18 May 2022
Three kilometers…my arse!!
That was twenty three kms of the wildest windiest conditions…made worse by precipitous drop-offs. We came across a few cyclists who had (probably sensibly) given up…and were trying to walk (not easy either…I found more speed helped!)
Memories of Laigueglia from 2019 (the windiest day of that trip, which Alan will remember well!!)….probably no more difficult, but a good deal scarier, as the gusts threatened to throw you off the cliff! With the worst sections spent clinging to the centreline – to give heaps of wiggle/wobble room! – and drivers were thankfully understanding!… but thankfully also there were not many of them!
This was the ‘mainland’ section of our island-hopping route today…and we arrived at the ferry…to find
…and these guys sail in all conditions!! A long queue of cars as the prior two ferries had been cancelled…so we raced to the front of course…and the ferry we planned on catching…left on time!!
Anyway….back to the day: three islands, three ferries and three thousand miles an hour winds!! Krk…to Rab…to Pag….three letters each too!
It was a big day!! Even if….the distance on the map today includes around 30km of ferrying!! (…but all the climbing was real…..some of which was into battery/body-draining sudden-stop gale force winds…and some of which winds carried you up hill with no effort at all!!).
So we had to be up early…with the plan to have breakfast at the ferry terminal (40 mins away from Krk town)…before our 7.45am ferry to Rab. But unless you wanted Pringles…coffee had to suffice!!
We arrived at Lopar on Rab…about ten minutes late…so we had to push on to catch our next ferry…23 kms on, which was leaving 70 minutes later!
Rab itself was not stunning..with too much development (looked like holiday houses really) and too little planning…until we reached the Southern end…when the landscape changed completely!
And that is when we suddenly felt the wind which the island had prior been protecting us from….as we caught the ferry across to the “mainland”!
Long overdue breakfast (Croatian sausages) upon arrival at the largely sheltered port…and then…the shit hit the prior-mentioned fan so to speak!!
Gorgeous scenery…..
…but!
The turning off to our next ferry was greeted with some glee ….as we dropped down to the ferry…to Pag! (was this the location of this Max Speed….?)
To be honest….I might have touched 65kmh….but…..!!
So…to Pag….or Mars….!?!?
What a weird landscape…..!!
It did change….more walls…some green….
And our 26km ride to Pag town…turned into way more…so we were well knackered…and batteries drained as we crested for the descent to Pag town itself.
A weird place…..so different from previous island towns. And again…very empty! Waiting for summer to happen! A combination of old walled marble town…and Butlins of yesteryear! Quaint…and lovely at this time of year…but I am not sure I would want to be here in summer!!
But we were delighted to arrive……to celebrate which we swam in choppy waters directly opposite our neat accommodation……pleased to have survived what was a great day….a memorable day….!
And…I should have mentioned….Martin arrived in Krk last night…..knackered…but well…and the tortuous journey worked as well as hoped.
So…raise one for his Dad (& Mum!)….
An appropriate photo……
Crikey, that re-run plus of the Laigueglia wind day does not sound pleasant at all Neil, hopefully that was a one-off for this trip!
Jeepers…that speed!!
That looks an amazing day. And good to hear that Martin is back OK.