Hi all,

Right, we have been invited by my In-Laws to go to the Dominican Republic(DR) for 2 weeks on a family holiday next April.

This seems like a great opportunity to go riding in foriegn climes, father-in-law will be out playing Golf, Mother-in-Law, Wife and son will be sunning themselves so muggins here is thinking time to get out riding.

Only thing is I don’t know the first thing about the DR! Does anybody know anything, I mean anything at all? Advice on Routes, Guides, Safety through to Flight costs for taking a bike this far, etc is greatly received.

Cheers

James

I can’t imagine what it would be like trying to ride in the DR without a guide. And I can’t imagine trying to find a guide.

Despite the popularity of resorts around places like Puerto Plata, I don’t think people realise that the DR is actually a developing country, steeped in a history of poverty and pseudo-dictatorship (though not nearly as bad as Haiti right beside it). Unless things have changed radically over the last 15 years – and, of course, they could have – I can’t see how the country could have gone from little infrastructure to catering for relatively wealthy Americans and Europeans on expensive toys in a short span. Golf courses make sense because they are self-contained and can be run out of American resort hotels. But mountain biking? Unless some wealthy ex-pats have picked it up in Florida or New York and brought it back with them to set up a guiding outfit, I would be surprised if there was any opportunities there at all.

Probably better to explore the absolutely beautiful country on foot, or to find some locals to show you the real DR than to ride.

But I’ll be interested in learning how you get on.

Give the biking a rest for a fortnight and go learn to kitesurf in Cabarete, one of the best places in the world for it, beginners included.

Mrs Sheck has relatives on DR. It is more mountainous in places than you would think, and possible to properly get away from it all. It’s also probably wetter than you might imagine. Cabarete is also the base for the best biking (allegedly) and the firm that seems to be the most well known (amongst the Spanish locals that I know) is Iguana Mama! Again would recommend a guide, and they do a range of tours.

Have been to DR quite a lot, the one time we decided to do the C2C with Iguana Mama they had extensive flooding, which wiped away many trails and the tour was cancelled. I think to run a longer trip they need at least 4 riders. Their website tells you a little bit more, and despite being very slow to respond to email, they’re very helpful: http://www.iguanamama.com/index.php

I can’t spend too much time on the beach / sea otherwise I go mad. Plus at the moment I’m working like a nutter and get to ride infrequently so when I go away on Holiday riding is pretty much at the top of my list. No matter how hard it is to arrange!!!

I did some web searches and there seems to be a bit of a MTB scene out there, mainly aimed at the Yanks. One tour company, I’ve sent them an email, seem to be quite well set up.

Cheers Sheck,

Iguanamama are the company I’ve emailed. I’m just looking for a few days guiding here and there to get of the beaten track so no long multi day trips.