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A friend has been twisting my arm for ten years to move to paradise. I'm in Iowa and I like snow. Any way I'm an avid "bagger." Let me explain, I ride a bicycle with bags all around. Seems I can find no advice on bicycles much less one as extreme as mine. I often ride for a week or longer. You can stop laughing now, I know I will be on an island. My main concern is how dangerous would such an activity be on island roads where even the natives have never seen such a a bicycle on the roads? [email protected]
I don't know what island you are considering, but the topography on STT and STJ is very mountainous. Some roads can increase to an elevation of nearly 1000ft above sea level in less than a mile of road. Combine that with the added weight of your "bags", high temperatures, sudden torrential downpours and blind curves with speeding cars and this could be a recipe for disaster. STX is much flatter in comparison and may be a viable option.
G Dub Ya wrote:
I don't know what island you are considering, but the topography on STT and STJ is very mountainous. Some roads can increase to an elevation of nearly 1000ft above sea level in less than a mile of road. Combine that with the added weight of your "bags", high temperatures, sudden torrential downpours and blind curves with speeding cars and this could be a recipe for disaster. STX is much flatter in comparison and may be a viable option.
Add to that narrow roads with no shoulder that is vertical wall on one side and vertical drop on the other. There are some stretches of road that could be bike negotiable but for instance Centerline road on StJ would be a harrowing experience on a bicycle.
First, you might want to check the Relocation Board for info about living in the VI. St Croix has an international triathalon every year, you might want to come visit at that time to see about bicycling.
P.S. "natives" isn't real P.C. 😉
I live in Kentucky and love cycling. Here, cyclists are motor vehicles are both considered vehicles and must share road, and I'm generally not afraid to have cars flying by me on the road. However, I would be terrified to ride on St. John or St. Thomas. (I've never been to St. Croix, so I can't comment on the island.) The roads are so curvy that the line of sight is often short. Locals drive frighteningly fast for the conditions. Tourists often drive erratically, since the roads are narrow, winding, mountainous, and unfamiliar, and since driving on the opposite side of the road takes some time to get the hang of. In addition, cyclists aren't seen on the roads, so drivers aren't on the lookout for them.
I think it would be great fun to bike in St. John or St. Thomas, but unfortunately I just don't think it would be safe.
The people that live on St. John who ride bikes on a regular basis do a lot of walking with the bikes as well. We have a lot of blind corners, patches of very narrow roads, and of course potholes! The people who live here know all the "dangerous" spots, and I will often see them standing off of the road with their bikes until traffic has passed. You can ride a bike here, but you need to be very aware of what is going on. DON'T WEAR HEADPHONES. You need to be able to hear approaching traffic, so leave the tunes at home or packed away. The terrain on St. John will be challenging, but you wouldn't' be the only biker on the road, although you won't see a lot of bike riders. You do see some younger people with pocket bikes...just little dirt bike looking bikes, that coast down hills and stuff. They scare the poop out of me! They are looking for speed, and they certainly find it flying down some of the hills here. I've seen the aftermath of some pretty bad wipe outs. OUCH!
