An historic ride

I think Fun and thrills riders created history on Sunday August 31st by being the last riding group to take on the new south to North highway which reports state have been killing automobiles because of the steepness of the incline. Last, as the very next day is when the toll kicks in and cyclists will definitely not be allowed, they say.                                                                                                            It was  however the closure of the Mount Rosser route on the 31st August 2014 that caused some 30 of our courageous cyclists to take that route for they had been severely warned that cyclists would not be allowed on it.

Moneague  Lake

While I have no way of knowing who actually did it all as I, being o little courage said from day one that I would not be riding over Mount Rosser on that trek to Blue hole in Moneague which was organised by our efficient sheriff Nicole. 

Instead I choose to hike from Faiths Pen with 9 other persons. We therefore drove on the new highway which took us through brand new, absolutely beautiful and lush country.

We had planned to take the exit to Faith's Pen so we could hike to Moneague, but that exit was closed so we had to go to the end of the highway, drive to Faiths Pen then hike back to Moneague then east to Blue Hole.

Shortly after passing Moneague lake and
Watsonville, up drove Charles Simpson declaring that he could ride no more and had jumped into his vehicle. Gail who had been driving the supporting vehicle took  then took the opportunity to stretch her legs and joined us hikers.

The destination, Blue Hole is quite an attractive park in the making. The owner, Mr. Carter, told me it had been bush land but he has a dream to eventually make it into a full entertainment centre with movie theatre and all.

 Incidentally, he told me the name of the river there was Blue Hole but I prefer to believe the map which identifies it as River Hole!

As we had driven  most of the way, we were there some time before the riders started filing in . First came was barber Dean who arrived at least half hour before the 2 second place person .

 Barber Dean hasreally blossomed  by leaps and bounds for now he  hardly bothers to ride with us little leaguers and in fact won the Kingston to Negril semi professional race this year.

  Omar too has  become a top rider with out group.

Third came Bernadette, the first woman rider ( I am sure!) to conquer the new highway although she says she stopped three time.

 Blue hole was a lot of fun although on the first touch, the water is quite cold. However once you become acclimatised it was absolutely wonderful and some local kids had great fun showing off to us how they jumped from the ledge up above and even out of a mango tree, into the bottomless blue hole beneath. They must have been shocked however as Kelly one of our hikers, not to be outdone, alsomade the leap!

Local kids also jumped off the ledge in to the deep blue hole beneath.

We all had a wonderful time lounging around, kissing the tree that is supposed to cure all ailments, eating a nice Jamaican breakfast  (though small;!) while different persons related their experiences riding up those unforgiving hills on the new highway while Howie's granddaughter Ria enjoyed herself in the river and on the swing.  

An Omar Downie photo

It was then too that I  heard how Gibby too had made history by falling twice on the new highway and he has the scars on his elbows and knees to prove it too!

When you see Maurice did not make any move to ride back, you get to realise how challenging the ride to the destination must have been and we really missed Barry who is ill in hospital, as we know he always enjoys a new challenge. 

Anyway, regardless of the difficulties some people had completing the journey, everyone had a wonderful day as we always do, especially when  we "discover" somewhere new.

JOAN WILLIAMS, moderator of  JOAN WILLIAMS ON LINE broadcast on POWER 106, describes herself as an unapologetic addict to the Jamaican outdoors. A foundation member of FUN AND THRILLS ADVENTURE CLUB, she explores the island at any given opportunity cycling, hiking or swimming with that group, family, Jah 3 and anyone else who will have her. In 1995, she published the popular TOUR JAMAICA and the 4^th edition is now an ebook available at;

http://www.amazon.com/Tour-Jamaica-Joan-Williams-ebook/dp/B00EJWCSHS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1389464644&sr=8-1&keywords=tour+jamaica+by+joan+williams

Contact; gratestj@gmail.com

Forestry Trek 2014

The annual hike by the Forestry Department was well organised as usual, except that they ran out of water for the return hike.

About twelve large JUTC buses pulled out of the Constant Spring Road spot on schedule at 7am for the hour ride to Schwallenberg in St. Ann ( near Faith's Pen) from where we would hike to Holly Mount Great House in St. Catherine via Mount Diablo. 

When we got to Schwallenberg there was a briefing before we set off in groups of 25 with a forestry representative. 

Fun and Thrills was well represented although we had to register with Chuck's Rotary of St. Andrew to get the group rate. Sheriff, Sparkles, Charles, Johann, Tricia, Charlene, Karen (Chuck) and  Thomas were there, but they stayed with the groups they were registered with.

Braheem centre

Our leader (from the forestry Department) was Braheem who was born in Senegal, grew up in Barbados and now lives and works in Jamaica about which he is very knowledgeable.

The terrain was a bit rough but the lush, varied vegetation including some of the most beautiful ferns and fern trees you will see anywhere, fresh air and camaraderie made up for every discomfort.

There were three or four rest stations along the way with water, even coconut water at one and a good variety of fruits and peeled sugar cane.

We saw raspberries blossoming along the side of the road and I did find a ripe bunch to eat but it was rather sour, but who cares when eating off the land is always half the fun.

We were in no hurry so we drank in the scenery, took pictures and learnt about some of our endemic plants which had been labeled by the organisers and at the end of the journey, I planted a mahogany tree. 

I knew the great house was owned by an acquaintance of mine, Pat Marston,  but I did not know she would have been there, so although she was not allowing the 600 or so hikers to tramp all over her house, she gave us a tour.

Pat (right) with famous artist Carol Crighton inside the great house/

The house was built in the 1800's and her family are the first non-white owners of  the seven families that have owned what had originally been a sugar plantation.

She and her late husband (Toby, who was murdered some years ago) bought the 152 acre property from the family of the late Perry Henzel  of the "The Harder They Come" fame.

He grew up there, she tells me. She had been growing coffee on the property but after destruction of the crop by one of our numerous hurricanes and being unable to collect from the insurers, she abandoned that exercise and now rents the great house to guests.

There is a wonderful view from  every angle of the four bedroom house and from the veranda, you can seen Bridgeport in St. Catherine, most of eastern St. Ann and Oracabessa in St. Mary and some of the most beautiful mountains and vegetation you will see anywhere.

After the tour, we had lunch and headed down but unfortunately Carol slipped, fell and twisted her ankle but luckily we saw a forestry vehicle going down shortly after and she was able to get a lift.

On the return journey we were unfortunate enough to go in a bus which had a power problem as it limped over all the hills but picked up speed on the flat causing another driver to stop to ask our driver what was happening to us,  as everyone passed us by.

Anyway, we got back safely after a great day of exercise, learning and camaraderie.

JOAN WILLIAMS, co-host of JUSTICE on POWER 106, describes herself as an unapologetic addict to the Jamaican outdoors. A foundation member of FUN AND THRILLS ADVENTURE CLUB, she explores the island at any given opportunity cycling, hiking or swimming with that group, family, Jah 3 and anyone else who will have her. In 1995, she published the popular TOUR JAMAICA and the 4^th edition is now an ebook available at;

http://www.amazon.com/Tour-Jamaica-Joan-Williams-ebook/dp/B00EJWCSHS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1389464644&sr=8-1&keywords=tour+jamaica+by+joan+williams

Contact; gratestj@gmail.com