So it seems that some of my readers want to hear more about Cuba.
Well, after looking through the many photos on Gail's phone, I am pleased to report that they are not all about cycling.
Of course there are some pictures of the bikes etc.
The cyclists had to share the mostly quiet (but rather bumpy) roads with a variety of horse drawn vehicles.
But Gail's friends also took a fun car ride in Havana. Maybe some of our American readers remember vehicles like these ones?
It seems there was beach time too. I have to say I don't think Gail has quite got the hang of the 'beach babe' look, but she says she enjoyed her swims in both the Caribbean and the Atlantic Ocean.
She also enjoyed a guided nature hike followed by a boat trip on Lago Hanabanilla.
The weather was not always sunny.
Apparently, in Cuba, you can't avoid hearing rather a lot (perhaps too much?) about Fidel Castro and Che Guevera, and seeing their images everywhere.
At the 'Bay of Pigs' museum the tour group was made to watch a video detailing the glorious defeat of the "Yankee Imperialists' in 1962.
Gail says the meal times were more memorable for the company than the food, and claims you wouldn't last long cycling in Cuba if you were a fussy eater.
Some of the hotels where they stayed look nice.
The diverse group, all friends and relatives of Jim and Lori*, ranged in age from 18 to 84. Most come from the Seattle/Tacoma area, but other tour participants were variously based in California, Illinois, Florida, and Calgary in Canada. And of course there was one from the UK! The tour was arranged by Jim through the Havana-based company
Bicycle Breeze.
The group made three pre-arranged stops to donate miscellaneous old bicycle parts brought from home to aspiring young Cuban cyclists, whose clubs have great difficulty sourcing equipment.
OK, I think that's quite enough about Cuba. Now let me show you a picture of my weekend walk by the River Dee, to remind you whose blog this is...
*My predecessor Bouncing Bertie had the privilege of meeting Jim and Lori when they came
to visit Gail in Scotland a few years ago.