Last Updated on June 6, 2019 by PowersToTravel
The title of this adventure could also be called “Taking Rt 514 to the top of the world”.
We left Ponce on Christmas Day, anxious to have an Adventure in spite of the closure of businesses and tourist attractions. We headed east along Rt 52 a bit, to Rt 149 North. Rt 149 leads directly to the Toro Negro State Forest, however I had previously found a different route on Google which led to Lake Guineo, the highest lake in Puerto Rico. We are not ones to enjoy driving the same road twice, so I had selected this other route so that we could go into the mountains on one route, and out on another.
We headed north through Juana Diaz and Guayabal, two small towns set in the foothills. Guayabal was only notable for having an open gas station on Christmas Day. We easily found the left turn for Rt 514. I always enjoy the road less traveled by, and felt no apprehension at heading into the mountains on a tiny road.
We headed up and up, the road becoming more and more narrow. The road was not remote, that is to say, there were houses stretched – stacked – along both sides of the road the entire distance we traveled, or should I say climbed. At one point, it seemed as if the major road headed straight, however it was named with a 4-digit road, so we headed to the left. My mistake. Up hill and down hill, twisting and turning. Each turn seemed to announce a higher grade. Soon it appeared that we were going up 90°. Our engine rattled, and knocked and choked as it tried to claw its way up. I felt as if gravity would roll us backwards on the roof. I cried “STOP!”
My husband stopped, probably because he had no alternative, as the car just couldn’t push us any further. He turned around in a driveway, and we coasted down. Now I was terrified we would burn out our brakes.
At last we arrived back on “level” ground. We headed north to the Toro Negro Forest. We drove through the junction of Rt 143 and Rt 149 and continued down to the Dona Juana Waterfall for a brief picture. There’s really only space for two cars to park there. Then we drove back up Rt 149 to the Toro Negro Forest. Heading east on Rt 143 we shortly came to the headquarters, and found a large parking lot and parked there. A short walk along the road to the east we found a road/path downwards to the camp ground. With our picnic on our back we walked about 1/4 of a mile down, down, down to a clearing with five to eight tentsites with picnic pavilions. Only two were occupied by campers and we relaxed in the cool mountain air.
The Adventure was the drive, the picnic was the pleasure.
