|
|
The Cruise Lines that deal directly with the operators and end up charging more money prevent them by contract from taking any guests unless they come through the ships. This sucks for us all but the operator does not dare mess up his contracts with them. If your ship offers the quad tours then you gotta book with them. If not then read the info below and we will get you sorted.
The
Action Packed Quad off Road Tour. For people with
strong hearts this tour absolutely goes off!!!!!
Explore the most rugged side of Antigua's off road
tracks and trails on Quad bikes. Amazingly, you
can travel from one end of Antigua to the next without
going more than a 1/4 mile on paved roads. The
trail network is so extensive that nearly every
beach, historical ruin and village is accessible
by one goat-path or another. Dimples and the ATV
crew have been doing this for over 20 years with
motorbikes, mountain bikes and 4 wheel drive jeeps,
and have dozens of routes and destinations to show
you. |
Roddy
and I loved this one!!!!! We went twice and both times
enjoyed ourselves to the max. The photos came from the
first time when we went with a group from the Sandals
Hotel. These guys were a litte more cautious than the
local group which accompanied us the second time. Anyway,
you meet "Dimples" next to the Fitches Creek
St. Georges Church.
He gives you a briefing on the safety
and operation of the 300cc Kawasaki quad bikes. "DON'T
EVER PUT YOUR FEET DOWN WHEN THEY ARE MOVING", he
reminds you. The helmets come on and you feel the adrenaline
kick in. We are ready to ride. Antigua is usually dry
and gets very little rain on average all year long. This
makes the off road tracks pretty dusty at times. If you
have riding goggles then bring them. Otherwise make sure
you have good sun glasses as the dust can be a bit much
without protection. I'd recommend a scarf too now that
I think about it. Anyway, Dimples leads you from one side
of Antigua's coast all the way to the other off road the
whole way. Even for locals this tour will show you areas
of Antigua that you won't see otherwise. Beautiful vistas
and rolling plantations mellow your pulse just a bit while
racing along the trails. When we went the second time
it was a whole different story!!!!
It had rained the entire day before,
an unusual occurrence, and there were muddy puddles everywhere.
Andre, had a shirt with "hey sucker, eat some mud"
painted on the back, and as Dimples was giving the briefing,
I knew what the shirt implied. Lets just say that it was
several hours of wild madness with mud and dirt all over
us and the bikes before long. I think it was the most
fun we had experienced since we were kids. It was a balancing
act between laughing and closing your mouth to keep the
mud out. Nevertheless we arrived at the hill overlooking
Falmouth Harbour and all talked about our ride there while
having drinks which Dimples brings along. The cost of
this tour is US $90 ($125 per couple on the same bike)
and includes the bike, helmet and drinks.
This tour lasts about three hours and
can be dangerous. You should be expecting a rough ride,
but it is worth it if you are not the type who likes to
sit on beaches for your whole vacation. Good shoes and
long pants are a good idea too.
|
