April 14, 2010
April 14 - Playa Jibacoa to Cojimar: Wind at our Back!
3h15m. Casa Particular Adita, 460 Calle Marti, Cojimar. CUC$30.
I pretty much slept like a log last night and when the alarm went off at 7 am I was right up to get ready to roll... but first... breakfast!
Yoel was our server and welcomed us back and once we had finished eating we nabbed a few extra pieces of bread for the road. Ready a bit earlier than we had been planning, we checked out while the mountain hike group prepared to go with Mike and they congratulated our herculean efforts... then we pulled away, me with an extra 1.5 litres of water and about 10 kg of medical gifts, plus the BOB trailer they were loaded onto. Yikes!
On the road that morning, there must have been winds gusting to 60 or 70 km/h... at our backs. We were the luckiest cyclists in the world flying along as we headed along past the campismos of Playa Jibacoa and then on up to the Via Blanca route with a little bit more traffic, but still not bad at all. Here we were on a four-lane highway and the bigger vehicles usually pulled into the other lane which gave us all kinds of room. Soon we were alongside the crashing waves which hit the rocky coast with such force that at times the salt water spray could be felt and it left a fine salty mist on us and on our mirrors. Oh great - our aluminum Cannondales will love this (salt is very corrosive to aluminum)!
The route was mainly flat but there were a few long climbs that were really tough for me with the heavy trailer. Because of MA's extensive physical training at home before we left, she found it quite easy. The later kilometres seemed to drag on and on - my butt hurt, there was no strength left in my legs, and my big toes were in pain. What a whiner! As we approached La Habana and the Tunnel Road we came to an intersection where I double-checked the route. As soon as we ascended to the highway we recognized it by the big hockey-stick-shaped light standards that lead into Habana along this route. To make sure I asked a policeman where Calle Marti in Cojimar was and he pointed up the highway a short piece. Sure enough we saw signs for Alamar and Cojimar, and as Ailec had told us, there was a climb into Cojimar. What a killer! We ended up hopping off of the bikes and walking part of the way up the hill it was so steep. Across the road I could see a '460' so I called inside with a little 'Hola' - and yes, here was our Casa Particular, and there were even another couple of them across the road and up a few dozen feet further.
We stepped through a gate into a little piece of heaven - a small pool, a few chairs and umbrellas, and a high cliff behind the property with a stone wall on top that was covered with thick jungle growth. Exhausted, we slowly followed Alice and Marta to see the cute little room, then in broken Spanish I negotiated the price down from CUC$35 to CUC$30.
Before moving our bags we just rested by the little pool until we were revived. Shortly thereafter we carried everything from the bikes up to the room to clean ourselves and our cycling clothing. It was at this point that I was determined to deliver the pens today to lighten the load so packed them into my backpack to bring out on our quest for lunch.
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Marie-Anne mentioned that Hemingway's favourite place here was Las Terraza, and no sooner had we passed the shell of the grandiose old hotel, that we descended to a town-centre of sorts and saw the sign for the restaurant. Lots of wood. Many windows that looked over to the cove and the beach. And... the typical Cuban four-piece group that asks for money at the end of each set.
We ordered paella for two (to compare it to what we make at home), a beer, a mojito, one soup and a creme caramel - all for CUC$2.75. I make a paella that is far superior to this one which was kind of lame; at least the soup was quite tasty. Most important for today is that there was a lot on our plates after the cycling!
Back outside, we went to their small Malecon to see if there might be a shop with breakfast foods but there was absolutely nothing, so we turned around and started back, asking a woman where the escuela for ninos was. She brought us right to the door and when we went in, the headmistress brought us to her office. She seemed quite pleased with the big bags of pens, pencils, markers and such. To the hometown donors - thank you!!
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Though only 3:30 or 4 pm, we were pretty pooped so we plodded back to the casa in the beating sun where I looked over the travel notes, maps and books until we both fell asleep for an hour or two - well-needed sleep, I must admit. Then to continue in this same restful vein, we sat by the pool constructing award-winning tales to outdo each other here on CGOAB.
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After so many years' absence from cycle-touring it was exciting to be back. That being said, training at home in the winter months on an indoor mag trainer is not the same thing as outdoor riding. And going from December 2003 in Lisbon to April 2010 in Santa Cruz del Norte... the strength and conditioning were not still there.
The bikes worked well and I was glad I picked up the cassette with better gearing for my bike a few weeks ago. Even with a really heavy load the BOB trailer excelled. The Old Man Mountain racks performed like racks - what else can I say, though I must add that I never felt I had to worry about their strngth under load. The Arkel (http://www.arkel.ca/ca_e/?___from_store=ca_f) bags were great - hold lots and are really easy to use and attach to the bike. I'm a fan for life. I'll have to message them to let them know if they continue to perform so well. Maybe next time I'll pop the kids into them and bring them along, too!! (Just kidding - for you left-leaning bleeding-heart call-the-authorities fools who thought I was serious!)
Today's ride: 60 km (37 miles)
Total: 60 km (37 miles)
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