We are finally home to a fresh snowfall after 3 weeks of 30 degree weather. It feels so nice to get the long johns back on after spending a month in shorts :( I did not want to show off my tanned legs anyways. For the last week in Cuba, Mark and I decided to do a bit of solo trekking and went our separate ways before joining back in Havana for a last night of rum and Motecristo #5s. I really wanted to put in some big miles and Mark was keen on checking out the music scene. By this time in the trip, we were both getting quite comfortable moving about without worries of food, lodging and security despite our language barrier.
I managed three 160 km rides in a row and managed to get somewhat fit and almost back down to my pre-trip aero profile. This last stretch around the south east shore of the country was very much out there in the boonies on a desolate, very hilly road suitable for mountain bikes. Despite the isolation, I had absolutely no difficulty getting what I needed in food, water or shelter. The scenery was out of this world as the road was often nothing more than a rough path on a boulder beach with the waves crashing on the rocky seashore and jagged limestone mountains rising straight up on the other side.
All in all it was a great trip. What I learned was that in Cuba, you can pretty well ride a bike anywhere you want and never worry for your safety or suffering from hypothermia. I also learned that you can always find something to eat, a very comfortable place to stay and safe drinking water anywhere in the country. It's also very cheap with the average cost of a double room with private wash room and air conditioning between $25-$30, beer for a buck anywhere you go and a pint of rum for not much more. Not that nice cyclists need the last two items. Also in every place we stayed, you could get shrimp, lobster, pork or chicken meal with all the trimmings for $10 or less.
On my last day, I flew from Santiago to Havana, about 900 km for $100 which, in my mind was much better than spending the night on a bus for $60. I also found a nice helpful young man to donate my bike to which, for him was like having someone giving him a car. He was very happy and promised to write to let me know about his new ride. It's a good excuse to get another bike since I own a bike shop. Next year, it's a trip to the west of the Island in the Pinar Del Rio province for 2 weeks. Anyone interested?
My Cuban Mechanic
Andre
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