The Red Rio Cobre

Someone suggested to me yesterday that I change my name to "Sunday Dropper". This is because yesterday was my second spill in about a month, although unlike the one I took on the "Goat Island" trip, this time I got a mere graze when I fell after my front wheel touched Lisa's back wheel. I hope it teaches me to pay attention to whats in front of me, no matter how animated the conversation but somehow I doubt it!

The ride to Linstead was absolutely great in that it was overcast and the blaring sun which usually discombobulates me quickly, was absent. 

The Bog Walk gorge with its huge rocks was as serene, peaceful and spectacular as usual except we knew from then that with the Rio Cobre running red, our chances of swimming in it would be nil.

As usual, the A riders went over Red hills while the majority of us stuck to the main thoroughfare and by the time Grace and I, the last two riders, got to Jucci in Bog Walk, they were already there.

To get to Winnie's place, we had to ride on the old road from Bog Walk to Linstead which was great as we did not have to contend with the highway traffic. We were supposed to have been joined by some walkers in Bog Walk, but they fell by the wayside. 

To get to Linstead, we passed though a very pleasant village called Deeside and the area, dotted with citrus plants was picturesque and homely.

You know I had been hearing about Dinthill high School for years but never really noticed where it was until yesterday when we stopped at the gate to wait for other riders.

Chuck who had been on the planning trip and had been to Winnie's place in Linstead was our pilot but he took us on a wild goose chase up a steep hill which ended at a dead end where the "Collector of Taxes" is located. (I had been on the planning trip but could not recall where the turn off was either)

 I rode  up that steep hill, no problem but when we had to ride down  then up the right steep hill, it was too much, so I had to get off my bicycle and push up that hill.

Winnie, who is a new rider and someone I knew from when we farmed in Spanish town, has set himself up in a nice business in Linstead with a small hotel and that was our final destination yesterday. It has a section of the Rio Cobre river with even a tiny waterfall  for bathing at the back of his place, but as I said earlier, because the river was running red, swimming at this time was out although some persons did swim in a tiny pool there which 'Winnie said had started out as an aquarium until he decided he needed the water more than the fish. lol.

Breakfast  was ok and most of our time was spent playing or observing dominoes and would you believe that shortly after we ate, Ayatollah was announcing that there was more food for us at Charlemont, a few miles from Linstead.

Incidentally, Mark Richards who has been missing in action for a while and his friend Michael joined us on this ride. They rode back to Bog Walk and with Maurice (RIBI) being absent, no one rode back home.

At about noon we departed but I went with Ayatollah, Neville and two young ladies to pick up the food we had ordered from a lady who was supposed to  meet us at the playfield at Jericho Primary School.

Jericho  is quite a pleasant and well developed district west of Linstead, As we went up a dirt path to the football field, the Ayatollah came out of the vehicle to guide us then we saw him running back saying there was a big bull ahead, looking at him!

 On inspection however, the poor "big bull" turned out to be an innocent little heifer which was even tied with a rope. That's all the Ayatollah wanted to hear to get the courage to become a bull fighter or should I saw a cow fighter.

Ayatollah the courageous bull fighter, faces the enemy! lol

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All I can say it was a good thing that the lady we were waiting for was not the person who was feeding us when we first arrived, for she did not arrive with the food for over an hour but she brought some really good juice which we thirstily  welcomed and carried the food into Kingston .

It came in handy for dinner for those of us who had no dinner at home so  turned up at the Ayatollah's in the evening.

Great day but next time we have to go there during the drought period when the rains are not washing down the surrounding hills into the river.