There’s a reason why the Dalmatian Coast has become a biking mecca. It’s one lovely ancient town after another, all very accessible by quiet roads and frequent ferries. Our first stop along the coast was at the well-known port city of Split. Originally a Greek then a Roman city, it gained the rare prize of nominal independence by bribing both the Venetians and the Byzantines on an annual basis. Through this practical arrangement they were able to thrive as a vibrant port city, and their impressive architecture, with its many palaces, attests to the wealth they attained.
The invasion of the Poway Bike Club into the ancient city of Split
Our bike group numbered 16 people, of which 10 were e-bikes. The first days on the road were quite chaotic as we all learned to ride as a group and navigate the obstacles (mostly each other).
Our route involved 3 ferries over 3 days
A key improvement was when Dennis bought walkie talkies so he could communicate with Matt Doyle, our designated “clean up biker” who kept an eye on the stragglers, fixed flat tires and dropped chains and made sure we all arrived safely. Happily, there was not a single accident or injury!
Dennis found stunning routes which took our group 240 miles, from Krka National Park to Dubrovnik
Exploring the hills above Trpanj…
Our last stop with our friends was the beautiful old fortress town of Dubrovnik, most recently famous as the setting for Game of Thrones. What was once a thriving city with a long checkered history of conquerors has now been reduced to a Disneyland-esque city inhabited only by souvenir shops (many focused on GOT themed items) and ice cream stores. A guide explained that once the cruise ships arrived, the local economy collapsed because the cruise people don’t spend any money except on souvenirs and ice cream. The locals can no longer afford to live there so they’ve retreated to the modern city outside the walls. The city makes a lot of money from the cruise ships, but the people do not. Thus while stunning, the city felt deserted and soulless, even when thronged by tourists.
At night the city streets become calm
We were so excited to see Kotor, Montenegro. Imagine our dismay when we arrived to find 3 huge cruise ships and a similarly beautiful yet soulless city inhabited primarily by tourists.
Our final days in Montenegro were a mix of natural beauty and terrifying roads. The day we climbed out of Kotor was one stunning vista after another but whenever we had to connect with busier roads, it was a white knuckle ride. The drivers are not interested in the safety of bicyclists. In fact, our hotel host asked us incredulously if we’d seen any other bikers on the road. We had not. Montenegrins are very different from the rest of the populace we’d interacted with - far more influenced by their socialist past and their Turkish conquerors than the rest of Central Europe. They don’t seem to appreciate the beauty of their land, as evidenced by the preponderance of trash left on their public lands. The contrast between Bosnia and Montenegro, both equally poor and evolving countries, is stark. Bosnia is actually the poorer country, yet it is a clean and proud country with gentle kind people. Montenegro, not so much.
An old Russian-built road that’s been replaced with a modern highway. Perfect for bikers!
Technology is a key component of our success on these trips. My job every day upon arrival was to plug all of our gadgets in so they’d be ready the next day (missing here our 2 phones and a Garmin device). My job every morning was to remember to pack the cables and converters! Second most important items after passports…
We had the most unbelievable weather these past 6 weeks. One day of rain and the rest was sun and high 70s/low 80s, allowing us to eat outside every night but 2. And the day after we left, the seasonal rains began. So lucky!!
Wonderful to catch up on your wanderings and glad to know it was a great, safe trip! Love, Julie
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing your wanderings. Liefs, Bert
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