White Hill Bar, Aruba, DWI

The White Hill Bar is located above San Nicolaas, along a country road where I normally ride my bicycle. It’s a tiny joint, attached to a house, and staffed by a single old chap who listens to the radio at full volume.

This place is different from your average rum shop in that it doesn’t have a busy trade. It’s mostly just a few guys talking early in the morning or late in the afternoon. The selection of beverages is small, too, a few different soft drinks, a few types of beer. Pastechi are on sale in the morning, but I’m not a fan of those. Either way, when I pass by on my bike around 7am it’s a relief to pop in for a cold bottle of water or juice. Thus, if you’re cruising about the island and want to meet some local people, don’t hesitate to give a place like this a try.

Bon dia from Aruba.

The Windy Side

The Windy Side of Aruba, that is the eastern side, can be a challenge for man and machine. There is a road that stretches from San Nicolaas along the shore to the Arikok National Park and then into San Fuego. I see lots of small cars making this trek, much to their peril. Sure, you can make it. You can also get stranded if you’re not careful. Thankfully, that doesn’t happen very often.

I like to ride my bicycle from Savaneta over to the point where I took this photo. The route takes me past the location of the new windmills and several other interesting sites. There is very little traffic, which makes for safer riding, too. The landscape on the windy side can be dramatic, with cliffs, crashing surf, herds of wild goats, and the occasional ship far off at sea. If you take this drive, use caution, take water and a cellphone, and don’t go alone.

Bon dia from Aruba.

Top of the Hill

As mentioned in my previous post, I’ve been riding my bicycle here in Aruba. Was on the road again this morning, this time with a camera. So, here’s a look at my machine:

As you can see, it’s a full suspension mountain bike. This is more of a down hill rider than an all-purpose mountain bike. That rear suspension makes it heavy, which is good for my cardio workout. Plus, it takes all the abuse of riding on some of the rougher trails. Then there are the disc brakes.

I prefer the disc brakes. They’ll stop you on a dime and in my experience work better in wet conditions. My bike in the States has your standard friction brakes on the rims. They do the job, but if I ever upgrade that unit, I’ll go with the discs.

No here’s a view from the top of the Savaneta water tank hill. Climbing up that grade requires all the gears. Take a look.

Hard to beat that view here in Aruba. I take it easy going down. There is a herd of goats that grazes the area, a bunch of lizards, and various other creatures that have a habit of darting out at the last second. Plus, if you blow a tire or experience some other mechanical failure the tumble will not be pleasant.

Bon dia from Aruba.

Headwinds

Today was the first day riding my bicycle here in Aruba in a long time. I remembered the steady trade winds that Aruba is famous for. Similarly, I’ve been riding more than 125 miles per week in the States before arriving here. Nonetheless, those headwinds literally held me back. WOW! 15 TO 20 knots on the bow is enough to double the workout, which is a good thing. I figured I would ride into the wind on the way out, then turn with the wind for the ride back. This plan worked generally, but I was puffing that first half hour or forty-five minutes to the point where I was contemplating a good puke just to relieve the manifold pressure. Anyway, sailing back was easier but I burned out earlier so I was unable to take full advantage of the push.

If you need to train for a road race and want some challenging conditions, come to Aruba and ride mostly to the south, south east. Works every time.