After yesterday’s fairly awful ride…I was really worried that the chaos on the road was going to continue …and didn’t sleep well at all! This is no fun!
And so….this was our ride!!
And no….no misprints there……over 200km of distance…and a new quadruple-tonner to boot!
A big….big….day!
We left early…..and the road was already busy….but quite soon after leaving Travnik….we started climbing! A long steady climb…..
…..and this hill seemed to provide the physical barrier to any extension to the industrial corridor of yesterday!
It was gorgeous riding!! Such a relief!
We had not planned where to go today…just to get as a far as we could….to try and give ourselves an extra day on the beach!
After 70km we reached Jajce…
…what a lovely, lovely place!! Another one one to add to the notebook!
….great breakfast here…….
……and fantastic waterfalls….
And then it was on again to our next stop at Kljuc…
….climbing…and descending alongside gorgeous rivers..
…and lakes…..
…and pretty villages…
…..and towns!
En route to Kljuc…we came across this sign:
I was a bit surprised….for I knew that Srpska was involved from the onset of the Bosnian war! Had they not resolved their differences. I looked ip up on Wikipedia…and here is what they said:
Republika Srpska was established in 1992 at the onset of the Bosnian Warwith the stated purpose of safeguarding the interests of the Serbs of Bosnia and Herzegovina. During the conflict, the expulsion of the majority of Croats and Bosniaks from territories controlled by Republika Srpska occurred, while the majority of Serbs were displaced or expelled from the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina to Republika Srpska. The 1995 Dayton Agreement created Republika Srpska as one of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s two constituent entities. Today, it is inhabited by the Serb population of the country.
I remain a bit surprised…so perhaps any ‘harmony’ is just skin deep…..!
Beers at Kljuc! 130kms in….and we were both knackered!
So we searched Booking for somewhere to stay….nothing! But found a very poorly reviewed ‘Motel’ on google maps…..about 40km on! We could make it!
It was a tough 40km!
And so…we pulled in to the somewhat unattractively named Bosanski Petrovac.
Motel No 9 was closed…permanently!
The alternative Stari Hotel…was not a hotel at all!
That is it….! Just beyond the wee place we stopped for more beer…to assess our options! The ‘hotelier’ had advised us to go to Bihac…50km further on…hahaha!)
Andrew looking a bit knackered. We both were!
And then I found an unlikely place…in the middle of nowhere…and it was open….and had beer…and food! BUT it was another 35km further on!! Better than 50km though!
We had about 20% battery left…plus about half an hour top up charge….from Kljuc.
Yup we agreed….let’s do it! (It was already after 6pm by now!)
Then the uphill started.
Batteries ran out…so we changed to our little back-up….and it was only a few km further on we realised we could not make it!! So onto Eco mode! Which really providers bugger all assistance at all.
It was truly exhausting. It was hot!!
Andrew….pushing hard…..
….our last stop….look at the long shadows!!
But we made it!!! And pulled in to “Hajducka Cemes” with not a little relief!!! I had prior told the guy we’d be in need of cold beers when we arrived…and before we were even off the bikes…the beers arrived!! Classic!!
We were wrecked!!!
But happy to have arrived!! Good rooms…good food…and well deserved ice cold beers!!
Phew…………
Great ride today! (…if a bit too long…!!)
Beautiful scenery & villages.
We came across The Republic of Srpska on out trip ?!
at least there was no sand!