Mick + bike vs Europe

It's been a month since my last written post, so with access to a computer I've made this into a real post by adding pictures relevant to each location. Captions too! My phone does have its limitations after all. Thank me later.

Pula to Veli Losinj & Mali Losinj

Was glad to get out of Pula, despite having to backtrack. Took my first of many ferries to the island of Cres; a 10km climb straight off the ferry got the legs nicely warmed up again. The climb put me in a really good mood (seriously - endorphins doing their thing) and it was an easy cruise down to camp at Cres town (enormous campsite - restaurants and shops onsite exclusively serving the campers). I was starving and had two dinners that night - so food expenditure once again topped accommodation expenses.

Next day was a shorter ride over rolling hills along the spine of the island down to Veli Losinj. Tiny & quiet little town. Planned on a couple of days there so rode the ridge that runs the length of the island (a good workout, as was the hike/scramble down and back to one of the secluded bays on the western side of the island). My couple of days at Veli Losinj was planned around catching a once weekly ferry to Zadar. Storms were forecast... Sure enough as I was sitting down to lunch killing time before the ferry, the storm rolled through. Not so much rolled; more a bomb going off. One of the most abrupt weather changes I've ever seen brought with it 100km/h+ winds & utter chaos - I hurriedly moved inside the restaurant while the staff were moving everything inside and strapping tables down. Was amusing to see a few sailors frantically trying to do the same on their yachts. Seriously nasty storm.

I finished my food and had another drink; I wasn't going into the metaphorical bear pit until I had to. Rain gear donned and freebie 'good luck' shot consumed I set off into the storm bound for the ferry. The ticket office confirmed it was still on schedule so I found shelter until it arrived. Arrival technically didn't happen though, it arrived, turned around in the bay, and promptly left. Too dangerous to dock, due to waves & gale force winds occurring in a protected bay on the Adriatic sea. Of course.

The storm's intensity hadn't dropped, so I returned from whence I came. The 6km ride back to the hostel at Veli Losinj was the worst weather I've ever cycled in. The wind was pushing me fast enough along debris covered roads that I was basically coasting with the brakes on, and a few downed trees formed partial roadblocks. The meanders of the road around the bays meant I was cycling into the wind at times - I couldn't get over 9km/h on flat ground at those moments. Stupidly strong winds.

The worst of it cleared later that afternoon, but it was still pretty unpleasant for the next few days. The options I had were to backtrack a few days then ride down the coast or wait for the next ferry the following friday. I chose downtime and based myself in the hostel for the week until the next ferry. Reading, exploring & eating was basically how I filled in my time, quality downtime.

The next week the ferry did actually make it, and coincidentally there were six other touring cyclists catching the same boat. Two Americans, three Frenchman and another guy who chose not to join our group. We filled in the six hour trip by looking over route maps, eating and drinking a couple of beers. Seems like Istanbul is the place to cycle to from wherever you start in Europe. Three of them were going there as are a number of other cyclists I've met.

Leaving Mali Losinj

Zadar

The ferry arrived about 10:30 in an industrial area South of Zadar. No street lighting meant those with head torches led the way, directed by me as I had the only map of the town (offline maps on my phone proving their worth once again). Part way into town the first guy went off on his own, followed soon by the three Frenchman. All were on very tight budgets so they went in search of somewhere to free camp. The Americans and I found the drunken monkey hostel - no space, found the next hostel - closed for the season, found the third hostel - closed for the night. Options were limited at this point and it was nearing midnight, so we backtracked to a hotel we spotted on the ride in from the industrial area. A decent place and a three bed room set us back about EUR30 each for the night (after some haggling). The breakfast was good so it was worth it.

I stayed on for a couple more nights at a hostel in Zadar and explored the place a bit. This was the first of the cruise ship destinations I've been to. Each day at least one cruise ship docked and flooded the town with tourists. Particularly the sun disc (it's actually the whole solar system represented) and the sea organ (a series of tubes inset in steps leading to the ocean that make some strange sounds) which are Zadar's modern attractions (also directly adjacent to where the cruise ships dock).

Zadar - old ruined boat in a marina. Very out of place

Zadar's tribute to the sun/ solar disc/ tourist attraction thingy (technical term).

Krka National Park

Moving south from Zadar was my first real day of riding in over a week, the legs didn't seem to know that and clocked just shy of 100km for the day without any trouble. A tail wind most of the day may have had something to do with that, though even the last 20km heading inland uphill was fine. Krka National Park was the reason for heading inland, more waterfalls, lakes & sights similar to Plitvice. While Krka is impressive in its own right, Plitvice wins hands down for size and spectacle. You can swim at the bottom of the large waterfall at Krka (water wasn't too cold either), so it would make a good summer day trip from Zadar or Split, expect crowds though (someone's photo from peak season there).

The swimming hole

To Split, Split itself & onto Drvenik

Krka to Split was awesome riding, made brutal by wind and cold. Long straight stretches directly into strong gusty winds early on weren't great but at least the sun was out. By late morning the clouds came over and it cooled off, climbing on interesting back roads was a welcome distraction from the weather. The problem with taking little out of the way back roads is that there are no shops. Didn't see a shop for about 70km until after I'd plummeted downhill to Split's outskirts. Just an extra challenge to an already challenging day.

Lucky I got to Split when I did, the next day was constant heavy rain; so laundry and food were the order of the day. It improved the next day but still wasn't great. The following couple of days were better so got out to explore the town and walk up the hill at the end of the peninsula Split lies on. Exploring the 'basement' under the old town was cool - so much happening up above while cavernous subterranean rooms lie below. The hostel I stayed in is worth a mention for two reasons, 1) don't bother staying there, 2) it's a designer hostel - check it out at http://gollybossy.com Very odd, and the beds are really bad if you're tall and like to stretch out. It had zero atmosphere, as almost no one else was staying there. From reports I heard later it sounded like the old town hostel had a much better vibe.

Had a minor collision leaving split. I'd been forced from the road to the footpath by a bus, and soon after someone turned off the road into a driveway and didn't see me. I kind of crashed into the rear side of their car and put a nice gouge in the rear passenger side window with my handlebar. Had it been half a second later the front end of my bike would have probably gone under the back of his car. Potentially nasty accident averted by my disc brakes. Got back in my normal rhythm pretty quickly but that incident was on my mind for the rest of the day. The stunning coastal scenery made for a good distraction though. The coast very much reminded me of the Camp's Bay area near Cape Town - massive rugged mountains along the coast with tiny towns wedged in between.

Back roads

Looking back on switchback climbs before split

Split

'The basement' below Split

Roadside scenery leaving Split

Makarska

Camp near Drvenik

View from camp

On the ferry leaving Drvenik

Hvar Island

I took the ferry across to Hvar island and was greeted by more great riding to Stali Grad (where I camped in a closed campsite), and got better still on the second day (riding a small Napoleonic era road across the hilltops). Then things turned a bit once I got to Hvar town. The ferry to Korcula which I'd heard would take bicycles, doesn't actually take bicycles. Fantastic. Both hostels in town were closed for the season, as was the campsite. To top it off, the weather was starting to turn ugly. So I rode back the way I came (into the wind now) and camped the night again in the closed campsite at Stali Grad, this time in pouring rain.

Come mid morning the rain still hadn't let up, so the saturated tent got packed up and I set off into the rain. The 60km trip back to Sucuraj at the other end of Hvar island took me an hour longer than going the other direction thanks to the wind. I had a few hours to waste before the ferry back to the mainland, so in the hint of sunlight that emerged for the first time that day I managed to dry out some of my gear. It was dark by the time I got back to Drvenik on the ferry, so took the easy option and checked into the hotel in town, I really didn't feel like hunting around in the dark for somewhere to camp let alone pitching up a wet tent.

Napoleon's Road between Stali Grad & Hvar town & piled rocks

More rock piles (rather impressive given these are everywhere, are generations old & built by hand to clear space for farming)

Drvenik to Dubrovnik

More great coastal riding followed to Ploce (mostly an ugly port town), before an hour ferry hop to Trpanj. The last 10km of the day into camp at Zuljana was perhaps the best section of riding of the trip. A 5km downhill taken at 70km/h followed by a 5km stretch on a narrow, meandering coast road lined with olive groves and vineyards basking in the warm glow of the sun setting over the sea. That's what I'm doing this for. That night wasn't so great; had to break out the gastro meds for the first time on the trip. I blame the hotel's breakfast from that morning.

The ride to Dubrovnik was more of the same; great coastal riding so nothing wrong with that! Lack of food was an issue though - it was a Saturday, so by the time I was back into civilization, shops were closed for the day. When I actually saw some open I was close enough to Dubrovnik not to care, and just wanted to get there.

The hostel here has been great (Fresh Sheets Hostel). Not for the walk there (up several flights of stairs with the loaded bike) nor the facilities, (which can be described as basic at best), but for the people. Over the course of the week I've been here, there have been seven other cycle tourers stay here, plus another who was travelling minus her bike this time. It's mecca for cyclists apparently. The other travellers have been great too, and combined with the welcoming staff & the hostel owners it's been a great place to stay. The town is cool too; have been exploring via bike, foot and sea kayak. While it is rather touristy, it's not too bad at this time of year (aside from when the cruise ships turn up and deploy hundreds of people into the town).

The craziest thing to visit in Dubrovnik is Hotel Belvedere. It's been abandoned since Dubrovnik was shelled in 1991-92 and is now an enormous eerie complex prime for the brave or foolish to explore. Take a torch...