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I hadn’t put in big miles on the bike in some time and I was surprised to see the tally when the day ended. I had ridden back to Cienfuegos from the western end of the island hoping to regroup and put another less memorable day behind me.
It was supposed to be a coast to shinning coast memory when I packed up camp and headed west. The night before I had resolved to ride down what my ITMB map had listed as a 60 km trail to Cuba’s western tip. If nothing else I am finding out that ITMB’s mapping was done decades ago and not updated since.
When I arrived at what should have been a trailhead or seasonal road I found the gate to the Guanhacabibes National Park.
Parque Nacional Guanhacabibes, Cuba
It seems in the time ITMB had last been to Cuba the road was paved and a hotel built on the western tip of the island. They also had the gate guarded and wanted me to pay $80 for a guide to show me the way.
PanAm Video Diary April 23, 2012
The park warden ask me and an Austrian couple who had a rented car to wait at the gate. They too had refused to pay of a guide and were in the same predicament. The warden returned a short while later and let them know that because they had a reservation at a nearby hotel they could pass and that if I was willing to do the same I could too. I politely declined with my imaginary middle finger high in the air and saddled up to the apologetic look of the Austrian couple who hurried back to their car before he changed his mind again.
I rode away bitter and looked for a good road to work out my frustration. I found a short loop at the southwest corner of the island that offered little in the way of scenery and lots in the way of bone jarring potholes that broke a pivot mount on the windscreen.
Broken windscreen mount
That sent me east towards Cienfuegos to the only place I knew that had any selection of nuts and bolts at all… the marina.
I made it back in the early evening in time to watch a show put on by an old American wanderer who had too much to drink that day and decided to reset his anchor while parading on deck nude.
S.S. Tipsy McSwiggins at the Marina Cienfuegos
Everyone watched as he drifted surprisingly close to half million dollar catamarans. Smaller sailboats picked up their anchors to motor out of his path and avoid the big old harbour tug.
Sunset at the Marina Cienfuegos
I was treated to another beautiful sunset while I hung out with the crew of the ship and before I made my way to my homestay for the evening.
They must have been some pretty big pot holes. Hope the rest of the bike is holding up better than the wind screen, the mapple leaf is the only thing holding it together. That is a beautiful sunset.
I got air coming out the backside of a few. Luckily it was only the windscreen. I’m hoping it holds on a few more weeks but I’ll have to cross my fingers on that one. Maybe Touratech will see the post and set me up with a new one.
Hello you! We liked your Fotos joining what you have seen in cuba. Remember we met in the shop in Maria la Gorda in Cuba when you came to buy a new knife. Looking forward to your Ride to Europe
… brigitta
Hi Brigitta.
Thanks for the chat in Maria la Gorda. I was having a rough morning and talking with you two helped a lot. I hope you ended up finding your sunglasses and the rest of your time at the resort went well. Thanks for checking in and enjoy the rest of the journey.
Thank you for answering. I didn’t find the glasses again but the assurance will pay a new one… And you… still travelling with your broken wind screen?
Great to hear. Tough break to have to go the entire vacation without your sunglasses but you’ll have that sorted out soon.
I fixed up the windscreen with the help of another rider and it is working just fine. It gives everyone of a good idea of what the motorcycle has been through.