaster rides, but it did not live up to all the hype, far from it.  We perhaps saw another side of Paris.  We camped in Bois de Bologne, an expansive park only  20 min bike ride from the Eiffle Tower, shopped at the grocery store in the neighborhood across the Seine and rode our bikes all over Paris just looking at everything.   On our trip to find the Catacombs (old limestone quarries now under the streets where 6 million parisian bodies were deposited in the 1800s in order to clean up the cities overcrowded cemeteries)  we came upon a community market that they hold only twice a year and it was 10 blocks long, full of antiques and junk and music and all sorts of people.  Caleb and I loved it, and it drove Marty crazy!  We did not actually go into the Catacombs as the lineup was hours long.  Like I said, the sights of Paris are overcrowded with tourists, and the lineups frightened us away from most places.  We did perservere with the Eiffle Tower, giving up one evening, but returning the next morning. We walked up the stairs to the second level and then went right to the top on the elevator and it was spectacular!  It is 1000 feet tall, and was the tallest building at the time (around 1889).  Mr Eiffle built it for the Paris Expo, and he not only designed it but his factory built it, and he financed it!

    Biking in Paris is quite normal.  Men ride in their fine suits with ties flying behind them, and women in their skirts and heels fly long in the bike lanes (shared with the buses), or on the bike paths. We figured out how to bike everywhere, and to navigate the traffic circles, only resorting to the cross walks on some of the bigger ones, like Arc d'Triumph (I would love to see the last part of the Tour de France when all the bikers come towards the arch with the crowds roaring).  We ate croissants every morning, watched several of the World Cup games, and were excited to be going home. 

    Our last adventure was going to the airport where the cab that we had specially ordered was too small, and so Marty went to the airport with the first cab and our bikes and gear, and the kids and I waited for a second cab.  It was morning rush hour, and there were none available, so we took the shuttle bus, and transfered to the airport bus. After 45 minutes on the bus I was concerned, and checked for the location of CDG airport and couldn't find the "I am here" dot.  Because we were on the wrong bus going to a different airport.  We raced back in a Taxi to the correct airport, but had missed the flight cut off. Marty had been waiting by himself, with no contact, for 3 hours thinking the worst.  Oh dear...  another flight 2 hours later.

    So now we are Ontario bound, for a family visit, then Vancouver and driving home.  It has been quite the journey.  Jorja, loving being with her family, Caleb learning to live within it.  We loved the biking, the old stuff, some of us loved the languages, but it was a long time to be away. We have missed family and friends and our projects and look forward to rejoining our communities and moving forward.     Læs mere

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  • Calbys going wildFeb 2018Rejsende
    Partners
    Jorja and her new friendExtra Protection1Castle at Beyzacwar machines at Roches de ChristopheCastle at Beyzac1000 year old abbey in St-Amand de ColyWe found an old railbed turned bike trail complete with tunnel!Art at Lascaux caves painted 20,000 years ago by Cro-Magnum people (Flintstones)

    Vezere and Dordogne Rivers

    8. juni 2018, Frankrig ⋅ ⛅ 18 °C

    We left the beaches and pine forests at Arachon and took the train through Bordeaux to a little town, Le Lardine-St-Lazare, on the Vezere River.  We knew it was an area of limestone, and that there were caves of all sorts there and, liking caves, it seemed a good fit for us.  The Vezere and Dordogne Rivers are steeped in history, starting with Cro-Magnum people from 50,000 years ago.  We went to Montigac and the Lascaux Caves which have been described as the Sistene Chaple of pre-historic art.  They had been sealed off by a slide 17,000 years ago, and were only discovered by 4 boys in 1948.  In the 20 years they were open moisture and Carbon dioxide from visitors took their toll, so they closed the originals and you now visit a brand new reproduction that you would never know you were not the original caves painted 20,000 years ago.  Marty of course spent seveal hours biking around the hills looking for new caves.  On one of our "unloaded rides" we discovered a 1000 year old abbey in St-Amand de Coly.  The dome of the chaple is a hundred feet above you, and the limestone blocks of the floor are uneven and worn by a thousand footsteps.  We didn't think we could see any more stunning buildings, but this one was our favorite.  The Roque St Christophe a bit down the road is a troglodytic site, or a cliff dwelling, that was lived in from 55,000 years ago, and was inhabited in the Middle Ages up to the Rennaissance.  The caves extend for over a kilometer high up on the limestone cliffs above the river, and they were an easy place to keep track of enemies coming up river, like the Vikings.  Scouts could actually hide in cliffs all along the river and call to each other transmitting a message of invaders fourty kilometers in six minutes.  Riding through this area, every turn was another chateau up on a hill, with the medieval villages down below.  It would be an interesting canoe trip to go on for a week.  However, I think it would be nuts in this region in the summer if the number of canoes at the outfitters is any indication.  We rode up a really steep, but short hill to the Chateau de Castelnaud that was built in the 12th century and renovated in the early 70's.  There were displays of Medieval armoury and weapons, complete with real sized trebuches.  We stayed in a campground in Beynac, in the shadow of the cliffs upon which the Castle Beynac was built (where Richard the Lionhearted scaled an impossible wall).  These two castles were on the line defended by the French and English in the Hundred Years War, with Castelnaud changing hands seven times between them.  Joan of Arc came by here, as did many of the other big names, and this is just one small fragment of the history of this region. 

    We balanced out the human history, and took in some natural history at the Gouffre de Proumeyssac.  It is another fun story of discovery where people had used the hole at the surface since the middle ages as a garbage dump and even by bandits to dump bodies.  Finally in 1907 a shaft sinker was lowered in to see what was really there.  I can't imagine going down by candlelight!  We went down in a basket into the 40 m cavern (it is huge) and it was pretty amazing.  There are stalactites and stalagmites all around the edges, and several "waterfalls" of calcium carbonate over the ledges.  They do a funky light show, including turning off all the lights, and they make a ton of cash doing it, but it is well done.  Our camping in this area was pretty delux, with swimming pools, and we managed to sweet talk a table at each site.  The day we passed the sign at Suillac, our last official day of touring, Caleb let out a great shout and we had a party that night.  He was proud of himself, but definitely done with bike touring!  Finally we got on a train in Suillac and headed north to Paris.     Læs mere

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  • Calbys going wildFeb 2018Rejsende
    Helping out
    Traffic jam on the thermalBeachesBeach as far as you can see in either directionCaleb dragged mama out on the bouncy crazy game!!Catching rainbow and drinking wine.The five star camy ground and the boys with their "grippers"Beach fun with new friends.The Velodyssee bike trail that is 1250km longMarty's birthday with a long stick of chorizo and a lot of wine!!!

    West Coast Atlantic

    30. maj 2018, Frankrig ⋅ 🌧 15 °C

    The Atlantic coast of France is beaches, at least up to Arcachon. We biked downhill (well almost) to the coast as we heard that there can be a band of good weather between the ocean and the rest of France.  So while there were record rainfalls in many other regions of the country, we hugged the coast and were rewarded with dry and often warm and sunny days.  Camping in France, and most of Europe is not provincial park camping like Canada.  You can rent a mobile home, wall tent, or caravan, and there will be a few token spaces for camper vans and the odd tent.  Our kids asked for a pool if we were going to pay for camping, so we saw one in the brochure that was at the beach, and had a pool, with waterslides.  Unwittingly, we signed into France's BEST campground.  Yes the pool was nice, but it had 800 sites (that hosts 7000 people in the summer) which were all crammed together and I'm sure that there might have been 10 of them did not have accomdation already on them!  There are NO picnic tables at the sites (unless it comes with the accomodation) and no shelters, but they do have washroom complexes with sinks for dishwashing and laundry washing.  Marty asked everytime he saw an employee if he could get a table, especially as they advertise themselves as bike friendly, and which biker totes along a table?  People in France are guarenteed 5 weeks of vacation every year.  School lets out for August till mid September, with many factories closing down for this time.  I cannot imagine the Atlantic coast in August!!!

    We really enjoyed two subsequent nights where we snuck off the bike trail into the forest and found a place of our own behind the dunes.  We swam in the ocean on our own private stretch of white sand that stretched off north and south as far as we could see.  There is no water along the trail, and we had not planned on staying two nights, but we stretched the water and the food, and  sucked the last of the fumes from our stove.  The woods were tinder dry with a huge fuel load, and  we had already gotten in trouble another night from a surfer and policeman for having a fire, so we didn't dare light a fire. The croisants, cafe, and hot milk that we found in a small town were especially good after biking 15km with no food or water on our last morning.  

    We are biking on the Velodyssee, which goes a bike tour from the North of France, all the way to Spain which is about 1250km, and you can do the whole thing on marked and paved trails.  It is easy biking, but it gets a bit boring after a while, as there are no old towns, lots of pine forests, and clearcut forests, and sand.  Not what we thought we were coming to France for.  I did not know there would be logging and pulp mills, and in a super touristy part of France!  We are not unusual here, there are lots of bike tourers, and even the locals of the towns we pass through are not interested in us.  We are enjoying meeting other campers from around Europe the most!!  We stopped at Gaves in the Grand Lacs area and loved the swimming so we camped at a small campsite for Marty's birthday.   There were storm warnings and there was no one else camping, so the camp host let us put up our tent on the porch of one of the mobile homes and we used the picnic table.  Hot showers, recharge, and a table!   We spent some time trying to figure out the platforms on the lake.  All three of these very popular large lakes are connected by canals and connect to the ocean, so we thought perhaps they were for tying boats up to. Then we spotted what looked like an Albertan oil pump on one of the platforms. Turns out there are 30 oil platforms on this beautiful lake and the oil refinery is right down the street.  Go figure. 

    Heading up to Arcachon and Dune du Pilate we stopped at another of the three lakes and Caleb dragged Stacey out onto the huge inflated aquatic park, the kind you see on game shows.  We confirmed that Caleb is still terrified of sharks even in fresh water, and the spills game contestants take are indeed the cause of whiplash.  Owww.  Dune du Pilate, should be called Dune du Pilote as there are at least 30 paragliders at any one time in the air, and still many more learning how to take off.  You can stand on the dune about 100 feet above the beach, and the paragliders will go right by in front of you.  Marty now as another plan about what to do in his retirement. 

    We have decided to head inland, despite the continued rain forecast.  We will try and take a train, and head to the cave area of the Dordogne River and check out some CroMag cave art and rent a house if we have to!!  We are very excited to be heading back to Canada in two weeks.  Hope summer is on its way for all of you!    Læs mere

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  • Calbys going wildFeb 2018Rejsende
    Cool old barns, house styles are now definitely French
    Decorating my sister with river rock paintOur river access campsite in AretteYou can not cancel out all the wine, cheese, and bread with biking!!!Breakfast at the grocery store after the floodYou too could have an apartment in an old French castle.Drying out gear during lunch in the court yard of the church1Jorja finding her groove with fellow campersKaleidiscope windows in old churches.

    It Rains in France in May

    28. maj 2018, Frankrig ⋅ ☁️ 14 °C

    We dropped too soon out of the Pyrennes, and wanting to prolong the mountains, rode along in the foothills for a few days.  We were regularly passed by all the Tour de France wannabees, as this is a classic stage of the race.  Actually, we stayed in Arette for two nights, and they have the wall of their town office plastered with photos of all the locals who have competed (and won)  the Tour de France.  Caleb was suitably amazed at all the old men who were biking, in their 70's and older with calves of steel.   In Arette, we avoided a campgound and chose to camp on a bar in a creek.  We loved the camping, but it looked like it could rain any minute, every day. Early the second morning, a friendly farmer waded into the river in his gumboots to warn us that a orange grade thunder and hail storm was coming and we could wait it out in his barn (forshadowing...)We checked out two ancient barns, both of which required climbing through manure, and decided to tackle the rain instead.  Several rain showers and beautiful towns latter we groceried up.  There we met an 84 year young man with a bike equally as old and about 30 lbs of groceries, who chatted us up and turned down a glass of wine (only because it would upset his stomach) then started his 2km ride back home.

    Marty, using his nearly unfailing campsite finding skills (forshadowing) quickly led us to an elevated river bar downstream from Mauleon-Licharre on the Saison Gave (which means river that comes from the Pyrenesse) not unlike the bars we are familiar with in BC.  Green pool drop rapids, beautiful forest, rocks and sand.  We set up camp as it started to rain.  Although it seemed unlikely our bar site could be flooded, we used Caleb's knife to hack down some greenery, and made a platform higher up on the bank.  Unfortuantely, bees started coming out of what we thought was a birdhouse (french people put their beehives in trees, research to follow), so we were back on the bar.  A couple litres of cheap Rose put us at ease even as the thunderstorm raged for the next three hours, with Marty sleeping peacefully.  Caleb hunkered under a tarp tent and made us dinner.  When it was fully dark, we noticed that the level on our water stick had changed by about two feet and water was starting to flow over our bar.  Thankfully we had made our highwater tent pad, and the dark had calmed the bees, so we moved to the riverbank, with headlamps, as everything is easier in the dark.  About twenty minutes later, brown water was flowing in the channel between the bar and the bank.  It seemed highly unlikely that the river could come up more, so we went to sleep.  We were wrong.  When Marty woke for a pee at 3am, the bank channel seemed far too quiet, and when he turned on his light to see if the river had gone down, the river was calmly flowing inside our tent beside Jorja.  We carried Jorja, in her soaking bag,  up to the farmers field, and then moved all our gear for the third time that night by lifting our tent over the farmer's fence.  Then surprisingly, we slept till 8. We feel fortunate to still be learning the lessons that you are meant to wrap up in your twenties. 

    The next few days were character building.  We rode in and out of rain, hiding out when we could, and biked downhill to the coast.  There were beautiful churches in out of the way towns, we biked through a corner of Pays de Basque, where the language looks like Icelandic, and we saw fields of ducks and geese for fois de grasse (fatty pate...).  Turns out the storms have been intense throughout France with record lightning strikes, flooding in towns, and closed airports. So we count ourselves lucky that we have made it to the coast, and are for the most part sheltered from the rains in the rest of France.  We many not see much of history, but we will stay dry!!    Læs mere

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  • Calbys going wildFeb 2018Rejsende
    Tire blowout. Joãn you were right about the tires!!
    The fantastic biker (almost 70!!)Dad with the Pyrenees in the Pyrenees!He definitely was going 90 down to LarunsWho needs emAt the top of our ride on our day offMerciless to let you know how slowly you are goingThe dogs herd the sheep home.Getting the local cheese.Caleb taking a break from two wheels

    The Pyrenees

    21. maj 2018, Spanien ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C

    We could have used a geography lesson from Simon before we left, to fully understand the elevation involved in crossing the Pyrenees.  Somehow I missed the fact that they were bonfide mountains akin to the Alps and the Rockies (taller than, says Marty).  Ski resorts are built right in the mountain passes, and the highways come up from both France and Spain to cross the mountains.  We started up from Sabinanigo after staying in a bungalow at a campround and kept going up for the next two days. The route was a mix of low grade highway, except when it wasn't, and rural roads through farms.  We love Google Maps, where we select your start and finish and then choose "bike" and it plots a route for you using side roads, single track, and the necessary car roads.  It will even do an elevation profile for you! 

    We had a goal in mind, to get to the campsite in Escarrilla and we knew there were sites available, but when we arrived they wouldn't rent a bungalow to us for just one night, no matter what we said.  Grrr...  it took some time, and a bit of frustration, but we did find a great apartment (in an old building up in an attic, where we had a great view of the mountains for half the price!) just that it was 4 km back down the road in Tramacastilla de Tena.  It was actually uuuupppp a steep hill first, and then level.  Sigh.  The whole area up to the pass is villages that are built up with fancy stone apartments and duplexes for the winter season. 

    We had a day off of touring, and we took advantage of Grandpa wanting a non biking day to leave Jorja with Gramps, and the rest of us headed off on a little jaunt up into the mountains.  It was a route that  Marty selected, and we did a 25km loop that went up to 1750 meters on a graveled road.  As per usual when travelling with Marty it is good to go prepared.  Food, check.  Lighter, check.  Footware suitable for snow, hmmm, nope, sandals.  And so, freezing feet as we pushed our bikes through the snow in the rain that happened to fall at the same time.  Thank goodness for the alpine emergency shelter and the dry wood that was just after the snow. 

    So after our "day off" we headed up up up for our second day of heading towards the pass.  We followed the old A-136 route that had only one short tunnel, and it was a quieter road with a consistent grind for twenty kilometers, alongside the river and two resevoirs, mooing at the cows, checking out the ski resorts in the alpine and waiting out a rainstorm under the eves. We kept looking for more gears on our bikes, but finally made it to the "Col du Pourtalet" at 1794m where we passed from the Vallee de Tena in Spain to the Vallee d'Ossau in France.  A magnificent pass, and we were sad that we were so tired, and couldn't dream of hiking, and that there were rain clouds threatening and we felt that we should get down to Laruns.  In retrospect, after all that work, I would recommend staying at the pass and truly enjoying its magnificance.  The 30km decent to Laruns was nuts.  Laruns is at around 500m and Sabinanigo was at 780, but it is half the distance from the pass to Laruns.  Fast, wet, and it looked like we were decending into west coast forest as we dropped out of the pass.  Aparently crazy cyclists do bike UP from Laruns to the pass.  The tour de france is ending a stage in Laruns this summer. Some people!!  We arrived in Laruns, and suddenly everyone was speaking French.  Just like that.  And after six weeks of getting by in Spanish and Portugese, Marty and Caleb think French might just be OK.     Læs mere

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  • Calbys going wildFeb 2018Rejsende
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    We picked almonds off the trees.

    Foothills of the Pyrenese

    16. maj 2018, Spanien ⋅ ☀️ 17 °C

    Touring with the grandparents was a new experience: apartments and hotels, bungalows in campgrounds, actually planning where we were going, remembering to shower, not being the last biker.  I biked with my parents in Europe 28 years ago, and what a treat for them to be able, at 70 (shhhh), to be able to bike with their grandkids!

    Huesca is in the foothills of the Pyrenes that rise slowly from the arid plains of Spain.  In fact, having not looked at pictures of the Pyrenes, I did not actually expect big mountains (ha ha ha).  Marty found Huesca polluted by tourism, I looked for all the charms of the town, and Caleb and Jorja enjoyed the spoils of travelling with grandparents.  We headed off biking to the west to Castillo de Loarre, which is a spectacular castle rising out of the rock hills that overlooks the plains, and guards the foothills.  It was built as a castle in 1071 on the frontier of Christian and Muslim lands, and was also used as a monastary.  It was not in use for a few hundred years, and the location lost its strategic importance so it is really well preserved. We did go on the same day as several busloads of school kids from France and Spain so it was as busy as it was when it was in action.  We stayed at a campground, and it was still 2 km uphill to get to the castle.  Some crazy dude was drifting his long board around corners preparing for a race, on the same hill that we were zooming down on our bikes, which have brakes!   Caleb climbed the trees in our campsite, and we finally figured out what the orchards of small fuzzy fruits were - almonds!!  He tossed bundles of nuts down and we cracked them with rocks and they were delicious!  Many people told us we were visiting at the best time, before the summer travellers, and while everything was still green. 

    We must have been refreshed after a few days of hanging out in Salamanca and train travel, as our biking days with grandparents were getting longer.  We started following the Rio Gallego, and the change of scenery through canyons, and between mountains was refreshing.  There are crazy river diversions for crops through aquaducts, old and new, and pipelines that are pulling water from way upstream to run hydro plants.  There was an old dam built of limestone blocks, that made me think of the scene in Superman, where he holds the dam together, that is still holding back thousands of litres of lake water. Sometimes, we thought we had planned ahead for where to stay, but it didn't always go smoothly.  We arrived in Anzanigo, after biking 50km, with only rice and mustard and tea left, and the "town" was dead.  Eventually we found a man painting some windows, and he told us that the cafe owner was indeed in town, and would open after siesta, which would be sometime after five.  We waited, and waited, and knocked, and waited, and finally after asking a few more times, the painter came at six and banged on the door yelling "Carlos!".  Eventually Carlos came to the door.  He had rooms upstairs in the old stone inn, and he cooked up a feast of salad, lamb and french fries that we ate in the bar.  Close call!!  Since then we have been carting around a bit of extra food, and Grandma has sworn to never leave home without her sleeping bag and bivy sac. 

    Biking to Sabinanigo, we found the smallest roads, but found a village that actually had people, and it was the day that the grocery truck came to town.  We came ripping around a corner on our bikes, and there it was:  a big white truck that was set up as a fish store, pulling a trailer that was open on both sides selling fruit and veggies.  There was even a baker just down the street, where there was no store, you just walked right into his workshop, and bought the bread off the counter.  He opened his wood burning oven for us that was rotating the pans, and Caleb tried his hand at lifting the pans with the long wooded handled lifter.  The same baker honked when he passed us later the same day delivering his bread to a bakery in Sabinanigo.    Læs mere

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  • Calbys going wildFeb 2018Rejsende

    Salamanca

    12. maj 2018, Spanien ⋅ 🌬 10 °C

    Salamanca may be one of our few european cities that we visit, and it was beautiful. Salamanca is over 2000 years old and started out in the first Iron Age, and went through all the major players of spanish history (Celtic, Carthaginian - think Hannibal and 40 elephants, Roman, Moors, Germanic, French, and then Spanish).  The roman bridge over the Tormes is beautiful, the cathedrals are stunning works of sculputure that look like they have had icing dripped from each of the many spires, and the multitudes of buildings that make up the old city and the university (established in 12th century) make it impossible to put down your camera. 

    We went into the new and old cathedral, and were suitably awe struck.  Caleb kept seeing people way up high (70 feet) on a hanging stone walkway, which didn't seem possible, and then we found our way to the small door, where for another fee you can scale the stairs up to the rooftop.  The sprial stone staircase that goes up several stories, was so narrow that there were timed traffic lights so you didn't stuck going up when someone was coming down.   The cathedral is sandstone, and there are several mentions of the Lisboa earthquake of 1755 and the damage that occured.  So when we took Marty out on the walkway, he was hestiant and kept looking at the 3-4 inch cracks causing breaks in the banister, and overhanging keystone rocks that were shimmed with chucks of plywood, basically wedging a several hundred pound rock over your head. On walkways on the  outside, there were incredible views over the city and out into the coutryside, and close ups of the carvings on the steeples.  There were however, several stone bell towers stories high leaning percariously far off their plumb line so Marty stayed away from the edges and quivered his appendages at the sight of fearless Jorja peering over.  Caleb made it up to the bell tower just in time to be deafened by the six bells that marked the half hour.

    We did a trip to the Decathalon store, where you can buy alpine hiking gear, dance shoes, guns, and sadles, and stocked up our bike gear.  We told the CTT (portugal post) to send our glasses back to Canada (unbelievable bureaucracy over an old scratched up pair of glasses) and Marty bought another pair of reading glasses with clip on sunglasses. Our camping spot was in an actual campground, where we paid money, used hot water to wash dishes and ourselves, and did a load of laundry.  There was a trail into town along the river, lots of established bike trails and parks in Salamanca.  It was full of retirees, mostly Dutch, camping in their trailers that they pull behind small cars.  It was surrounded by a huge chain link fence, which despite the ambiance, meant we felt safe leaving our tent and gear.  I think we talked less to people in the campground, as people appeared akward about what language to use in greeting!  Jorja of course was off looking around and scoped out all the cute little dogs that she could take for walks, and charmed their owners before we could get our tent set up.  We were lucky to make contact with a family from Warm Showers (an online community of bike tourers) and shared an evening of their wine, advice, an insight into spanish life, and a delicious dinner.  Thanks Ivan and Angelica! 

    Our last morning we brushed frost off our tent and froze our toes on our half hour ride to the train station where after a few warming cups of leche caliente and donut sticks we boarded the train for Madrid.  What an easy way to bite off 200km!  An overnight in Madrid in a cheap apartment near the train station, but unfortunately the big futbol game had been the night before!  Then we took an early train up to Huesca in northern Spain and who should get on at the second stop, but Grandma Cheryl and Grandpa Terry with their bikes!  Surprise!!  So in two days, we covered the same distance as we did in 4 weeks on our bikes through Portugal and reached the foothills of the Spanish Pyrenese.     Læs mere

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  • Calbys going wildFeb 2018Rejsende
    We slept in that little hut.
    Camping up on the rocks trying to avoid cow poop1Marty helped this guy fix his car and we were fed chorizo and beer.Eagles in the canyonThe border and nothing else.Pedal powerThe silence of the square was broken by the roar of 100 old motorcycles out for a cruiseThe only part mom rodeDung beetle, pushing a piece of poop with his back legs.Very big bridge.

    Roman Bridge (Caleb!)

    7. maj 2018, Spanien ⋅ ☀️ 19 °C

    Finally we are in Spain.  I thought we would never make it!  Portugal was nice, but after eleven days of ghost towns with no kids, biking up and down mountains, giving up over and over, Spain was a nice break. The border was remote,with a little bridge (not one car passed us on the whole road) with barely any water flowing underneath it.  We ate lunch and I took some pictures of the little olive trees that are in all of Spain.  Earlier that week, my dad had researched an old roman bridge down in a canyon.  When we asked the locals how to get there they said we were crazy to go down in the canyon with our bikes, so we turned to google earth for some help. As we started our decent we found we were somewhat crazy.  First of all, the road was not a road, secondly we dropped a 100 meters, but at the bottom there was a very old roman bridge. It was a little raised in the center because the arch was so big, and it was as wide as a car.  On the other side, there was a large rock house that we were told we could stay in, the ceiling was arched, but were still made out of stone.  There was no power (duh), but I had already downloaded something to watch (cuz I'm smart). Læs mere

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  • Calbys going wildFeb 2018Rejsende
    Bells of Malpartida
    Lunch break on the plains.Go dad (and please lay off the chorizo!)Our donkeys!Yet another donkey, but his one was the sweetest.Medivel church at Castelo MendoThe gate at AlmeidaCalmly using wifi and 50 old fashioned motorbikes drive in. Marty in heaven.

    Last days in Portugal

    6. maj 2018, Portugal ⋅ ☀️ 19 °C

    Castelo Mendo was a beautiful place. Very quiet with a few farmers tilling the fields, and taking their goats out every morning. Marty fixed an old guys chainsaw when we first arrived and his wife brought us a huge bag of walnuts that she had gathered from the trees around the village. The village was as usual mostly deserted, a few old people, one younger guy with a new puppy who said he worked in the fields. We were luckily there on the day when the bread truck and the “store” truck came by as even the little cafe didn’t sell any groceries out back. Caleb would regularly run up to the clock tower where Marty had discovered an outlet where we could charge our devices. Most of he bell towers in the small towns have resorted to amplifying bell songs to announce the hours ( or in some unfortunate cases the quarter hour!). Marty took off for a bike ride to the giant bridge in the distance and stopped in at a town for a drink with the old guys who were amused at his descriptions of what he was doing in Portugal. The kids and I played a lot of cards, followed the donkeys, and did some homework. It was a restful place where we felt welcomed. We rode to Almeida, an old village and then fort where I think the portugese fought off the French for the third time (they don’t share a border so I’m not sure about this, but I know Napoleons army came through here). Camped on get outskirts of a village last night and are headed off to Spain today. Portugal has been good to us.Læs mere

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  • Calbys going wildFeb 2018Rejsende
    1Strong man!!SortelhoSortelhoMarty in love with medieval1Sometimes the route was not as planned.1We could imagine jousting practice outside our tent.Caleb talking to the stork.

    Castles

    4. maj 2018, Portugal ⋅ ☀️ 13 °C

    I am sitting on top of a wall that was built in the 12 hundreds ( like 1200 just after portugal became a country). From the wall I am looking at a medieval castle. If I look around the outside of the castle and it’s walls it is fully surrounded by modern windmills. We camped right beside the defending wall. My favourite thing about the castle is that there is no one to tell you what to do. I can climb wherever I want. First I climbed over the defending wall, luckily there was no one to defend it. I walked down the stairs on the other side (rocks overhanging the gulch of doom). Then I went and climbed up the part of the castle that has the flag (the fortress). Napoleon knocked down part of the wall when the french tried to invade.

    We were at another castle where no one else was there. Mom made me do my math in the courtyard.    Læs mere

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  • Calbys going wildFeb 2018Rejsende
    Caleb at the bar.
    The road is way below us.Camping on the terrace above the riverWe even had wifi

    Very near the top of portugal

    26. april 2018, Portugal ⋅ ☀️ 19 °C

    Up for 17 km. Decent grade, not to hot. We can see the 1993 m summit that is the highest point in Portugal. Camped in Vide on the river and showered in the town hall, swam in the river. Mutiny always a possibility, but beer and coke at the top should help.Læs mere

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  • Calbys going wildFeb 2018Rejsende
    Camping at the pass on the decent to Covilha.Walls of slate. A village of walls of slate.Unbelievable terraces. More labour done in ome life than most can imagine.Slate roofs. Wow.Contemplating the switchbacks below.

    Up and Down

    25. april 2018, Portugal ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C

    We have paper maps, and maps on the tablet, but we had not cached the topographical maps of the route to Piodoa.  We know better now.  A day of accending 1000 feet, reaching the top of a pass and heading down, accending again, only to realize that we were going around the south of the Serra Estrella, and had to go up and down the ribs of the high mountains.  The places people of the past had built terraced fields are magnificently absurd.  What would cause people to live on these slopes, knowing that there was fertile ground all around the base of the mountain range?  There are hillsides where the terraces are 10 to 20 stories high, and the terraces themselves are only 20 feet wide.  Has there really been so many people in the past 500 years in Portugal that it was necessary to live in such conditions?  Was it social or climatic conditions, or fearing invasion from the French or Spanish that caused them to perch on the sides of mountains.  We felt like we were biking up Nine Mile Mountain.  Very glad for the paved road surface, and loving the shade from the Pine trees and the creeks to swim in and lunch by.   We thought we might camp at the top of the pass, but we rode into a burned area, and decided to ride all the way to Piodoa.  Where we ended up camping on an abandoned road past the village.

    Piodoa is an incredible example of the Xisto villages from 500 years ago.  There are about 100 houses that are perched on the hill, and you can step from the front door of one multistoried house, onto the roof of another.  There are still slate roofs that were chisled into a rounded shape and overlapped on the spaced out logs.  Unbelievable stone work (Trevor, we thought of you!).  However, there are only 60 people living in the village, and it has been converted into a town for tourists to visit. There is the grandest hotel we have seen since leaving Lisboa, and I found a loaf of bread and litre of milk despite the tourist info centre telling me that the only place to buy food was at the cafes.  So we marvelled at the village, and when the tourist bus showed up, got out of town fast! 

    After the previous days endurance biking event, we were thankful for the 17 km of downhill biking to Vide.  We didn't think we could handle any uphill biking, and were thrilled when we asked in Vide where we could camp that the cafe owner found us someone who spoke some english and had some terraces by the river where we could pitch our tent.  It was a delightful swim in the river, but we think it would be fabulous to be here when the towns put up a dam in the rivers and create in flow swimming pools.  It would also be a time when the villages would be full of kids on summer holiday. 

    I am writing this sitting in a typical cafe, by the Zezere river, on a Sunday afternoon drinking milky coffee.  There is scooby doo in Portugese on the TV,  and a table of older men exuberantly playing a card game.  We calm Canadians are often overwhelmed by the energy of discussions here.  We have heard though that to get anything done here, it is necessary to yell or you are not taken seriously.  I think I will have to phone the post office in Lisbon and yell unless they finally release Marty's old prescription glasses that Brigetta mailed from Canada a month ago.  I am even worried about the old ladies in the post office, thinking that something horrible has happened, but moments latter they are laughing.  Marty and the kids have determined that we will remain at our site by the river (we have only paid for camping one night), and they are making mint jelly.  It may also have something to do with Marty staying up till all hours last night talking and drinking wine with Federico, a passing hiker from Spain/Argentina/France.  Anyways, the backdrop of the 400 year old bridge, and the nearby cafe to charge devices, makes it a great place to stay and keeps the kids happy.  Belmonte tommorrow!     Læs mere

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  • Calbys going wildFeb 2018Rejsende
    Marty and manuel fixing fat ass axel syndrom again!!
    Our cafe in BarrocaWe love the walls. Check out the upstream rocks.Me and Sylvian. Her olives preserved with oranges and herbs were delicious.Earing olives under the olive tree they were grown onAnother round of yummy cheese.Jorja and MatildeThe bread truck woman had pizza!!! Yeeha!

    Bàrroca

    22. april 2018, Portugal ⋅ ☀️ 16 °C

    After determining that rear axels were not designed to carry 220lb bikers, and panniers, and trailer bikes, and a 40lb child, we made it to Barroca and had a repair done at the mechanics shop.  We had to go back the next day to get the bottom bracket on Stacey's bike tightened, then it started to rain.  We were comfortable camped out on the river, and so decided to stay.  We spent some time also camped out in the Central Cafe beside the little wood stove, drinking milky coffee, and charging our devices.  Jorja had some play time with Maria's grand daughter Matild who comes up for the weekend from Fundao.  Many of the children we meet are not comfortable with another language, but Matild was adventerous and taught Jorja some Portugese, and Jorja shared some English.  Here up to third year the children have 2 hours a week of english instruction, and then 5 hours a week after that.  Matild's family used to live in Barroca, but when the school closed, they moved to Fundao for work and school.  The same story everywhere.  Apparently unemployment varies between 20 and 30% in Portugal and young people leave to go to France or Germany to work, or to the cities on the coast. 

    We were planning to leave the next day, but when the community walk went by on the other side of the river we decided to follow them.  Or at least we tried, but we got thoroughly lost, and bent the axel on Marty's bike, and determined that Caleb's bike had no brake pads left.  We did make it back just in time to get fed the pork cuttlets, and salad and buns at the end of the walk, and it was good that we could stay another night on the river so we could visit the mechanic again the next day, or who knows where we would have been stranded.  Jorja had seen some goats she wanted to pet so we went to see who was herding them.  The woman caring for them was thrilled to talk (in french), and we visited while Jorja tried to feed the goats.  Sylvian shared her dried figs while she worked on her embroidery.  She took us back to the old stone house that had been in her family for 200 years, that was now her barn, and gave us a jar of olives from the trees we were camping under that she had preserved with oranges and herbs.  Marty said he wanted fix the roof of the stone house next door, and she pulled out her cell phone and was ready to call her cousin so Marty could buy the house.  She said we would already have friends, and she would show us how to preserve the olives and make cheese from the goat's milk.

    Marty was set loose in the mechanic shop the next day to fix his axel, but there were no matching brake pads to be found.  I took a taxi with two old ladies 30km into Fundao to a bike shop, there is a bus only twice a week, and got the right brake pads.  They may be projected to last for years, but really, with the hills we have seen since, I should have bought an extra set!  We left town at 4:30 and headed out ready to climb out of the river valley in pursuit of Piodoa, which had been the image Marty had seen of Portugal and needed to see.

    We climbed up the steepest paved roads we have seen yet, and pushed our bikes up some stretches.  There may be many towns on the map, but we have learned, that we need to ask ahead of time if we can buy bread and milk and wine.   This was one such day when the town at the top of the ridge did not have a little store.  An old lady gave us some water and cookies for Jorja, and then we ate fruit and granola bars around our fire.  As the light was fading, a car came up the trail, and were worried that we were blocking the road.  A voice called out, and it was a man who we had talked to earlier about his bees, and Marty had asked if he had a bottle of wine in the car.  He had come up to see us with his daughter and brought a bottle of wine.  Sam, didn't even drink!  He is a fine carpenter, and an amature geologist, who could live anywhere, but loves the rural life of Portugal.  We talked in a mix of translations between english, spanish, french and portugese.  We are loving meeting the people of rural Portugal.    Læs mere

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  • Calbys going wildFeb 2018Rejsende

    Caleb wrote this ...ALL

    21. april 2018, Portugal ⋅ 🌧 15 °C

    Caleb: At first I disliked Europe and what we were doing (Bike touring) ,but after 3 days of 35 k each my butt ache and legs stopped hurting so bad. Now in total we have done 140 k (don’t try and add up the numbers cuz they don’t add up;) I have mostly liked camping in the mountains/hills because there are zero .0.0.0. People to bother me,it’s a vast world when we trek through the burnt areas of Portugal. Me and my dad figure that all the residents have a rule not to tell tourists where the fire was , if u have no clue what I am talking about there was a fire that went through almost all of Portugal ! Killing 100 people... well I’ll wrap it up soooo I miss am my friends sooooooo much. Byeeeeeeee!!!!!!!!Læs mere

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  • Calbys going wildFeb 2018Rejsende
    On the path and biking by the old Xisto walls.
    Sharing the trail. He was herding goats.1Sometimes turbo power is not enough and Jorja gets off loaded.We find old walls everywhere!!Up a very long hill!!! Yes we always wear the helmets, they were moving the bikes.Old and new.

    Grand Roto de Zezére

    20. april 2018, Portugal ⋅ ⛅ 21 °C

    Bike touring on a mountain bike trail.
    Marty asked for a time map of when we are meeting my parents, and he looked at me dumfounded when I replied "in three weeks". We have been "on the road" for four days, and it feels like we have been going for weeks as we are getting in the groove  We are actually bike touring.  We left from Lisboa on Friday last week, took the train 150km to Tomar, and then rode our bikes 34km to San Domingos.   The weather was still a bit cold and rainy, so we stayed for three nights in snug beds with a fireplace in Joao's grandparents house.  Marty felt a bit like he was in the Zombie apocalypse, as there is no one around.  Like many villages in rural Portugal (and rural anywhere), young people leave for the cities, and only the old folks are left.  As the last generation dies off, people keep up the family houses and use them as vacation homes.  In San Domingos, we ordered dinner from the cook at the Bernardino Cafe (Joan's Uncles cafe), and she cooked us up a portugese feast.  The bread van came each morn.

    It was a big first day on leaving Sao Domingos and we biked about 50 km.  We didn't intend to, but we biked to a town to get food, and then left town looking for a camp, and were near to the river, just a few hundred feet above it.  We asked for water in a village, and filled a 6L bottle we had found and camped on a logging road in a eucalyptus plantation.  Our small fire was mindful of the blackened woods we had biked through.  The fires last year were widespread and deadly, with flames roaring across valleys and wiping out farms and trapping villagers.  People have shown us pictures of the flames rising above the church spires.  The original mediteranean forests of cork and oak were replanted with pine forests, and within the last 50 years the fast growing eucalyptus forests have been planted and harvested making up 10% of Portugal's export.  So you can imagine that it is a bit of a debate, to keep growing the eucalyptus  (which also suck the water and nutrients faster than other species), or go back to pine and less fire hazard.  We can tell you that there is not information out there about where the fires have been.  Do not tell the tourists where it is black, is an agreed upon principle. 

    Subsequent travel days did not include 50 km.  They did however involve finding a campsite too late in the day, being tired with a BIG hill as our last event, riding up endless hills, leaving the perfect campsite too late in the day, and finding a fabulous trail system, The Grand Roto Zezere, along a river.  The villages along this part of the river have many Xisto (Schist) built houses, modern and ancient that are incredible. Areas that were burned reveal unbelievable old rock walls terracing on hillsides. Yesterday we biked 20km, in addition to a few km of detours, and our last 5km were along an old dirt mining road above the river.   We camped in the dark and quiet (we are usually near a village of some sort and hear the dogs and church bells in the night) had a fire and clambered down to the river for a gaspingly cold swim.

    In all, we are enjoying our travel.  Although we have not bike toured before, we know how to camp, and how to bike, and how to fix bikes, and go on multiday hikes.  We got off the train in Tomar, asked each other which direction we should go, and headed off, hoping for the best.  Marty has accepted that there are few animals, or fish, and has consoled himself with the old villages.  Caleb has stopped telling us he wants to go home, and Jorja is her regular happy self, chatting away in strange languages as she turbo charges Marty's bike. I have to admit, I was exhilarated that my dream of bike touring with my family 30 years after I had bike toured with my family, is actually happening.  Jorja has flowers on her handlebars, and wears a pink dress while biking.  We find wifi for Caleb so he can connect to friends, and Marty drinks cheap white around the occassional fire, and I am thrilled when Caleb calls out "I think the old girl is trying to beat me up this hill" and then promptly overtakes me.        Læs mere

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  • Calbys going wildFeb 2018Rejsende

    Off we go!!!!

    13. april 2018, Portugal ⋅ ⛅ 12 °C

    We have made it out the door. On the train to Tomar and then biking to Joãn’s Grandfathers house in Sao Domingos. We can actually pedal these monsters! A thousand thank yous to Filipa and all the family.Læs mere

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  • Calbys going wildFeb 2018Rejsende
    The spiral staircase at Quinta sa Regaleira in Sintra. Its 27 m deep.
    David of Action Cycle helped us find our bikes.The street cars in Alfama were fun.The castle some rich guy built. The first of many.Lisboa central on our bikes.The narrow streets of the old city.Filipa and João our amazing hosts for eight days.The oceanarium is 5 mins away and is the best in Europe. Super cool.The man was walking his pig and his dog. The pig followed the apple on the stick.

    Lisboa

    12. april 2018, Portugal ⋅ 🌙 12 °C

    There was some shock returning to Canada after the heat of Costa Rica.  Vancouver was cold and rainy so we consumed alot of calories to make up for lost heat.  Our friends Sheelagh and James let us stay in their beautiful house while they were away, and I made it to my friend Sue's 50th birthday dinner.  It was a good break before heading to stay with Marty's parents near Orillia.  Walks and bike rides on crisp days, all the family, Caleb's birthday, easter bunny, and visits to sugar shacks. It was a treat to be with family for the holiday, and especially Marty's family as we never visit in the spring.  There was a bit of suspense waiting for Jorja's trail-a-bike that we had ordered in Feb, and didn't arrive until the day we left for Portugal as well as meeting the courier on the highway on our way to the airport to get Marty's sandals. 

    Well, I wish I'd payed a bit more attention to the portugese being spoken around me at school in Kitimat.  I knew none of the language on arrival, except for "thank you" and "where is", and quickly I realized that although the words in spanish and french are similar the pronunciation is MUCH different!  I would have to say that it sounds alot like Russian, but maybe that's because I don't speak Russian either.  Marty suggested that I ask someone a question, and although I think i know no portugese, I still was ahead.  Quickly, I am learning and its not that hard!!  It is very nice that many people in Lisbon speak english, and we have learned lots about the country from all the people that Marty starts talking to wherever we go.  Would you be surprised to know that although he cannot speak the language, he can still communicate!!  We have been assured that in rural portugal, few people will speak english! 

    So our first week in Portugal has been continually improving.  Jetlag is hard.  Especially when you are 12 and you don't give yourself the permission to be tired.  We have been incredibly lucky to stay with a family here who are also bike tourers.  Filipa and Joao and their three boys Manuel, Vasco, and Henrique have welcomed us into their home.  We cook dinner, buy some groceries, and Marty does his Mcgyver stuff with lights, and cars, and vaccums in exchange for a place to stay.  They live in a flat in the part of the city that is the Expo 98 Site which is a study in modern architecture.  Filipa says they are not normal, as both of them are Civil Engineers, but Filipa has also taken Psycology for 5 years and wants to work in schools promoting biking.  Joao is working on a business about promoting biking.  Kids go to nursery school early, and moms often go back to work very early. 

    We have biked the 10km down to to central Lisboa and explored the old city, especially Alfama which was the part of the city that survived the 1755 earthquake that devastated Lisboa.  It is fun learning about a new country,  where I know so little.  I was going to write about the country, but no, I still do not know anything, I know the moors were here, which is islamic and from Africa.  There was battles with the Knights of the Temple to convert to christianity, but I'll learn more and give you details!  I can tell you, there is much vinho here that is very cheap.  Joao made potatoes, and chorizo and fresh fava beans for lunch, it was delicious, and some vinho! 

    We have bought some second hand bikes from David a fantastic bike store owner.  We have our gear, and Joao has convinced Marty that bike touring is good.  So in the next few days we will head off into the interior of Portugal.  We have figured out which train to take to get out of Lisbon and up to Tomar where we will start our journey.  It has been colder than we expected, and colder than normal even for portugal, so we will buy some mittens for Jorja, and we are glad we brought our toques.  We might need warmclothes for sleeping as we have warm weather sleeping bags because it is supposed to be warm in Portugal in April, although the people who live here says april is the time of rain.  Rain and then sun.  We have a tarp!     Læs mere

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  • Calbys going wildFeb 2018Rejsende
    Stacey and Jorge catching the best minute of the day
    Hanging in the hamock.New monkey!Our crew with Keith.Truck full of palm nuts, and a refinery in the background.Jorja is smiling!!Big crocodiles off the bridge in Tarcoles.Intimidating surfThe same intimidating serf

    Heading up the coast

    22. marts 2018, Costa Rica ⋅ ⛅ 6 °C

    We reluctantly left Pavones, knowing we didn't want to have to drive the 8 hours to SJ in one day.  The Osa Penninsula is where Corcovado National Park is located, and is a huge tropical rainforest area that is protected, much of it primary rainforest.  It is difficult to get into, as you need a guide and a permit to hike in the park, not to mention the dreadful thought of carrying a loaded pack in 30+ heat and sodden humidity.  Not for the feint of heart, and not for us.  We did decide to drive into Drake Bay, and the road was beautiful, with river crossings but clouds of polvo (dust).  Marty rescued a spanish couple who had decided their vehicle couldn't make it up a hill.  The man said he was a very good driver, and Marty said he may be, but Marty was better and the gentleman swore softly as Marty roared his way past.  Drake Bay is a strip of varied accomodation driven up against the hills by the ocean.  We searched for accomodation, Keith patiently asking at several places if we might have a room for 5 for under $50.  Marty declared that there was no way he had driven in the road, just to give up and pay to sleep away from the water and finally we found a hostel, that was an old converted farm house (where we paid $36).  Angel and his wife (the farm belonged to her parents) rent out rooms.  Sadly Angel's wife is battling cancer. 

    Marty and Keith made their way to the beach and then town after the rest of us had gone to bed, to see the local bar scene, but were disappointed.  Still, Costa Rica, as much of central america, was awake at 5 am.  Motorcycles roaring past with folks off to work, busses picking up children for school that starts at 7am.  We were able to find the public path south that leads all the way to the park and would be a great hike on its own, without having to arrange to be in the park. Crossing over a bridge, there was a capuchin monkey that bared it's fangs, but it turned out it was protecting its mate and newborn baby that didn't even have hair yet. We passed many fancy lodges, and used their showers at the beach where we swam and played baseball with the almonds that the macaws dropped.

    We drove through the palm oil plantations up the coast which have replaced banana plantations on the Pacific Coast of Costa Rica. Palm oil refineries in several locations are owned by Shell and Mobile which confused us. I know palm oil goes into cookies and margarine and ice cream ( oh dear, more rainforest destruction that I am inadvertently responsible for), but the big oil companies interest in palm oil comes from using palm oil as an additive in biofuel production. Last year the EU was considering a ban on using palm oil in biofuel because of its contribution to rainforest destruction. And you thought this was all just about sun and fun! We made it up to Uvita, where the arial view of the promontory at low tide is exactly as a whale tail.  It is Balena National Park, and migrating humpbacks pass through here.  We found a route into the park, that avoided the front gate, but had us holding our bags and Jorja over our heads and crossing the river where the signs warned of crocodiles.  I think we may be pushing it with the save a few colones idea!!  The snorkling on the outside of the tail was the best, and only, snorkling we had in Costa Rica.  Keith had just taken his dive course, and we all agreed we were able to see a great diversity of fish.  Just ahead of where the waves were breaking, we were surrounded by schools of large fish, and in the more sheltered areas we saw all sorts of colorful tropical fish.  Caleb thought it was amazing.  The boys walked over to the other beach, in the hot sun, with salt soaked thighs, and suffered for their reward of finding a much nicer accomodation for our second night.  Really, the afternoons at this time of the year need to be spent in the shade, and the pool and the nice Canadians who owned the place were worth Keith and Marty's pain. 
    Driving north, we contemplated heading into the mountains to get to SJ, but felt like we had got more than our monies worth out of the little rental that could, and didn't want to push our luck on the last day.  We stopped in to say a goodbye to Shirley, Luis, Bradley and Ashley in Bejuco, and hope we will see you again some day!  It was burning hot, and Marty had just passed many vehicles tico style, but the highway bridge at Tarcoles, did not disapoint.  There were at least 20 VERY large crocodiles lying in wait.  I did not hold Jorja up to look. 

    The car cleaning and return was easy, we love Alamo!!  We said goodbye to Keith, and we almost made 1600$ giving up our seats, but they put us on at the last minute.  Onto Vancouver to start phase 2 of our adventure!!     Læs mere

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  • Calbys going wildFeb 2018Rejsende
    I love fresh waterrrrr!
    This is not caleb surfingJorja learned to swim while we watched artists surf the second longest pointbreak left in the world.Jorja and keithBrittle starThe iguana then did burst speed at marty! Diaper change!Puffer fish trapped in tide pool.Jorja says "really big bamboo".flowers!!!

    Pavones

    22. marts 2018, Costa Rica ⋅ 🌧 14 °C

    Pavones
    Pavones is a laid back pueblo way in the south west corner of Costa Rica.  Any further south and you are in Panama.  It was stinking hot, as usual, however the sands have dammed the river and a beautiful freshwater lagoon is the perfect swimming local.  Caleb was so happy to have freshwater swimming that he declared that we were not leaving until we had to fly back to Canada.  Jorja loved being in the water so much, that she learned how to swim!   She can now swim out into deep water, roll over and float on her back and then swim back to shore.  Yahoo!   We couldn't even find a place to buy post cards!
    Sat am Marty and Caleb headed off to pick up Keith (who was visiting from Columbia) in Golfito. 
    They turned the 1 hour drive into a 45 minute rally race including drifting around most corners.  They did the regular, get money, beer and rum (who needs groceries anyways!) and headed back.  We had not run into any police checks thus far, so it was lucky Keith was with them on this trip as the  Police found them.  They cracked a beer and headed out of town and would have made it past our first police check point, if Keith had been wearing his seat belt.  The hand motion to
    come here, looks alot like go away, so Marty continued to crawl away from the checkpoint as the well armed traffic police got more agitated. In hindsight, continuing to drive away with confused looks on their faces might have been successful, but they did the right thing and slowly backed up to start one of the longest and serious conversations about the horrific neglect of driving without a passport ($200US) or wearing seatbelts ($150US).  Listening to Keith dance through an incredibly circular converstaion where he continued to insist, "there must be some way we can help each other out", allowed Marty time to practice a 45 minute smile.  After many offers from the Costa Rican police to remove our license plates, seize our vehicle, and point us in the direction of the nearest bus, the senior officer decided they could take the three officers out to lunch to continue the converstation.  Keith dramatically declared that my young son was waiting in the vehicle and we could not take them out to lunch, but would love to buy them lunch.  Sometime during this latino dance, Caleb noticed one of the officers approaching our vehicle and decided it might be best to jump in the front seat and place the not quite yet consumed recycling a little further under the seats.  The transaction had to take place inside the sliding side door of the police van where Keith asked if 20K colones would buy the officers a decent lunch in Golfito.  At that point it seemed that we had made three new friends in Costa Rica,  with many mucho gustos we were on our way, ticket free, to continue our journey. 

    Pavones is world famous with the 2nd longest left break in the world.  We stayed at Cabinas Carol which is a great surfing hostel run by Pablo the Italian.  We met many great people, and had our only realy hostel experience in Costa Rica.  Caleb was a bit too young to participate in the "life" but he was definitely closer in age to the other residents than his parents!  Caleb and Stacey tried surfing again, and even with the bigger waves, had some success.  We were glad we tried then! While we were there (4 days), the wind came up, and the swell came up, and everyone who was anyone in surfing arrived in Pavones.  There were amazing waves and world class surfing where the rides were two minutes long, and surfers travelled out of sight around the corner.  At any one time there were easily 50 surfers out beyond the break waiting to get on the wave.  Rodrigues, a 20 year old Brazilian who is an expert surfer (we watched him do flips on his board while surfing), said it was the best surfing of his life.  We mere mortals swam in the fresh water, explored up the river, chased iguanas (they have incredible burst speed and do not move where one expects them to!) and enjoyed Keiths cooking.  Eventually we had to leave the land of perfect bodies, and head up the coast.     Læs mere

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  • Calbys going wildFeb 2018Rejsende
    Las flores en las moñtanas
    Yeeha!! Our pool at the hotel.Caleb getting all zen at the top of Costa Rica.Bakery treats!!Traditional burning to keep the pastures, Hazelton style.1Ridge road. This one is in great condition.Anita took us home and made us lunch.In Hazelton people walk their dogs with cars, in the mountains they walk horses with motorcycles.We visited a school where the kids were waiting for their new school to be finished.1Cooling off in the mountain streams.

    Mountain exploring

    18. marts 2018, Costa Rica ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C

    Marty, as you know, loves to explore.  The steeper and more remote, the better.  We loved the cool air and less populated areas of the mountains so much that we stayed up high for a few more days.   We set off to visit the ruins of a catheral from the spanish conquistador days, only to discover that there is another town called Ujarres, but it is on the other side of the mountains nearer San Jose.  However, we did end up high in the valley, on roads that are not meant for rental 4x4s and we loved it!  We gave Anthony a ride, up to his farm, where we met his father (Alexis) who is retired from working at Dole, and is now exploring being a farmer on his wife's families' farm.  It was incredibly dry, no rain for three months, but the rainy season replenishes the water so well, that water was running from the hills in all sorts of creeks.  They had a tomatoe and bean crop ready to harvest to sell in town, that without the water would have shrivelled in a day.  We were, again, driving around without a place to stay, and didn't want to drive all the way back to Buenos Aires which was closed up for Sunday had been stifling hot and was an hour down a dirt road.  Would you believe that Anthony's uncle owned the only accomodation in the valley?  Anthony lept on his bike, without a helmet and powered up the hill ahead of us, the hill I hadn't been so sure we should drive down, and hurled down the hill on the other side.  A river crossing, and we ended up at a 4 room lodge, where we were the only guests and there was a pool!!!  No cooking facilities, but his cousin found a pot for us and we cooked over a fire as the cicadeas (massive 3 inch beetles that flew into our room at night) and toads and stars came out.   It proved to be still warm in the mountains during the day, but cool at night.  

    We drove off the next day,  and up up up into the cloud forest, where someone had left a bit of forest and not burned it off for pasture.  After visiting a school, (there are schools everywhere) we found a town that wasn't on our map, where we picked up Anita and her grandaughter Diane.  Diane goes to a school, where the teacher drives 28 km one way from Buenos Aires that takes an hour on an insanely steep and twisty road.  And all for 8 students.  Anita invited us back to her house for lunch, a house that was built before she moved here 34 years ago to be with her husband.  They work for the ranch owner and grow cilantro to sell in town.  They have a Toyota jeep, and motor bikes and a horse,  and live in a very simple house.  She cooked for us on a wood stove and talked about her five children,  two who have started families in the village, and one who has gone off to university.  I asked about the upcoming election and what was important to her:  Peace, a roof over her head and education for the children.   Jorja loved playing with Diana, and they managed despite not being able to speak to each other!   It was a treat to meet them. 

    Our next day found us up the roads of the next valley, again visiting indigenous territory, where they are proud to have not succumed to the Spanish.  Many people riding horses, for work or to pick up the kids from school.  It looked like a poorer area, but still water treatment plants and schools.  We stayed cool swimming in rivers, and drove down cart tracks that could have been the road back to the highway, but sometimes ended at a farm or a washed out bridge.  It was with relief that we finally hit pavement and allowed our teeth to reconnect to our skulls and headed to San Vito.  We enjoyed our respite from Costa Rica tourism, and the chance to meet and learn from people.     Læs mere

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  • Calbys going wildFeb 2018Rejsende
    Two great hikers!
    Peccary skull.Decending the creeks.Silver Throated Tanager ( I think!)Cheese maker in the mountains.1Coffee growing on 80 degree slopes.Cloud forest, the moss blowing in the breeze.1Back at Bejuco, massive Banyan tree."The Road" 180 degree turn.Creek conquerer.

    Cloudbridge Nature Reserve

    10. marts 2018, Costa Rica ⋅ ⛅ 6 °C

    We travelled from Bejuco to Quepos on the bus, and went to Alamo to see if we could rent our car a day early.  Not only could we get it early (with no hastle - Love Alamo!) but they upgraded us to a 4x4 that actually will fit Keith when he arrives and our packs.  And off we went.  Marty and Caleb immediately felt better being able to choose our route.  We headed up into the hills, on the smallest road we could find.  Made a few mistakes, then Marty drank a beer outside a small grocery with some older cowboys and asked if we could drive through to San Marcos on the little road.  Of course!  Take a right, another right, through the river, another right and derecho (straight ahead).  It was like driving up 9mile.  Except people were farming and living everywhere.  When the road couldn't get any steeper, it did.  They just put a bit of concrete down for extra traction.  Driving through this area which is heavily farmed, or growing coffee or cacoa on 80 degree slopes, I appreciate the National Parks of Costa Rica even more.   We made it to San Marcos just as the sun was going down, with no indication of where we were going to stay.  We drove around for about an hour, following people's tips, and finally settled in at $40 per night in a local place.  We all slept, except Marty, but that is not so unusual anyways. 

    We headed off good and early with some pan dulce that had dulce de leche in it instead of brown sugar (sweet bread).   Off onto another track, that might be a road.  Stopped to let some cows go by, and jumped out to ask if they were for carne or leche.  The herder took us to meet the owner, and she showed us how they made the cheese in their little two room factory.   I can ask my questions in Spanish well enough, that I get a jumble of unintelligible Spanish in return.  I know they make cheese!!  It reminded me of talking to cheese makers in the alps.  We made it to the highway, and travelled over the La Muerte pass, which is at 3500m, on a little two lane paved road which is the main connector between San Jose and the south.  It took us almost 2 hours to decend 60 km with all the other traffic down to 1100m.  San Isidro is a city that has been around for 100 years, and it fed us, and then we headed up to San Gerardo de Rivas, again without a place to stay, but at least earlier.  All the online bookings were full, but we figured there might be something.

    And sure enough, we drove to the end of the road to Cloudbridge Nature Reserve, and they had a cabin open for two nights.  Tada!  Its beautiful, quiet, and cool (we used blankets for the first time in 3 weeks) and in the cloud forest , and borders onto Chiripo National Park.  That may be an adventure for another time, as the peak is the highest in Costa Rica and the trail is 42 km.  Jorja did impress us with her hiking today as we were out for 6 hours in the secondary and primary cloud forest. We decended through the boulder strewn creek for our decent.  There are waterfalls and massive granite boulders throughout the creeks.  Apparently Costa Rica is only 5 million years old, and was actually glaciated 10,000 years ago.  Who would have guessed!!!  A couple bought this property in 2002, when it was ranching land, and over the years have aquired 700 acres that has been reforested.  It is now used as a research and education center.  A great treat to stay here.  We hope Hazelton folks that you are excited to be on your March break!!!  Talk to you soon.     Læs mere

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  • Calbys going wildFeb 2018Rejsende
    1I bought some wings 😎
    African oil palm tree (Elaeis guineensis)Each nut in the friut clump is 50% oil .Jorja owes me candy 🙄2I used to have a sister 🤫Every night in costa rica 🇨🇷🇨🇷🇨🇷Every time i walked into the water after i found this shell i was very cautios (Petar Lupanari)Dads smiling must not have seen the camaraInstead of squished toads we have squished crabs ⁉️Cannibal(Ronald) gave me a surfing lesson, harder than it looks!!!

    Bejuco Beach

    6. marts 2018, Costa Rica ⋅ 🌧 4 °C

    We have enjoyed our week at a beach house on a long stretch of quiet beach.  I can sit on the front porch and watch the waves crash 100 feet away.  Might seem a little far to some, but it makes it so you can sleep without the surf keeping you awake.  We did make it here OK, travelling across the country on public transit is easy, and comfortable and cheap.  We did the whole trip for all of us for $40.  On the bus to Jaco we asked a young woman if she could suggest a place to stay, she asked us where are reservation was for, and was a little surprised to learn that we were arriving there at 10pm with kids, without one.  She suggested we get off downtown Jaco, and when we went to get our luggage an older woman said to come with her and we would stay at the same Cabina.  It turned out to be easy, clean, comfy, and had a pool for same price as some other places we have stayed that were not nearly so nice.   Again, people helping us out!

    The beach here at Bejuco is big, beautiful and empty.  Many fancy homes, but not many people. the weekend picked up a bit with folks from San Jose and nearby towns for the weekend.  Folks camping out.   Some serious rip tides at times, as in Marty can't walk sideways and an eddy forms behind him, but not always.  We are learning to read the water.  I (Stacey) am getting out to walk down the beach every morning at 545 as that is the nicest time of day.  If I could get up even earlier I would!  There is an estuary a 10 min walk down the beach,  where we have gone several times to swim in the calm water, and walk in the mangroves.  The water rushes upstream like a backwards river when the tide comes in.  The water is so warm, getting cold is never an issue.  Did not need to bring Jorja's wetsuit!  Well, not yet anyways.  Its a 15 min walk to the tienda where we can buy enough food, even if it is a little more costly than in Parita which is a 20 min bus ride away.  Way cheaper to cook our own rice an beans rather than eat out. 

    On Sunday, Shirley, who is one of the caretakers of the property we are staying at, asked if we wanted to go fishing.  Of course!!  Luis (Shirley`s husband) and Ronnie (family friend) had caught a bunch of shrimp (calazone) to use for bait, and we headed to the estuary with them and Shirley and her 5 year old Bradley.  Marty and Caleb fished with Luis and Ronnie and Jorja and I hung out in the calm waters with Shirley and Bradley.  Marty and the others had to swim back after fishing when the tide had come in.  We were invited to their place to have delicious pork and pineapple shishkabobs.  Yumm.  We have met up again, so kids could play, and she brought us rice pudding this morning.  Shirley came to Costa Rica as a six year old and never left.  Her daughter Ashley is 17 and works at the hotel down he road as she speaks great English and is considering a career in tourism or executive management. At her school hey spend part of heir day working o specialty courses and will graduate with courses in a certain field to give them a head start at college. I’d say Shirley and her family are a pretty good example of the contented people that National Geographic said we would find in Costa Rica (recent issue - Costa Rica is one of the happiest countries in the world).

    Ronnie gave Caleb a surfing lesson the next day, and Caleb figured it out fast.  I tried surfing the next day, and not quite the same learning curve.  I suppose it is consolation that it is not a learner's board (6'6" and narrow - and slippery and tippy!!).  We rented the board from him today and Caleb continues to improve and I have been able to stand up a few times!  It is fun to learn when it's warm, and the pelicans are surfing the waves ahead of me.  I don't know if I could ever get past the surf, and onto it, but I'm glad Caleb is having a chance at it. 

    We head out tommorrow. Off to Quepos were we will rent a 4x4 Jimney for a week and do some  exploring.  We have made it over the hump of "why are we here for so long, what can I possibly do for so long, it is so flippin' hot - +30 every day" and even Marty claims to be enjoying himself.  We do actually get some school work done, and with one of us near by, our 11 year old son can actually finish some work in a reasonable amount of time!!   We will be travelling without a tent,  and I'm not so certain of how we are going to find a place to stay each night!  Keep in touch!    Læs mere

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  • Calbys going wildFeb 2018Rejsende
    IWasnt sure it was alove as it didnt even blink for 3 mins. Sp we got closer and closer. Bliink!Find the caiman.

    Tortuguero

    1. marts 2018, Costa Rica ⋅ ⛅ 24 °C

    Beautiful escape onto the canals in a rented canoe for the day. Bit of an expensive local as Marty was swept by a wave when he was fishing and lost his prescription glasses and then I fell into the Caiman infested waters when hauling the canoe over a log and toasted our camera. Sigh. We will see if visa purchase insurance works!! Off to the Pacific coast now. Long trip and we don’t know where we are staying tonight. I’ll let you know how that goes!!Læs mere

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  • Calbys going wildFeb 2018Rejsende

    En route to Tortuguero

    25. februar 2018, Costa Rica ⋅ ⛅ 26 °C

    Luis left us at Cahuita, after making sure we were comfortable getting to our next destination.  Thanks Luis for hanging out with us.  You were a great sounding board for Marty (and viceversa), and the kids loved having you around! 
    After another day at Cahuita, where we hiked out to some quiet water behind the reef, we got ourselves organized onto the public buses and headed out.  Buses here are great.  Comfortable, on time, cheap, and they go all the time.  We ended up with quite a convoluted route (4 different busses, and the mandatory boat ride), but it was great.  We started at 6:30 to avoid the heat and people and it was a great trip.  There was a massive cruise ship docked in Limon, which explained the hoards of crowds that had decended on Cahuita (we had almost decided we didn`t like it), and the we were thrilled when we got to have a double decker bus for 2 hours of our ride. 

    Its a great tour just riding the bus around.  We saw the depot where Delmonte ships all their bananas to and loads them into trucks and then drives them somewhere.  I'm not sure yet how they get to Hazelton, but we have seen them in the processing plants in Rio Frio being packaged into their banana boxes.  Alot or rainforests have been sacrificed for the yellow one, and the reefs at Cahuita are all but smothered by the extra sediment that runs off from the plantations.   LImon is where the gas refineries are, and then there are gas lines, maybe a foot in diameter that run beside the main highway.  The pipes are propped up on clods of dirt, or concrete blocks.  I'm curious about the pipeline safety!  

    I really like riding the bus, just to meet people and talk.  We met one woman who was heading off to school to study english and computers who wants to work in tourism, she has family in Tortuguero (where we were headed) and showed us pictures.   Then when we got off the bus and needed to walk to another bus station, she took us there.   An older gentleman in Cariari came to sit with me and Jorja while Marty and Caleb were off buying Tequila, hand lines, and knives (doesn't take much to make them happy).  We chatted about living where he does, he has never been Tortuguero, where we should visit, and then he bought Jorja a treat when he had to leave.   People have been kind and helpful all over the place.  My spanish is terrible, but I can usually make myself understood, and we have discovered google translate (type what you want to say in english, it spits it out in spanish!)   Caleb`s french teachers may cringe, but seriously it is fun to be able to talk to other people.  We have all used it, and Marty is particularly enamoured with the talk and it translates feature!!

    The last part of the trip to Tortuguero is on a boat for an hour. Its one of the long skinny ones with a roof that holds about 30 people.  The first tributary is small and windy and it has to be dreged (by a backhoe that has tracks AND floats so it can be towed around the river).   I wish the boat part could be longer!   In all it took us 6 hours to get from Cahuita to Tortuguero and cost us about $40 for all of us.  See ya later! Pictures later, its a bit of a process to get the phots from camera to blog, and need good wifi!!    Læs mere

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