Cuba Rally 2010
Dear Fellow Drivers
In eighteen days Patagonia, with all her sights, smells and vistas, will be upon us. From a driving perspective I have never looked forward to climbing into the Alfa with so much affection. I can feel the pull of each remaining day. And then, to be able to drive with old rally companions is driving at its best.
Strange world; for ROARR’s next rally was to be The Great Arc 2011. However, just as I was of the opinion it may be impossible to make headway with the Cuban authorities, I was most astonished. ROARR has had confirmed permission, by the Powers, to run a classic car rally in Cuba!
The story behind this is that I have, over the last 14 months, visited Cuba twice, paid my respect to the Powers, made friends in the right places and kept in touch. Persistence has paid off. My introductions to the Powers were thanks to connections via the Hungarian diplomatic service. Regretfully, my own British Embassy was no help at all. Shameful.
However, having done some homework with my fellow ROARR drivers I had already decided Cuba is just too small to run a classic car rally. To transport cars from around the world for only 7 to 10 days driving is not reasonable or financially viable; any longer and you would be going very slow indeed or going round in circles!
Fortunately, hiring good cars is as easy as in Europe, so why not take advantage of this opportunity and drive the island? And drive you can, with so much pleasure, for this is a beautiful island with many breathtaking drives. For like-minded drivers like myself, I strongly recommend you take, at least for one holiday, a drive around this remarkable island and add to your repertoire of ‘Great Drives of the World’.
As Christopher Columbus said about Cuba - ‘the most beautiful Island in the World’ - and he was a travelled man. And so to ‘The Great Drives of Cuba’. The web site has all the rally details, nevertheless the ‘Great Drives' are....
Mogotes in the north of the island are surreal sugar loaf hills and provide some of the best driving anywhere in the world.
Peninsula de Guanahacabibes, with the drive along the palm fringed beaches of this National Park is seventh heaven.
Drive over the Mountains of Guamuhaya or Topes de Collantes into the town of Trinidad. Be careful, for the roads over the mountains go from the worst in the world to only reasonable, and you have to know the way across. Get it right and it is very rewarding to drive over these mountains.
For the best drives go south. Pilon to Santiago is for me one of the best drives anywhere. To come this far and not drive this road is an outrage. This road, like many roads in Cuba, is starting to break up. Bridges are twisted and impassable; the shore line road is slowly being reclaimed by the sea. For all its imperfections, when it is good, it is a road of graceful character. This is the best driving road on the island and for me the highlight of my visit. A have got to go and drive road - certainly better driven in a modern car. One of the great driving experiences.
I then drove the mountains of El Yunque, overlooking the oldest city in Cuba, into the finest city in Cuba; Baracoa.
So how about 9 days of great driving - 29th September return 11th October 2010. Start & finish in Havana. I have arranged the hire of good quality cars, hotels are done; from £3,950 per car of two, depending on car model, includes hotels, excluding flights and evening meals.
Entries open now open. And then ROARR follows on with the Great Arc of India, February 2011.
All the best - Conrad
Randalls, Penshurst, Kent
