On the road to Lastovo, overlooking Zaklopatica, which looks like a really lovely port town. It always amazes me that we bike that whole elevation from the sea.
We’re half way through our two-week bike trip and, as Mark already noted, the days have a distinct regularity. Get up, have breakfast, bike from sea level to the top of some hill, bike back to sea level. Usually a swim or two somewhere in there, often while the boat just anchors at sea, which can be fabulous.
One change that we’ve made is that Mark & I typically figure out the route on our Google Maps and head off on our own before the rest of the group. That gives us the chance to bike on our own – with Mark on his e-bike far in front – and avoid the regular stops to regroup and all that. Big improvement.
We started Day Five on the island of Lastovo, one of the smaller inhabited Adriatic islands in Croatia. It’s also further out in the Adriatic than most islands so during the years of the Cold War Yugoslavia used it pretty much exclusively as a key military base barred to foreign nationals; even Yugoslavs were discouraged from coming to the island. As a result the island suffered economic stagnation and depopulation. It’s been reopened now for some 30 years, but it still has the feel of a place that time has kind of passed by. Which actually makes for some pretty good biking as the 18 miles we did across the island saw little traffic but some great vistas.
Our boat, the Romantica, tied up to a little pier in Lastovo
After the ride, over lunch, we sailed to the island of Korčula, one of Croatia’s premier tourist islands. The next morning we set off on a serious ride, by far the most difficult so far: 38 miles from west to east including not one but two big climbs. Definitely some rewarding views but I was exhausted. The good news was that there was a nice beach waiting for us at the end of the ride that included a cafè with cold beer. It may well have been the first beer I’ve had in four or five years and oh heavens was it good.
In the town of Korčula we discovered this great wine bar up a little alley with a beautiful view of the sea and a great cooling breeze. The white wine is a Grk (that’s right, no vowel) an obscure grape grown only in a small area of this island. It was honestly one of the best glasses of wine I’ve ever had.
Finally, the next morning over breakfast we cruised to the town of Prapratno on the mainland and bike on to Slano, less than 20 miles northwest of Dubrovnik. After the previous day’s 38 miles, this 17-mile ride seemed like a breeze. On the way we passed the town of Ston, which claims the second-longest stone walls in the world after the Great Wall of China. That may be true but having been to the Great Wall, well, you just shouldn’t make that comparison. It’s worth noting that the stop in Ston to see the not-as-great wall (honestly impressive but not a Great Wall) was our third stop of the day after just four kilometers. From there Mark & I took off on our own again.
From here it’s down to Dubrovnik for a rest day before we head back up the coast for week two.
Our friends Ethyl, Molly, and Chrissy enjoying Korčula
There are a lot of views like this
And this
Occasionally we find ourselves on tiny roads surrounded by vineyards
Mark took this shot of me biking away from Ston
Mark getting ready to enjoy a great seafood for two appetizer in Korčula
And me at the same dinner. Normally we have dinner onboard but in this case we had a free night in the city. Mark did the research to find a great restaurant, and with a reservation we scored this perfect table right on the sea.
One last shot of Korčula. There’s a reason it’s one of Croatia’s top tourist destinations and a place I could easily imagine coming back for a few days.