When we got to Ilha Bela, an island off of the coast of Sao Paulo state, I looked around and, noticing so many pickup trucks and four by fours, I concluded, "the Midwest at its best." Soon enough though I was more than grateful to be sitting in one of those. Ilha Bela, apart from its fantastic sailing conditions and impressive natural beauty, is a destination for off-road riding. The trail takes you on a 2.5-hour drive (under good weather conditions) through the jungle-covered mountains in order to arrive at a breathtaking beach, Castelhanos.
Now, when the locals caution that you need a 4 by 4, they know what they are talking about, especially if it has rained recently. We were lucky enough to make that trip wi
th Marcelo, the owner of the pousada where we stayed; lucky because his car was equipped for that kind of riding and because Marcelo was an experienced driver. He let us enjoy the beach well after sunset despite knowing what the return trip would bring. Let's just say that some twenty minutes into the trail, we found some 5 cars hopelessly stuck in the mud. To help them out, all of us in the car had to step out and walk in complete darkness. We found ourselves falling into thigh-deep pits or slipping uncontrollably on the mud. The good thing was everyone kept their spirits high, especially with the amount of beer that was going around.
Two hours into this pushing and pulling of other cars and then of ours, we looked at the clock on the dashboard, then at each other and laughed hysterically. Two and a half hours had passed and we were nowhere near the top of the mountain. All this time we had deluded ourselves that we'd make it back in time for dinner. At that point, it looked like we'd be lucky to get back at all that night. Marcello was the Angel sent from the above, the Good Samaritan, the Savior for all those bigger-than-life dudes who thought their skillful driving could get their lousy cars through hell.
Now, when the locals caution that you need a 4 by 4, they know what they are talking about, especially if it has rained recently. We were lucky enough to make that trip wi
th Marcelo, the owner of the pousada where we stayed; lucky because his car was equipped for that kind of riding and because Marcelo was an experienced driver. He let us enjoy the beach well after sunset despite knowing what the return trip would bring. Let's just say that some twenty minutes into the trail, we found some 5 cars hopelessly stuck in the mud. To help them out, all of us in the car had to step out and walk in complete darkness. We found ourselves falling into thigh-deep pits or slipping uncontrollably on the mud. The good thing was everyone kept their spirits high, especially with the amount of beer that was going around.Two hours into this pushing and pulling of other cars and then of ours, we looked at the clock on the dashboard, then at each other and laughed hysterically. Two and a half hours had passed and we were nowhere near the top of the mountain. All this time we had deluded ourselves that we'd make it back in time for dinner. At that point, it looked like we'd be lucky to get back at all that night. Marcello was the Angel sent from the above, the Good Samaritan, the Savior for all those bigger-than-life dudes who thought their skillful driving could get their lousy cars through hell.
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