April 17, 2010
April 17 - Las Terrazas to Soroa: Washouts, Mountain Views & Pool Problems
2 h, Villa Soroa, CUC$50 per night including the breakfast buffet which was poor.
PRIOR TO wanting to get up, MA's alarm went off at 6 am. That was after having another restless sleep with very weird dreams. I lay awake and rested until around 7 am. Once we were ready we went to the restaurant for breakfast - meats, cheeses, fruit, breads, muffins - and I have to say it was fairly good - we even stashed some into my bag for an en route snack today once we leave. Shame on us!
We started chatting to a Cuban who ended up being a tour guide and has guided some rides for McQueen's (of Nova Scotia?) but didn't say the name with much joy - it must not have worked out too well in the end. He recommended the Skyline drive that we were planning on riding. He also told us we'd come upon a part of the Las Terrazas to Soroa route where the hurricane had destroyed but we would be able to pass on the bikes without a problem.
We packed the rest of our gear then paid for the canopy tour and walked over to the building to sign up. We put on the harness, paid the CUC$15 each then drove to the departure point where we zip-lined across the Lago de San Juan on three separate lines, each one longer, faster and more thrilling than the previous one. On the first one I hardly looked around because I wanted to make sure I could steer and not hit the far end if I couldn't figure out how to stop... which I figured out. It was amazing though I was initially nervous. Quite nervous. It was all over in about thirty minutes, so we returned to the hotel, loaded up the bikes and checked out of the hotel.
Back onto the bikes, right away was the screaming descent down into the town and up to the main road. The route rolled up and down a lot with some very steep climbs and fast descents. The mountains were beautiful with royal palms up and down the valleys. We had to walk some parts of some of the ascents so as not to burn ourselves out.
About halfway we came to the washout from the hurricane - amazing really but the photos show it best. A huge chunk of the side of the mountain had been washed away. It doesn't look like much is being done to complete the repairs, either. Odd. Cuba - probably no money to do it.
At noon we stopped at one really long ascent where we had lunch of Gatorade and bread from La Moka - and it was delicious, as are most things when cycle-touring... except, of course, dried apricots!! (By the way, a reference to Istanbul to Lisbon 2003!) Then we rolled forever... about 5 km at high speeds so I had to brake a lot or risk flying over the edge. At one point we passed a woman who was selling mini bananas in her yard so we stopped to buy a bunch of about twelve of them for about CUC$1. I just lay them on my bag and then we resumed rolling and soon we were here at the Villa Soroa. I told the guard we had reservations and he waved us right in.
The older desk clerk told me that check-in time was not until 4 pm; however, he said that room 7 was ready so within minutes we were pushing our bikes alongside the pool and up to our concrete Russo-Cubano bunker/cabana. Very simple and plain but enough room to store our bikes with room to spare.
I wanted to head straight to the pool but I washed my clothes first though with such high humidity I was not sure if anything would dry. I also worked on the red panniers, replacing the reflectors that had fallen off in Havana. Then I adjusted MA's brakes which seemed to be dragging a bit, I think because of corrosion of the disks caused by the salt in the air. Then I tightened her mirror. Then I raised her saddle on the bike. Then I fixed her handlebar tape which had ripped when she fell. Then I adjusted her rear derailleur. All sorts of little things that had to be done and were starting to add up. Especially important with a long day in two days' time.
Before having a shower I treated more water with the UV Steripen and then had lunch by the pool. More of a snack, really, and we shared a hamburger and a hot dog. Very tasty. I was finally ready for a swim and headed to the pool when I walked full force into the curb around the pool and smashed the big toe of my right foot against the cement curb that surrounds the pool. I almost puked it hurt so much and I was certain I had broken it. It ached all day. Even the people about 10 m away winced after I hit it - they must have heard the crunching sound. I just staggered back to the room and lay a while to let the pain subside.
When it was less intense we went to the office building to go through the shop where I saw a larger "mi amigo el sol" hat like Alexander's - I thought of my wee lad and how nice it would be to do a tour like this with him!
I met a couple from the UK by the pool so I asked them what they were going to do about the flight cancellations in Europe due to Iceland's volcano. They did not seem too worried and were going to try to get to Madrid and then wait it out.
In the room... I still hadn't yet had a shower but I rested my foot and read the two cycling books which described where we had ridden today, here at Villa Soroa and the next day to San Diego de los Baños. We grabbed our journals and went to the hotel restaurant. Tonight was buffet which we both thought was a good thing. Well... tomatoes - flavourless and mushy. Rice - bland. Pork ribs - very good. Bread - old and very dry. Soup - flavourless. Fruit - woody but tasty. Overall... I would give it a one or a two out of ten. In fact, when the English family I had met earlier came in I suggested they go elsewhere since it was not worth it at CUC$12 per person.
After the crappy meal I limped back to the room to work on the journal, watch TV and rest my pounding foot. As I lay here by the bikes I suddenly remembered that I hadn't adjusted my brakes which were rubbing both in front and back. No need to ride all this way with the brakes on!
With the English movie channel on I watched silly movies and just rested and healed and kept my fingers crossed. I must get better!
Today's ride: 22 km (14 miles)
Total: 177 km (110 miles)
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