Bicycle Trip to Greece Dr. Hans-Jürgen Weber 26.04.2013 - 17.05.2013


  

Map


26.04.2013 Haiger
27.04.2013 Rückingen
28.04.2013 Würzburg
29.04.2013 Pleinfeld
30.04.2013 Taufkirchen/Vils
01.05.2013 Freilassing
02.05.2013 Tweng
03.05.2013 Villach
04.05.2013 Bovec
05.05.2013 Ilirska Bistrica
06.05.2013 Karlobag
07.05.2013 Pirovac
08.05.2013 Omis
09.05.2013 Slano
10.05.2013 Budva
11.05.2013 Shkoder
12.05.2013 Fier
13.05.2013 Himare
14.05.2013 Igoumenitsa
15.05.2013 Paleros
16.05.2013 Platanovrisi
17.05.2013 Zakynthos

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11.05.2013, 16. day, 121 / 2097 km, Shkoder

When I return from the gas station in the evening a camping neighbour invites me for a cup of tea.
They are Russians who came by plane and are doing long bicycle trips within Montenegro, about 600 km.
We talk for long time in English. At least one of them speaks English rather well.
Without having taken a shower I feel extremely uncomfortable in my sleeping bag, I wake up at 6 pm. One of the Russians is just leaving the shower where I didn't believe there was one. It even has warm water and is relatively clean. Immediately I take the shower that I wish I would have been able to take the night before
Just beside the campground is a hotel where they offer breakfast. But the waiter doesn't permit to take my bicycle with me the two steps on to the patio, so I leave the hotel and have breakfast 8 km further in the sunshine with view to Sveti Stefan.
The road goes from the coastline away up into the mountains and then down again to the sea. Partially the rocks at the sea have an altitude of more than 200 m. Then it goes 2 or 3 km heavily uphill and then the same downhill. It is more exhausting than the alpine mountain passes.
After a long incline I take a break when a group of Italian cyclists arrives. They come from Bologna via Triest, Rijeka, Split and Dubrovnik. Their baggage is transported by a van. Some of them will return from Albania via the ferry to Italy, the others want to go on to Istanbul.
They are really kind and ask about my trip.
One of the many tunnels is 300 m long and has no illumination. In the middle of the tunnel I don't see anything. It goes uphill, the dynamo gives no sufficient light with the low speed. I don't see where I go. Furthermore a truck comes from behind. I stop and push my bike close to the right margin which is covered with trash. The truck passes, and I'm glad when I can leave the tunnel.
I would like to go on on the shortest way from Bar to Albania and see several roads on the map. But on the main road there are no signs to these roads so that I can't find the shortcuts. So I go on to Ulcinj on the main road and turn then left to the north. The map tells me that I made a 15 km detour. Behind Ulcinj I see one of the shortcut roads. It is a gravel road. So I'm happy that I didn't find the shortcuts.
The road to the border is now narrow. There is little traffic. But a 6 km long road construction zone with rough gravel is very unpleasant. The dust of the cars robs me of my sight and my breath.
Finally I come to the Albanian border where 10 cars are waiting. I'm allowed to use the pedestrian lane and go through immediately.
Short after the border I meet the Italians again. I go 15 km together with them until I have to turn towards the campground. It is 6 km away, is clean and has a hot shower. English is spoken and there is internet access.
So far I have enjoyed Albania.
I'm curious how far I'll get tomorrow.

The russian camp neighbours

The beach in Becici

View back to Budva

Sveti Stefan

Breakfast with view to Sveti Stefan

Steep coast in Montenegro

The flowers are blooming everywhere

These are rather rare in this area

The grooup from Bologna

This tunnel was very dangerous

So would have been the shortcut

Why does a thistle produce such beautiful flowers?

This is the main road

Terrible road construction for 6 km with rough gravel

The Albanian border

L. i Bunes river, where the city of Shkoder is located

So far the roads in Albania are good

There are many waste dumps beside the road

A common means of transportation

Arrived at the campground