If I get the video in real time I will prove you that is indeed very steep,on the video you can't tell much,as a matter of fact when the guy is going up and down seems to be the same...that's how confusing it is,and as I said before I'm not comparing this climb with any other so... ;-& :rolleyes:

http://www.particuba.net/villes/play...go_region.html

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google map gran piedra, cuba

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http://www.mapmyride.com/create_new

i can follow the road past sevilla up into the mountains, but once the satellite image gets blurry, it is a real guessing game.

the rest live in miami. :thumb:

I did my best on Goolge Earth but It came out blurry... but I'll see if I can get the video of tha climb in real time..

I've been waiting a long time to say this to you.... "INCORRECT" LOL... there are many nice Cubans all over,from Madrid to Toronto all over,WE are mostly very nice people... look at me, I ivited you to a bike ride and I don't even know you..one day when (if) I buy my new Orca we will ride together.. get ready for a fast ride botto.... :thumb:

When did this turn into a 'mines bigger than yours' contest' ?
OP posted about gran piedra and I appreciate that.

Pipin as in Pipin Ferraras?

Marty

Thanks there,I was afraid that someone will bring the Pyrenees and The Rockies and the Alps vs La Gran Piedra..LOL but well what can I do,I just wanted to show people some nice places for climbers in the Caribean,and as a matter of fact the Vuelta a Cuba is a UCI organized road race and La Piedra,La Farola in Guantanamo are part of the race...

Yes Pipin like Francisco Ferreras (no Ferrara) heck of a free diver and spear fisherman.. see to beleive ummm..

Thanks..

you're funny, batista boy. :thumb:

Umm, I'm not a Batista or Fidel boy ... I'm my Dad's boy.. :D
and you are a sarcastic, sometimes funny Dude.. :thumb:

I think we're just trying to understand the climb. Ascending 4000 feet elevation in 4 miles is a very stiff ride. however, I have no sense of the entire ride- where do you start, how long is the whole route, and what's the ride profile.

Info kinda like this would be great: Haleakala (10,000 feet of climbing in 37 miles).

http://www.briandesousa.com/bicyclin...la/profile.gif

:D Hold on there... the road all the way up is a bit more than 14 KM about 9 miles of wich the last 3-4 miles are steep .......... is all on the "fast video" of the tourist... he wrote 14KM to the top...
:)

Scanned the video- interesting area but not my cup of tea. Too many dirt/broken road sections to descend safely. What would be the point? :D

You see tha road huging the Sierra Maestra in Cuba? that is anohter climb,this one is a long climb called La Farola..not far from La Gran Piedra to the East of the Island..

http://indexmundi.com/z/?lat=20.1591...a&cc=cu&c=cuba

here is a short video of La Farola.. the problem here is if you loose control of the car you will plunge a great distance down... not good.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F74czEkrirA

shorter video going down from the Mountains in the last part of the road..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QX7cPMua0TY&NR=1

More pictures... nice countryside..

http://www.flickr.com/photos/11878530@N08/2978000327/


http://travelsometimes.com/gallery.p...57611301220908

Umm I'm homesick now....

I climbed "La Gran Piedra" on a modified Russian bike, with just a piece of bread and butter on my stomach when I was around 14-15 years old. Biked around 10-11 km on the road to "Siboney" beach, took the left up to "La Gran Piedra" (called "Encrucijada"). It wasn't a big deal. Anyone well fit, with some biking experience can tackle it.

Yes, the road is full of holes, could get slippery --specially during rainy season. The stiffer areas are similar to *some* patches on the way up to Mt. Diablo, CA.

You had to be a gifted kid to climb La Gran Piedra at 15 years of age... :) do you used to live in Cuba?

I wasn't gifted, but had a strong will, and the right type of friends to push me. :-)

Yes, I was born in Cuba, and used to live in Santiago.

Cool,I don't understand the "push" part of the sentence,maybe they push you up the road to the top of La Piedra, that's why you said was not a big deal...? ;)

In another topic I guess we are both "Santiagueros". :D

Hehe, it is "push" as in encouragement, challenging attitude, daring. I wasn't exactly born in Santiago, but who is keeping tabs? ;-) I am an American now though :-P

Umm interesting,I'm an American Citizen too,but Im Cuban born 100%.

Right, but that wasn't your choice, nor mine.

Back to "La Gran Piedra" (which literally means "The Big Stone"), I wonder if it's locally famous garden is still being maintained... Also, last time I went there the rails around the 'Piedra' itself were quite corroded, making it a very dangerous place to hang around.

Sorry, I digress. Memories. Some happy, many sad.