In December 1997 Linda and I joined an REI Adventures* multisport adventure in Costa Rica. This included bicycling, whitewater rafting, and ocean snorkeling.

Linda and I were joined by Lando and Mary, bicycling friends from our home town. We had joined them earlier in August on the Oregon Bicycle Ride 1997 and that was a new adventure for us. This trip promised another adventure. It was well organized and led by friendly and professional local staff. We enjoyed it very much.

Diary

5 December 1997 (Friday)

Lando, Mary, Linda and I fly from Portland to San Jose, Costa Rica, arriving about midnight. We get our ride into San Jose and stay at the Edelweiss Hotel downtown.

6 December (Saturday)

The four of us walk around downtown San Jose, enjoying the museums and markets. We return to our hotel and meet our guide, Alex, and the other members of the group.

7 December (Sunday)

Today we are bused to just below the summit of Irazu Volcano. We hike a short way to the summit and enjoy the view down the deep crater.

We return to the parking lot and select our mountain bikes. Then we begin descending the volcano.

After a few miles we leave the paved road for a narrow road that descends Irazu Volcano slopes along farm land and through several villages.

We ride for several hours with one lunch stop. It eventually begins to rain, and we have a nice dinner stop at a restaurant along the way. From there we are bused to Turrialtico Lodge near Turrialba where we spend the next three nights.

8 December (Monday)

Today we ride the mountain bikes in the lower valleys. We visit an old, abandoned church and have lunch at a family’s home in Tucurrique.

It is a very hot and humid day. We push hard to get up one hill in particular, encouraging each other not to stop before reaching the top. I feel like the top of my head is about to explode. After a long day we eventually return to Turrialba.

9 December (Tuesday)

Today we are introduced to whitewater rafts and we raft a few miles down a moderate river. Tomorrow will have more exciting whitewater. We visit a snake research center in the afternoon and get to handle poisonous snakes.

10 December (Wednesday)

Today is our big whitewater rafting day on the Rio Picuare. We enjoy the many rapids, including one where our raft guide and Alex fall overboard.

We see a toucan. Alex tells us there are purana in the river, but they must be harmless because Alex has us all jump out of the raft to coast through a narrow canyon. We return to San Jose to prepare for our travel to the coast.

11 December (Thursday)

Our group flies from San Jose to Palmar Sur on the west coast in two small aircraft. It is a
fun flight over the mountains and an exciting landing on a jungle airstrip.

We board a bus for a short ride to Sierpe’, where we load onto a small boat that takes us down river and along the coast to Drake Bay. The boat seems rather small in rolling waves of the ocean.

Linda and I sea kayak near the shoreline and take turns riding the surf onto the beach. Linda flips her kayak end over end getting to the beach but is OK. We successfully kayak off the beach and return to the bay.

12 December (Friday)

Linda and I ride a boat out to Cano Island. We snorkel just offshore. I enjoy watching the fish, including a barracuda. We have lunch on the beach and follow a guide on a hike in the jungle to a pre-Columbian stone tool site. Other group members hike in the mainland jungle to the south of Drake Bay.

13 December (Saturday)

Our group returns to San Jose, taking the boat to Sierpe’, a bus to Palmar Sur, and the small plane back to the city.

14 December (Sunday)

The four of us fly home together by way of San Francisco. It was a fun vacation.

* Unfortunately, REI exited its Experiences business in January 2025 after 40 years of operation.