Dave and Doug do Cuba
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Dave and Doug on a previous charity ride in Egypt, February 2007
See some more pictures here |
Doug's Tweets or follow on Twitter at |
Dave and Doug are doing another charity bike ride in March 2009. This time it's in Cuba, and again any proceeds will go to the Alzheimer's Society. You can sponsor us via the links above - we've paid all our own travel costs so everything donated goes to the charity. If you're a UK taxpayer then Gift Aid means that your donation is automatically increased by 28%.
Scroll down to see a map and the itinerary. As we train and then do the ride, we'll be using Twitter to send updates whenever we have a phone signal - you can get latest tweets from us in the windows above.
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Itinerary - begins on Wednesday March 11th
Day 1: London - Havana
Transfer to hotel
Day 2: Havana
Sightseeing
Day 3: Havana - Las Terrazas - 85km
Leave Havana along the main 5th Avenue, leaving the bustling capital and heading west along the coast for the first taste of the beautiful countryside. En-route pass through the small towns of Mariel and Quiebra Hacha before heading inland towards the Biosphere reserve of Sierra del Rosario. Predominently flat along the coast, the route becomes more undulating as we near the densely wooded reserve and the evening's campsite. We should see snail kites and turkey vultures en-route as we pass sugar-cane plantations along the quiet backroads. Camp is at Los Baños de San Juan, an oasis of natural pools within the reserve.
Day 4: Las Terrazas - San Diego de los Baños - 70 km
Leaving camp we retrace the first few kilometres to rejoin the main route out of the reserve.
A steep climb takes us out of the reserve and then it's downhill towards Soroa, a convenient waterstop.
Continuing on out of the mountains we wind our way down to the flat central plain and head southwest along the old central highway.
We pass through San Cristobal and Santa Cruz de los Pinos and stop just before San Diego de los Baños.
Camp in Guabinita farm where we can enjoy traditional Cuban hospitality.
Day 5: San Diego de los Baños - Mogotes Lake camp - 60 km
We have a tough day ahead - we start by climbing from the campsite through the jungle on a rough pot-holed road.
There are spectacular views of the famous limestone crags (called mogotes - see picture) before a hurtling and bumpy descent to Che Guevara's cave where we stop for lunch.
This was a strategic hide-out and military HQ during the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962.
From here we ride northwest along rough roads with a few short climbs towards Vinales where we camp for the night beside a beautiful lake for a well earned dinner and rest.
Day 6: Mogotes Lake - La Guabina - 70km
Head out of camp and through the bustling town of Vinales and cycle south taking in some stunning scenery. Riding through the famous tobacco growing area we climb out of the valley to be met by amazing views towards Pinar del Rio. A long descent awaits before we ride in a group through town and onto our campsite, La Guabina, a horse farm on the edge of a lake.. a beautiful oasis and a welcome cerveza or 2.
Day 7: La Guabina - Vinales - 60km
The penultimate day's cycle takes us out of camp and up some challenging climbs towards Cabeza. We then head down a long welcome descent through high palm trees and villages towards Pons. The roads flatten out here as we turn right and head through the valley towards Vinales. We pass by more mogotes and open countryside heading through town and on to our hotel for the night (and a real bed).
Day 8: Vinales - Cayo Jutias - 65km
The final day and the coast is beckoning!
After a hearty breakfast we head west towards Minas De Matahambre and then north to Santa Lucia.
Along the coast road through bush, forest and tobacco plantations, the road undulates until we arrive at the causeway where we head to the remote beach of Cayo Jutias, our finishing point.
After a swim in the crystal clear ocean and time to relax we load up the bikes and head back to Vinales and the tranquility of the valley with its strange and unique topography for celebrations and a soft bed.
Day 9: Vinales
Free day
Day 10: Vinales - Havana
Day 11: Havana
Free day