A Couple of Days Ride Outta…….

Daily Stats

Distance ridden: 135kms

Elevation gained: 835m

Time taken: 5hours 36 mind

Accumuulatine Kms: 614kms

Daily Disasters: Zero.

I woke at 4.30, after a about 10 mibs of trying to get back to sellp and failing I started to get up. I had a little fruit for breakfast. And was on the road just after 6am  I had to lift my bike over the front gate.

I stopped for coffee and a croissant at a petrol stop at about 7.

At first the road was left turn right turn just s series of turns and I was getting a bit bored. But eventually I got onto a long straight road, not particularly less boring.

Of the few hills one of them I was down in tge drops, very unusual for me. This reduces my ahead vision and i missed a massive pothole. Luckily I rose up and jumped to clear the hole and much to my surprise I landed safely on the other side.

I eventually stopped in a town more coffee and cake. I got some fruit and went into a bakery and bought some of these nuggets of gorgeousness. Packets of pastry wrapped round sliced olives, oh heaven.

Then I jumped back on and span the legs. The road was being eaten up. I knew my campsite was just after I meet the coast again. My Garmin was showing just the map and I started to feel a little tired, checked Komoot and I only had 10kms left I span that inno time. Of course the campsite I had earmarked was closed, but 5kms down the road was another one.

The road is due to go up a bit tomorrow.  So I found a washing machine to properly wash my clothes. I’m not particularly good at hand washing.

Once again feel free to follow my dots. https://share.garmin.com/acoupleofdaysrideoutta

Today Stats

Distance Ridden 83kms

Elevation: 190m that really is flat

Time riding: 3hrs 40 mins

Accumulated distance: 479kms

Disasters today: Zero

The 1 hour time difference is great. I’m up early and it feels like it’s late.

Leaving the campsite I searched for a coffee stop. And as I swung into the cafe. Karl was sitting there. So we enjoyed a coffee together. He had broken another spoke and was waiting for a bike shop to open.

I scooted off in search of pastry and sweetness and found a bakery that had small pie things, with unknown fillings and a couple of rolls. I stuffed them in my pockets for later.

Once again the road is flat and pretty uneventful. The towns are frequent and unfortunately a bit nondescript. Stopping for coffee and sat and ate my pies that were delicious, the chocolate ones were just too sweet.

Then I was sitting relaxing in the shade and noticed the campsite I was hoping to stay in was only 13kms away. When I got to it the guy told me he had only been open 3 days and there was no resturant or shop. He guided me to the next door site that when I arrived it was heaving, and very pleasant.   I looked at the time and it was only 12.15. That really is an early stop.

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I had talked to Karl for a good while and we were joined by 2 Greek guys who said they were part of the 1000mods stage crew driving their gear to Frankfurt.

As per usual I missed my turn and had to ride with the trucks put of Bari port. But this put us onto a cycle track north out of town, that took me onto a main road.  Deciding there must be something better than the main road I took a right turn towards the sea. Of course there was a coast road all the way north.

25 kms, a coffee, a bakery delight, later and a long conversation with a French cycle tourist I saw a camp site swung in and pitched up.

I had minimal sleep last night snd thought a very early stop today would do me some favours.

I got out my Komoot route designer. And readjusted my route. I had designed 2 but I was not satisfied with either.  And the new route is away from the flat coastal road and into the mountains. Campsites are hard to find in the mountains but I have weaved a route getting to a few 🤞🤞here’s hoping it all works out.

Follow the dots for my route. https://share.garmin.com/acoupleofdaysrideoutta

The guy in the next tent woke me at 5.30 coughing, spluttering and hoiking. I got up.

My Dyneema bags, I always double bag clothes/sleeping stuff than need to be dry,  are hanging close to my front wheel. One touch and that would ba a hole right through. I put in this crisp bag barrier and hope

I have no idea what Komoot is thinking. I’m riding along the old national road practically zero traffic when suddenly the route takes me off the road into a maze of small roads and turns in a town (going nowhere near a cafe) then 2kms later spits me out onto the original road 🤦.

I rode fast today. The road is flat with minimal undulations. The sea to my right and mountains to my left. It’s a great road. But I have done it many times before so I just concentrate on getting to Patras.

I bought a ticket to Bari. The only person this is relevant to is Shpend who I’m supposed to ge meeting in Seville. If I’m late he’ll have to start without me.

Currently on the boat trying to sleep but worrying about my bike in the hold. Karl from Austria, wlso on a bije, and I shared frustration as we had to take our bags off the bike for them to be xrayed. They confiscated my knife, to be returned in Bari.

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Stats of the day

Distance travelled: 95kms

Meters of elevation:  313m

Time riding: 4hours

Accumulated kms: 277kms

Budget: again way over

Daily Disasters: 1. Waited 30 mins for gate to open, 2. A truck drove so close I dropped the C bomb at full volume,

Oh the joy of a good night’s sleep. I awoke at 6.30 had a little breakfast of doughnuts and yoghurt, packed my stuff up, said goodbye to the Swiss cyclists. Got to the entrance it’s locked, and the second entrance is locked. Grrrrrrrrr. I waited. 30 mins. 🤷‍♂️

A guy shouted the road was closed, of course arrogant cyclist ignored him. The bollard blocked road i sidled through, luckily. I rode down the concrete drainage channel for 200m and bumped into the road I wanted to be on.

Many roads here (like most countries) have had utilities put in after the road has been laid. But they dig a 10cm wide trench and put in the cable/pipe, whatever, then backfill. Usually there are 2 or 3 like tram lines. Often with a little lip just to cause fear when traversing them.

Komoot always takes cyclists, well me at least, to this bridge

As you can see from my photo it is temporarily closed, but it is serviced by a minor road, possible the most uninspiring crossing of the Korinthian canal ever. But really we want to be guided to this

I know it’s spectacular. 😲

But it is serviced by a bigger road and lots of these

My road was flat but with the beautiful bay of Korinth on my right I enjoyed every moment.

My Open bike is light, about 8.5kgs. My baggage is possibly 10kgs lighter than previous recent trips. I have got my saddle into a position where my ass isn’t killing me constantly.  I better be careful I’ll be enjoying myself soon. 😃

I have sort of got into the habit of stopping quite early. I like getting my tent set up washing my cycling clothes and knowing they’ll be dry in the morning. I have stayed at  https://www.akrata-beach-camping.gr/index.php/en/home before and so when I saw it come up on the map I went in like a rat up a drainpipe.

I wven went for a swim 😀

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Today’s Stats

Distance Ridden: 91kms

Meters of elevation: 1028m

Time riding: 4hrs 38mins

Daily Disasters: 1. One hour in the road went gravel 2. Way over budget already

Don’t forget to follow my dots. https://share.garmin.com/acoupleofdaysrideoutta

Camping Nea Makri is such a friendly campsite and open all year, hoping to get back there in September or October. 

Last night I had organised to meet Panagiotis whom I know from Skyros.  So good catching up with friends.

Travelling without kitchen stuff makes the travelling a little more complicated and a lot more expensive. I had fruit for breakfast. Packed my stuff up that takes about a leisurely hour, then on the road.

I knew today’s ride went straight up from the sea, at 9am on a Saturday in Greece the roads are quiet. This one snaking its way up the views over Marathon bay were great, no pictures despite stopping for coffee half way up.

Pine trees either side of the road and the smell of resin in the air. I reached what I thought was the top the road started to plunge down, a right turn coming up and…

At first I was hesitant but, in for a penny in for a pound,  I set off. The next hour I saw no-one except for this tortoise 🐢 but the route had such astounding beauty the thought of my tyres ripping off my rims disappeared from my mind.

Eventually I came to a cemetery dedicated to soldiers who died in the second World War.

Then back on the road the temperature was escalating snd I was suffering. I passed through Kiffisia on the outskirts of Athens.  I popped into a bike shop to get my seat post collar looked at, it took longer than anticipated.

I said I was going to Korinthos today, but, as is common for me I severely wilt in the afternoon and when I saw Camping Glaros 5kms there was only one thing gonna happen. I swung a left and signed in. A Swiss couple cycled in just after me, they are on a long tour.

Daily Stats

80.85kgs My Weight

102.75kgs Bike and me

21.9kgs Bike weight

Distance Ridden 91.03kms

Meters ascent 835m

Time moving 3hrs 52 Mins

Disasters: 1. Forgot spare derailleur hanger went back to get it 2. Tried a little gravel track and fell off 3. Didn’t take picture of Panagiotis and self.

I have successfully, I believe, got a link my tracker. Each day that I remember to turn it on it will send up a do marking where I have ridden. https://share.garmin.com/acoupleofdaysrideoutta

I woke at 5am did a bit of washing and left to dry.

There is always a lot to do when closing up the house. But I think I have sorted it.

I left at 6.50 got 10 mins down the Road snd remembered my spare derailleur hanger. Turned round and retrieved it.

As usual I left easily enough time to get to Linaria, buy s Mpougatsa and catch the boat. Buying the ticket last night was s stroke of genius. 

Bart was already on the boat. We seldom get bije tourists on the island and we spent the ehole time regaining our adventures

I like to play a game, I try to get off the boat as quickly as possible and race the but to Stomio. Its just under 10kms. To my surprise I beat it by some margin.

A combination of a lighter bike and less baggage made the ride today wizz past.

As always a warm welcome from Stavros at Camping Nea Makri. I had enough time to sort myself out, shower and get ready to meet Panagiotis.  It’s always a pleasure.  I was put In Afrodite, my favourite Camping Bay.