9. Rreshen to Shënmeri

What a day!! A real monster! Indeed various Google searches had confirmed that this was always going to be huge….but when we asked our host last night…he advised (correctly) an alternative longer route to the one we had planned!

Add to that….dogs!!  Now…I had been concerned about wild Albanian dogs…sufficiently concerned that for last year’s trip…I got a Rabies shot!! But last year….a few minor chases aside…they really were not too bad!! But last night…our host warned us about dogs on this section of road. Very specifically sheep dogs…who roam wild…protecting their flocks from wild wolves! Once the locals are worried…..!

So…not a great sleep to be fair…as we embarked on what google suggested might be an impossible 3,000m climb over too long a distance!! Yes…a “high-anxiety” day!!!

And talking of dogs…must before we left…I heard a big “nooooo” from Iain, only to turn round to see the family dog cocking his leg on my day pack!! (….might that make me an even more attractive target for those bloody wild dogs?)

We started early…and rode over the motorway (alas only 75km to Kukes!!)…

…..and climbed……

……and climbed….

..and it was simply magnificent……only a few dogs, but all quite friendly!!….

……..but I ran out of battery after only 27 kms!! (…only 110 to go…ffs!) as the ascent took its toll….

This was all on an empty stomach…so we pulled into a cafe at the first opportunity!! No food there either…so a packet of crisps kept us going until lunch!!

…but what goes up…must come down…and finally there ensued some glorious descents…

…..and then we followed a fast flowing river up at a more gradual grade!

It was stunning! 

Except for the constant reminder about the quality of driving here…with memorials at almost every corner! And that on a road which was wonderfully deserted!!

And the threatened rain held off…as we pulled into our “lunch” stop at around 11.30. Almost out of both batteries!!

Funny little place….but really welcoming!!

And even here….spot the million dollar car!! A Mercedes g-wagon after-market converted by Brabus! Here….in Fushe-Arrez…? Really?? It continues to be comical really!!

So..we lingered for three hours….enjoyed a couple of real Budweisers each…and waited for the batteries to recharge a bit…and try to work out how much more climbing there was before Kukes! Google has been hopeless here! Indeed…no-one has posted this as a cycle route…perhaps no-one is mad enough!! So we really had no idea how much climbing was ahead if us!!

And while here……a rant!! A repeat rant!! Bosch are electronics specialists. Shimano are bike-part specialists. And should stay 100% clear of bike batteries!! By comparison to Bosch….they are hopeless! Less grunt. Less endurance. Slower charging (even with a new “fast-charger”!)….so while Iain is cruising around on Turbo (which the Shimano does not offer)…his batteries last CONSIDERABLY longer!! And they are rated 500kw…whilst the Shimano offer 25% more at 625kw. And yet they offer nothing like the capacity of the .Bosch!!! And they are heavier!  Living is learning…so if you want to get a serious ebike…make sure it is powered by Bosch!! After 50,00kms or so…..on my three e-bikes now…I am probably a fair person to know. Perhaps Shimano will sign me up as a consultant!

Anyway…we set off again at 2.30pm…not really knowing where we might end up…..

Lots more up…and my recharged battery was suffering….but then a long stretch which followed the 900m contour which we thought might see us to Kukes (with the big descent which was bound to be coming)…But then alas…another huge valley…..we could see the road at the bottom….and the next pass at the top. 

So we swapped bikes..to share the battery management system (eco-mode!)…. made it up…..and a glorious down….only to see another monster climb ahead. And…..a village!!

With a hotel!! With beer…and food! Which looked so good…from the outside!

So we opted to stay put. Not a difficult decision…!!

Iain described the rooms as…. interesting/characterful…! Boarding hostel might be more appropriate! Thankfully we were the only ones there…with a room each! And multiple beds to choose from!! (No locks…nor even latches…!)

Leading from the subtly lit corridor…..

….at the end of which was the bathroom, with squat toilet….tap, bucket and cup!! (..and yes, we both managed to hold on until Prizren…..remembering not to push too hard up hill!!).

(But…it was a place to stay…..and thankfully we chose to stop!! For in fact the balance distance to Kukes was 40km with another 900m of climbing…which would have been impossible!…..and there was not one jot of civilisation the whole way…so who knows what we would have done!!?)

Beers were as good as ever….and the food as well. No menu…but the guy offered “chicken, salad and potatoes”….yup, two please said Iain. 

And so it was….TWO roast chickens turned up!! One each….hahahaha! Could have fed an army!

One little postscript to the day….dog worries, distance and altitude issues aside….there were a few points on the road today…in the middle of absolutely nowhere….with no cars for hours on end….that we did feel a bit vulnerable! Gear failure….an accident….who knows what we might have done! So we were riding unusually cautiously…and thankfully…no Mayday required……which might even have been misunderstood….on MayDay!! “Yes, yes….it is!!”

But….what a day! Not a record-breaker…but close! And felt much harder…probably exacerbated by a fairly high level of nervous tension! Albania does it again!