Category: Greece 🇬🇷

A stella prebirthday, chicken, cake, candles, singing, meal at O Stefanos on the beach. As always Polivious and all the guys did us proud.

I had packed my bike with only a couple of last minute items to put it. My bikes setup has been pretty much the same for 3 or 4 years and it suits me fine.

I left home at just after 6am great that Simon, Sheryl, Becca and ‘1 Scoop’ Robbie were left at the house to finish their holiday, making my leaving easier.

But just a few seconds after leaving as the bike is bouncing over a few ruts I hear a harsh scraping sound my front bag is bouncing on my front wheel.

I tried to hold the bag up throughout the 30 minute ride but the damage already done a hole in the bottom of this once was 100% waterproof bag that I store my most important documents, electronics, must never get wet stuff. I know a piece of innertube and some superglue will fix it but….. grrrrrrrrrrr.

I have had to do a make shift system to hold the bag up. I will ride a shorter route today and make use of the early stop to endeavour to fix this situation.

I am on my way north. Through Greece to Albania, Montenegro, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Slovenia then into Italy. If time allows I will take an excursion up Monte Zoncolon I hear it’s a breeze. Then on to Tuscany to ride the spectacular Tuscany Trail.

Garmin just so you know………

Garmin took me on a merry roundabout of mountains and many turnbacks, a bit of hike a bike, it was exhausting. But eventually I made my way to Milos camping in Eretria. I have rewritten the route hoping it is better from tomorrow.

Readjusted my bar bag and put a sort of failsafe system for the valuables bag to stop it hitting the tyre. Tomorrow and subsequent days will tell me how good my system is.

I have decided to change my plan and get back to Greece. The rellies are turning up at the end of next month snd I have work to do on the house and rooms.

The tour de France is fantastic. So organising myself to get a watch the Giro d’Italia was great and I could hardly contain my excitement.

I loitering and did a bit of sightseeing in the town I was staying in just so beautiful.

Then at what I thought was an appropriate time to set to my selected spot, half way up the Montagna Grande di Viggiano about 20kms away.

The ride flat until Viggiano then it rose steeply this is when I met some difficulties, the road was closed and although the let me through official cars and police were starting to hammer up the road so I too the wimps way out and stopped. I was the only person there for a long time but a few more turned up.

The expenitence of watching a grand tour is so spectacular. The cars, the motorbikes, the vans, the support crews and of course the lead riders passing faster than the blink of an eye. Then the peloton legs pumping like pistons in a steam train, even the tailenders, so powerful.  Oh oh oh such a magnificent sight.

Bugger video won’t upload.

Spinoso is a small town. It’s in the middle of no where. The town square has a small bar modern looking in comparison to the old surrounding buildings. Swallows rotate around the square, it’s a bit like heaven.

The bar serves coffee, no-one would be seen dead with an americano I have migrated to the espresso.

The room last night was great. It was a kids room converted into a hotel room. The bathroom was great and newly finished but the shower gel was the most delicious I have ever smelt. I would Ho back solely for that.

I am one hour out or sync so I was up early but got out at about 8 breakfast slowed me down.

Today was a fantastic ride scenery to die for undulating hilly not steep but taxing enough. I stopped regularly for coffee, pizza, sandwich. And so good to be able to buy fizzy water everywhere in litre bottles. Early on I passed a Greek ruin. I was happily taking some photos and 2 other, Italian, cyclists turned up, no pictures of them though.

Yes that’s a field of artichokes

I know, I know I said I was going back to Skyros but the Giro was beckoning, what can I do.

Onto the ferry at about 11pm I charges into the no cabin area and sorted out a space to lie in twice as big as the others. On a few people were there I thought I was in luck. But just before leaving the room had an influx of other passengers shouting and walking up an down the Isles. I find it incredibly that people do not understand that others don’t want to hear them grrrrrr.

But I slept quite well snd at 9am the next morning we arrived and I rode out into glorious sunshine in Brindisi. The customs stopped me but they seemed only interested in how old I am and if I was married.

I got lost getting out of Brindisi and wasted maybe half sn hour riding in circles, partly my fault and partly Garmins. But eventually I got riding. Three route was flat. I was on the service road next to the motorway most of the way. This is part of the Appia Way built by the Romans to shunt troops about, it stretches from Rome to Brindisi.

I stopped at a bike shop with an old guy polishing a steel bike and asked if I could borrow a pump. As usual nether of us could speak the others language but the friendly exchange we had brought joy to my heart. Welcome to Italy.

I had selected a route with a campsite. Unfortunately when I arrived I discovered it was closed. I phoned a selection of other campsites but all were closed. I broke like a twig and got a room. So lazy.

What can do I am helpless to resist. Practically guaranteed to have pizza again tonight.

Packing my stuff up from the hotel in Agios Gordios feeling a little down.

But with travel in prospect then that blue mood should not last too long.

My goal today is Ipsos camping. Put up the tent, dump most of my luggage bags then ride to the highest point in Corfu.

The center of the island is undulating but not too tough. But the climb out of Agios Gordios was tough. The plan came together perfectly. The campsite although closed allowed me in to camp for the night. Tent duely put up and I set off its about 12kms straight up and my Komoot route took me away from the tarmac road snd up some very steep concrete and gravel climbs. The summit completed I had spied some gravel roads going down from the top. They looked perfect but big chunky stones threw the bike around. I descended slowly brakes full on and despite the spectacular views I arrived back at the campsite a bit disappointed.

I went to sleep to the dalset tones of heavy metal and roaring moped/car engines a stark contrast to the quiet of Agios Gordios. What can I do that’s camping, I should have brought ear plugs.

I have no pressure to get to the mainland ferry. So an easy breakfast.

Then cruise down to the ferry.

The world is my oyster.

The campsite spot was great. Flat and I would have had great sleep if I hadn’t had a massive greek coffee at 12.30pm. Also to my surprise being away from the sea there was very little condensation and I wasn’t cold.

The sun brightened my tent and I ate some halva swigged some water and was up and moving by 7.30ish. I had a plan.

Once again it was up to start with.i stupidly had tried to anslyse how high, how far etc. This is never a good thing. Just accept and do what is in front. But the views were great and the riding, because I was fresh served pretty ok. But I did seem to be climbing for a long time. Eventually there is that wow moment when you reach the final slope

Down down down twisting and turning, gravel and rocks all, off road. Komoots description of gravel is pretty loose. I was spat put onto a road 3 guys were sitting on a veranda. I asked if it was a cafe and a Greek coffee soon arrived. They thought I was stark raving mad. From…..? to…..? 😲

Something happened I must have missed a turn but I believe the Garmin rerouted me before I looked so I followed the purple line up into some hills onto what Komoot said was a road but it was an off road track, it went on and on and I’ve got to say I got pretty tired there was a great deal of walking, I just could not keep pedalling and maybe just a little bit of anger. Despite thinking I was on the correct route it wore me down to a gibbering mess. There were quite a few head resting on the handlebars moments for a considerable amount of time.

I’m doing this multiple of mental calculations about the ferry times Igomanitsa to Corfu. 5.30 ferry… that was always pie in the sky then 8 30 but you have to be at the port an hour before. I was so scared of going off road again if that happened then all ferries would be missed. I ditched the original route and fired up the garmin route planner. That shot up a route retracing my steps back and increasing the distance from 40kms to 60kms. More anger. Eventually I followed the road signs. I thought the ferry was actually at 8 not 8.30. I was on full stress alert and riding as fast as I could. I’m pretty sure it wasn’t that fast as I’d already completed 7 hours riding. Much to my surprise I arrived 90 mins early and enough time for a giros and a litre of orange juice. 90 mins on the boat was a rest 😀

But destination reached and 10 days of relaxation ready for the return journey.

OK yesterdays blog was a bit of a dirge. But today by contrast was special.

Yesterday’s short day was well organised. I had been recommended that Karpenissi was a good town to stop so I booked a hotel arrived at about 12 despite the 3pm check-in time. I had a good lunch, I had a good dinner I went to bed early and I had a good sleep.

Up with the sparrows. It never works perfectly. I bought bread, some biscuits, I stopped for coffee. 9.30 I was in my way. Up Up Up its always straight up at the start of the day. Karpenissi is about 900meters and I cruised to 1400meters.

Then the route designed in Komoot as it often does threw in a curve ball.

I got down to the bridge probably 90mins of walking. The slope the other side was so steep I had another 20 mins walking.

I’m currently camped up ready to see the sea tomorrow.

My tent pitch selection had been rushed and as a consequence was awful. I was on a slope. I’m going to blame the long grass for hiding the slope angle but really it was incompetence. As I was at a higher elevation I anticipated a colder night. I took off my dank sweaty cycling cloths and hung them up (ready to be worn the next day) on the makeshift clothesline in the tent. Then put on my merino base layer top and bottom, long sleeved shirt and puffer jacket then my long trousers (over the top of the long johns) and 2 pairs of socks. I am so rueing the day I decided to leave my sleeping bag at home because of bulk. I’m lying feeling slimy from 3 days cycling, damp coming in from outside and a chill setting in. My feet and toes are like blocks of ice. I fear to rub them in an attempt to warm then for fear of bringing back the terrible chilblains I suffered all winter.

I sleep minimally waking frequently shivering. I really have nothing else to put on. So I lie and read my book waiting for dawn. At 5 I can see the outside brightening through the tent. Still I wait, finally at about 7 I muster the to move. Quickly removing all my sleep clothes snd putting on the cycling gear, rubbing my body hard to warm up. Still the sun has not hit me in the valley. Packing fast and out the tent dew covers everything soaking the tent, bike all the bags. I have learnt to always close every bag at night. My fingers frozen as I do up the buckles and fastenings. I have the packing down to a tee. Usually from horizontal to cycling takes an hour.

Bouncing down the dirt track from my camp spot and onto the road. No towns, no coffee I am suffering big time intermittently rays of sunshine at through the trees and warm my skin.

Pushing on I finally find a cafe that’s open, before 10am way too early for most.

Reaching the top of the pass. I knew I was nearly there. The road snakes down hairpin after hairpin. None of your smooth tarmac here, potholes, broken road sides, adverse cambers, collapsing road into sink holes, its a mine field of descending. Unpredictability is my friend it makes the ride much more interesting.

The road stretches out straight as a die to the town but as always the last 5 kms Komoot likes to throw in a turn. As I rode the gravel track past a house 5 dogs come out and surround me. Stopping I stood still the noise is deafening teeth are bared each dog curling its body as if ready to pounce. Still I didn’t move if I made a step the dogs intensified. The owner came out an old woman shouting and stamping her foot. It made no difference, I stepped away again growling, barking, fear in my face. She seemes to say it was OK, I really didn’t believe her. But eventually the once macho man sulked off 20 meters I found the courage to ride away.