Average Speed: 15.9 km/hr (9.5 mph- crawling along)
Distance Cycled Today: 125 km (76 Miles)
Distance Cycled Total: 2865 km (1778 Miles)
Mood: Refreshed
In other words, I didn't need an alarm clock this morning to get my butt in gear. Normally, it's difficult for me to pick my head off of the rancid laundry bag that I use for a pillow (if you think it sounds disgusting to sleep on a pile of unwashed cycling clothes after a week in a heat wave, take it from me: it is).
Once we were partially down our first Major Descent of the day, we realized it would be epic, and stopped to strap on some GoPro gear.
It took Jamie no less than 20 minutes to do this.
I was ready in seconds.
Worth it, though.
Check it out if you want... side-by-side footage:
I'm glad we chose the route that we chose. We could've been on the coast all along, but I think it's important to tour the spots that tourists avoid, and we still found a way to do that while managing our way to the beauty that attracts all of the cruise ships. Don't matter if a bad day or two is involved. That's part of the experience. If you head out on a long distance bicycle tour and expect every day to be fantastic, then you will be highly disappointed.
Of celebrating our somewhat ridiculous 10 km ride through Bosnia in order to get back to Croatia (I'm assuming that 10 km allowance for Bosnia was some kind of deal so that it's not a landlocked country... Based on the tourism in the tiny stretch, Bosnia made out great).
Nothing gets me moving in the morning like a sudden thunder and lightening storm. According to Weather.com, it wasn't supposed to hit until the afternoon, so I trusted that, and I didn't bother trying to stake my tent's rainfly into the rock hard ground.
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| The disc brakes won... as they should. |
Couple that with the intense five-mile climb that started the day and the loss of my beloved earbuds (they got caught up in my disc brakes), and I had a heart-sinking feeling that today was going to be a repeat of yesterday.
But I was way wrong.
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| Look, Ma! No hands! Me enjoying a downhill in Croatia. |
We did nearly as much climbing as yesterday, but we were rewarded time and time again, and that makes all the difference. Heart-pounding climbs led to heart-pounding descents. Busy roads turned to country roads, winding their way through quiet vineyards. And the rain stopped, but cooling clouds kept the sun at bay.
Once we were partially down our first Major Descent of the day, we realized it would be epic, and stopped to strap on some GoPro gear.
It took Jamie no less than 20 minutes to do this.
I was ready in seconds.
Worth it, though.
Check it out if you want... side-by-side footage:
Perhaps most importantly dilapidated buildings gave way to the spectacular coastline of Croatia.
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| What you can't see is just how blue this water is... |
Every day is hard, even the perfect days. And every day is wondrous, even the shitty days.
Speaking of our route, today I was doing the Sunday NYT crossword puzzle at lunch (I know that last sentence sounds weird... wait for it...). I was hung up for a bit on the clue for 10-Down: Dalmation, e.g.
I needed every crossing word in order to fill it in, and finally came up with CROAT as an answer. "Croat," I thought, "...must be some sort of scientific genus name I've never heard of..."
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| Supporting the European mustard industry, one tube at a time. |
After a few sandwiches we'd thrown together (yes, I bought some more mustard... in a squeeze tube this time), we head out again, and when Jamie randomly asked "Hey Jim... are Dalmatians from Croatia?" one kilometer later, I hit the brakes quick.
"What?"
"Dalmatians... the dog breed... are they Croatian?"
He'd seen a sign welcoming us to the Dalmatian Coast.
CROAT. Croatian. The home of the Dalmatian. I mean, I'm right here. Right in the clue's referenced area. And Jamie knew it before I did.
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| Dalmatians = Croats |
It's times like these that make you feel like an absolute idiot.
I wonder if anyone in the Disney think-tank ever posed the idea of naming that Cruella de Vil movie 101 Croatians.
I think I'd prefer that title. My knowledge base would be wider for sure,
More climbs, more descents, and an increase in dangerous traffic (though we could care less at this point).
It was a day of laughter. Of stupid pun-offs. Of attempts at artistic photos. Of work. Of thrills.
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| Welcome to your next 5 minutes! |
We'd briefly considered the idea of taking the long cycle route that just opened in Bosnia, but we opted against it for a few reasons:
1) Our phones probably wouldn't work there. And if you can't Crush some Candy when you're touring on a bicycle, then bicycle touring ain't for you.
2) Land mines. According to an article we'd read, there are over 120,000 active land mines in Bosnia, and that is part of the reason it took so long to get the bicycle path approved. In a recent review of the path, one journalist noted that he and his cycling group used a six-foot long branch to sweep their camping area for undetonated death traps before determining it safe. They learned this technique in a survivalist course. I didn't take that course. And even if I did, I guarantee I'd find that land mine while in search of the six-foot branch.
3) Part of the trail is currently on fire. It's already hot enough.
I'm fine with the way we chose. My bike probably doesn't deserve a Bosnia sticker for its frame, but I'm okay with that.
We didn't make our 100-mile ride to Dubrovnik as we'd originally planned- we could've without a doubt- but we opted for setting up camp before dark.
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| CHEERS FOR THE BEER, AMANDA TULLOS! |
That leaves us with a short 20-mile ride to our end goal.
At least it's the end goal for Jamie.
I think I'll keep riding solo for a bit.
How does Athens sound? Italy perhaps?
Open for suggestion.
No plan.
And that's been working great so far.
P.S.
The World's Most Awkward Urinal Situtuation
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| Think about it... |
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