Grey, wind, gloom. Goce joined us to the Greek border before we continued along the straight, flat road into the headwind. It was totally uninspiring and we had to push ourselves (me especially) to get some kilometres done.
It is amazing the difference the weather makes. It didn’t rain, but it was cold with a fairly strong headwind. The grey skies and mood made the farmland landscape unenergizing.
Still, we did enter a new country – Greece.
We stopped in a small village and were allowed to camp on the lawns in front of a church. A storm will be cooked up shortly.
It is a different feeling cycling in a grey, overcast, cold landscape. Sleeping in and eating is more appealing than cycling. We made our way to Bitola and called it a day. We had a lovely evening with Goce – our warm shower host in Bitola. Greece tomorrow.
The summer infrastructure of our resort also felt grey in the cloudy skies.
We crossed some plains, and then climbed over a pass of over 1100m before dropping into Bitola.
A lovely evening chatting and eating with Goce and his father. We had ijvar – a secret Macedonian fondue. Yummy.
It was Mr. Harris, with the inner tent in the bedroom. Staying in the Cluedo murder mystery, back to the 70s lake resort, James and I reminisce the fantasmogorical day cycling around and then up over the stunning Lake Ohrid.
Drahtesel preparing herself for the climb
I don’t know where to start. Pictures tell more than 1048 words. We pfaffed around at the beautiful camping spot overlooking Lake Ohrid, watching the sunrise, and listening to our stomachs advising us to eat a hamburger for breakfast.
Sunrise at our campsite on Lake Ohrid
A quick stop-off at Viagra Beach before pigging out in Ohrid town.
Viagra Beach
Ohrid town
Pigging out in Ohrid
Ohrid town
Ohrid town
And then the most glorious amazing climb up to 1600m in the soft, orange evening sun, with a view to die for over Lake Ohrid. Man, this ride was amazing.
Spot James
Some curves in the road
I’m the king of the world!
Approaching the summit
The summit
The view the other side
With darkness approaching, we scooted down the mountain. Our first choice of lodgings was in an abandoned hotel on the lake shore. After a minor incident with a dog, where my loud screaming finally scared away the growling, teeth-bearing dog, we opted to continue down the road along the lake in the dark. We are staying in a luxurious resort from the 70s, ideal for an Agatha Christie novel. It was Dr. Harris, with the inner-tent in the bedroom.
The murder weapon
James leaving the scene of the crime – the bedroom
Welcome to Macedonia, and hello again, James. In Macedonia the roads are smoother and built such they are less steep although the landscape is the same. A walk in the park as I cruised along a gorgeous valley in the sun to Lake Ohrid where I joined forces with James again.
Our tents on Lake Ohrid
James had described it, and it was true. Everything changed at the border. It is probably mostly in the mind, but, I too, felt more relaxed. Everything felt more orderly, better built, and more relaxed.
I passed a few milestones. Firstly, country number 13.
Country number 12. Macedonia
Then 4000km with a nice view out over a lake.
The 4000km mark
While cruising along the road through the valley, nestled between steep, high mountains, I could only try to compare and determine what is different. Why is it so easy cycling here? Why is the road less steep? Well, the road didn’t suddenly drop to cross every little stream, but rather there were some (slightly) longer bridges. The road was also cut into the mountain more, meaning that not every bump needed to be traversed. Whatever it was, I zoomed along and was chatting to James at lunch. I put my tent up next to his with a view out over Lake Ohrid, and we spent hours sharing stories and making plans going forward.
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