Onto Southern Europe

Initially wanting to skip only parts of Poland by train, travel restrictions and declining weather quickly convince me otherwise and I find myself spending more time on trains than on the bike in the first days of November:

• In Poland I’m tired of cycling through forests and take a 530 km train ride from Bialystok to Krakow (82 PLN / 18 EUR = 3.4 ct/km)
• In Slovakia, a week-long curfew prompts me to skip 250 km from Cadca to Ljubljana by train (14 EUR = 5.6ct/km)
• In Vienna I board a train to Ljubljana: another 350 km skipped (54 EUR = 15.4 ct/km)

So, more than 1000 km by train within 7 days. Most regretted is the shortcut through Slovakia: the landscape along the railway proves quite scenic. Definitely a country to go back to someday!

Am I in Poland already? Yes I am, as I can tell by numerous crucifixes and chapels at the corner of every cabbage fieldHoly PolandTime to speed things up:steam_locomotive::tram_car::tram_car::tram_car: Bialystok - KrakowKrakow, PolandEntering Auschwitz, a huge chunk of glass rids my rear tyre of air within seconds. Of course, it's raining :(Auschwitz, PolandOn the train from Cadca to BratislavaSlovakiaAlways sensibly dressed: ChrisOn the trainYes, it was a windy dayAustriaTotal km shown. Lucky number? (Touring km at ~24.000)AustriaA foggy morning after a cold and noisy night directly next to a busy train lineSlovenia

The decision to head South proves right: wonderful weather and perfect temperatures Slovenia and Croatia lighten the mood.

While one of the 2 Croatian border guards on duty initially makes a bit of a fuss suggesting traveling into Croatia is not allowed due to Covid19, his colleague is more lenient and lets me enter the non-Schengen EU member state.

I am super stoked to be near a "real" sea again: the AdriaticCroatiaTalented climber...?Croatia

A few days later, I meet the first cyclists en-route in a while: a French couple is heading North. It takes me a while to realize that they are traveling in fact on bicycles with motor/battery support: I thought the huge solar panels were to just to charge their consumer electronics.

Meanwhile near Senj, the weather proves unpredictable. Although “rather usual” for the region, winds of 65 kph and more make cycling at times rather difficult, if not impossible. In Senj I literally get blown of the bike, struggling to keep it upright fighting against the strong gusts in the town. The Croatian “bora” winds may last 2 weeks or longer this time of the year, I learn. After only 2 days however I can continue.

French couple on solar / e-bikes.CroatiaAnother day, another ferry: heading to PagCroatiaBicycle again. Are you bored just yet?CroatiaI present you the fashion trends: fall 2020CroatiaThis is where looking for "abandoned object" sometimes leads you to. A+ camp siteAbandoned object, Croatia

Meanwhile I’ve learnt of another cyclist ahead of me who’s also heading South.