USVI-On-Line

Why do we always let the husbands drive? I liked driving on STJ. Sometimes I'd just take the keys first to make sure I could drive. Other times I liked being a passenger so I could rubberneck the sights. I eventually got used to DH using one hand to make that left hand turn from westbound Centerline onto the North Shore road by the smoothie stand. (I say eventually... I did embed my fingernails into the dashboard the first couple of times!)

ps- on the way out to vies there is a big hill. It looks long and horrible, like the jeep might not make it. The first year we tried to go there and we turned around!

We went back the next and it was NOTHING. I guess it just looked bad because the road was straight (for once!)

Just FYI

chicagoans wrote:I eventually got used to DH using one hand to make that left hand turn from westbound Centerline onto the North Shore road by the smoothie stand. (I say eventually... I did embed my fingernails into the dashboard the first couple of times!)

That is one of my spots! Except I get scared going up to Centerline, not down.

I also get SOOO nervous parking at the smoothie stand! That is my cliff-phobia!

The other place is the couple of switchbacks near Cinnamon. Now though it is getting almost fun....8 years later!!

tothectothec wrote:My sister lives on Calabash Boom and I stay with her when I'm on island. Her drive is very steep plus I have to back out of it to the main road. The road up Calabash is very bumpy but not that steep. I like to use my 4 wheel drive up and also backing down the drive.When you park the car remember to put on the parking brake and you will be fine. Here is a like to the drive up: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6KuCfY1KocA

Thank you again for that video. It was extremely reassuring. It actually went RIGHT BY the villa we just booked. When I was watching I was like, "that looks like the villa we want!" And got confirmation today! Moonswept! I am excited now!!!! Thank you!!!!

Thanks folks. No, he isn't passive aggressive about it. I think he really does have some ADD. I'll see how it goes on the way to Cinnamon Bay and then decide.
Can someone tell me what a switchback is?

mindehankins wrote: Can someone tell me what a switchback is?

It's when you're going one direction and you quickly "switchback" to the other direction (often accompanied by a simultaneous change in altitude on St. John).

...

I don't really know if that is what it is called, but my husband calls it that. (or I think that is what he calls it).

Like you have a hill and you have to take a sharp right curve and go up another hill just a bit, and then maybe you have to take a sharp left and go up again...

You are going very slowly on these. You slow way down to turn and then you have to gun the engine a bit to get up the hill (but you still aren't going fast). Then you slow down at the next turn.

It is because either it would be too steep to cut a road straight up, or maybe there is an obstacle and they have to cut the road around it.

I am sure someone else could explain what I am talking about much better.

Like I said, it is not "bad", it just different than what you would experience at home.

I have a feeling this is making you feel worse. It shouldn't. Really. I, the hugest chicken ever, LOVE riding around St. John.

Joshie wrote: Between Trunk Bay and Cinnamon Bay (actually, immediately east of Trunk), there is a series of 3 tightly spaced switchbacks. When it rains, the first switchback (as you're climbing) can get quite slick.

My "favorite" STJ driving moment was when I decided to head to Gibney/Oppenheimer alone and just when I arrived, a freakin' monsoon hit. As I was driving back to Francis, I arrived at that switchback in a torrential flood and the vehicle in front of me was an SUV that didn't know how to drive switchbacks in the rain (in rural Tennessee, we get plenty of practice with the "wipe your tail lights turns").

This 4-Runner kept going up and then spinning sideways and sliding back down, with me directly behind them. It was madness. I couldn't move because of the vehicles piled up behind me and I just knew I was going to get creamed by this helpless slider. Somehow, after about 8 attempts, they made it up.

That day I did not have to find out if that line I always give the rental company about "No, I don't want insurance, my insurance will cover it..." was true or not.

Whew.

That picture made me puke into my mouth a little bit. OK. I guess if I can commute 120 miles/day on icy/snowy Western NY state (Buffalo) roads, then I can come to terms with these.
But I wish I hadn't asked.

Just so you know - that picture is NOT from St. John - it's just an example picture I could find of what a switchback is.

And yes - you can certainly get used to it. We live in central Florida where all of the roads are flat, flat, FLAT - and on our first visit it took a day or two to get comfortable driving on St. John, and on the second visit, just a matter of minutes!

augie wrote:Just so you know - that picture is NOT from St. John - it's just an example picture I could find of what a switchback is.

And yes - you can certainly get used to it. We live in central Florida where all of the roads are flat, flat, FLAT - and on our first visit it took a day or two to get comfortable driving on St. John, and on the second visit, just a matter of minutes!

...you (and your hubby) will be fine with the driving...the slow flow coupled with caution in the rain equals fine.

Augie, where is the place pictured? Interesting...

lprof wrote:Augie, where is the place pictured? Interesting...

University of California Golf Club.

mindehankins wrote:
That picture made me puke into my mouth a little bit. OK. I guess if I can commute 120 miles/day on icy/snowy Western NY state (Buffalo) roads, then I can come to terms with these.
But I wish I hadn't asked.

There is nothing nearly as bad as that picture looks.

Now that you have seen that, you will be thinking St. John is a breeze!