Scheschki

The small town of Sulmona is situated high up in the Abruzzi mountains. Its most famous son is the Latin poet Ovid, whose proverbs are illuminating the streets at night in Italian and English. I cycled the CiclovaOvid which ended at a monastary of the Celestines, with a beautiful 14th century crypt.

Yesterday I had a meal at Montepagano. A small village in the Abruzzi. The cobbled streets were lined with poems on the medivial walls. Poems for peace, for the legendary Mama, and for love. I cycled on to Pescaria and then took a train to Sulmone, high up in the Abbruzzi. The birth place of Ovid.

Today I cycled the Via Verdi della costa dei Trabocchi which is a 130 km uninterrupted paved cycle-path which won the Italian Green Road Award in 2020. The whole way is infused with the scents of the Abruzzi. Mimosa, olives, pine and others. In the towns eclectic seaside villas in the liberty stile.

Italy has always been a great country for cyclists. Cycling for 50km on paved cycling tracks next to the blue sea was a great pleasure. At the beach the last swimmers mixed with others who were dressed in winter anoraks. When the sun came down the temperatures sank fast. The Abbruzzi hills in snow

Had a rough crossing over to „bella Italia“. Ancona is a bustling sea port steemed in history. And what a relief for cyclists: bike lanes, sign-posted routes and the feeling -even on busier roads- that not every approaching car from behind is a potential death threat. Okay, Croatia‘s coast is nicer.

Today I had only 35 km left to Split. Lucky me. It took me more than six hours, because I had my first close encounter with Bura, the fierce wind in the Adriatic region which blows ice-cold from the Balkan mountains. I also had a close encounter with a long snake. Probably non- venomous. Probably.

Today I spent visiting Trogir. The old town is nice enough, but a tourist rip-off. The cathedral, however, is a definite must. Part of the World Heritage it has a spectacular west portal which portrays the rich history of the area between muslim attacks, Hungarian kings, and the influence of Rome.

Das kann man wohl sagen. Bin es auch leid. Morgen wird die Adriaseite gewechselt!🚢

I was hoping the day would come late in my tour. Today, however, it had to happen. After many miles on a terrible gravel track, I had a puncture. With 20km still ahead of me, it was very welcome that two Croat men helped me to fix it, so I could continue and reach the coastal town of Trogir (60km)

I cycled on the mainland again. First on a gruesome gravel track, officially part of the Euro Velo 8. The track passed the Vransko jezero, the biggest Croatian lake and home to many birds. For the first time I also encountered a typical Balkan problem for cyclists. Straying dogs. Chased them away.

Left the city of Zadar and took the ferry to Ugljan and then cycled across the island to Pasman, the next island set up like a string of pearls. Cycling was safe today. Euro Velo Route 8 was for the first time well sign-posted. Saw many things funded by the EU from playing-grounds to modern busses.

Zadar is part of the UNESCO world heritage. Rightly so. The old town is spectacular. The seaside panorama is as well. The sea water organ which is played by waves is unique in the world. And wherelse can you find a gondoliere for 2 Euro?

Today‘s ride went through some wild part of Croatia. I cycled from Pag with the Velebit National Park in view on my left and the Adriatic sea splattered with little islands on the right. It was hot and occasionally I felt as if I was in New Mexico or Arizona. I arrived in the seaport of Zadar (60km)

Es gruselt weiter. Muss meine Kräfte einteilen.

Had a day of rest in Pag. A very nice little town on the island with the same name. I visited the salt museum. Pag was the biggest saline under Venetian control. And salt was the most valuable raw material until the industrial revolution. 10 litres of sea water make 250 grams of salt.

I have been on the islands across from the Dalmatiam mainland now for a couple of days and it sure feels different from Istria. The land is more barren, but also more spectacular. People are more nationalistic, Croatian flags everywhere and reminders of the Yugoslav civil war. Arrived in Pag on Pag.

What is it with islands? Why do they attract us so much? Is it the confined space, the feeling to have everything at hand? Or do we rather want to get away from it all? Do we like the feeling to be out of reach? I left Creš, took the ferry to Krk and another one to Rab. Tommorrow it will rain.

Today was a better day. I made the right decision and fled the coastline traffic by taking the ferry to Creš. A terrific island with spectacular views of the Adriatic sea and its islands. The traffic is less and hardly outnumbers the mountain goats. Will stay a while.

Today, I miscalculated. 80 km in Western Europe are very doable in any circumstances. Not in the Balkans. Cycling routes, sign-posted as such, turn out to be visits to a quarry or pathfinding missions on wild beaches. In the end I was 11 hours in the saddle and had to ride in complete darkness.

Today I swapped bike for a boat and shipped to Brijuni, a national park with magnificent adriatic flora and ancient remains. Yugoslavia‘s ruler Tito enjoyed the island too and held receptions here for Castro, Ho Chi Minh, Ulbricht or Queen Elizabeth. Strangely enough his legacay is mostly hidden.

Cycling down the Istrian coast at an easy pace. Pula came as a surprise to me. A real harbour town, with some great Roman remains. Beautiful amphitheatre and Augustean hall. Pleasure to watch. Only 41km, but gravel. And it is still hot!

Today I had a rest day in Rovinj. Very nice to look at, but the crowds are hard to put up with. I had hoped there would be less tourism in the second half of September, but I was wrong. If you want to meet Austrian couples or German pensioners this is the time and place to be. I will move on.

Cycling in Croatia is different. There are no cycle paths which deserve the name. Lot‘s of gravel tracks, sometimes leading nowhere. Minor roads are ok, but they do not connect . Classified roads are dangerous, because of reckless drivers, mostly locals.
Crossed the Lim Kanal and ended in Rovinj.

In former times most roads were built for a military purpose, and so were railway lines occasionally. The Parenzana railway line in Istria was stopped for a military purpose. Mussolini wanted the railway line to be deconstructed, shipped to Africa and form a new railway in the colony of Abyssinia.

After a few days of rest and sightseeing, it was back in the saddle today. I cycled around the Slovenian peninsula. They have a small but beautiful coastline. The EU has payed for terrific bike paths and even at this time of the year it is still very busy with tourists. I finished in Piran. 48 km.

Today was a day of relaxation. Swimming in the warm Adriatic sea came as a welcome change to the tight muscles after all of the alpine tour legs. Eating fresh octopus and Austrian-style Krapfen, both a defenite possobility in this crossing field of different cultures. Cleaning the bike also a must.

After roughly 1400 km I have today reached the Adriatic Sea at Triest. We took the Approach through Slovenia to escape the heavy traffic on the coastline. Slovenia seems a quite well-off country. I was the more suprised to see red flags with hammer and sickle raised in market squares. Putin‘s joy!

A walk through the twin city Nova Gorica/Goriza, EU Culture Capital 2025, was an exciting venture into history. Divided by a fence between Socialist Yugoslavia and Italy until 2004, the town is today an example of cross-cultural harmony. A place of beautiful palazzi, synagogues and mystic parks.

Yesterday‘s 18th leg was tough. Starting in Tolmin my maps had suggested a certain route on a minor road which was in fact almost impassable. However several kilometers into the track, there was no turning back. Pushing and swearing helped and I reached the Slowenian/Italian twin city of Nova Gorica

Today was a rest day on the cycle. Instead I went for a walk in the Tolmin gorge. It is the lowest point in the Triglav National park and a real beauty spot. Two mountain streams flow together and form a cascade of pool. The area is full of ferns, moss, gentian and bluebells.