So yeah, I have gone in hiding for almost 2 weeks. Internet is sadly a rarity in Cuba, it is almost non-existent. The country is frozen in time and internet is only for the privilege few over there. Most hotels starting from 4 stars have internet access (there is no wifi) and apart from having slow connections, they don’t work most of the time, and when there is rain, the country’s telephony infrastructure shuts down. No kidding. Hence, the silence in this blog.
But before I start with my Cuba blog entries, let me introduce to you an important person in Havana: ‘Coralia’ (or Coralla, or maybe Coralya?)
Meeting Coralia was one of my beautiful experiences in Havana City. I personally think that she is a heroine of the city. In her own right of course. She is Havana’s famous and affable street sweeper and she does her job exceptionally with flair. Such enthusiasm, superb grace and flower fashion that I have never ever seen before. Not from someone who sweeps the city streets while singing the whole day every day.Yup, those are real flowers on her hair (hibiscus and a few others). She plucks them fresh from the gardens of Havana Vieja (Havana’s Old Town). I reckon she does this tradition on a daily basis. She even gave Blondine and I two hibiscus flowers! That was soooo sweet of her.
Coralia is such a joy on the streets of Old Havana.
If you happen to be in the city, do look for her and compliment her of her great deeds for serving Havana in her own unique, flamboyant and passionate way.
Coralia here in action with her broom and dustpan, and of course when she sees a camera nearby, she poses right away!
Blondine and I with Coralia, the friendly and flower power street sweeper of Havana. She is definitely a Havana street icon.More Cuba stories, lots of pictures (I have more than 1700!) and a few videos very soon =).
Besos mi amigos y amigas!
Club Zero Zante. Orange. Blue. White.
Anywho, I didn’t really have wild stories to report. UNFORTUNATELY. Sorry!
This is the traditional Spanish type bandstand that was in most of the town squares in New Mexico. There is still frequently bands playing there but not on the day I was there. It is surrounded by several large cottonwood trees and is across the street from the church on one side, and shops on the other three sides.
I have been riding my "new" Francesco Moser for a couple of weeks now and wanted to share my impressions. This is the same frame that I rode last year as a fixed gear conversion, then sold, then bought back and rebuilt as a geared roabike with modern components. Since the summer, I have been vigorously shopping around for a road/racing bike for . The Moser resurrection is an experiment to determine whether it is feasible to refurbish a vintage steel racing frame for this purpose without putting myself at a disadvantage in comparison to cyclists riding modern bikes.
The Italian frame was built in 1978 and raced in Austria throughout the 1980s.Through an interesting coincidence, I happen to know who the framebuilder was, but that is another story.The frame is lugged steel and allegedlyColumbustubing. Whether "tretubi" or something nicer I do not know; there are no decals. The lugs are pointy with elegant cutouts. Chromed fork crown, dropouts and seat stay caps.I have not been able to find this exact model in a Moser catalogue; something is always different. As I understand it, Moser frames were handmade in small batches and the framebuilders would sometimes get creative with individual frames. This could be one of those.
The current incarnation of the bicycle includes an older Campagnolo Vento wheelset. Retired by the previous owner, the wheels have got quite a few miles on them, but are in good shape. 
CampagnoloRecord 9-speed drivertrain and shifters, circa 1999. 
The crankset is 52/39t with 175mm crankarms. Not ideal in the long run, but at least it will allow me to try the bike. MKSStream pedals and Power Gripsas usual.
From my spare parts, the bike is fitted with an 11cmNittoTechnomic Delux stem and 42cmNittoNoodle handlebars. White Fiziktape. Cateyecomputer with a cadence reader.Just to be silly, I finished the handlebar tape with thin strips of multi-coloured electrical tape, to match the "champion" bands on the frame.
I bought a set ofCampagnoloVeloce brake calipers and used the 700Cx23mm Michelin Krylion tires that I had on another bike earlier.
The saddle is a new generationSelle AnatomicaTitanico (with cro-moly rails), on loan from the manufacturer. I will be comparing my impressions of this model to those of theprevious version.
The bicycle is a 52cm frame with a 53cm top tube (closer to 52.5cm). Right now it is set up with an 11cm stem, handlebars 1cm below the saddle, and the saddle positioned to emulate the seat tube angle with no setback. The positioning feels great, but would probably feel even better with the handlebars a bit lower and the stem a bit shorter (the current stem cannot be lowered, because there is no more space inside the headtube). The weight of the bike as shown here is 21lb.
So, riding Moser2.0 so far... I think I got exceptionally lucky with how well this frame suits me. I did not fully understand or appreciate what it was until now. With the long stem, the geared drivetrain, and the lightweight moderncomponents, the bike feels as if it has been unshackled and allowed to soar. The small size feels just right, the forward positioning is exciting, and the lack of toe overlap eliminates my main source of anxiety with small frames. The bicycle feels lighter and easier to propel forward than other steel roadbikes I've tried, including modern ones. Judging by the numbers on the computer, my speed when cycling on my own is more or less identical to what it was when I was riding the Seven Axiom over the summer. I have not had a chance to go on a group ride yet, but will report on that once it happens. Acceleration feels effortless - that same "slingshot" feeling that, once experienced on a fast bike is hard to give up. The ride quality over bumps is better than I could have hoped for.
On a critical note,Moser2.0 is a bit squirrelystarting from a stop and at very slow speeds. My bike handling skills are good enough at this point to not consider that a problem, but I wouldn't have felt comfortable riding it set up this way last year. Also, the bottom bracket is so low that with the 175mm cranks there is pedal strike unless I am very careful to keep the inside pedal raised on turns. Can't decide whether this means that replacing the cranks is a priority (trade, anyone?), or whether it is an opportunity to improve my technique.
Yesterday I cycled to a wooded area 15 miles away to take pictures for a backdrop for a painting I am working on. I needed some detailed shots of birch trees, and November is the perfect time to get them - With most of the foliage gone, the birches stand out tall and lean, every detail of their beautiful bark crisply outlined against the bare landscape.
All in all, this is such a quiet time. A deep hush has fallen over the forest as it braces for the fury of winter storms. There is even a particular sound that goes along with this state of things - like a very quiet ringing.
Now that we are getting into late November, the number of cyclists out there - especially outside of the city, on the hilly roads and on the trails - has dwindled down remarkably. And those who remain apparently feel a sense of comradery with their fellow lone travelers, as I have never gotten so many comments from passing roadies before.
First I was asked by a cyclist where I got myMoserand how I like the bike. We discussed that for a bit, with him concluding that he must find a vintage Moser frame for himself (he-he, I am such an enabler!). Later, another cyclist (of the "pedantic retrogrouch" variety) was indignant that I was not only riding an Italian racing bike as a fixed gear, but that I fitted it with "rando-bars" (a French style of drop handlebars with a curvature better suited for long distance touring). I did not really know what to reply to that accusation except "yes".
And later still, I was complimented on my "trackstand" at a traffic light, which made me question whether I understand what trackstands are. I was pretty sure that a trackstand is when you are actually able to stand still, as a sort of balancing trick. I cannot do that at all. But I play games at intersections, where I cycle so slowly that I am basically moving forward mere millimeters at a time until the light turns green. It may look like a trackstand to an unscrutinous eye, but I am definitely cheating.But anyhow, my point really is that I haven't had verbal exchanges like these with other cyclists until now - whereas yesterday alone I had nearly half a dozen. The few cyclists who are out there this time of year must be feeling especially lonely.
On the way back from my photo trip, I stopped by the Ride Studio Cafethat I wrote about earlier, when I saw through the window that their coffee bar was open. I just want to say one thing: If I could count on their in-house coffee shop consistently being open, I would go out of my way just to go there. They serve good coffee and hot chocolate -and they have back issues of Bicycle Quarterly!Once settled in,I had to almost forcibly pry myself away. Funny, because I remember readingBicycle Quarterly last year and finding the articles difficult to understand, whereas now everything makes sense and seems terribly interesting.I should probably start subsrcibing to it. And for those who have been reading BQ all along: Could you tell me in what issue I can find Jan Heine's review of a Rivendell? I am pretty sure he wrote one, but haven't been able to locate it. 
As I needed to run some additional errands in different parts of town, I ended up spending the entire day on my bike - which made me realise just how quickly both the temperature and the light conditions can change this time of the year. I am paranoid about getting stranded in the dark, so even for my sporty bicycles I carry at least some battery-operated lights that I can quickly attach to the handlebars and to my saddlebag. As winter approaches, I somehow find myself riding this particular bike more and more - so maybe it is time to find a more permanent and attractive lighting solution for him (bottle dynamo on a fixed gear, anyone?).
And it is surprising how much stuff my tiny saddlebagcan fit, as long as I don't need to carry my laptop around. Perfect for a short trip by a lone traveler on a late November day.
Photographs taken on March 27, .. at Colonel Allensworth State Historical Park northwest of Bakersfield, California.
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