Life Behind Bars – #7

On April 30, 2023April 30, 2023 By KBGearDaveIn Biking Stuff, On the Road5 Comments

April 23 – 29, 2023

Sunday, April 23 (Day 33). Deep in the woods a few miles outside Covarrubias, we expected only the sounds of silence. We were not expecting an all-night concert (literally ALL night) from the direction of town. My beloved not only slept through it all, she added her very wind instrument melodies to the music. Fortunately, we only had a short twenty-five miles to Burgos, so a lack of sleep wasn’t an issue.

In the past we’ve had massively stressful rides entering larger U.S. cities. What a delight to enter Burgos on a dedicated bike path that took us into the heart of the city.

And what a heart Burgos has. It is a modern city that seamlessly embraces its past. Modern apartments overlook charming old promenades. Winding side streets branch off boulevards full of traffic. Modern shops exist in the shadow of an 800 year old Gothic cathedral and other historic buildings. It works. We walked to stretch our legs and get our bearings. We then took shelter from the cold wind and rain.

Monday, April 24 ( Day 34). As the city was waking, we set off in different directions to explore. Sharon wandered neighborhoods. I ran along the Rio Arlanzon, then climbed to the Burgos castle. This medieval fortification was updated by Napolean and was the site of an important battle between his forces and England’s Wellington.

Several highlights today. Top of the list, meeting Tim and Milo, kindred spirits from South Africa and Germany. In the past five years, they’ve traveled the globe by foot and bicycle. Like other world travelers we’ve met, they have an exuberant curiosity and infectious enthusiasm. What a joy to share stories, beer, and laughter for an all too brief time.

We left to tour and marvel at the Burgos Cathedral. Soaring gothic cathedrals are designed, in part, to humble worshippers in the presence of a very large God. It is also meant to draw one’s attention heavenward. This space would certainly have done that. We listened to the audio tour describing details of its construction from the 1200’s onward. You quickly run short of superlatives. It is a visual feast. At the same time, one gets a sense that the design and construction were meant to glorify the patrons, politicians, and church leaders as much as – if not more so – than God.

Tuesday, April 25 (Day 35). One hundred years ago, folks in Santander pushed hard for a rail line from the Atlantic to the Mediterranean. The history is a little murky, but I gather that the rail line did not do all that well. It does, however, do very well as a bike route through a beautiful and varied countryside. The old Santander-Mediterraneo rail line unexpectedly gave us one of our most pleasant days of biking yet. Thirty-five downhill, wind-assisted miles to a quiet spot in the woods.

Train Station on the old rail line

Wednesday, April 26 (Day 36). Last summer we Binni in Turkey. Binni is a young German cyclist who, a year later, is still traveling the world. He recently posted a picture from his tent with the following caption, “What a gift to have a different living room view every day. What a gift to have this wonderful world as a living room!” Well said Binni! We couldn’t agree more. And as Sharon just pointed out, it is available to anyone.

After breakfast in our outdoor kitchen, we packed our home and moved it another forty miles down the road, with only one small hiccup. Just before parting ways with our rail line, we had to carry our bikes and gear across an unfinished bridge. A small price to pay for such a wonderful route.

Madrid and the interior of Spain rest on a high plateau. We ended our day on the edge of that plateau where the land tumbles down to the sea. In one of our more interesting campsites, we pitched up on an abandoned stretch of highway no longer in use after a tunnel was constructed. It was made even better by a visit from Chris, our future Warmshower host in Bilbao. Turned out he was passing nearby, so he stopped to chat…and share a cold beer no less.

Thursday, April 27 (Day 37). By themselves, the numbers don’t mean much. Two thousand five hundred feet of descent and five hundred feet of climbing over twenty-five miles. I think you’ll get a better sense of our day from the following video, and a few pics. What you won’t see in the video is me grinning from ear to ear.

Aside from the fetching countryside, all day long we passed groups of cyclists making the climb up to the top of the pass. That’s a fifty mile roundtrip from Bilbao. The interesting thing was that all were men – not a single woman passed by. Almost all were our age or older. And almost all were incredibly fit. Very impressive.

Based on a suggestion from Chris, on our way into town we stopped by a polideportiva – basically a local municipal gym. To the young lady at the desk I explained that we were bicycle touring, and needed – she interrupted “a ducha?” Hmmm. How did she know I was going to say shower? Pyschic? Or was it really that obvious? She then allowed us the use of the facilities at no cost. Later we found an attractive park to relax for a bit. As Chris said later, “So you landed on your feet in Bilbao.“

As a Warmshower host, Chris graciously offered us the use of his downtown office as our home for a few nights. He uses what is basically a conference room to teach English as a Second Language to both kids and adults. It is the perfect location to explore Bilbao.

And explore we did. On our own we wandered along the Bilbao river that for centuries received ships from all over the known world. We strolled past the world famous Guggenheim art museum. Later with Chris we sampled the Bilbao night life, which included sampling squid in ink sauce (tasty!!) as well as a local cod dish. Good times.

Friday, April 28 (Day 38). This was one of our active “rest” days. We both logged many miles wandering the city separately. I spent a few hours in the maritime museum. The history of this city is a maritime history. It exists because its location allowed the transfer of goods between inland Spain and the world via ocean going vessels. The museum also touched on the remarkable transition from an industrial downtown to a thriving downtown filled with art and life.

A highlight of the day was meeting with one of Chris’s adult class of English learners. We shared a bit of our story and gave them an opportunity to practice their English asking questions. Thanks again Chris for the opportunities and insights into life in Spain and the Basque region.

Saturday, April 29 (Day 39). As a fan of the Tour de France dating back to the days of Greg Lemond, this was a special day for me. It would have been enough simply enjoy the spectacular and rugged Basque coastline. But this year the Tour starts in Bilbao. This gave us the unique opportunity to spend almost the entire day riding a portion of the Stage 1 route.

With 4,000 feet of climbing, rain, stops to take in all the activity and views from Bilbao to Mundaka, it was a long, grueling day – and we enjoyed every minute! I guess that kind of describes this past week, and maybe defines bike touring. So often the best bits come as the result of some hard work. Having said that, sometimes the good bits just drop into our lap. One thing is certain, none of it happens unless you’re putting yourself out there. So, kids, get out there and enjoy! Until next week…STC!

Life Behind Bars – #6

On April 23, 2023April 23, 2023 By KBGearDaveIn Biking Stuff, On the Road3 Comments

April 16 – 22, 2023

Sunday, April 16 (Day 26). Our bus ride from Gibralter to Madrid began late Satuday night with our bus driver’s angry “NO!” Wagging finger! Rapid fire Spanish! Another finger wag at our bikes. I get the message! I replied in Spanish, “We have two tickets for our bicycles!” So – as we’ve learned to do – we ignored him and loaded our bikes. His displeasure transcended any language barrier. Things did not improve until we blessedly exited the bus (aka the Sardine Sauna) nine hours later, early Sunday morning in Madrid.

Life improved dramatically as the new day dawned. We procured breakfast at a local mercado and entered the Parque de el Retiro. We spent hours enjoying the sights of this enchanting park. The Crystal Palace. The Fallen Angel statue. The monument to Alfonso XII. A steady stream of runners and walkers. Dragon boat races on the central pond. Various and sundry buskers. Masses out for a Sunday stroll. We took an immediate liking to Madrid. Later, we made our way to a campground and our first sleep in 36 hours (none to be found on the bus).

Monday, April 17 (Day 27). Ten miles north of Madrid we entered a random small town and took our first fuel break in the plaza de iglesia (church square). Ten miles later, another plaza de iglesia, another leisurely fuel break – this time bar food and cervesas pequenas. We were feeling good about this more relaxed pace of life. Then life bit our backsides. First the headwinds arrived, then hills reared up in our path. The sun was long gone by the time we’d prepared dinner, set camp, and finally got supine. We decided that perhaps a relaxed pace was not such a great idea after all.

Tuesday, April 18 (Day 28). Coming north, we jumped back in time. We went from early summer in the south to early spring.

While it may be a bit frosty some mornings, we still prefer the cooler temps. So much more pleasant riding. Speaking of…our route for the next few days takes us well and truly into the mountains. Today, 3,500′ of climbing… with fully loaded bikes. That may stretch the definition of “fun” – but apart from some hike-a-bike, it was incredible riding.

There were a few issues today. My rear tire exploded with a sonic boom! No patching that bad boy. Fortunately I was going uphill at 3 mph at the time.

There is a *remote* possibility the tire was over-inflated. Who knew?

Second problem: we ignored Monty Python’s “The Importance of Not Being Seen!” As a result, a police officer paid a visit to our tent just as the sun was setting. He could not have been any nicer or more friendly, but he said, “You can not camp here – it is illegal.” We apologized profusely and asked if he had any suggestions? “Since it is illegal, I can not suggest this, but…if you were to place your tent so it can not be seen from the road…?” Shoulder shrug. Ah! Si! Comprendo. Muchas gracias!!

Wednesday, April 19 (Day 29). The quantity and quality of climbing yesterday had us rethinking more days with even more climbing. Looking for alternatives, we were reminded that when cycling in Spain, you can’t always get there from here. The only other road north was a closed access freeway. So, further into the mountains we went. Good decision. It was hard, of course. It was also beautiful and remote. Hours passed with nary a car or village in sight. It was no challenge finding an “out of sight” site. Another fantastic day.

It’s all fun and games until insanely steep hills appear.

Five star 🌟 campsite – tremendous views. No policia!

Thursday, April 20 (Day 30). Another top ten camp site. It was eerily quiet overnight. I saw an endless shooting star cover most of the sky. What sounded like wolves howling gave us both the chills. Experiences like this are priceless.

Since we had no opportunity to buy food or fuel through this region, we were down to a single piece of bread with jelly for breakfast. Not much to fuel three hours of climbing. Fortunately, the last eight miles into Riaza was all downhill. What a ride…and the road took us directly to a Lupa grocery store. After four nights of camping we splurged on a room at the vintage Plaza Hotel. Ideally located on the main plaza. Inexpensive. Perfect for our needs.

Friday, April 21 (Day 31). Today was the day we imagined when we imagined cycling in Spain. The road between Riaza and Penaranda de Duero was filled with cool countryside, charming, historic towns, churches, and castles. Perfect temps. A tailwind. It doesn’t get much better.

Saturday, April 22 (Day 32). On the list of “things we should know by now!” 1. After a night of rain, avoid unpaved route suggestions from Komoot. While the scenery was great, cleaning pounds of sticky mud off the bikes – not great! 2. Letting someone else cook us dinner in another impossibly charming little town – great idea! Forgetting that every afternoon everything closes – not great!

On the list of “things that seem a bit eerie!” Spanish ghost towns. Not real “ghost” towns. But it is a little unsettling to ride through a village without a single sign of life. No people. No cars. No barking dogs. Nothing. We’ve seen several now. Not sure what to make of it.

Highlights today. 1. Had several conversations with random folks today, both in Spanish and English. We’ve been missing that. 2. A passing motorist stopped and made sure we didn’t miss a beautiful slot canyon hike. A group of cyclists on an organized weekend tour let us park our bikes with theirs to be guarded so we could take the hike with them. 3. Seeing more of the giant vultures common in this area. 4. Several more very old, very lovely villages. 5. Another quiet, secluded camp.

So that’s the news from northern Spain. Consensus: No offense to the south, but we are loving northern Spain. As painful as it was, we’re glad we changed direction. And now, after eight days of very challenging riding, we have some down time planned in Burgos. But that’s news for next week. Until then…buen dia!! STC!

Life Behind Bars #5

On April 16, 2023April 16, 2023 By KBGearDaveIn Biking Stuff, On the Road3 Comments

April 9 – 15, 2023

April 9. Easter Sunday

The square outside the cathedral complex was being preppeding for a major event. We were intrigued, but we’d had our share of crowds, so hard pass. Instead, we sat in on a portion of a worship service in a slightly smaller, yet impossibly ornate church. The lack of any visible joy or enthusiasm from the priest was…underwhelming, and sad. After a brief stay, we let ourselves out.

For the rext of the day we touristed. We wandered the streets. We sampled empanadas. We learned history. We made our way to the beach for a bit of a sit. Families, kids, couples were all enjoying a lazy Sunday afternoon. We sadly observed a number of impoverished women who apparently could only afford half a swimming suit. Although, as Forrest Gump said, “That’s one less thing to worry about. So that’s good!”

Cadiz is big, busy, and touristic – all things that normally put us off. Somehow though it was different in our area’s warren of streets. Mostly residential had a few public accommodations mixed in. People were out casually visiting bars, mercados, coffee shops, playgrounds, plazas, and restaurants. The background “noise” was laughter, talking, singing, and children playing. We found ourselves drawn to the livliness and life surrounding us. For us, Cadiz was an enjoyable experience.

April 10 (Day 20). Getting out of Cadiz was much easier than getting in. That rarest of creatures – a tailwind – pushed us south. We rode along the coast. We rode through seaside tourist towns. We rode for miles on deserted back roadds and lengthy bike paths. We rode over a large hill/small mountain. We heartily approve of the change from farmland. At day’s end we found a lovely “room” tucked in the woods, overlooking yet another beautiful Atlantic la playa. Quiet, peaceful, and free! It was a very good day.

April 11 (Day 21). Las Montanas!! At last! I’ll not deny that we enjoyed the ease of flat biking along the coast or the simple pleasures of gently rolling hills. But if I’m honest, it can be…slightly monotonous. But the mountains! Oh yes! Sure, climbing can be hard – brutal even. But the views, ahead, behind, always changing. The glory of gravity welcoming you back into her warm embrace after you crest a ridge or cross a pass is divine. Today, after a few miles along the coast, we turned away from the coast and toward the mountains. Windmills and small towns clung to hillsides and filled the valleys. When the road finally tilted – it was glorious. Tonight, a wild camp. Silent except for the day’s dying wind. An expansive view of the mountainous Parque Natural Los Alcornocales (cork oaks). Well played Spain! Well played!

April 12 (Day 22). The Rock of Gibralter! Possibly the most well-known landmark in the world. To paraphrase Ted Lasso, “You could fill two internets with what I don’t know about Gibralter.” For example, you may not know that the Rock of Gibralter, and it’s counterpart in Morocco, Jebel Musa, are known as the Pillars of Hercules. He supposedly straddled the Straits of Gibralter after he put down his foot and created the nine mile wide passage between Europe and Africa. You also may not know that Britain gained possession of this territory as a spoil of war in 1713. That was the same treaty that gave England possession of Nova Scotia, and drove out the French Acadians (Henry Wordsworth Longfellow’s Evangeline??). But I digress. I am an unapologetic history geek. It is our plan to fix the knowledge gap few days.

April 13 (Day 23). “My mama always said you can tell a lot about a person by their shoes, where they going, where they been.” (Forrest Gump) Today you could tell we was going walking cuz we had on our walking shoes. And we walked! We walked up and down that rock. We walked in tunnels and caves. We walked up to where we could see Africa, big as life. We walked past Barbary Macaques (monkeys) that call Gibralter home. One cheeky monkey ambushed Sharon and almost made off with Peter Rabbit, while another played with Surfie (companions sent by our grandchildren). We were stoked to explore the nooks and crannies and history of the place. We were also stoked to find an awesome doner shop to fuel our wandering. Finally, we were stoked to put up our feet at day’s end.

Whetting our whistle at the Pig and Whistle

April 14 (Day 24). I had to twist Sharon’s arm (really) to get her to agree to a true rest day. So far, all our “zero” days have been like yesterday – zero miles biking, but eleven miles of hiking and 2,000 vertical feet of climbing. So today – rest. That was the theory. We both went through our packs, purged and decided to send off a combined seven pounds of gear. That meant another trip into Gibralter. For Sharon, who at times has difficulty sitting still, that gave her an excuse to ride completely around the Gibralter peninsula. No thank you! I did manage to wrestle the girl into a lounge chair for at least part of the day.

It’s Miller Time – Not!!! Cruzcampo Radler time

April 15 (Day 25). For those accustomed to long weekends or an annual two week vacation – 90 days must seem like all the time in the world. I don’t mean to sound unappreciative, but when you are traveling this great big world by bicycle, 90 days barely scratches the surface. I mention this by way of explanation. After endlessly exploring our options, we chose to board a bus from Gibralter to Madrid. I won’t bore you with all the reasons. But, it will give us more time and flexibility down the road.

Since the bus didn’t leave until 9:30pm, we had a long lie in, and another lovely, lazy day.

The writer Dante is famous for his fantastical descriptions of the different levels of Hell. I am convinced only a lack of imagination kept him from describing one of the worst levels of Hell as an overnight bus ride to Madrid. More details to follow next week. For now it’s Enough to say that we are thrilled to have completed the first leg of our journey. We are excited to begin a new chapter in the north. Be well and STC!

Life Behind Bars #4

On April 9, 2023April 9, 2023 By KBGearDaveIn Biking Stuff, On the Road8 Comments

April 2 – 8, 2023

April 2 (Day 12). Tavira treated us well. After seven days of riding from Lisbon to Tavira, we biked every day and covered 250 miles. It was the height of luxury to leave the Konas in the store room for a day. But alas, all good things…right? After another fine breakfast feast complements of the Al Muralha hotel we pointed our steeds east. Our goal – Seville. Spain. We estimate three moderate days should get us there by Tuesday night.

Less than two hours from Tavira, we entered the impressively named town of Vila Real de Santo Antonio. Not sure what Tony did, or how he got a town named after him. I do know that Vila Real de Santo Antonio is the last town in Portugal for eastbound travelers. Across the Guadiana River, Spain awaits. A short ferry ride later, we set foot in a new country. Adeus Portugal. Bienvenidos Espana.

Within minutes of our arrival in Ayamonte, we were immersed in a massive Semana Santa (Holy Week) celebration. Elegantly dressed throngs turned out to watch the festivities. Looking wildly out of place in our bike kit, we joined the crowds of onlookers. It was to be an oft-repeated scene this week.

We learned very quickly, that unlike Portugal where almost everyone had a few words of English to offer, in Spain – nada. Given that my Spanish skills are on par with Peggy Hill (sorry for the obscure King of the Hill cartoon reference. Everyone who knows Peggy Hill is likely smiling or laughing right now). As far as I can tell, I haven’t made any offers to marry the farmer’s oldest daughter – yet! I can generally work out what to say, but am totally at a loss deciphering the tsunami of words that come in response.

Most evenings we study our map apps to chart a tentative route for the next day. For this particular day, Sharon had uncovered a gem. It was muy bien! A mile off the main road, down a beautifully maintained gravel road (closed to vehicle traffic I might add), we found ourselves a quiet stretch of beach. We camped behind the dunes, just a short stroll to a prime strip of deserted Atlantic la playa. This is the good stuff.

April 3 (Day 13). We lost an hour coming into Spain. In practical terms, there is just the suggestion of light on the horizon at 7:20am. By 8am it is light enough to break camp and start moving. Well, we could have started at 8am…if we both hadn’t fallen back asleep until the sun had well and truly risen . We rationalized our sloth with the knowledge that night doesn’t make her entrance until after 9pm. No worries about having time to make our miles. Speaking of miles, we rolled across quite a few today. Highlights? We met Cameron from Glasgow. He’s on his first tour from Lisbon to Corfu, Greece for a wedding. (Not his apparently). Along the way he has plans to tour through Morroco and some of the Balkan countries. Way to go mate! I wouldn’t be surprised if our paths crossed again.

Another highlight? Niebla. On the map it’s just a wee town, so no expectations other than to possible camp along a nearby river. Instead we found ancient walls surrounding much of this fortified city. First settled in the 8th century BC by Phoenicians interested in nearby silver mines, since then, Romans, Visigoths, Moors, and various Spanish forces have all called it home. At its height, the perimeter of the wall was just under a mile around and had fifty watch towers! We felt very safe enjoying a meal at a local doner establishment before cranking out the last miles of the day.

On a different note, do you like cured ham? Please and thank you! A local supermercado had this impressive display of tasty, cured pork legs. Watching the butcher shave pieces for a customer was to see a passionate artist at work. Every slice was a masterpiece!

April 4 (Day 14). The day started well. On our way out of town, we stopped to marvel at several Semana Santa floats inside a local church.

Unfortunately, Sharon set down her handlebar bag on a pew. Somehow, we didn’t notice until six miles down the road. Argh! Sharon dropped gear and raced back – to find the church locked. Eventually, with the help of the policia and a finger wagging nun, all was right with the world. We reunited and made our way into Sevilla.

We thought the Semana Santa celebration in Ayamonte was muy grande. In Sevilla, it was next level! We didn’t need to know where the parade took place. We just followed the masses of finely dressed folks. Before long, we came across this…agoraphobe’s nightmare!

You just don’t see this every day

April 5 (Day 15). Sevilla was as beautiful as advertised. As we often do in large cities, we took a “free” walking tour. Alejandra showed us around, providing both historical background as well as details about modern life. Alejandra’s passion for life and her city were infectious. After the tour, we just wandered, stopping along the way for tradtional cervesa y tapas. In our case beer, fried cuttlefish, and pork sirloin in whiskey sauce…mmmmm!

Sevilla was lovely. We thoroughly enjoyed exploring the winding city streets, plazas and promenades. Finally though, shoulder to shoulder, wall to wall people everywhere started to wear. We cherish our personal space. The day ended with a retreat to our apartment for a quiet dinner.

April 6 (Day 16). This morning we opted for a lie in and decided a relaxed approach to the day was in order. We revisited a few tour stops, then made a leisurely exit from Sevilla. In keeping with our unhurried pace, we cycled a few hours, then took a break a short distance from where we hoped to spend the night. We nursed our pequeno Cruzcampos and tried an amazing tapas of shrimp and cheese rolled in a lightly fried pastry and covered in a honey sauce…oh my! Later, a little sleuthing netted a secluded place to call home. Perfecto!

April 7 (Day 17). It is a simple life we lead! Today, and really this whole week, it was bike through long stretches of agriculture. Visit attractive towns and villages. Witness another somber Semana Santa procession – and the slightly odd party atmosphere sounding the solemnity. Find a choice spot to sleep. Eat. Drink. Rinse and repeat.

April 8 (Day 18). Today, we set our sights on Cadiz. Turns out you almost can’t get there from here. We congratulated our cleverness in finding a ferry to take us across Cadiz Bay. This would save ten miles of biking on major highways. Yay us! Except the ferry wasn’t running. Plan B – ride major highways and cross massive bridge. Oops! Bikes are prohibo on massive bridge. Plan C – ride a few miles back to a bus stop. I asked the crowd if this bus was going to Cadiz and would they have room for our bicicletas? Given the puzzled looks, laughter and animated discussions, I’m not actually sure what I asked! When the bus arrived and the driver said “no, it was not possible,” people rallied to our aid. At the last moment, we were waved aboard the handicap entrance at the rear of the bus. Once again, the kindness of strangers (or pity on fools) saved the day.

Cadiz was worth the effort. We were rewarded with another procession, a lovely sunset, and a romantic dinner in an ancient city. We are truly blessed!

STC!

Life Behind Bars – #3

On April 2, 2023April 2, 2023 By KBGearDaveIn Biking Stuff, On the Road4 Comments

March 26 – April 1 – Portugal

Sunday (3/26). Sleep! Twelve glorious, uninterrupted hours of sleep! Those who know me know that twelve hours is unheard of! But, we both have been jet lagged since arrival. We both have been nursing colds, so the lengthy sack time was unbelievably welcome! We did manage to get on the road…eventually. On our way south, we came across three friends from Toronto on their very first bike tour. It looked it. Mountains of gear were precariously strapped on their bikes. They were studying in Germany and simply had used whatever gear was at hand. Good for them! Better to go than to wait until they had all the “right” gear.

The riding south of Lisbon was pleasant enough, but it was also .. unremarkable. At times we were only a few hundred yards from the ocean, yet it remained out of sight. While we appreciate the fact that they haven’t built roads or condos right on the shore – it would have been nice to get a peek at the coast once in a while.

We had a brief moment of panic when our hoped for stopping place turned out to be a “members only” campground. Oops! They graciously gave us special permission to stay the night. Thank you! The steamy hot shower (so often taken for granted) was delightful. Later that evening as we waited to drift off to sleep, we were serenaded by thundrous booming from the crashing waves still a half mile away. We’ve already decided to head there for breakfast spot tomorrow.

Monday (3/27).

The day started well with breakfast on a beautiful stretch of beach. The riding and the views just kept improving as the day wore on. South of Sines, the road followed a jaw-dropping coastline. It culminated at an area of cliffs and sea stacks near Porto Covo. We were fortunate to find an amazing spot to spend the night near all that beauty. Well played Portugal. Well played.

Tuesday (3/28). Camping next to the ocean is incredible. There is nothing like sleeping with the sound of the sea as background music. Downside? Massive condensation. The fly could not have been more soaked if we had submerged it in a sink! We would have to deal with that later.

A fifteen mile ride brought us to Vila Nova de Milfontes. It was not hard riding…mostly flat through an agricultural area. Our plan had been to have some lighter days of cycling early on. Fifteen miles was a really light day. From the last few hectic days in Flag, the flight, taking Lisbon by storm, the last fewdays of biking, we haven’t had a down day in some time. We both relished the idea of stopping early so we could wash clothes, sort gear and – just do nothing for a few hours. Milfontes turned out to be an excellent place to spend some down time. Walking was pleasant. The town was set in a beautiful location. And, whilst strolling about, we came across a buffet restaurant. Yes, it was totally a tourist trap. And yes, it was probably over-priced. But for two very hungry cycling tourists – it was perfect. And, the food was very good.

Obviously, most days we can’t indulge like that. And many days we’ll need to do more miles. On this particular day, however, we were quite content knowing that this was not one of those days!

Wednesday (3/29). A few miles south of Milfontes we took a detour out to the coast. It is truly awe inspiring.

As we retraced our route and prepared to turn south, we crossed paths with William. He had flown from his home near Paris and was on a one month bike tour of Portugal and Spain. We chatted over coffee and juice. Later we met for lunch and spent the rest of the day enjoying the company. It was fun to learn about his life in France. As always, it was fascinating to see the world and world events from a different perspective. The day passed quickly as we rode through interesting scenery and shared stories from life on the road. Eventually though, we parted ways. We chose to camp near Odeceixe, and William continued on to keep to his schedule. Thanks William for a great day.

Thursday 3/30. When riding south in this country, geography requires you to make a left turn at some point. We chose not to ride out and back to the southernmost point of Portugal, and instead turned inland just south of Aljezur. Almost immediately we began what became a few hours of climbing. We eventually crested the ridge and for a while rode in the company of giant wind turbines. I’ve often seen them from a distance, and usually from a car. It’s something else to ride beneath them as the massive blades “whooosh” overhead.

The downhill was glorious and brought us close to the southern coast. This area is known as the “Algarve” region of Portugal. While touted for its beautiful beaches, one article referred to it as “the Florida of Europe.” The final miles to our campground confirmed that observation. Condos, golf courses, ads everywhere hawking tourist traps…not the best look. We were quite happy to get off the road and find peace and quiet – and a hot shower – at our campground.

Looking ahead, we were not enchanted by what we had seen, and what we had heard and read about what lay ahead. From the comfort of our bed we made the bold decision to fast forward through this section of the Algarve to the town of Tavira…60+ miles. We may regret that decision. We’ll see what tomorrow brings.

Friday (3/31). We were both ready for the challenge of a long day…and more than a little nervous. With all stops included, we typically average 6-8 miles an hour over the course of a day. Depending on the variables of wind, hills, and traffic, that could mean upwards of ten hours in the saddle. Ugh. That could be a very long day. We chose N125 as the shortest (and definitely least scenic) route to Tavira. The hills were rolling with long, flat stretches. The traffic was heavy at times, but we were given a broad shoulder most of the day. But the wind! Dare I say it? We enjoyed that rare and most coveted of cycling gifts…a brisk tailwind. All things considered, we arrived in Tavira in good shape and spirits.

During our time together in Lisbon, Jim and Karen raved about Tavira. Good suggestion. It has a charm unlike many of the other communities we’d passed through. We took in just a small part of town in our search for food. After chores tomorrow we’ll check it out in more detail.

Saturday (4/1). Tavira was first settled in the 8th century B.C. The Phoenicians apparently had a fortified settlement on the banks of the Gilao River. As with many ancient cities, its fortunes rose and fell depending on the needs of whatever government controlled the area. Roman’s, Moors and pirates all took their turns using Tavira is some fashion. Today it seems to be a regular city with a healthy influx of tourists taking advantage of the miles of pristine beaches nearby.

We found it a comfortable place to wander, watch people, and just relax. As with any time we make use of a hotel, we also did a full load of laundry in the bath tub. Made sure all devices were fully charged. Used a good internet connection to work on the blog and plan our future travels. Kudos to the Al Muhara Hotel. The staff has been friendly and incredibly helpful. The breakfast was lovely. The facilities are comfortable. The location – perfect. If time and money were not considerations, I think we would happily make Tavira home for several more days.

Final thoughts. We’ve now been in Portugal for eleven days. We covered almost 250 miles since leaving Lisbon a week ago. In the next day or two we will cross into Spain. Honestly, we haven’t been overly fond of the country. Some of the country has been stunning – many areas have been unremarkable. Last year in Turkey and the Balkan countries we made connections with the people almost every day. Here, apart from financial transactions, we feel as though we ate invisible. Our “Ola” and “Bom Dia” get luke-warm responses. No doubt there are many possible reasons and we can’t begin to understand why. Bottom line, we’re ready to see what Spain has to offer. It will certainly be interesting. Until next week – Seize the Carp!

BTW. Just a reminder. If you want daily updates, Sharon is posting on the Polarsteps app. Just download it and request to be friends with Sharon Neubauer Moore.

Life Behind Bars – #2

On March 29, 2023March 29, 2023 By KBGearDaveIn Biking Stuff, On the Road4 Comments

March 19 – 25

Sunday – Wednesday (3/19-22). It seemed like such a simple plan. 1. Church and pack the apartment on Sunday. Take care of any last minute details. 2. Visit Ethan in Phoenix on Monday. 3. Fly from Flagstaff to Lisbon on Tursday/Wednesday. Simple. Except…

“Last minute details” from #1 sort of ballooned and consumed all available free time Sunday. #2 went well and we had a wonderful time with Ethan. #3…ah, there’s the rub! Massive quantities of snow descended upon our fair city yet again. Our noon flight was canceled by 8am and we were automatically rescheduled on a 6pm flight. The 6pm flight was canceled several hours later. Options. Keep playing the cancel/reschedule game ad nauseum, or take a shuttle to Phoenix and catch the 2nd leg of our already rescheduled flight. Hmmm. Seize the carp we said, and down the hill we went. From there, things went smoothly. We arrived in Lisbon, tired, jet lagged and much later than planned – but we had arrived.

Continue reading →

Life Behind Bars – #1

On March 19, 2023March 20, 2023 By KBGearDaveIn Biking Stuff, On the Road6 Comments

March 2023

It’s been seven months since we returned from our Turkey/Eastern Europe bike tour. It has also been seven months since I’ve put pen to paper – so to speak. This is not for lack of material. The past seven months have been filled with wonderful adventures in interesting places with many of the awesome people we are privileged to call family and friends. It simply occurs to me that not everything needs to be shared. Sharon and I have been happily seizing the carp, and I expect/hope many of you have been doing the same. In the meantime, the blog has remained happily dormant. Now however, we are a few days away from getting back to “life behind bars!” On Tuesday (3/21) we are boarding another transatlantic flight with bikes and gear (hopefully) in tow. We are beyond excited, and it seems like the right time to awaken the blog. As we’ve done previously, I will generally try to post updates every Sunday. And, as in the past, you’ll be able to find a link on Facebook. Although if you scroll down, you will find an opportunity to subscribe. All you have to do is add your email. Then, every time there is an update, a link to the blog will magically appear in your inbox. As our grand daughter likes to say, “easy peasy lemon squeezy!” We would love to have you join us on our journey.

This year, we’re trying something new. Every day, Sharon will be sharing comments and pictures using an app called Polar Steps. https://www.polarsteps.com/ Our European biking friends turned us on to this very cool program. The app tracks our progress and offers the ability to add pictures and text. The pictures appear overlaid on a map as you can see in the accompanying picture from last year. In the app you can click on each circle photo to see and read more details. Simply load the app and search for “Sharon Neubauer Moore” Flagstaff, AZ and request to follow. It is an easy, simple to digest, visual way to track our progress. And – added bonus – you get to hear from Sharon!

The Plan. Last August (2022) we left the Czech Republic on a (cheaper than one-way) round trip ticket. After probably hundreds of hours of talking, poring over maps, reading trip reports, researching different routes – our massively detailed plan is…arrive in Lisbon, Portugal and head south. Yep – That’s it! Well, we are going to spend a few days in Lisbon with some good friends. And technically, we’ve planned far enough ahead to know that we’re going to head south – until we either have to turn left or keep heading south into Morocco. Beyond that it gets a little fuzzy. We have friends we’ve met on previous trips who live in Spain, France, Switzerland, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands and England. If the stars align, it would be an amazing treat to visit with any of them. That could influence our route. Our only fixed date so far is July 4th. That’s the day we fly home from London – on yet another round trip ticket. (Do you see a pattern emerging?) As of right now though, we have no real idea how we’re going to get there. I guess you’ll just have to tune in and find out along with us.

Bike Prep. We’ve spent a third of the past 2 1/2 years on our bicycles, fully loaded for touring. By the time we arrived in Flagstaff last summer, they definitely needed some lovin’. That meant lots of quality garage time. Both bikes were fitted with all new cables, housings, brake disks, brake pads, chains, rear cogs, front chainrings, bottom bracket bearings, and handlebar tape. Index shifting was meticulously adjusted (thank you Calvin from Park Tools at Youtube University). A broken brake level needed to be replaced (mine). Sharon received upgraded (and much improved) Shimano shifters. Both our rear wheels had developed cracks on the rims. Sharon’s rim was replaced by the manufacturer and rebuilt by a local bike shop. My rear wheel received all new, properly tensioned spokes. That along with a new, wider tire will hopefully prevent the broken spoke saga of last summer. They still look old, but under the hood they are fresh and ready to roll…just like us I suppose! It was tough getting my head around the idea that all those parts are sort of considered “consumable” items.

Gear Prep. We have honed our gear list over the years, so not much changes from trip to trip. We are very much into “if it ain’t broke!” That’s not to say we didn’t have decisions to make and choices to ponder. Our much loved and well-used tent was one item that needed some consideration. It was not as consistently waterproof as one would like, so we went down the rabbit hole of looking at possible replacements. There are tons of cool designs out there. Turns out many were stupid expensive. For others, the uber lightweight butterfly wing and fairy dust fabric didn’t seem designed for a hundred plus nights/year of use. After much research and discussion, we decided to stick with our beloved REI Halfdome Plus. Hopefully, the miracle coatings and chemicals we added will ensure reliably dry nights. Other than that, a few worn-out items were replaced. Several pieces of gear that saw too little use were left behind. We wrestled again with the constant battle to find sleeping pads that don’t need constant patching. As of late Saturday night, bikes and gear are mostly packed.

General Prep. Given the crazy winter we’ve had in northern AZ, with almost twelve feet of snow here in flagstaff – there hasn’t been much opportunity for biking. We’ve both stayed active, but it looks like we will be riding ourselves into shape a bit on this trip. Speaking of twelve feet of snow, part of our general prep has involved shoveling lots of snow – often. It has also involved home repairs related to the aforementioned snow – and ice dams – and water infiltration. Beyond the snow (did I mention almost twelve feet of snow?) there are the more mundane issues. We needed to make sure all health related issues have been adressed. Doctor’s visits, medications, travel insurance, vaccinations, etc. have all been seen to. There have been countless financial details that need attention while we’re in town and state side. Now that our “to-do” list has gradually dwindled though, we’ve also tried to make the most of our remaining time in Flag. That means getting outside whenever possible. It also means getting together with friends for lunch, with Sharon’s Trail Diva crew for an evening of games and snacks, babysitting Evia so Mom and Dad could go skiing, and so on.

No doubt – we will miss Flagstaff. But as John Muir once said, “The world’s big and I want to have a good look at it before it gets dark.” So off we go! Until next week from Lisbon (and beyond) – Seize the Carp!

OTRA – Across the Pond #22

On July 31, 2022November 23, 2022 By KBGearDaveIn Biking Stuff, On the Road5 Comments

Austria / Germany / Czech Republic. (Days 132 – 138)

Sunday (7/24). Europe is filled with “Eurovelo” bike routes and paths. Portions are routes on scenic, lightly traveled side roads. Others are dedicated bike paths. The route along the Danube is apparently the most popular. In one hour we counted 87 touring cyclists and 150 day riders. We guesstimated that during the day we crossed paths with a over a thousand cyclists. Crazy. Additionally, our path had an identical twin on the opposite bank also filled with cyclists. Remarkable! Many people we talked to were taking the popular week long journey from Passau, Germany to Vienna, Austria. If one were looking for a reason to invest in cycling infrastructure, you need only look to all those folks eating in restaurants, staying in guest houses, buying groceries, etc.

Speaking of Passau, after chatting with a couple at breakfast, we were convinced to make that today’s destination. We joined the cycling throngs along the Danube headed toward Passau. At one point we were surprised to realize we’d left Austria and had entered Germany! After the fastest and easiest biking of the entire trip, we arrived in Passau. People have apparently lived on this site since the 2nd century BC. The Danube, the Inn, and the Ilz River come together at Passau to create a striking setting for a city.

The Ilz River created a striking setting for our home for the evening. This tent only campground was filled with cyclists of every description. We saw folks in their 70’s as well as two and three year olds bouncing around, having a ball touring with their parents. It was quite a scene.

Monday (7/25). Our two days of flat and fast biking on the Danube came to a screeching halt today. We headed away from the river valley and up as we ever so slowly made our way toward the Czech border. But not before joining the queue of other bikers at the mobile backery that showed up at the campground. Brilliant business plan!

Along the way we met found Otis the tractor’s German cousin Oskar!

At a stop to photograph a cool bit of cycling art, we met Astrid and Georg. They own and operate a hemp farm (think fabric). Super friendly, they shared some of their cbd oil for use on sore cycling muscles. We also met Josef, the creator of the art work. He apparently had a record for riding his bike from Munich to Passau. As Sharon said, “I love serendipity!” Agreed!

As the day wore on, steep hills and mid 90’s served up my buttocks on a silver platter. I lobbied for an early end to the day and an uber early (i.e. cooler) start tomorrow. We took shelter from the Orb of Death inside an air conditioned Subway sandwich shop to consider our options. Ultimately, the best option was sitting in the cool restaurant for two hours, hydrating and eating.

Finally though we pushed on and by late afternoon entered our 13th and final country of this trip. Hello Czech Republic! And thank you for providing a free camping spot for hikers and bikers traveling through Sumava National Park.

Tuesday (7/26). Warm, bluebird skies when we went to bed. No need for the rain fly. It is much cooler and much more pleasant sleeping with it off. Yeah! Right up until a violent thunderstorm unleashed its fury. Then it was damage control, me with shoes on the wrong feet, both of us in rain throwing on the fly by feel and the light of lightning flashes! Fun stuff!

As usual, we had no real plan for the day other than to head in the general direction of Pisek. Eventually that crystallized into a plan to cycle all the way. And so we did. Coming out of the mountains along the border, we rode north through forests and fields and pleasant villages. After all the “Achtung!” & “Verboten!” in Austria and Germany, Czechia gave off more of the Balkan shoulder shrug “whatever” vibe. It felt good.

Wednesday (7/27). Only seventy-five miles left to Prague. Since we are in no rush, we slept in, had a leisurely breakfast, and wandered around Pisek.

The sun had passed its high point when we finally left town. We rode through fields of wheat, oats, corn and grazing cows, and were reminded that agriculture looks pretty much the same everwhere. If not for the foreign (to us) road signs, we could easily have been in Wisconsin. Except for a passing thunderstorm and a perfectly placed picnic shelter in some small town, it was uneventful but enjoyable riding. In Pliskovice we stumbled onto a little Dutch enclave. The owners and the other campers were all from the Netherlands. It was “Dutch Night” at the restaurant, and almost everyone else took part in the festivities. Apparently the owner announced that “the cyclists” were from America. That led to some friendly questions from interested folks.

Thursday (7/28). Highlights of the day. After some morning climbing we were treated to a lengthy section of gravity assist as we followed a river valley north. We did question Kamoots route finding ability…or more accurately…it ability to differentiate between a “road” and a trail through the woods.

Soft serve raspberry in a waffle cone also made the highlight real for the day. We got sucked in by the sign. How could we not stop?

We decided our last night on the road should be a quiet, picturesque wild camp. It took some doing, but an old granite quarry along the Berounka River fit the bill. We relaxed and watched people climb until it was time to make our home for the night.

Friday (7/29). This was it. Last day of loaded cycling. We felt like like the last ceremonial stage of the Tour de France making its way to the Champs-Elysees.

We had endured the grueling mountain stages! We had endured the heat. We had suffered unexpected set backs. We had experienced victories. And like anyone who wears the Maillot Jeune (the winner’s yellow jersey) into Paris, we had received a great deal of help along the way. We both felt a great sense of satisfaction as we rolled into Prague. Na zdravi to us!

The absolute highlight of the day came later. Three years ago during our John Muir backpack, we spent time with a young couple from the Czech Republic. We very much enjoyed their company, and we parted with the usual “If you ever make it to Flagstaff…” or “If you ever come to the Czech Republic…” not really expecting either to happen. Last night Helca and Andrej took us on a walking tour of Prague where they attended University. We talked about work and life in Czechia. We enjoyed beer and traditional Czech food. Perfect end to a wonderful day.

Saturday (7/30). We set the bar pretty low today for activity. Stay out of the rain. Check. Move from the hotel to our three night Airbnb. Check. Get bike boxes for the plane ride home. Check…sorta! Decathlon graciously gave us two and a Peter helped us figure out the trolleys so we could get the boxes back to our room. Turns out they are likely too small, so bright and early Monday we’ll need to try again. Do laundry with a real washing machine…for the third time this trip. Check. Relax. Hard check. Dinner and drinks. Check.

The next several days promise to be … interesting. There is much in Prague still to see and do. We have some Free Walking tours scheduled for Sunday. We have all the logistics of getting two humans and their gear back across the pond in what appears to be a logistically challenged environment. Wish us luck! I’ll let you know how it all turns with a final trip recap next week. Until then, as Sharon tells me, “Be reckless and take chances!” STC!

OTRA – Across the Pond #21

On July 24, 2022November 23, 2022 By KBGearDaveIn Biking Stuff, On the Road5 Comments

Austria – Days 125 – 131

Sunday (7/17). Austria is making us predictable. Before our rest day for Sharon’s birthday, we spent four hours grinding uphill before coasting into Wolfsberg. Today leaving Wolfsberg we spent another four -ish hours and twenty miles of low gear work before gravity again became our friend. The up side (pun intended) is that from our hard won perch, we have a birds eye view of the Austrian Alps. That has made the sweat and tired legs all worth it.

Historic note: I was a bit surprised to see the city of Judenburg on our route today. In English it would be “Jew’s Castle” or as local history plaques suggest “Jews Borough”. Apparently back in the day, Jewish people were extremely active in trade in this region. When Hitler annexed Austria prior to WWII, there was talk of renaming the town “Adolfsburg” – but I guess he got distracted! It never happened. The town was the site of a concentration camp connected to the main camp in Mauthausen. It was used to house slave laborers. Due to lack of food, clothing, and regular abuse, over 50% of the prisoners died. Nothing remains of the camp today.

A few miles north of Judenburg we stopped at the house of Georg and Christi. They are Warmshowers hosts in the town of Pols. They and their two delightful daughters welcomed us into their family. Sharon “read” stories to the girls. We shared beer and treats. We were able to shower. And by the standards of cyclists and parents of small children, we talked “late” into the evening. Thanks Goerg and Christi for a wonderful time.

Monday (7/18). In addition to his duties as OR nurse dealing with trauma and orthopedics, Georg enjoys a multitude of outdoor pursuits. One hobby is long distance cycling. Not the slow, plodding kind of riding we do. Race bike, very fast 180 miles at a time kind of riding. Wow! Because of that, he possesses tremendous knowledge of practically all the roads in Austria. Better yet – he is happy to share.

We followed his suggestions as we made our way north. It involved climbing over two mountains, but it was so worth it. I’ll just say “wow” and let the pictures speak for themselves.

Tuesday (7/19). Our location in the heart of Gesause National Park along the Enns River practically demanded that we stay another day. We emerged from the tent at a leisurely 10am to a comedic attempt at breakfast. We had been looking forward to French Toast. Have you ever seen hardboiled eggs for sale next to regular eggs. Nope! Neither had we! Fortunately the tiny camp store had uncooked eggs for sale at sixty cents per! Ouch! Pricey, but crisis averted. Then we went to add cinnamon to our egg/milk mixture only to realize we’d grabbed the hot pepper powder instead of cinnamon. Argh! Start over… again. We did eventually end up enjoying our tasty breakfast.

We spent the day soaking in the beauty of the place and chattng with a few other campers. I wanted a closer look at the peaks, but for most of the day it was too hot to consider more than cowering in the shade. Finally though, the call of the peaks was more than I could resist. I made my way to one of the local mountain hutte. These “huts” are more like small guest houses. They offer rooms, serve meals and provide appropriate beverages to the thirsty climbers (with cash). What a great concept.

Wednesday (7/20). Today we began to leave the alps. Over the course of the day we followed the Enns River on its path north. It was a gradual process that still involved lots of climbing. We ended the day nine hundred feet lower than where we started. As has been true throughout Austria, we were treated to picturesque villages that wear their antiquity with ease. The river valley gradually broadened and agriculture appeared. We arrived at an adequate camping spot in Groszraming about the same time as Bart and Famke from the Netherlands rolled in. Their company and conversation made for a lively evening.

Thursday (7/21). We continued to follow the Enns River towards its meeting with the Danube. Steyr was the highlight of the day. Such an amazing mix of new and old. With dedicated bike paths for much of the day, riding was pleasant. Unfortunately there were no campgrounds anywhere within a comfortable range today. With wild camping verboten! our only choice was to find a guest house. Thalinger Hof in Kronstorf got the nod.

Friday (7/22). Today was consumed by our visit to Mauthausen concentration camp. Yes we biked and camped, but that all seems trivial in the face of the depravity that was Mauthuasen. Some of the other camps were designed specifically as death factories, killing and disposing of as many people as rapidly and efficiently as possible. Not so with Mauthausen and the dozens of satellite camps scattered around Austria. They were designated as Type III camps – i.e. “work people to death” camps. Under the most inhuman conditions, these slave laborers were literally worked to death to further Hitler’s agenda. In the pursuit of that goal, no opportunity was missed to brutalize those unfortunate souls who found themselves on the wrong side of Hitler’s racially and ideologically pure National Socialist paradise. It is one thing to read about those atrocities in a book. It is another to stand where victims were gassed, to stand where they were tortured, to look over the edge of a cliff where thousands were pushed to their deaths. Spend time here and you realize there is no limit to the cruelty people are willing – and eager – to inflict on others. It is disgusting! And it is appalling to hear some of the same sentiments and ideologies being espoused today. It was also troubling to realize how many Austrians wholly embraced Hitlers agenda and eagerly worked in these camps. And at the end of the war, almost none of those thousands was held to account. They went back to there lives and told themselves whatever lies they needed to tell themselves to sleep at night. It is a horrible place to visit. It is a place everyone should visit.

Saturday (7/3). We were haunted by our visit to Mauthausen. Even as we passed through some attractive countryside, we kept talking about what we had seen. It is hard to process.

Still, it was a very good day. Linz is a large city, but with its plethora of bike paths and public transport, we experienced none of the stress we usually feel trying to get around a big city. After wandering the streets for a bit, we headed out along the famous Danube River bike trails. It was amazing. No traffic to worry about. Flat. Hundreds and hundreds of other cyclists. Not spectacular, but very pleasant scenery. Don’t know that we would want a steady diet of this kind of cycling, but is a welcome change of pace. Rooms were a bit scarce, but we did manage to find a vacancy at a cool and moderately creepy schloss (castle). There didn’t seem to be anybody around. We have a theory that the very old woman who grudgingly checked us in was actually the ghost of someone who had died a hundred years ago.

So ends our next to last week on the road… staying in what seems to be a haunted mansion. It was another good week. We are excited for the next week in the Czech Republic. We are excited…and not a bit sad to see this journey coming to an end. Until next week – and our last “On the Road” blog from this trip – have a great week and STC!

OTRA – Across the Pond #20

On July 17, 2022November 23, 2022 By KBGearDaveIn Biking Stuff, On the Road5 Comments

Slovenia – Austria (Day 118 – 124)

Sunday (7/10). If an early rainstorm hadn’t rolled through I would have been itching for an earlier start. If it had been just a bit warmer, we wouldn’t have stopped to put on an extra layer. If a market had been open in the first town we passed, we would have stopped for breakfast. If we hadn’t stopped briefly at a crossroad to check directions, Elodie’s brother in the car wouldn’t have said to Elodie in jest, “Look, there are some of your cycling friends!” If we had done any of a hundred things differently this morning, we would not have been at that precise spot at that precise moment, and Elodie would not have shouted, “Those ARE my friends! Stop!”

We met Elodie, Julia and Lucia three weeks ago on the island of Mljet, and then chatted during a ferry ride. We parted ways,, but kept in touch. Elodie is taking a short break from cycling with her friends to road trip with her family…which led to our paths crossing in Mojstrana. What a wonderful way to start our day! What a small world – at times.

And that is pretty much how the rest of the day went. Thanks to some leftover altitude from yesterday’s climb, our first thirteen miles were mostly downhill. Then we found a bakery serving up some amazing meat and cheese bureks and fruit pastries. Next up on the Slovenian parade of wonders, the world famous Bled. That called for a “chairs out” stop.

We roamed the countryside picking roads at random…and they were all good. By late afternoon we arrived in Radovljica and found accomodation in a five hundred year old guest house. When it was renovated (200 years ago) a restaurant was added on the first floor. They have been serving up food in that location ever since.

Monday (7/11). Since our room came with a tasty full breakfast, there was no early start. And there didn’t need to be. We had no destination in mind and all day to get there. For the most part we let Komoot lead us generally east. There were quite a few noteworthy moments. Riding past an idyllic village just as the church bells erupted. An unbelievably ornate church open to the public in another small town. Goats chillin’. A cycle touring family with a three and five year old on the road for three weeks. We call that redefining fun. One lane roads winding across the valley floor and through countless small villages. Even with a ten mile climb at the end of the day, we made our miles, and late in the day found a good campsite. Another memorable day in Slovenia. As a side note, on a day like today we stopped at two grocery stores and spent about $15 on food. Nothing for camping, so as of late, this was definitely on the cheap end of the spectrum.

Tuesday (7/12). We started the day with a long descent into the famous Savinja Valley. Famous because hops have reigned supreme here for over 150 years. Two thirds of all Slovenian hops are grown in this valley. Easy to believe as we rolled past mile after mile of hops fields. Of course, a steady supply of world class hops leads to a steady supply of world class craft beer. Several are quite visibly on display at the Zalec Fontana Piv (beer fountain). Not quite what you think, but still very cool.

Properly hydrated, we headed north. It was payback time for our morning descent. Eighteen miles of climbing in heavy traffic against the wind on a narrow, winding road. If I’m being honest – it sucked! Slovenia stepped up though. Eventually we were able to get off the main road onto a paved “rails to trail” path. I immediately went from tense and unhappy to relaxed and enjoying the scenery. We took our supper from a market and few miles later found a quiet spot to spend the night.

Wednesday (7/13). Our rails to trail carried us into Slovenj Gradec and our usual breakfast of yogurt and fruit. That tided us over until an amazing (and cheap) doner wrap in Dravograd. We fell in love with this tasty meal in Turkey and hadn’t had a proper doner in some time. What a treat!

Lesson for the day: The word “grad” in Slovene means “castle”. Add “Dravo” to the front, and the name of the town Dravograd means “the castle on the Drava River.” This town has been around at least since the time it was mentioned in written description of the area – in 1135ad.

500 and 750 year old churches in Slovenj Gradec

Well planned bike routes and dedicated bike paths brought us to Radlje ob Dravi. Even with help from locals I simply could not get my tongue to perform the gymnastics necessary to pronounce the first part of this city name. That didn’t keep us from enjoying the city, the people, the hostel, or the fine microbrew. One of our servers, Zhan, is planning his first bike tour to Prague in two months. It was fun to share info and see his enthusiasm. His co-workers were very nice, but didn’t seem quite as excited about the time he was spending with his new American friends.

Thursday (7/14). We arrived in Radlje with the idea of continuing east to Maribor, then curving north into Austria along the eastern end of the Alps. The thought was to attempt to avoid some big climbs. On second thought, why not just plunge straight into (and over) the belly of the beast? Four miles straight north (and up) and we entered country #11. As expected, Austria gave us a hearty (and steep) Wilkommen!

Friday (7/15). Decisions! Decisions! We both spent time exploring possible through and around the mountains here. So naturlich, we chose a route that would equal our biggest climb of the trip last week. It was as expected. There was walking. There were amazing views of the peaks surrounding us and the valleys far, far below. We passed through eerily quiet villages. And then – we were at the top, almost five thousand vertical feet higher from where we started. Unfortunately that also put us in the clouds, which chose that moment to release all the water they’d been carrying. It was a very long, very soggy descent. We both felt a bit cheated at not being able to enjoy it more. Still, we both felt tremendous satisfaction at having knocked off another big climb – and feeling good while doing it. We took the path of least resistance all the way into Wolfsberg and shelter from the rain.

Saturday (7/16). Those with good memories might find something familiar about today’s date. Meine Frau celebrated a Geburtstag! A key feature of the celebration was staying in one place for two nights – which meant no biking on the birth day! That was combined with good food, ice cream and just a touch of laziness for a spectacular day. It may not have been the most exciting day, but it was definitely appreciated.

First Efes since we left Turkey. Pretty exciting!

So here we are in Austria (country #11). We like what we’re seeing. People are nice. We once find ourselves surrounded by mountains, valleys and handsome towns. I can spreche just enough Deutsch to fill the gap if someone doesn’t spreche English. In the “negative” column, we are experiencing sticker shock after Turkey and the Balkan countries. Wild camping is strictly verboten! Campgrounds are expensive and so far virtually non-existent. Guest house and hotel prices cause actual physical pain when we swipe our credit card. So we have some mixed feelings! But as a friend used to say, it is still “More good than bad!” Which seems like a good place to end the week. Hope it is more good than bad wherever you are. Until next week – STC!

OTRA – Across the Pond #19

On July 10, 2022March 20, 2023 By KBGearDaveIn Misc. Stuff, On the Road2 Comments

Croatia – Slovenia (Day 111 – 117)

Sunday (7/3). Saturday night we stayed in a hostel right next door to the Post Office where our package resides. Unfortunately a break dancing troupe booked the entire hostel for tonight. Hate it when that happens! In spite of my crazy good break dancing skills, we were not welcome. Instead, we moved down to a campground by the water. We’d been reluctant to stay there based on bad reviews, but it turned out to be a lovely place. As usual in the heat, we spent all afternoon at the beach, hiding in the shade and cooling off in the water. (Good thing! Little did we know this was our last day at the sea).

Monday (7/4). Rather than deliver the package on Friday, the mail carrier just left a note telling Peter to go get it himself. Which meant we all had to meet at the Post Office on Monday. On a whim, Sharon went into the Post Office before Peter arrived. Thirty seconds later she came out with our package. So much for secure post! Would have been nice to save Peter a trip, but we’re glad he came. We ended up having a pleasant chat. He was born and raised in Kraljevica, but now lives in Poland with his Polish wife. He also cycle tours and sea kayaks. We have lots in common, so it would have been nice to hang with him a bit. Unfortunately it didn’t fit into any of our schedules.

Armed with local knowledge from Peter, we rode into Rejika straight to the train station. Peter suggested getting to Goritzia, Italy to start our tour of Slovenia. The ticket agent did some checking and communicated that we couldn’t get there from here – but we could get close – and YOU NEED TO GET ON THAT TRAIN RIGHT NOW! IT LEAVES IN TWO MINUTES! So we did! And it did! And here’s the fun part – we had no idea where the train was headed! After lots of pointing, grunting, puzzled looks, etc. – we figured out that we were, in fact, going to Lubjlana…the opposite direction from Goritzia. If we went to Lubljana however, we could change trains, take a long, convoluted journey north, then southwest to eventually arrive near Goritzia. Or, we could leave the train before Lubjlana and bike the short distance from Postojna to Goritzia. Well duh!

With that decided, for the remainder of our our train ride we chatted with two girls sharing our compartment. They had just graduated from high school in Germany. Armed with Eurail passes and backpacks, they were traveling Europe for a month. Fairly common here, that seems unheard of in the States.

Postojna was filled with pleasant surprises. The massive cave system we’d read about was actually right here in Postojna. We were pleasantly surprised to find a tasty Chinese restaurant, which was a welcome change from our normal fare. Postojna is also home to a unique boarding school known as the Secondary School of Forestry and Woodworking. During the summer months this school’s dormitory functions as a hostel with a very cool vibe.

Tuesday (7/5). Postojna cave was first discovered in 1818 and almost immediately opened for tourists. Understandable! It is so large that visitors ride an electric train through the cave for over a mile before getting out to walk. In spite of its size, seemingly every square inch is covered with fascinating mineral deposits and formations. We suffered a little sticker shock, but ultimately were glad we stopped.

We left Postojna midday and had our first taste of cycling in Slovenia. Every cyclist we met who had spent time in Slovenia raved about its beauty. They weren’t exaggerating! It is every bit as lovely as we’d been led to believe. In fact, when we dream about cycling, we dream about cycling through places like this.

We had visions of riding to Goritzia today. The weather had a different vision of how the day should go. We found shelter as one thunderstorm rolled over. We made it as far as Crnice when the second big storm of the day caught us. Weather radar showed massive cells covering the entire region. We retreated to the sole guest house in town. What a treat. We were graciously received by the host, whose family happens to be third generation wine makers. She happily shared the fruits of their labor. Simply the best wine I’ve ever had! Since their wine is only made and sold in this region of Slovenia, a happy memory is all I’ll be able to take with me.

Wednesday (7/6). Today confirmed our first impressions of Slovenia. We enjoyed some of the best cycling of the trip. Bucolic countryside. Charming villages. Excellent roads. Dedicated bike paths. Drivers who are almost embarrassingly gracious. Stunning mountains. Crystal rivers. Lush forests. Wonderful people. This trip just keeps getting better and better.

Our route today took us west to Nova Gorica, with a slight detour into sister city Goritzia so we could say we cycled in Italy. Then it was north along the Soca River into the Julian Alps, named in antiquity for Julius Caesar. Again, this day had everything that makes cycling great.

Our day ended at a campground in Tolmin where we met Rik from the Netherlands. He and some friends had planned a holiday in Croatia…so he decided to ride rather than fly. Why not? After a sticky morning spent climbing into the Alps, we enjoyed cooling off in the local stream, watching the Tour and Tennis on the camps two big screen TV’s, and talking life with Rik.

Thursday (7/7). Today…Tolmin to Bovec. Just “Wow!” We dove deeper into the heart of the Julian Alps following the Soca River. We arrived in Bovec and found a quaint village that is an adventure sport hot spot. We set up at a local campground and while sheltering from another massive rain, we quickly decided to spend tomorrow off the bikes exploring this area.

Friday (7/8). These mountains caused an itch that needed to be scratched. We forked over some euros for a gondola ride 5,500 vertical feet up to the top of the local ski area. Being at eye level with the surrounding sea of peaks was worth the price of admission. Eventually the wind chill sent Sharon down. I headed a bit higher and eventually stood atop Prestreljenik. I was impressed by a) the ragged peaks stretching off in every direction, and b) the fact that this remote location was actually a battlefield in WWI. It beggars belief!

Saturday (7/9). We wanted to head north from Bovec and had two options. An Austrian couple I met on the mountain yesterday said. “The Soca River valley is the most beautifullest place. You must go that way.” Can’t argue with such high praise! I’m glad we didn’t. We stopped repeatedly to take in the beauty. We also stopped repeatedly during our five thousand vertical feet of climbing. It was definitely a day of superlatives. The mountains. Both the difficulty and reward of tackling Vrsic Pass.. The number of cyclists and motorcyclists joining us on the climb and descent. And finally, our amazing camp along the Sava River. Slovenia brought its “A” game today! Well played Slovenia.

Prior to Slovenia, week after week of sticky mid 90′ was sucking the life and joy from us and from the trip. Slovenia has literally been a breath of fresh air. We were beginning to look forward to being done with the ride just to be done with the heat. We are both feeling reinvigorated. Thank you Slovenia. We are very much looking forward to seeing what else we can discover in this magical place.

OTRA – Across the Pond #18

On July 3, 2022July 3, 2022 By KBGearDaveIn Biking Stuff, On the Road2 Comments

Croatia (Days 104 – 110)

Sunday (6/26). Today is day 104 of our trip. That officially makes this our longest trip ever. One day longer than last summer’s AK-Western states trip. I find it surprising that three and a half months can pass by so quickly, and the month we have left seems like such little time.

I mentioned in the last post that we both had been feeling unwell. Given recent history, somehow neither of us considered a certain possibility until suddenly it dawned on me.. Wait a minute! You don’t think…?

Courtesy of Darth Covid – the evil Sick Lord, we now face several days of isolation and enforced rest. Since we don’t feel great anyway, this is no big deal. Pro? Zadar looks like a cool town in which to spend a few days. Con? We are limited to what we can see of Zadar from our bedroom window. Pro? We have a good view. All day long and into the evening people congregate and wander through the square below us. Kids play soccer there, using a church built in 1175ad as a backstop. Quite excellent people watching.

Monday (6/27).

Tuesday (6/28).

Wednesday (6/29).

We’ve done our time! Apart from some residual fatigue, we are now symptom free and free to roam. We used that freedom to hop a ferry and enjoy some fresh air on our faces. We arrived on the island of Krk at the hottest part of the day. Fresh off bed rest, it seemed like a safety issue to avoid hills and heat! So, we prudently found shade next to the water. I sat there with Sharon, we sat there, we two. And I said, ‘I’m so glad we have nothing to do. Too hot to go out and too hot to play ball. We should sit by the beach and do nothing at all.’ And that’s what we did.

Thursday (6/30). To reunite Sharon with her wallet, Anna sent it to Peter, a Warmshower host in Kraljevica, about eighteen miles from our current location. We know Anna sent it Tuesday. We don’t know when it will arrive. Which raises the question posed by The Clash, “Should I stay or should I go?” Should we stay put and wait to hear that it arrived? Should we go with the hope that it will arrive? We decided to go…toward Kraljevik and see the island in baby steps. Next stop? Seven miles to Vrbnik. Good idea. Good because Vrbnik is a beautiful city. Good because Vrbnik is only seven miles away, and apparently not having symptoms is not the same as being fully recovered. The climb to Vrbnik purt’ near killed us. Also good because we found a shady cave next to the beach where we could enjoy the day, and recover from our massive seven mile ride.

Friday (July 1). A new month! The Tour de France kicks off! All our Canadian friends get to celebrate Canada Day! And we, well we got to wander far off of Krk’s beaten paths. We wandered past tiny secluded beaches tucked in amongst the rugged shore line. We once again escaped the afternoon’s worst heat at a shady beach. We scored more good pizza. And finally, Sharon found us a gem of a camp site. Our Croatian “Beach Holiday” bike tour continues.

Saturday (7/2). Word on the street is that the package did not arrive yesterday. That means we need to remain in the area until Monday at least. So, again decision time. Should we stay where we are near Cizici, hang at the beach all day and camp again? Not a bad option. Should we explore some more of Krk, cross to the mainland and see what Kraljevica is all about? Maybe. No easy answers, no bad choices. Finally just to make a decision, we chose to head toward the mainland.

Along the way we met two young south bound cyclists. Like many others we’ve met, they set out on this multi month trip with almost no previous cycle touring experience. Carol and Hannah are heading south to Greece. End of August they will ferry to Italy and continue their ride from there. Ambitious! Always fun expanding our circle of friends and fellow explorers.

Our crossing from Krk to the mainland was mostly uneventful. Given that we had to negotiate bumper to bumper traffic across a massive bridge, with no shoulder, bike lane or pedestrian walkway – I’d say mostly uneventful is a win. Kraljevica was also mostly uneventful. It is a pleasant enough town. Let’s just say though, it does not seem to be overrun by tourists.

During his dictatorship of Yugoslavia, Josip Broz “Tito” regularly lived and the traveled the world in luxury aboard the ship “Galeb”. Apparently he was slightly more ‘equal’ than his communist brothers and sisters. This ship is currently berthed at Kraljevica’s shipyard undergoing restoration. When finished, it will be anchored at Rejika and will serve as both museum and hotel. It is quite a sight.

In 2017, local boy Bruno Kurolt died in an automobile accident. In memory of the young man, his family organized what has become a major soccer tournament. It is 5v5 on an enclosed concrete pitch about the size of a basketball court. Intense action, energetic crowds, and some crazy good ball skills were all on display.

This has been a unique week. It is the first time either of us has been sick in over two and a half years! Given that it was covid that felled us, the fall wasn’t too bad thanks no doubt to vaccines and boosters. It very well may be our lowest mileage week ever, having traveled just over thirty miles. While very different than our norm, it was still an enjoyable week. We watched shows, read, researched and relaxed. Being forced to slow down is not always bad. Having said that we are both excited to learn that this prolonged heat may break this coming week. We are excited to feel better and move on to new and different places. I believe the next week will look very different than this past week. Let’s hope anyway. Until then…STC!

OTRA – Across the Pond #17

On June 26, 2022November 10, 2022 By KBGearDaveIn Biking Stuff, On the Road3 Comments

Croatia (Days 97 – 103)

Sunday (6/19). Today we joined the throngs of tourists being shown around Old Town Dubrovnik. The majority were there to see the sites where “Game of Thrones” scenes had been filmed. We settled for just learning some history. As always, the ancient kind was fascinating, but the most compelling history took place 30 -ish years ago. As Yugoslavia broke apart, Croatia voted for independence. The remnant of Yugoslavia and Serbia weren’t having it, and war followed. As part of that war, the Serbian military shelled Old Town Dubrovnik. It served no military purpose other than to kill civilians and destroy their homes. Our tour guide lived through that horror and shared his story. From a vantage point overlooking the city, you can see a few buildings that still have yellow roof tiles dating back centuries. By far, the majority of houses and buildings are sporting new red tiles. These were donated by France and were used to repair damage from the war.

Left: New red tiles. Right: Old yellow tiles. Notice all the red!

Monday (6/20). Dubrovnik was turning out to be such an intriguing city that we extended our stay. First order of business – purchase ferry tickets and make sure our bikes can come along. Check and check. Next up – spend the day at a beach. Check. Finally, soak up the ambience of Old Town with an evening stroll. Big check. Interesting side note: the fortifications here are truly one of the more impressive features of the city. Through skillful diplomacy (and bribery) the walls never had to repel an attacker. And when in 1808 Napoleon showed up with his army on one side of town, and the Russians on the other, the city leaders threw open the gates to Napoleon. Lesser of two evils, they figured.

Tuesday (6/21). We said good-bye to Dubrovnik and boarded our ferry to Mljet. No real plan other than to arrive late morning, ride the island and find a place to camp. When Mljet came into view, it was if plans to build a second island were canceled and all the extra material had been piled onto Mljet. Biking here looked to be a challenge. It was. By chance we happened to meet Anne and Marcillen just before leaving the ferry terminal. We appeared to have traveled almost the same route through Turkey and beyond, but somehow never crossed paths. They were catching a ferry after having spent several days on Mljet. We parted with hopes of meeting again.

As is often the case when biking is difficult, it is also amazing. As we left Sobra and ascended the spine of the island, to the left we looked out over the Adriatic, to the right a mainland peninsula, and all around at Mljet itself. The scenery and lack of traffic made it all so worth while. Practically melting by days end though, we made our way to Camp Lovor near the little village of Kozarica. After securing a site, we immediately made our way to the beach for a cooling dip and shade.

Wednesday (6/22). Anna shared a shortcut to take us back to the main road. What a delightful way to start the day – sneaking past three large hills.

Clearly the island of Mljet is no secret in the tourist world. Dozens of sailboats, yachts, and small cruise ships ply these waters. I found out that one ship drops off its forty passengers on a different island or port every day to roam on e-bikes. I believe my loathing was entirely justified as they effortlessly zipped uphill past us.

At the top of one such hill, we met three young ladies (Julia, Lucia, Elodie) who, like us, were cycling under their own power. Their two month ride was also their first ever bike tour. I am so impressed by the people who set off on ambitious journeys like theirs with little or no experience. Happily we met up later on the ferry to Split and traded stories and plans. They were heading inland to see some of Croatia’s famous natural wonders. We decided to enjoy more of the coast. One never knows when our paths may cross again. If not, “Bon voyage et bon chance!”

Thursday (6/23). Our next goal is the city of Zadar, roughly 100 miles up the coast. It’s primary attraction is that ferries from there serve the northern islands. With our early start, we arrived at Rogoznica by early afternoon. Somehow, many of these harbor cities manage to be tourist magnets and yet maintain an old world charm. The harbor at Rogoznica was filled to overflowing with yachts and charter sailboats. The usual shops and restaurants line the harbor, seeking to pry some cash from all these travelers. And yet at a small beach nearby, a fireman lounged in a hammock. Local boys acted like fools to impress local girls. (didn’t seem to work). Mothers talked while keeping tabs on naked toddlers playing at water’s edge. Old men sat and smoked, and one could imagine, traded stories of how life was when they were young. And on this day, two tired cyclists from far away, swam, sat in the shade, and watched life go by. Ad I said, charming.

Friday (6/24). If asked to explain why we travel by bicycle, I would probably point to a day like this. We cycled on a lightly traveled coastal road. At every village we would exit the main road and cycle through town, usually along the beach. Occasionally we took a quick dip in the ocean to cool off. Other times we sat in the shade, enjoying a snack and watching people going about their business. Yes, it was hot, but not unbearable. Yes, there were hills – but we also enjoyed the inevitable gravity assist. After our usual 40+ miles we arrived at Pirovac. Later that evening we joined the throngs strolling the seashore promenade. We watched some seriously competitive bocce players. We enjoyed some live music in the city square. This was a day featuring everything you could ask of a bike tour.

Saturday (6/25). I felt tired yesterday, but we did ride over forty miles, and it was hot. Nah! That wasn’t it. During the night, I dreamt I was sick. Guess what? I woke up with a head ache and sore throat! How weird is that? Still it didn’t seem serious, so off we went on yet another pleasant day of coastal riding. Especially after we hopped a ferry to an island off the coast. Once there, traffic was non-existent along tiny seaside lanes. Perfection. Another ferry dropped us off in Zadar.

By the time we arrived at our Airbnb, I was cooked. Whatever bug bit me, bit hard. So rather than sight see Old Town Zadar, I ended a wonderful week, sound asleep at 4:30 in the afternoon. Which, all things considered, is not a bad way to end any week.

With time beginning to wind down on our trip, we’re starting to feel a bit of FOMO (fear of missing out). Crazy right? No sympathy from the working class! “Dave and Sharon only have a month left. Boo hoo!” I get it. But here’s the thing: we could easily spend the rest of our time just in Croatia. But all the other cyclist we’ve met have said, “You HAVE to see Slovenia.” OK. We’re in. But what about Austria? The Alps? Vienna? The Czech Republic? Prague? And we’re so close to Italy. The point is…we’re having great difficulty deciding what to see next. Or more to the point…what places are we not going to see?

Special Mention! During our time on the island of Mljet, Sharon left her wallet at a lunch stop just hours before we caught the ferry to Split. Somehow the restaurant guy figured out that we stayed at Camp Lovor (15 miles away). He contacted Anna who reached out to us, literally as we were trying to figure out where we might have left it. Anna’s daughter drove to pick up the wallet. They offered to drive somewhere else on the island to mail it ahead of us. THANK YOU Anna! Thank you Anna’s daughter! Thank you restaurant guy! There are so many ways this could have turned out differently. Can’t say enough good things about Anna and all the folks there.

OTRA – Across the Pond #16

On June 19, 2022June 19, 2022 By KBGearDaveIn Biking Stuff, On the Road2 Comments

Albania/Montenegro/Croatia (Days 90-96)

Sunday (6/12). We have a pretty short list of requirements for a “perfect” day of riding.

1) Downhill. All day if possible
2) Good weather. Definitely not too hot.
3) Beautiful scenery.
4. Interesting interaction with locals.
5) A nice campsite next to water.
6) Tasty, inexpensive food. (nice, but not critical)

So let’s see. Check. Check. Check. Check. Check, and check! Twenty-five miles mostly downhill from Valbone to the ferry on Komani reservoir. After a brief patch of rain, perfect weather. Unbelievable scenery all day. For two hours on the ferry we chatted with U.S. born Daniela. Daniela’s grandmother and mother emigrated to the States when her mom was fifteen. Daniela was visiting Albanian family with Grandma. She was very knowledgeable about all things Albania and graciously shared. Very interesting. We were also treated to a group of mostly young people singing and dancing traditional Albanian music and dances. We found it fascinating that so many young people have embraced these traditions. After the ferry, on the way to our perfect camp site next to another reservoir, we stopped for a delicious and inexpensive meal. I guess we just had ourselves a perfect day.

Downhill, beautiful, and good weather. Three checks.

Monday (6/13). OK. Right out of the gate we knew Monday was not going to be a perfect day. In spite of an early start…it was hot! Plus, first thing on our plate was a steep climb on something we’d be generous in calling a road. OK, so not perfect – but still an experience we will cherish.

We started the day with no real plan. As the mercury soared Sharon did some math. “You know,” she said, “it’s only 40 more kilometers into Montenegro and a beach!” We had already covered thirty miles, but with the Orb of Death melting my brain, that sounded like a brilliant idea. So fifty-four miles after we left the mountains of Albania, we arrived at a small beach community in Montenegro. Katia welcomed us into her cozy little campground just steps from the Adriatic Sea. First time this trip we’ve paid to stay in an actual campground. It was delightful!

Tuesday (6/14). Today we pretended we were on holiday, rather than a sweat soaked suffer-fest. OK, that’s really not how we think of our trip. Well, except maybe when we’re soaked with sweat, suffering up some stupidly steep and/or long hill/mountain. But not today! Today was a day to lounge on…lounge chairs of all things. A day to swim, to read books, to enjoy some choice people watching. (No body image issues here!). It was a day to meet folks in our campground. First was Marcelle and Marianne. She being of Greek descent, they have run a Greek restaurant in their home in Belgium. As we sat on the beach watching the sun sink into the Adriatic, we played ‘compare’ and ‘contrast’ with M & M. Always interesting to hear about similarities and differences of life elsewhere in the world. We also chatted mit Erich und Frau. He was fascinated with our trip. We were interested in their extensive travel history. They’d visited a very different Turkey twenty years ago, and many times since. They always found it enchanting. This was a very good day.

Wednesday (6/15). Montenegro is filled to overflowing with rugged mountains. When these rugged mountains spill into the sea, they create an intimidating roller-coaster road along the coast. Lovely to look out, challenging to ride.

Given the intimidating road situation, we lowered our expectations just a bit. We set out for Petrovac and Perazica Do a short distance up the coast. Petrovac was typically touristic, in large part because the bay and waterfront here are beyond stunning. Which of course means every square inch is devoted to housing and extracting money from…people like us, I suppose.

Mid-afternoon we followed an interesting pathway around a headland and through three long tunnels to arrive at Perazica Do. Not really a ‘town’, this community had an weird ghost town vibe. Towering over the beach stands a massive abandoned concrete structure – Hotel As. At one point, this was the crown jewel of state owned resorts in former Yugoslavia. It had however, like its owner, fallen into disrepair. In 2001 the Montenegro government sold the neglected property in an illegal sweetheart deal to some Russians and well connected Montenegro insiders. Massive amounts of money changed hands, people got rich, and some initial concrete work was done. The rich, having gotten richer, moved on. The empty hulk remains.

We briefly contemplated camping in the deserted penthouse suite, but opted instead for something closer to the water. Probably one of our more interesting camp sites.

Thursday (6/16). Recently the heat and humidity have reached the ‘oppressive’ level on the Dave and Sharon ‘whinge about the weather’ scale.’ Our 6:30 start to beat the heat was only moderately successful. Turns out the heat is an even earlier riser. Sneaky bastard! One positive consequence of the early start was that by 1pm we’d notched a respectably forty miles and were enjoying a shaded lounge chair on a Herceg Novi beach. (It’s a safety issue).

We also used the time to plan some next steps. We thought we wanted to wander up the coast. After dealing with the heat and the intense traffic associated with intensely touristic areas, we’re now having second thoughts. By evening’s end we had some solid ideas.

Friday (6/17). After a pleasant afternoon yesterday we thought, let’s spend another day here. Maybe we could check out Old Town. I know it seems like we’ve had lots of down time, but that has been intentional. One of our goals has been to not constantly move from point A to point B. Instead, wander around and spend time exploring point A. Pull up a lounge chair and relax at point B if the mood strikes. The mood struck!

Saturday (6/18). Five miles up, we were treated to this sight.

By the standards of other Balkan travelers we’ve met, Croatia gets dismissed as too touristy and too expensive. We were prepared to similarly dismiss Croatia. After one day here, I can say that it is definitely popular. But I guess that happens to places that are charming, and historic, and beautiful. We rather enjoyed meeting other cyclists at a 15th century monastery, and riding through a lush valley and vineyards tucked between dramatic mountains. Even though the mountain road was crazy busy, the view of the Adriatic far below made it worth while. And yes, historic Old Town Dubrovnik is over run with tourists…I am reminded of the t-shirt that said, “You aren’t stuck in traffic – you are traffic.” Yep! That’s us.

We can also say that Croatia is more expensive than other Balkan countries. Which means that in this very popular, beautiful place things cost about what you would expect to pay in just about any town, anywhere in the U.S. And in massively touristy areas like Old Town Dubrovnik, maybe even less than similar touristy areas in the U.S. – with one important difference. There is no place like this in the U.S.

Three countries in one week. Countries that all share dramatic beauty and tragic history. All inviting in unique ways. We are looking forward to getting acquainted with just this one country. Until next week – be well and STC!

OTRA – Across the Pond #15

On June 12, 2022June 12, 2022 By KBGearDaveIn Biking Stuff, On the Road1 Comment

Kosovo/Albania ( Day 83 – 89)

Sunday (6/5). Before arriving in Prizren our plan had been to stay one night and move on. Then we saw Prizren! It deserved more than the few hours we were prepared to give it, so we spent an extra day in town. Running errands, exploring more of this ancient city, and relaxing indoors out of the heat.

Monday (6/6). Throughout the day, Kosovar friendliness was once again on full display. On the way out of town we made a quick stop to check the map. Almost immediately Dimi came out and asked if we needed anything. This led to a longer conversation, which of course led to us being given an ice cream for the road. During a rest stop I entered a small market. The clerk asked “tourist?” When I answered “yes” he refused to let me pay. A few minutes later, we had a Google translate conversation with two locals. As we prepared to leave, they insisted on giving us drinks to take along. These, and so many other, goodwill gestures are offered with such sincerity the only possible response is with our equally sincere, hand on the heart “Thank You!!“

We spent the day riding on beautiful country roads, dodging thunderstorms and following some interesting routes offered up by our mapping apps. After a particularly nasty storm caught us, we were sloshing along pondering the unpleasant prospect of putting up our tent in a driving rain. Out of nowhere we chanced upon a lovely restaurant/hotel. A hot shower and warm meal wasn’t a hard sell.

Tuesday (6/7). We normally get excited about entering a new country, but leaving Kosovo was a sad day. In our short time here, we’ve grown to love the people of this country. Again today, at lunch, a gentleman asked where we were from. When he heard “America“, he smiled, put his hand on his heart and said, “God bless America! God bless America! Safe travels.” To that I say, “Thank you! And God bless the people of Kosovo!”

We had heard many good things about Albania. Our first day did not disappoint. From the border we rolled mostly downhill through mountainous terrain. Just before the town of Bajram Curri we stopped on the bank of the Valbone River to camp for the night. We briefly enjoyed the company of a herd of goats, a fisherman, and a family cooling off in the river. After that blissful solitude and the sound of rushing water.

Wednesday (6/8). Noah, the Brit living in France, cycling to Istanbul said the scenery around Bajram Curri was out of this world! Good call Noah. We arrived in Bajram Curri, got new sims, cash and breakfast, and left on a low gear slog to the end of Valbone Valley National Park. Not even riding through a gully washer dampened our excitement. This place is amazing. Near the end of our 3,000 foot climb, the clouds parted enough to reveal just how amazing. Unfortunately the weather will dictate how much we get to see. As if to emphasize that point, the skies opened and lightning struck a transformer, knocking out power to the whole community.

Thursday (6/9). Much to our surprise we woke to blue skies. Determined to firmly seize this weather window, we ate and immediately set out to tackle a nearby climb. And climb we did. Two thousand feet nearly straight up. At least it was hot and sticky – and so worth it. Apparently this trail is part of a transnational backpacking / hiking trail known as “The Peaks of the Balkans” trail. We met a father/daughter duo backpacking the route. Sounds and looks incredible. (More details here: http://www.peaksofthebalkans.com/ ) We soaked in the views from our high point… until the first rumble of thunder. We made a hasty retreat to our guest house just as another storm unleashed. That led to a long, lazy, wet afternoon. Our host apologized for the power still being out by bringing two glasses of home made rakija. It was a good day!

Friday (6/10). Rest day. ‘Nuf said. We did learn some interesting bits from our host. One of eight children, he was born and raised in Valbone. His parents survived life under the psychopathic dictator Enver Hoxha. During his rule somewhere between 175,000 and 750,000 machine gun bunkers were built…in seemingly random locations. Paranoid much? They are still visible here in the valley and all over the country. Because Valbone is close to a border, during the Hoxha era 2,000 soldiers were stationed here. Our host said that a soldier would be posted every 25 meters. (Probably more to keep people in than to prevent an outside attack). Hoxha was a true communist believer who cut ties with both Russia and China for not being communist enough. He had as many as 25,000 people killed for not supporting his vision of communist paradise. This while he lived in a private compound filled with every western luxury imaginable. The Albanian people have had to work hard to overcome Hoxha’s “legacy.”

Saturday (6/11). Turns out, our last full day in Valbone Valley was the official start of the tourist season here. This special occasion was marked by traditional music and dancing as part of the festivities. When the dancing ended and politicians started droning, we rode and hiked to the end of the Valley. No matter how much we stand and stare, we just never get tired of the views.

Thus ends another week. In the morning we leave Valbone with only a vague idea of what comes next…as usual. We are pretty stoked to find out. Until then…STC!

Seizing the Carp!

Category: On the Road

Life Behind Bars – #7

Like this:

Life Behind Bars – #6

Like this:

Life Behind Bars #5

Like this:

Life Behind Bars #4

Like this:

Life Behind Bars – #3

Like this:

Life Behind Bars – #2

Like this:

Life Behind Bars – #1

Like this:

OTRA – Across the Pond #22

Like this:

OTRA – Across the Pond #21

Like this:

OTRA – Across the Pond #20

Like this:

OTRA – Across the Pond #19

Like this:

OTRA – Across the Pond #18

Like this:

OTRA – Across the Pond #17

Like this:

OTRA – Across the Pond #16

Like this:

OTRA – Across the Pond #15

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this: