Thursday, July 10, 2008

August 13 Izola SLOVENIA to Vranja CROATIA 115 K / 72 Miles




















Today was one of those days. It was very cool to be in Slovenia and then Croatia. But I began the day on the coast and therefore the tourist traffic. On top of this Slovenia has a minimalist approach to oad signs. They don't bother with numbers. Then the maps turned out to be miserable. There were times the road turned to gravel. So I turn around because it was not passable. I'd ask directions and they would tell me to take a road, a paved road, that was not on the map. I would head backwards turn onto a road that was not on the map, and Voila, I was okay. But this added miles and slowed me considerbly. Next thing, about 2:00 P.M. I notice it is getting hotter than h-e-double L. It became deathly hot. The hottest of the entire tour so far. There were many, many, steep climbs. I did stop in some nifty villages; Korte Slovenia, Sterna, Oprtalj, and Vrh Croatia. I was crossing the Istrian Peninsula in August, cruising past wine vineyards and not much else, and it was H-O-T. When I reached the border between the two countries I faced my first border crossing check-point. Leaving Slovenia they looked at my passport and stamped it. A few hundred meters later I just showed my passport and was in Croatia. The line of traffic coming from Croatia was very long. Lots of Italian tourists I am told.

1 comment:

  1. Hi Brother Mike,
    Good to hear from you, even though you are far from home, we were worried as we haven't heard from you in a while. Go for it man, as you are doing, live each day as if it were your last here on earth. Then we really begin living. Thanks for thinking of us and keeping us informed, we are praying for your lungs..wow love you, Tom and Laurie.

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