BIKETOURING CUBA + WHAT'S NEXT?
We spent a month bikepacking in Cuba, then donated everything and returned to Oregon. Arrived in time for an author event in Bend and a horrendous snow/ice storm. Flights booked, we are off!
Bikepacking in Cuba
The six-month-long author tour for my book, ‘Joy Ride’ was incredible, but action-packed with 45 events scheduled back-to-back. The final event was moved from beginning of September to the end of October as additional events were scheduled. Desperate for a break, we booked tickets to Cuba (it’s now legal for Americans to fly direct from USA to Cuba), bought used bikes (with the intention of leaving them there), packed our bike packing gear, medicines and food and flew to Havana.
Cuba was a unique place to travel, especially by bicycle. There has been a U.S. embargo (which includes medicine) against Cuba since 1962 and therefore, Cuba’s economy relies heavily on tourism, a source of much-needed foreign income and investment. The effects of the pandemic and the resultant economic crisis due to the lack of tourism have left Cuba in a deepening crisis and the people of Cuba struggling.
Supporting the Cuban People
Bikepacking around Cuba was incredible. Although the roads were in disrepair, the Cuban drivers were very kind, there was minimal traffic, and we rode through a diverse landscape of coastline, farmland and mountains. We walked (and Ville windsurfed) on white sand beaches (that were practically empty), rode past farms where farmers waved as we passed, climbed through mountains on disintegrating roads, danced with locals at the community center in Santa Clara and partied with the Cubans on New Year’s Eve.
We thoroughly enjoyed riding through Cuba, but it wasn’t without challenges. Because of the current economic crisis, we struggled to find food, distances between nightly accommodations was sometimes challenging, fuel shortages made for less traffic, but expensive taxis and we were constantly asked for money. We brought 24 dehydrated meals for the month and ate or gifted all but 2 meals. We brought used bikes and bike parts and gifted them to two very kind, deserving Cubans at the end of our ride (one of the men cried and said it was the nicest gift anyone had ever given him). We were saddened to see so many people struggling. And in Nov. 2023, the UN voted for the thirty-first time to end the U.S. embargo against Cuba, with 187 countries that voted “yes”, while only the U.S. and Israel voted “no”. Three days before Christmas, the Cuban government announced that times were about to get tougher. If you want to know how you can help the Cuban people, book a trip to Cuba.
Deschutes Public Library Author Event
We flew back to Portland, Oregon and bussed it to Bend ahead of a massive snow/ice storm and made it in time for my event at the Duschutes Public Library, Jan. 10th. It was a packed house (over capacity) and I am so grateful to all of you that braved the weather to come out to support us! I am especially thankful to all the book clubs that read ‘Joy Ride’, requested that the library host us and reached out to us. Thank you so much all you lovely Bend bookworms. Looking for a signed copy of ‘Joy Ride’? Strictly Organic Coffee, Project Bike, Dudley’s Bookstore and Roundabout Books all have signed copies in Bend. Here is a list of great indie bookstores who carry ‘Joy Ride’.
Be a Part of the Journey
Hearing what you think of the book means a lot to us, and does a lot to support us and the book. If you’ve read ‘Joy Ride’ and have a moment to share your thoughts, you can leave a review on Amazon or Goodreads. If you enjoy the book, please tell others about it. Are you in a book club? Consider picking it as your month’s ‘pick’. Download a Reader’s Guide for book club discussions HERE. Do you write for a magazine, know someone who works in media, or host a podcast? Reach out to us! Did you hear our presentation and think it would be beneficial for those at your office or corporate event? Hire us to speak. Please share the book on socials and tell others what you think. Small acts of kindness become big acts of greatness and we thank you for your help!
Women Who Explore
Women Who Explore Book Club is reading ‘Joy Ride’ next month and on March 14th at 7pm MT I will Zoom into their Book Club Meeting. It’s not too late to join! Women Who Explore is a community of women (online and in-person) who come together, support each other, find confidence and strength, friendships and most importantly - themselves. I am so excited to be a part of your kind, loving, and supportive community. See you all (via Zoom) in March.
‘Joy Ride’ was featured on Powell’s City of Books Instagram
Last weekend was a big sale at Powell’s City of Books in Portland, OR. They interviewed shoppers at random in the store and ‘Joy Ride’ was Tripp’s book he was “most excited to read” out of the stack of books he picked up. Watch it here.
We were interviewed for Adventure Cycling Magazine
Read the article here.
Happy Tuesday—we love all of you!
We are off! If you want to know where we are heading, you will need to keep following our journey at www.welostthemap.com, on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, Twitter, Threads and right here on Substack. Until next time,