Wednesday 20 November 2013

Day 5 - Rancho Hatuey to Che Mausoleum (87km)


Cuban Wheels resplendent in pink at the start of the final day

Our last day of cycling started back on the main road.  We had to double back round a roundabout which was quite a sight - 82 women spreading out down one side of a dual carriageway, all the way round the roundabout and back up the other side - honking horns and waving as they passed girls going the other way!

The first stretch was tough as the traffic was heavy, and the vintage vehicles in Cuba give out a lot of fumes.  I am not sure at what point it started raining on this day, but rain it did, and it was rain like I have never experienced before.  We were cycling through several inches of water on the road surface which couldn't drain away fast enough.  In some parts it mixed with horse manure and mud resulting in a brown river that you just had to keep pedalling through, hoping there were no hidden potholes that would catch you out.

Gillian got quite a mouthful as a farm truck came the other way creating a wall of water as it drove past.  There was no option but to face it head on (or rather side on) and keep your mouth closed!

That top will never be white again!

After several hours of biblical rain, we were so wet our clothes just clung to us and it felt as though the rain was beating down straight on to our skin.  At the last stop, where we re-grouped to meet our final police escort, we got a bit giggly as we were so tired and it was rather ridiculous how much rain just kept falling.




We had a police escort for the last few kilometres to the Che Guevara Memorial so we could safely negotiate the road junctions.  There were 2 police cars with sirens going constantly.  I think they were enjoying it as much as we did!  Both cars were packed with 4 policemen - I think they had come along to witness the spectacle of 82 soaked women on bikes.  Must've been a quiet day on the crime front in Cuba!

We stopped briefly at the memorial for a talk, but I don't think anyone could concentrate as we were so wet and starting to get cold by this point.  We all decked out our bikes with pink balloons for the last stretch to the hotel.  This final 2km in the relentless rain were tough.  We were all glad to see the finishing line at the hotel, marked by a huge Women v Cancer banner and cheering Welcoming Committee.

It was a great welcome - with the customary cocktail handed out immediately, along with our finishers medals.  After a bedraggled group photo we all had to sort our bikes out and have the seats and pedals taken off again before heading indoors to hang everything up to dry!

A very soggy Cuban Wheels at the finish

CYCLE CUBA - 400KM - DONE!


These were brand new white socks at the beginning of the day!

We were tired but exhilarated.  Once we had washed the copious amounts of mud off ourselves in a fantastic hot shower, we headed to the bar for a celebration pina colada!


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