Did I say something about a big day?
Well…today was one! Martin’s first triple-tonner…and his second longest ride ever! Straight through the mountains of the north Peloponnese…which rise up to around 2,500m. (Think of the mountains of Scotland…which peak at around 1,300m….!!)
We started the day with a sort-of target to get to Levida…but with the climbing involved…we were not confident! If Mr Google had been 50% wrong (as happens so often!) it would have been impossible! And knowing that Levida was just 20 minutes drive away from a 2,000m ski resort…..that sort of error was quite possible! (Yup….skiing in Southern Greece…who knew?).
Regular readers of this madness might have noticed the lack of any reference to battery-stress! And there really has been none! The new bike is performing well…and all batteries are performing as they should! But today…we were not so sure….so yes…we did top up during our coffee and lunch stops!
Anyway…we set off with an open mind. Very flat for the first 20kms or so…but Google sent us off-road…and down some tricky tracks…crossing over a newly built but not yet open highway! So it was a slow beginning to a long day! And took us about an hour to cover just 15km!
We found the road again….! And then it was just a glorious ride!
Climbing to nearly 900m…
…with views of snowy mountains (Mount Kyllini, I think!) in the distance.
Through beautiful ‘alpine’ villages…
….listening to the bell-clonking goats echoing around the valley…
Just lovely!
Except for the dogs!! Not a good dog day today. Not sure what it is…but Greek dogs…hate bikes! And it can get a bit hairy….packs of dogs chasing you down the road. They never really get close enough to bite…but you never know!! Funnily enough…this year…in Albania…famous for terrifying dogs (and cause to get a rabies shot before my first visit!!)…was no problem at all! I am sure if you jumped off the bike…they would be ready for a cuddle…but….but…..the teeth and aggressive barking are not conducive to anything but…cycle for your life!!
And then a long steady descent to around 400m….
…..before a steady climb back up to Levida, sitting at around 850m.
It is cool here!! That is an understatement! It is cold here! ……funny…in that Uk is roasting right now! 27+ degrees..! And here we are in southern Greece…and the temperature is just 13 degrees…and dropping! Hahaha!
To be honest though…it has been perfect for biking! And the days through the Ionian islands etc were just the perfect temperature! At this altitude however…yup…it is a bit cool! And my biking jacket was on for most of the day! (..not all of it though!). And for the whole trip thus far there has not been an evening without the need for that jacket after the sun has gone down!!
So to Levida…a sweet mountain town….where we found a magnificent apartment….great views from the balcony:
Beers in a bar with outside heaters then a great meal at this wonderful family taverna. (…you know the sort where Granny does not leave the till all night!). All about the charcoal-grilled meats. Pork..lamb…chicken.
Delicious. And we both ate too much. And then…when we had paid the bill…a huge portion of apples and cake arrived! Typical Greek hospitality!
We waddled home.
