140 km in cycle touring mode 😬

A few days ago I was browsing pages and watching videos about cycle touring in Spain, and it all seemed fascinating. I discovered that participants belong to clubs where they pay a membership fee that includes insurance and other benefits, in case something unexpected happens. In addition, these clubs organise rides regularly, and those events require the support of cars or caravans carrying spare bicycles, supplies, and everything needed to make the experience safe and complete.

I watched all of that with great excitement, and the videos of the landscapes and routes looked like a dream. But then I landed back in my own reality: here we have the bicycles and the scenery — beautiful views, indeed — but none of the rest exists.

Our rides are organised through groups created for that purpose, and in my research I discovered some such as Fastéate and Rodando al Límite. In fact, this time I joined a route organised by the latter, heading to the Las Terrazas Community in the province of Artemisa.

The limitations and shortages do not stop the cyclists here. On the contrary, each situation fuels creativity… this is beautiful and worthy of admiration, but in my opinion things should be normal, as they are elsewhere. I am tired of so much abnormality here and of the lack of… everything.

So, to go to a place like that, you have to accept certain risks. You try to be in the best physical condition possible, make sure your bike is in perfect order, and in your small backpack you carry tools, cold patches and snacks to face the journey decently.

As you go in a group, if something more complicated happens, such as a tyre coming apart (just as it happened during the return ride), someone will magically pull out a few cable ties and fix the issue. If the bike cannot be ridden, it will be dismantled and carried in parts, and the rider will somehow be accommodated too… Fortunately, the bicycle endured the return in rather dire conditions.

But the point is that, since there is neither transport nor fuel available here, you simply cannot rely on an alternative vehicle in the event of such a setback. The challenge I had ahead with this group of brave riders was 140 km, round trip.

It sounds easy enough, but you really need solid physical fitness to achieve it. Above all, the aim is to spend as little time as possible on the bike. And how is that done?

Let’s do the maths: to get there from Havana you need to cover 70 km. At an average speed of 20 km/h, that’s three and a half hours of cycling. Let’s say we stop every hour for 15 minutes to eat and drink (though along the way you should sip water every 15 or 20 minutes while riding). This adds another 45 minutes to the journey.

Then we spend two hours there enjoying the scenery, having lunch and sharing before setting off on the return, which is the same as the outward ride.

That makes a total of 10 hours and 30 minutes from departure to arrival back home. So, if we set off at 6:30 a.m., by 5 p.m. we should be back home ready to tell the tale.

Outward ride (70 km at 20 km/h) → 3 h 30 min + 45 min of stops = 4 h 15 min.

Stay at the place → 2 h.

Return ride (70 km at 20 km/h) → 3 h 30 min + 45 min of stops = 4 h 15 min.

😂

But experience shows that nothing could be further from reality… Although punctuality was acceptable, the very first situation we faced was a flat tyre.

This means more delay.

According to the data from my cycle computer, this was the time it took us to get there, not including the two 15‑minute stops we made and the unforeseen flat tyre.

The other situation, in which fortunately the cyclists involved did not suffer serious injuries, was a crash caused by the inexperience of one rider who failed to keep his distance and irresponsibly hurled himself downhill without knowing the terrain, which had deep potholes. This left the rear wheel of one of the bicycles in deplorable condition. Of course, after that incident and the measures taken so that the affected rider could carry on 🙄, the return was marked by further delay, as it was impossible to ride at more than 13 km/h. Terrible. The cost of the repair is not yet known… but let us stop dwelling on this misfortune and move on to happier things.

The positive side of the trip is that I met good people, everyone helps each other, and with every outing the community grows stronger. I was left wanting to do this route again, because I felt I could handle it perfectly, as most of the time —not counting the entrance to the Community— it is on flat terrain.

These things that happen serve as experience for the organisers: to keep a close watch, above all, on the newcomers and the inexperienced, and to warn them before such mishaps occur. I, with 46 years on my shoulders, am very cautious, but I understand that young people (not all) tend to be reckless without weighing the consequences, and it is something I myself must bear in mind if I am going to take part in these events.

I can say that I feel strong… I have cycled 140 km in a single day under extreme difficulty. I believe this gives me the courage to pursue greater goals.

😉