Drauradweg!

After we completed the memorable Murradweg about six years ago it was (more then) time for a new cycling adventure. Over the years I have learned that pushing our physical limits was usually not yielding dividends; on the contrary, other aspects of the journey were pushed aside and Ana was not happy with me to say the least. For this reason, I decided to make a very easy plan with maximum 50km of cycling per day and a bigger emphasis on local culture, food, swimming, nature and most important - relaxation. The expression on Ana's face at the end of the trip in Villach (photo above) is proving the plan was accomplished.

Before entering Slovenia the Drava (Drau) river flows through south Austria for around 300 kilometers; however, not known to many, it starts its journey as a tiny stream in Italian Dolomites, very close to a town called Toblach (Dobbiaco). After Lojze and Zoja dropped us off and headed home, we started to descend towards the Austrian border and later to Lienz - a lively alpine city. We were very lightly equipped, but had all the basics we needed. We cycled for about 3 hours per day, did a lot of swimming in Drava and the nearby lakes. We also enjoyed the Austrian food, which is not very light but certainly worth the sin. After 4 days of cycling, we took the train from Villach to Ljubljana and concluded we are coming back, next time with the kids!

If you decide to plan a similar trip, see our costs and recommendations:

• Total cost for both: 400 eur
• Bed per person: 25-35 eur
• Dinner per person: 10-15 eur
• Train ticket per person + bike: 20 eur
• Must sleep cities: Lienz, Villach
• Cities less interesting: Greifenburg, Spittal
• Village for cofee/food: Lind im Drautal, Sachsenburg
• Must stop for swim: Tristacher See, Moll-Drau confluence
• Spittal: nice park, noisy, good restaurant: Mein Wirtshaus
• Villach: picturesque, shopping, train station in center, Caffe Latte bar

Biking Snežnik!

Besides being the king of south Slovenia, Snežnik (1796m) is also a very nice hiking, skiing and biking destination. Last Friday we decided to cycle straight from Ljubljana to Sviščaki, a quite resort on the footsteps of the mountain. We left Ljubljana at 16:30 in the afternoon, and were rather naive to reach our destination before darkness. Luckily, the local bears were not hungry and decided to keep a low profile. Luxuries like shower, goulash and cold beer accompanied us to a long sleep. Next morning we jumped on top of the mountain, and after visiting the Castle of Snežnik and the fortress remains in Mašun, we cycled back to Ljubljana. Considering more than 3000m of vertical elevation and biking with Leon (who is an animal, when he sits on the bike), it was not a walk in the park, but definitely worth all the labor.

Mljet - a beautiful island in south Dalmacija!

Last summer, Ana and I were so busy with renovating the apartment and finalizing our diplomas, that we nearly forgot to take vacation. When I mention "summer" and "vacation" in one sentence, I'm talking about visiting the seaside - most probably on the Croatian coast. To our delight, generous weather in the beginning of last fall encouraged us to take a short trip to Mali Lošinj.

Because this year ambitions were much higher, we decided to take an early 1-week vacation on Mljet, an island in south Dalmacija. We slept at the family Sršen that was also cooking for us, whatever fish or other gifts of the sea they caught in the morning. Besides running, cycling, hiking and canoeing we also enjoyed more classical seaside activities such as swimming, sunbathing and simply doing nothing. Mljet is definitely a nice location for those, who enjoy nature, outdoor activities and the absence of mass tourism. But then again, we still have a lot of Croatian islands to explore in the future.

Murradweg!

Our northern neighbors are extreme perfectionists in all aspects, even when it comes to building long and tidy cycling paths. Ana and I decided to check out this famous "Murradweg", which starts at the spring of the Mura river (1800m), runs down the valley for 350 kilometers and finishes on the Austrian-Slovenian border close to Murska Sobota. Besides some afternoon showers and a difficult 4th day, where I miscalculated the distance, it was probably the best biking adventure until now. The trip took us from the high Austrian mountains, through endless meadows, forests and picturesque towns.

We also didn't miss Austria's specialty - medieval castles and churches, which pooped up as we descended. We made a small detour to the Riegersburg Chocolate Factory, where we observed the chocolate manufacturing process and tasted about a zillion different variants. This tourist attraction in the middle of nowhere is a great example of excellent marketing - a quality attribute we are still to learn from our neighbors. This place is so popular that I suggest you make a reservation before you visit, otherwise you might be left outside. (We were so concentrated on chocolate tasting that we forgot to make photos)

On the final day we crossed the border, enjoyed traditional Bograč in Murska Sobota and nested us on the train for Ljubljana. It is hard to paint this 3,5-hour romantic experience, which most definitely brings out nostalgia from any (not too young) Slovenian. The trains still have the old compartments (kupes), which can be closed-off and transformed into giant 2x2 meter beds. I think the Balkans will be the last to say goodbye to this luxury. Ana celebrated the trip with a very long nap, while I simply laid there, meditated and enjoyed the last moments of a great adventure.

The Blegoš project!

Blegoš (1562m) was conquered on skies about six years ago (by Leon and me), and therefore holds a very special place in our hearts. Afterwards, we skied its slopes from almost all sides, however, there was still one project left - biking this mountain straight from home. Kebr bailed out the last minute, and so I was left with two animals - Damjan and Leon, that pushed the tempo on the steepest slopes. There was a big gathering at the hut and we enjoyed live music, hot Bograč and later an adrenaline descent back to the valley. After overcoming Suhi dol pass (cca 680m) we ended the trip with a 100 kilometers and more than 2000m of elevation difference. I can't wait to hit my chair at the office, and rest a little:)

 

Bovec.. with the boys!

When the weather is good and the girls stay at home, three days of Bovec can transform into a serious excess of physical outdoor activity. On the first day (where the plan was to take it "easy") we cycled to the Soča spring and later hiked/climbed the rocky riverbed of Boka. The next day we decided to "rest" and therefore climbed Ronbon (2208m), a pointy mountain, where we explored the remains of WW1. There was something missing after 1500m of elevation and so we decided to bust our adrenaline in the picturesque canyon of Sušec. The last day was reserved for the most difficult biking ascent that Slovenia can offer - the Mangart pass (2055m). We had a lot of respect for this trip, which meant we were mentally quite prepared for the hard labor. All the sport adventures demanded regeneration at the end - swimming in Soča, drinking beer, grilling barbeque, etc. Damjan and Artac decided to crown their holidays by cycling back to Ljubljana (after the Mangart pass). To complete their "200 kilometers in one day" exploit, they made another circle before reaching home (Damjan is in a good cycling shape, Artač is simply an Animal). The rest of us (mortals) packed our things and our legs were more than glad to drive back to Ljubljana. After the body rests and the thoughts become clear again, I can say that I had the time of my life.

 

The great outdoors!

The plans for this Saturday were set quite some time ago - together with Ana and her father Lojze, we attacked both asphalt and gravel to reach Žirovski vrh and visit Lojze's relatives high up in the hills. It was quite an adventure, ending with fresh juice, home-produced honey and lots of memories. After about a 100 kilometers of biking, we were glad to be back in Ljubljana and cool-off from the extreme heat (33 degrees) of the summer day.

 
Sunday was reserved for a hiking trip to the Triglav Lakes, which I promised my coworker Simon (from Switzerland). Simon was very impressed by the beauties of our mountains, and when the summer heat showed all its teeth, we jumped into the crystal waters of the second Lake. Around 12 o'clock we descended back to the valley and had a well deserved lunch with Ana. After some swimming in Bohinj and simply doing nothing (which is kind of nice, after such an active weekend:), we ended our trip with the famous Bled "kremsnitas."

 

A quarter century capitalized by sports!

About two weeks ago I celebrated a quarter century of my life and 4-day merry-making was quite proportionate to the gravity of the event. First was a warm-up picnic with my co-workers, then a massive party with friends, followed by my family celebration and finally an easy Sunday lunch with Ana's grandmother, who celebrates her birthday on the same day as me. I had a great time on all four events; however, I can say I was a little beaten at the end.

 
After finalizing a few academic obligations, it was time to leave the hustle and bustle of the city and enjoy the mountains and the company of Ana. We went cycling in one of my favorite valleys - Završnica, that twists and winds between Begunjščica (2060m) and Stol (2236m). We fantasized about idyllic summerhouses that we saw on the way, and I guess dreams are what make (us) people happy. We left our bikes at Žaga (920m) and hit the slopes of Begunjščica, until we reached Roblekov dom (1657m). There is a famous country song about this hut: "Na Roblek bom odšel.." and now I realized that it certainly stands up to the standards set in the song. We enjoyed a long afternoon of resting, sunbathing, reading newspaper.. and after a warm goulash soup, we slept like babies. Next morning we descended back to the valley and biked all the way to Ljubljana, where Ana suddenly concluded that she is hungry like a lion. A Pakistanian kebab at the railway station was just in place:)

 

Porezen.. on two wheels!

Kebr likes to take it easy in life; however, when I give him a call for ski-touring or mountain-biking, he is always hungry for action. This time we choose Porezen (1630m), which stands above Cerkno and shares its rule of the area with Ratitovec (1667m) and Blegoš (1562m). The road got quite bumpy towards the top and we had to be watchful for oblivious cows happily leaping around. The trip was not a walk in the park and we enjoyed long sunbathing at the mountain hut, until we finally climbed our bikes and descended 1300m below us.

 

Korzika - a mountain out of the sea!

Every summer demands a long vacation and as the Croatian coast is not so exciting after all these years, we decided to try something new. The French island Corsica was the first to fall in my head, probably because it has all the goods: sandy beaches, pointy mountains, idyllic nature, breathtaking biking terrain, extraordinary food and besides everything, we could drive there with my car! The first stop was in Firenze, where we were welcomed by 39 degrees Celsius, however, still enjoyed a nice evening - playing tourists and observing great architecture.

 
The next day we pushed towards Livorno and after a quick boat trip landed in Corsica - the promised land. As we struggled to find a less crowded camp around St. Florent, we realized that we have arrived on an island packed with Italian tourists at the peak of their "Ferragosta." We decided we simply couldn't stay here and the sunset drive across the desert was probably the highlight of the day. Tired and disappointed we put-up our tent in a crowded camp somewhere around the city of Ile-Rousse.

 
It was the last weekend of the high season and as we packed our things on Monday morning and moved to a much nicer camp, I could feel that Corsica has shaken-off a big portion of its tourist burden. We found a very shady spot on the edge of the camp right next to the Ostriconi beach. I set up all the commodities (table, chairs, water jug, hammock..), Ana made pancakes and even the summer heat couldn't spoil our happiness. A short biking trip in the evening was inevitable and if I forget the cactus spikes all over my hands, it was a very decent warm-up. Ana was full of energy and decided to chase a little white calf up the road, until he finally gave up the game and bravely jumped off the road (see picture above).

 
Early next morning we packed our things and continued to explore the interior of the island - where we found idyllic remote villages, endless mountains and when the sugar in our blood fell below a comfortable level, we simply stopped and ate fresh figs straight from the trees. In the evening time we drove to Calvi, had a short walk on its glamorous riviera packed with high-class tourists and luxury yachts that were posing like a line of polished soldiers. We enjoyed cold Corsican beer (Pietra) on the walls of the Calvi fortress - with endless views and more than a 100 meters of vertical cliff below us.

 
On the forth day we packed all the gear and moved to Corte - the capital city in times of Corsican independence which sits between magnificent mountains of the island. There we found a peaceful camp in the La Restonica gorge, with a crystal clear mountain spring 20 meters below our tent. We quickly figured that fresh water is the number-1 luxury of a camp. You can swim in the hot hours of the day, it offers a fridge for all the food and most important - I could drink cold Pietra:) Of course, we didn't neglect the mountains and went for a serious hike to a few glacier lakes, which strongly resemble our Triglav beauties.

 
The last two days were reserved for the east coast, which is the land of romantic sunrises and endless sandy beaches. We settled at a camp a few kilometers north of Solenzara, where the beach was just 30 meters from our tent. Ana continued with her "outdoor" food specialties and after a lot of biking, swimming and hours of simply doing nothing, we decided to spend the last day by a crystal pool of a mountain river, where we could freshen-up and drink cold Pietra again.

 
After a good week on the island we were ready to go back home, however, determined to return back to Corsica - the island that has it all!

 

Expenses (for both of us together):
- Food and drinks (including 5x restaurant)..................280€
- Gasoline + highway tolls..........................................200€
- Camps 7x (car, tent, 2 adults).................................140€
- Ferryboat (1 car, 2 bikes, 2 adults)............................85€
- Hostel in Firenze.......................................................40€
- Extra health insurance (9 days).................................30€
Together(2 people).................................................775€