Porkers

On our overnight trip to St. John, I was excited to see a type of livestock I've never encountered in the Virgin Islands before.

This mama pig and about five or six piglets were enjoying rooting around in the mud holes left by the morning rains. And once fed, it was time for a good wallow.

Pacing

My parents just finished a 14-day trip to the Virgin Islands, including 9 days here with me in the BVI, and a day  together on St. John. I thoroughly enjoyed seeing them, but as they got on the boat to St. Thomas yesterday, and we bid each other farewell, I couldn't help looking forward to my evening alone.

I'm exhausted, you see, and I was gleeful at the prospect of an early bedtime. 

Since my parents arrived on the 18th of November, I have been swimming three? four? times, out to lunch and/or dinner at least seven times, and visited Virgin Gorda and St. John. The amount of activity I have crammed into the past 10 days is equivalent to what I do in two months' time on a normal schedule. The pace has been gruelling for me, but I couldn't bring myself to slacken it, as I wanted to show my parents all the BVI highlights. 

Now it is time to return to my normal pacing. To swimming once a week, or once every ten days or so. To dining at home and visiting other islands only on special occasions. It is time to return to the very slow pace of life in the BVI, and to work to find a balance between the over-full week when I have visitors, and the slightly-to-slow week when I don't. 

Aspirations

One day, I hope to snorkel the reef in Dog Bay on Virgin Gorda.

I will either need to get fit enough to swim the mile out and back from the nearest beach, or get rich enough to get a boat. I think the former is more likely.

In the meantime, I will content myself with photographs.

North Shore

My parents are visiting for Thanksgiving, yay! Since four adults won't fit in our usual car, we have a rental car -- a Suzuki Grand Vitara -- for the duration of their stay. On Monday, we decided to take advantage of the four-wheel-drive, and try to find a beach HB and I had never visited. 

Rogue's Bay, also known as Lava Flow has some pretty amazing cooled-lava formations. Unfortunately, it also has a very disused 4wd road leading to it, and my parents weren't up for the adventure.

Still, the views of the north coast from our final stopping point were worth it. Hopefully HB and I will make it down some other time ... maybe in time for Beach Week 2012!

Peeper

At night, especially in the summer months, the bush becomes a wall of sound. Insects and birds create a pleasant backdrop, but the real noise comes from the frogs. Virgin Islands Coquis provide much of the sound, but there's a wide variety of other frogs making their contributions as well. I managed to capture one on film the other night.

He was about 3" long. I think it might be the invasive Cuban Tree Frog , but my identification is likely incorrect. Anyone else want to hazard a guess?

Alternate Routes Part 2

Picking up where we left off on Saturday, as I pass Sage Mountain, I come to

Kilometer 5 --  Ridge Road, heading down the north side of Sage Mountain. Views to the right over Cane Garden Bay are mostly blocked by lush foliage, especially now at the end of rainy season

Kilometer 6 -- I've photographed this ghut before, when it was filled with a waterfall of rain run-off. It runs under the Ridge Road, and helps keep heavy waterflow off the road.

Kilometer 7 -- Bananakeet Cafe and Heritage Inn sit at the first of five switchbacks that take you down Windy Hill and into Carrot Bay.

Kilometer 8 -- Entering Carrot Bay, I've always been a bit confused by this sign.

Kilometer 9 -- Towards the western end of Carrot Bay, there are a few small, neat guest cottages that look like an ideal place to spend a few lazy days.

Another kilometer or so to work and my peaceful drive is at an end.

Alternate Routes Part 1

A few months ago, at my father's request, I posted a series of pictures from every kilometer of my morning commute. A commenter pointed out that unlike his ride of Hwy 1 in the Keys, I am fortunate enough to have a choice in how I get to work. Since I recently moved and my route of choice has changed, I thought it was time for a kilometer-by-kilometer update.

The start point on this route is dropping HB off at his work in Road Town. Near his work is the Virgin Islands Supreme Court, which happens to be next door to the Elmore Leonard Stoutt High School. At 8:15am, plenty of students are on their way to school.

Kilometer 1 -- about halfway up the steep climb of kilometer-long Joe's Hill. This is one of the flatter spots.

Kilometer 2 -- at the top of Joe's Hill. I always take a gander into this yard, to see what animals are milling about. This morning's supply of one goat, one horse, and some chickens is relatively paltry.

Kilometer 3 -- Where the Ridge Road intersects with the Cane Garden Bay Road, I head left to stay on Ridge Road towards Carrot Bay. The food truck always gives me a chuckle.

Kilometer 4 -- The fairly upper-class neighborhood of Doty, near Sage Mountain. Very clean, well-kept houses with wonderful views of the Sir Francis Drake Channel.

My new preferred route is significantly shorter than my old one (about 10 km instead of 16) but still too long to include in one post. Part 2 on Tuesday!