Friday 7th November 2014 - SUNSHINE AND BLUE SKY!!
Bike miraculously moved upstairs overnight night. Head off.
Round town. Stop at supermarket, don't really have what I want, bread and cereal bars, so buy water, couple of chocolate bars and biscuit things.
Nice view of mountains from the car park. Everyone going in and out knows each, small friendly town.
Stop at petrol station for sandwich. Stared at by a blue eyed dog. It obviously gets share.
Wait for a man running up the main road with two horses to pass, then head off, back onto road 81, which will take me all the way into Sofia.
Know today is mountain day. Have to cross over them to Sofia which is down in the valley on the other side. Could see the mountain in the distance. Looked quite high, hope my legs can manage it after river cycling for so long.
So climb started and it just went on and on, no flat bits. 1000 metres climbed in less the 20km. Good warm up for the day.
At one stage a white van passed me. It stopped in the middle of the road further up. As I approached a man got out. Was shouting something to me, and began opening the back doors. There were two pictures of nude woman on the doors. I smiled and said no thank you and pedalled on, all the while he kept talking to me. Glanced in the front on way past and saw a woman and child, which made me realise he wasn't actually trying to kidnap me. Think he was offering me a lift. He tooted the horn on way past when he got going again.
Thinking about it after, when he first passed me, I'd just taken a photo, holding my phone out. Think maybe he thought I was thumbing a lift!
I'll not bore on about the non stop hill climb, but I eventually got up to the top.
On the way saw some snow still lying on the ground, not enough to make a snowman though. Some nice rivers and waterfalls. Great views through the trees looking back down.
Slightly overdressed for the occasion today too. Should've put on the leggings a week ago and maybe the weather would've changed. It was about 17 degrees and sunny. Although up top was really windy.
Stopped at roadside cafe at top for a cold tin of sprite. Time to descend!!
Was good, apart from the child sized potholes that very quickly approached when travelling at speed. I stayed sensible and didn't go hell for leather like I wanted too.
People selling pots of yellow and orange stuff in jars, honey or jam I guess, on little tables outside their mountain houses.
Thought it'd be downhill all the way to Sofia, but no. Had the rest of the wee mountains on the otherside to go up and down first.
Passed kidnap man and his family coming back in their van, I smiled, they stared with open mouths.
Took forever, but kept going as I knew I was running out of daylight time.
Great views coming down toward the valley where Sofia lies in. Downhill or flat now, brakes are squealing. Hope they've enough pads left for another week or so, as I don't have any spares with me. Back wheel as wobbly as ever too!
Now people have stalls selling vegetables. The biggest cabbages I've ever seen and four foot scallions!!
Road turns into a dual carriageway about 10-15km outside the city. It does not have a hard shoulder.
Bomb on, arrrgghhh.
Through a couple of major junctions, a car goes to pull out in front of me, then he bottles it and stops, right in my line. Thankfully I sensed he was going to hesitate, so was able to stop. I'm doing about 25-30kmph as road is quite flat and safer keeping up with the traffic if I can. Lots of traffic. Getting dark.
Usual night time city entrance. Road is rough and full of holes. Sometimes there aren't even any road markings.
About 2km from where I'm going to, I see the little blue circle of relative safety ahead. A cycle lane!! Totally was not expecting it. Really good one too. Curb between it and the road and markings down the centre.
Got me to the turn off for the 10 Coins Hostel, I had found last night, instead of a hotel.
Nice place in quiet residential area. Welcomed in, courtyard area undercover for bike.
Have a nice shower after a long hot tiring day. Also use the washing machine... clothes haven't seen one in a while, only hotel sinks!!
Looking at route ahead. Can't decide whether to have a rest day here tomorrow, or not. Been on the go for about two weeks I think now. Few big days could see me into Turkey though. Must also go online and get my Turkish Visa sorted too.
Day 70 - 07.11.14
Berkovitsa to Sofia, Bulgaria
5h 27min cycling
82.5km
3268 calories
1792 metres asc
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