Towards the Black Sea
By ferry then by train : Split - Ferrara
1 August 2019
I take the ferry from Split, direction Ancona. I took a bed in a cabin and actually I have the cabin to myself. I don’t necessarily sleep very well: the machines make noise and at night the ferry goes very slowly to arrive in the morning... and the air coming from the ventilation one has the impression that it is the air from the chimney... In any case, it hurts your throat....
Then in Ancona I take a train to Ferrara and pay the small bicycle supplement. Besides, it seems that in Italy (…)
Makarska - Split
30 July 2019
Last stop in Croatia, on the way to Split where I will take the ferry to Ancona.
The road is hilly but in a very bearable way. I make the detour to Baska Voda and Brela but these cities are cute without any more, no real character....
Arriving at the top of the first slope, before going down towards the Cetina river a very strong headwind worries me a little. But the wind dies down as soon as you go down into the valley. Below we walk along the river without seeing it, but we see the (…)
Neum - Makarska
28 July 2019
Departure before 8am from Neum. No coffee at the hotel, I take it in the first coffee on the way out, but so I saved a little time...
The wind is from the Southeast so it’s favourable most of the time. Depending on the curves I sometimes have it too much on the side or in front. But most of the time it pushes me! That’s probably why I’m doing the 90 km and the different slopes without too many difficulties.
From Drvenik I often drive in the rain, it becomes less pleasant. Put on the (…)
Slano - Neum, Bosnia and Herzegovina
27 July 2019
Short step today, I take the opportunity to make a detour to Ston, where the longest wall in Europe is located, the second after the Great Wall of China! All proportionally kept... this one is 5 km long and was originally 7 km long.
No control to enter Bosnia, but the line to enter Croatia is long...
I don’t know why I was advised to come to Neum. Maybe for Ston precisely and because it is 40 km from Mostar... which is worth the detour but which I will not see this time. In any case (…)
Ivanica - Dubrovnik - Slano
26 July 2019
Following the misadventure of the day before, I have to leave Ivanica by bus. I get on the globtur bus at the border at 9:15.... 25 minutes later we arrive at the queue which lies on the Croatian post.... It’s not moving.
Suddenly I realized that I had switched to Bosnia’s mobile network and I received an orange message informing me of their (prohibitive) rates. Good thing I disabled the mobile data. I still have some credit left I switch to my IPKO card but the announced 4G is very (…)
Cavtat - Ivanica - Dubrovnik
25 July 2019
The day had started well. A short trip of about twenty kilometres to reach my accommodation, which is about twelve kilometres from Dubrovnik, on the Bosnian border. It is necessary to climb to 350 meters but we have a magnificent view of the coast. I then go to Dubrovnik, a dozen kilometers with a lot of traffic, but it’s fine. I tie my bike up and start walking. I’m going a little randomly to try to understand what this city is like. I eat pizza in a restaurant and then I go to the new port (…)
Kotor - Cavtat, Croatie
24 July 2019
The morning colours are better for photography, the landscapes less crushed by the heat mist. Some surprising details like these round nets: for fishing or shellfish farming? I’m going to the ferry that’s going to take me to the other side. Impressive there is no bridge but the 4 boats that make the round trips are full to bursting. They leave the door barely raised and almost as soon as they hit the platform the cars go down.
A closer look at the opening of inland inlets to the Adriatic (…)
Podgorica - Kotor
23 July 2019
Early morning departure from Podgorica. At 8:30 it’s already hot.
As soon as we get out of town, it starts to rise. It goes up regularly at the beginning one bump after another... and each new bump brings a little higher. It is still necessary to reach 1065m by starting from 45m.
I stop for my usual doping at Centinje, halfway and halfway up the altitude, and this time I have the pleasure of having a real orange pressed! And my big coffee is an excellent Turkish coffee.
250m higher still (…)
Shkoder - Podgorica, Montenegro
22 July 2019
Leaving Shkodër I am fascinated by the number of bicycles. It is a convenient means of transport for everyone here.
On the road I pass a cyclist and we start the conversation. In fact, we had met the day before in Shkodër and she had recognized me. As I didn’t have any luggage she thought I was a local cyclist. I tell her that yes I am a local European cyclist ^^ She, she is Chinese from Hong Kong. She left Hong Kong two years ago. We’ll have coffee together and then we’ll separate.
It (…)
Fushe-Arrez - Shkoder
21 July 2019
A pleasant route with essentially two climbs followed by two beautiful descents.
I start the first climb (about 400m) early enough and the second around 11am and at 12:30pm I’m down and I start at ... a restaurant!!!
Previously, after the first climb, I made a slight detour to go through the centre of Puke and take a small dose of doping: coffee and peach juice! Here in Albania they systematically bring a glass of water with coffee, or lunch.
I arrive in Shkodër early enough to have (…)