Only two nights we spend in Dubai. Thanks to Judith’s colleague Chrigi we can spend the night with a Swiss family. For breakfast we are spoiled with a freshly baked braid. We enjoy the pool and do a few jump exercises on the huge trampoline. Many thanks for the great hospitality and for the very nice stay! 😀 We can even give them a fiew things back to Switzerland to make our bags a little lighter. On the 6th of December we fly to Bangalore in India.
With many questions and a stern lock our passports and visas are checked at the Iranian border. After an admonishing hint to Judith that she always has to wear the headscarf, we immerse ourselves in a completely different world. A world in which the hospitality has highest priority, in which there are not many tourists, in which many limits are set, especially for the women and in which we can no longer read the scripture and yes it is written from right to left. But now everything in the right order.
Along the river Aras we drive between big mountains in a narrow valley to Jolfa. Everywhere we are greeted with a friendly “Welcome in Iran”. Several times we are asked about our origin and we are attractive selfie motifs. In a cheap accommodation we stay overnight with our own gas heater in the room. It should be noted that Iran has the largest natural gas reserves in the world. In the evening we want to get to know the Iranian cuisine. Disappointed we get, as at noon and as in an Iranian hotel in Armenia only lentil soup, kebab with a lot of rice and a black grilled tomato. We hope that Iranian cuisine has more to offer.
On a highway with little traffic and a wide service lane we cycle to Marand. In Marand, the youngest warmshower.org member Yashar is waiting for us. At the age of 17 he is extremely mature and grown up. We get an accommodation in the art school of his friend. In the evening he helps us to get a SIM card and he takes us to an English school, where we are immediately involved in the lessons. We are bombarding each other with questions and experience a very interesting insight into the unknown country. In the morning we are led by Yashar to his father’s bakery, where we get a „Barbari“ (flat bread with sesame). Yashar accompanies us a bit further towards Tabriz. Along the less frequented highway, we enjoy stalls with dried apricots, which we have rarely found in Armenia. The sellers make fun with us and selfies. At lunchtime we stop at a restaurant and of course there is again kebab with rice.
At noon spontaneously the food is payed for us, a few tips for the onward journey are given and of course we pose once more for a selfie.
In Tabriz we are picked up by Hosein by bike, our next warmshower.org host. He leads us the last 20 kilometers to the apartment of his parents. There we experience an incredible hospitality. His family speaks Turkish because, like most Iranians in this region, they have a Turkish background. Thus, they are very pleased with our few Turkish words, which we can still remember from Turkey. We are dressed in spare clothes so that we can once again wash all our clothes. While we wait for dinner, which is taken at 22:00 clock, we are introduced by Hosein in the Persian language. Iranian cuisine has more to offer than just kebabs with rice. The mother proudly serves us the “ghormeh sabzi”. This dish is found throughout Iran. These are finely chopped herbs such as dill, parsley, peppermint, radishes, basil, chives, onions and cress. These are steamed for an hour with meat and chickpeas. The fresh herbs are also eaten raw to almost every meal as “sabzi khordan”. The flat bread “lavash” is usually as well on the table.
The next morning Hosein wants to guide us through the largest bazar in Iran. The mother criticizes Judith’s clothes and quickly finds remedy in the wardrobe of Hosein’s sister. Satisfied, the mother nods and now Andi is the only tourist. In the oldest bazar in Iran, we once again dive into a world that is new to us with the most diverse fragrances and expensive Persian carpets. Accompanied by Hosein, we also dare to look at the first mosque from inside. In the evening, Hosein’s father takes us to the lemon pressing with his camion and shows us a bakery. In this another Iranian bread version “sangag” is produced. It is a flat bread, which is 1.20 meters long and baked on pebble stones. That same night we are taken with our bikes by camion to the bus station. Actually, we wanted to drive along the Caspian Sea to Teheran. However, as we study the weather forecast, we quickly get off this plan. Because it is cold and wet weather announced for the whole upcoming week. Thus, we decide to flee to Teheran.
In the morning we are greeted with warm and sunny weather in Teheran. Unfortunately, today is a big holiday and all cafes and most shops are closed. Hosein a warmshower.org friend from Iran, who was once our guest in Switzerland, unfortunately does not live in Teheran anymore, but he can give us some good tips about his city via WhatsApp. Thus, we are looking for a new home over warmshower.org. Sahar and Vahid want to welcome us, but they are away for the holiday to Isfahan. To our astonishment they leave us the key to their apartment. So we live in an apartment, whose owners call us friends and whom we have never met! We are happy to have some time for ourselves. On the second morning we meet our hosts Sahar and Vahid and after a breakfast together with some travel tips we cycle out of Teheran. Just before we leave, Sahar examines our cycling cloths and recommends Judith to cover her hips and presents her a nice blouse. After a few kilometers we are tired of driving in the exhaust gas and decide to hitchhike to Qom. As soon as we stop, Kia stops and helps us to stop a coach. Faster than we thought, we are in Qom. In Qom is the sacred Shrin of Fatima, which is a popular place of pilgrimage for the Moslems.
It gets already dark at 17:00. We see a caravanserai on the map and decide to spend the night there. Once there, we find the door closed. We are not the only ones. Anja and Peter solitaire-camper.de a German couple, who are traveling with their truck camper, are also stranded there. We spend a cozy and entertaining evening, in their with attention to detail self-built camper. In the morning they proudly serve us a Nespresso cappuccino, which we of course enjoy with pleasure.
With tailwind, it goes quickly towards Kashan. As we stand in front of the closed door of the bakery in Maskat, an Iranian asks us if he could help us. Unfortunately he does not speak English. With our little Farsi and with hands and feet we can tell him that we want bread. Without further ado, he invites us to his home. In a large room with many persian carpets we are served a breakfast on the ground. Once in Kashan, we enjoy tea and dates in an old former persian bath house. Here in Iran there are so many and different dates. We can hardly eat enough of them and of all the delicious walnuts, sultanas, dried figs, pistachios and almonds. In the last minute we decide to look for a warmshower.org stay in Kashan. We get in touch with Elham, which fortunately take us to here home on such short notice. Before we are received by Elham, we meet Paul the German cyclist, who started six months ago in Zurich. In a coffee we exchange a few experiences. Then Elham picks us up. Elham presents her traditional Iranian instrument. As we sit so comfortably, it shakes suddenly. We all feel dizzy. But when we see the lamp wobble, we know that it was an earthquake. On television, it was confirmed that the earth has quaked at the border to Iraq with a magnitude of 7.2. Several hundred people lost their lives and entire villages were destroyed.
The next morning we decide to drive into the desert to Maranjab to visit the salt lake. Although it is only 50km away, it is a day’s stage. The road is partly sandy, very bumpy and wavy. Just before dusk, we reach the salt lake. We collect firewood. Some trucks drive by and transport salt into the city. One of these trucks sees our campfire, stops and fills up all our water bottles with fresh water. A second truck driver lends us his lamp, which we put in the morning to the agreed place. Then it is quiet in the desert and a beautiful starry sky shows up. After a very cold night we drive five kilometers over the salt lake. The lake is now getting whiter and the salt structure is becoming increasingly clear. Since it is a dead end, it means the same way back. The dromedary herds grazes this time directly on the roadside. Fascinated, we observe these animals for a moment. At the sand dunes we stop, because we have a small anniversary to hold on, namely our 6000 kilometers. Strangely enough, today the salt trucks have stayed away. We are all alone. Suddenly, the silence is disturbed with shots. The military, which is stationed in the desert, rehearses in case of emergency. We are a bit tired and we hope that they will see us and we will not cycle into the danger zone. After four hours of exhausting drive we reach Aran.The drive into the desert was very beautiful. However, we are happy to be back in civilization and we enjoy a freshly squeezed carrot juice “from havitsch”.
After our first night in the park we drive towards Meymeh. A partly steep pass road leads us to our highest pass with 2700m. In the last village just before the pass it is already dawning and we do not feel like camping in the cold at this altitude. When we ask the inhabitants for a place to sleep, we are sent to the mosque. There we get a heated room with a nice persian carpet. In the next room the evening prayer takes place and over and over again someone looks through the window into our room. Several times there is a knock on the door and we are given tea, apples and lavash. Early in the morning we climb the last meters to the pass and enjoy the fast, airy descent to Meymeh.
In Meymeh traffic is increasing again. The last 30km before Isfahan we can ride with a blue pickup. Reza, once again a warmshower.org host, is waiting for us in Isfahan. He takes us to his friends to a half-year celebration (half year to persian new year). At 22:00, flowers are planted in the garden and at 22:30, we have dinner. After our tough day on the bicycle we almost fall asleep at 23:00 o’clock. Finally at 1:00 clock our host is in departure mood and at 2:00 clock we finally come to our sleep. The next morning we meet with Paul, the German cycler. Isfahan with the two bridges, the Hosein Khomeni Square with the traditional tea house, the inviting cafes and the freshly squeezed carrot juice, we like all very much. Once again at the bakery “sungag” (iranian bread) is presented to us and the butcher proudly shows us his work.
We decide not to extend our Iran visa of 30 days and take the direct highway to Shiraz. To gain some time and get ahead faster we are hitchhiking from time to time. One day even the police helps us to stop the next Zambian (blue pickup). The reputation “crazy driver” of these pickups we can only confirm. We are very relieved once we can safely get out of the car. Because while driving, the driver was constantly on the mobile, made fun with the other drivers and was even filming.
In Safasshahr we arrive at lunchtime. When we search for a restaurant, a car stops and we are invited by Moij to his home. He still lives with his brother and his parents . The two brothers are very innovative and open in two weeks, a coffee shop and a crossfit studio. In the evening we enjoy a delicious dinner once more on the floor.
In the pouring rain, we leave the town the next morning and try our luck once more with hitchhiking. It does not take long and a pickup stops. Only in Shiraz we realize, that our driver did not really have to go to Shiraz, he did this extra 200km to go there and back only for us. In Shiraz, it is still pouring down and it’s cold. We meet Moij’s sister Fatima and her friend Romina. These two help us to change our dollars, which is not an easy task! Our host Mohammadhadi and his wife Nila live a bit outside and luckily they pick us up by car. The independent architect and also independent engineer are enthusiastic bicycle travelers. It once again bothers us how unfair the world is. Just because we have the Swiss passport, we can travel quite freely and cheap. For an Iranian it is almost impossible to get a visa for example for Europe and it is also extremely expensive. The next day, together with our hosts and some relatives, we take a trip to the hearty, old “mountain village” Ghalat. It is a cold but beautiful autumn day. We enjoy the warming fire, a hot tea and a juicy pomegranate. It is harvest time of pomegranates. On Friday we drive with Mohammhadi and Nila by bike through Shiraz. Unfortunately, the parks, the bazar and several other attractions are closed, as it is Friday, the Iranian Sunday.
The same evening we take the bus to Borjazan, where we camp in the park in front of the police station. The next morning we are happy about the warm weather. We drive towards Khormoj. There is a salt mountain, which would be worth a hike, but we continue over the last mountain range to the Persian Gulf. At sunset we cross these beautiful sand mountains. In the dark we arrive at the beach of the Persian Gulf in Del Aram. Some locals do not find it a good idea to camp there and they give us access to a well-walled, but still unfinished construction site. Later they bring us a warm, Iranian soup “Asch”.
The next morning we cycle to the nearby village and meet Reza. He works in Asaluyeh in a petrochemical factory. His parents live in Bushehr, where he spends one week after two weeks of work. He likes to give us a ride in his little Peugot. Although it is not very comfortable on the front seat, we are happy and grateful for this ride. In the evening in Asaluyeh we enjoy once again our beloved, freshly pressed “ab havitsch” carrot juice (exactly translated: water carrot). The Iranians enjoy it together with ice cream (saffron ice or milk ice cream). As we cook on the beach front, a man comes with two pizzas, two salads, coke, fries and deep-fried mushrooms. He saw us cooking and wanted to make us happy. Since we were already full, we gave this feast to two boys, which were looking at us with big and happy eyes. A little later as we sit in a cafe, we are invited by Mohammed and his friend to their flat. As they show us some cycling pictures, we accept their invitation because the park did not suit us. Mohammed loves cycling, is part of the judo national team and plays duddlebag. However, he does not speak English and luckily we have the google translator.
On the old, lonely main road we drive comfortably to Parsian. We camp on a quiet spot in the semi-desert. With tailwind we cycle the next morning on the lonely, but beautiful coastal road towards Bandar Lengeh. Back on the main road a truck driver gives us a ride. We enjoy once to belong to the large road users.
In Bandar Lengeh we get on the bus to Bandar Khamir and arrive the same evening by ferry on our long-awaited destination the island of Qeshm. We sleep in a quiet place surrounded by sand mountains. The population on the island seems rather poor and the villages are more like a construction sites. Again and again we meet women with masks. According to our internet research, this comes from Arabia and the old women hide their wrinkles. Luckily, there is only a very small minority living this tradition. From Salakh leads a very nice gravel road along the Persian Gulf. In Suza we experience once more how suddenly the streets empty and the shops close for the prayer time.
For the night we find a nice spot and the next morning we reach after a short drive Qeshm. Since it is Friday and all cafes are closed, we take the ferry to the island of Hormuz. We cycle to the impressive rainbow mountain with the many different colored rocks. We stop at the beach with red sand and finish our tour with the crossing to Bandar Abbas. That same night we wanted to take the ferry to Dubai, but the Iranian bureaucracy is complicated and we can not get the ticket in time. So we have to take the next ferry in two days. Now we are stranded in Bandar Abbas and have no accommodation. With warmshower.org we try our luck to find some accommodation. Unfortunately, Ahmed already has guests and he thinks the park is safe to stay overnight. In the park we meet Mehrdad, who has an issue with his bike. Luckily we have all the tools and can help him. He believes it is not a good idea to sleep in the park and invites us to his home. Thanks to the google translater, we can communicate because they can hardly speak English and we do not speak enough Farsi. Mehrdad lives together with his brother and sister with husband and son. The men recently opened an import and export company. For the last time we enjoy the Iranian hospitality and are cooked by Maryam with the finest Iranian food. Because of a sandstorm the boy has no school. So it does not surprise us that the ferry was canceled the next night. So we have no choice but to fly. With the help of Ahmed from warmshower.org we quickly get two bicycle boxes. We pack our bikes and our friends Mehrdad and Kianush bring us to the airport. As a farewell, Maryam gives Judith a headscarf. Finally, on the last day she has a headscarf which does not always slide down. However it’s soon over anyway.
Arrived at the airport, we have to unpack the bikes and wrap them with films, as they are not accepted in the big boxes by the airline. We meet a cycler from Belgium, who also cycled 7000km from Belgium to Bandar Abbas in 2 months. We are quite astonished. He has much less weight and solo cycling makes the big difference.
Conclusion: Never before have we experienced such a great hospitality as in Iran. We can only learn from them! All prejudices are totally wrong and we are extremely sorry for them. Again and again they apologise for their government under which almost all feel restricted and suffering. Especially the women get to feel it very strongly with the clothing and headscarf regulation. Many internet sites and TV shows can only be seen with VPN. They have even Iranian TV shows broadcasting from London, of cours, there the woman wear no scarf. Only because they have an Iranian passport their travel possibilities are very limited! The men only get their passport, driving license and graduation after two years of military service, unless the father served in the Iraq war. Although the country could be one of the richest countries in the world, because of its gas, oil, gold, copper and iron sources. Nobody knows where the money goes. The unemployment rate is very high and many do not find a job in their field of study. We very much hope that the government and thus the situation for the population will change soon and will turn out well!
We can highly recommend Iran as a travel destination. Nowhere on our trip did we felt so safe. The Iranians love tourists, the warmshower.org works perfectly, in the parks can be camped easily and in the small villages it is possible to spend a night in a mosque. But the 30-day visa is definitely not enough! It can be extended well in Teheran, Isfahan and best of all in Shiraz. We have decided not to extend it for three reasons: 1. the headscarf, 2. more expensive flights around Christmas, and 3. the bureaucracy of extending the visa. You have to be aware that with Mastercard, Visa, Maestro and Co you can not get any money. For the whole travel time enough Euros or Dollars have to be carried, which can be changed in the bigger cities to Rials, luckily we have learned this shortly before entry. The money has no value and so we usually have several millions in the purse. The locals speak in everyday life of Tuman and leave the many zeros away (10 Tuman = 100’000 Rials ≈ 3 CHF). Until the end we can not get used to this currency, because they say ten but mean one hundred thousand. Also with the bathrooms, we can not make friends. After a visit you are always wet at least at three places: feet, hands and a.. (no toilet paper). The shower do not have a delineation or a curtain and is in the middle of the bath. As a bike traveler you better avoid the busy highways without service lane by using smaller streets, hitchhike or take the bus. There are many limits set for the people. One part we feel as cyclists daily with the many barriers. Again and again the bike has to be carried over an obstacle, a ditch or laboriously heaved onto the high sidewalk.
With a friendly “welcome” we are received by the border post. Also the armenian dogs greet us barking. We learned to get off the bike immediately, what is the best method against the attacking dogs. As soon as we stop, we are not exciting anymore.
The first evening in Armenia we camp. As soon as we have the firewood together, a calf-sized, barking dog disturbs our peaceful evening. With a surprise attack we try to banish him, but what had once worked in Albania with a pack of dogs, does not work here. We remember the bear man “Reno Sommerhalder” and change the strategy by talking calmly to the dog. After a whole hour patiently speaking, what a beautiful, friendly and good dog he is, we made it! The dog calms down and sleeps quietly one meter next to our tent. Certainly it would have come to the dance as in the movie ” Dances with the wolf”.
The M3 road to Vanadzor is a single construction site. We fight through a dusty gravel road. Tired we arrive in Vanadzor. Only now we
remember that we have read about the bad condition of this road. Well, can happen. We are glad that we arrived in Vanadzor. In the beautiful cafes we drink tea, cure our cold and wait once more for better weather. After two days of rest we continue towards Lake Sevan. Along the lake Sevan we fight with strong headwind to Martuni. Twenty kilometers before Martuni a dog runs with us. At the finish, he lies exhausted next to our bicycles. We admire his sporty half marathon performance and this against the stormy wind. The next morning the dog whines. It seems he is still exhausted and that his paws still hurt. Nevertheless, he accompanies us bravely, against our advice to stay here, in the cold temperatures up to the Vardenyats Pass (2410müM). He has become a great companion and protector. When a man gives Judith a juicy, red apple, the dog growls skeptically. Another dog joins us.
Now we are even traveling in a group of four, but the fourth traveler is chased away by our protector dog after a few kilometers. On the fast descent the dog can no longer keep up with us and with a heavy heart we say goodbye to him and give him our last piece of bread.
In Vayk we once again wait for better weather. In a grocery store we meet the first english-speaking Armenian. She can answer many unanswered questions about Armenia. The waiting has been worth it! In the most beautiful autumn weather, we make our way over the Vorotan Pass 2344müM. The pass road leads through a narrow, beautiful valley. At the top of the pass we are rewarded with the view of the Ararat (highest mountain in Turkey 5137m) and a snowy landscape.
Shortly before Tatev it goes 600 meters down and then a zigzag road 600 meters up again to Tatev. To avoid this, we take comfortably the Swiss cable car and can save two hours of pedaling. After Tatev we enjoy a great mountain bike trail towards Kapan. As a barking dog comes running from the side, Judith is thrown off the bike due to the abrupt stop on the gravel road. Except for a graze on her knee she luckily gets away from it. Once again we got annoyed by the dogs !!!
In Kapan we enjoy once again the good and cheap hotels from the Soviet time. Again, it is still too cold to camp. After Kapan we go about the last big pass, the Meghri Pass 2535müM. From there it goes down towards Meghri and Iran.
Conclusion: We really liked Armenia. The people are rather reserved, but if you get to know them better, very warm and helpful. We experienced the Armenians, in contrast to other travel blogs we read, as very honest and generous. We only once felt we had paid too much. On the contrary, we were always presented with vegetables and fruits. The infrastructure is better than in Georgia. It has more shopping opportunities with fresh products with a bigger and more varied selection. There are also increasingly nice cafes and restaurants with a more varied selection of menus. Although they are in war with Azerbaijan, luckily we do not notice much of that. In Vayk, however, the military presence is very large. Armenia is surrounded on both sides by Azerbaijan, and the controversial mountainous region of Nagorno-Karabakh is nearby. More Armenians live abroad than in their own country. However, this is not surprising when traveling the country. Because the country is extremely mountainous with little agricultural opportunities. In addition, most places are on a very high attitude.
The Armenians were also repeatedly expelled from various regions. The genocide of the Turks to the Armenians has not been forgotten. They hold on to Nagorno-Karabakh, which is in Azerbaijan, and probably will never give it up. In our view, this is understandable, since most of the inhabitants there are Armenians and this country was once given away by Stalin to Azerbaijan. The conflict will probably never be resolved. Armenian status is very difficult as Armenia has no natural resources. In contrast, Azerbaijan enjoys a great interest in the world, as they have a lot of oil and buy great reputation with great gifts in the Council of Europe. However, we hope very much that this conflict will soon be resolved, because this mountainous region should be a beautiful hiking region with its many hot springs.
Right after the Georgian border, the road is only two lanes, no service lane, many potholes and free ranging cows and pigs must always be expected. The more pompous Batumi appears. It is a very western-oriented port city right on the Black Sea. There is again access to the sea and we drive on a beautiful bicycle strip along the beach.
Just outside the city we meet Alexander a Russian cycler. He tells us that he has been traveling happily for a year without any money. His bike is heavily loaded. In comparison, our two bicycles are lightweight.
The rain has stopped and we are happy about the nice weather and being able to free camp again and this on a beautiful elevation with a great view over the Black Sea.
From Batumi it is mostly flat on a rather busy road to Poti. We stop at a street tavern and eat a grilled pork skewer. In Poti we change the chains once again. This is also the first time we see how Georgian bread is made. These are flat-shaped breads, which are attached to the wall of a large clay pot and baked this way. From Poti we continue to Zugdidi. There we find the first MC Donald since a long time. We are happy to have internet to check the weather forecast. It looks good for the next four days. Thus, we cycle confidently with our provision laden bicycles to the snowy mountains.
The valley Zugdidi-Mestia is very lonely. Now and then you cycle through small settlements, which also have dogs again and again. One dog is so aggressive that he snaps into Andi’s back pocket. A car can protect us from the dog in which he intervenes with his car. Uff, all went well again. As soon as the sun goes down, it gets extremely cold. Luckily we find a sleeping place with firewood. Our first campfire warms us. In vain we try again and again to increase our supplies. It is to despair, because in the shabby shops there are no vegetables, only Russian or German can food, sausages, pasta, lots of sweets and of course tons of alcohol in large 2.5 liter bottles! Also the second evening we are glad to have a warming fire. At night it gets very cold, as we are already on an altitude of 1300 meters. In the morning it even has hoarfrost. Again and again we are overtaken by tourist buses. Mestia is a popular tourist destination as it is a good starting point for hikes and access to Ushguli (the highest village in Europe).
In Mestia we buy warm bed socks. It’s a secondhand shop and an old woman helps us digging for the right socks.
We set of to Ushguli and cross a first nice pass. On the descent the road gets bad. Construction workers are concreting the road so the road condition will improve, at least here. Then the road becomes bumpy and sometimes very muddy. Suddenly a dog comes running towards Andi. Andi throttles the pace and fends off the dog. At that moment, a second, bigger dog with a broken chain around his neck attacks Andi from the front and grab him in the calf. Andi falls over and can still fend off another snap with the other leg. As fast as the dog came, he is gone again. An approaching minibus has watched the scene and urges us to go to the hospital. He also offers a ride back to Mestia. We disinfect the wound, thankfully load our bikes into the minibus and drive back to Mestia. In Mestia Andi is treated in a small, old hospital room and provided with a rabies vaccination.
This dog we do not want to pass again and so we take a taxi to Ushguli the next morning. Even by car, the ride is very long, bumpy and muddy. After almost two hours we arrive in Ushguli. We spend the night in an old, dilapidated guesthouse. It has only one stove at the entrance, which is heated only in the morning. Already at night it starts to rain and also the next day it is cloudy and rainy. We have no desire to cycle over the upcoming pass of 2600 asl in this weather. That’s why we decide to stay another night in Ushguli. In the morning our hostemother cooks breakfast for us. She is also treating Andi’s leg. When it rains there is no electricity in Ushguli. In a hostel we hear a running generator, where we find wifi and electricity. The weather will not look good for the next few days and it will even snow. However next morning we decide to leave and cycle over the pass, because Andi has to get the second rabies vaccination.
Unfortunately, the good weather window lasts only a short time and it starts snowing. The road is getting really bad. Fortunately, we are experienced mountain bikers and have waterproof bags and rain clothes. So our clothes do not get dirty when we have to cycle through big, dirty puddles of water. Although the ride to the next village is mostly downhill, we have an incredibly long time. The road is very bad and muddy. As we get closer to the settlements, we arm ourselves against the dogs with a stick. After 6 hours, already in the dark, we arrive frozen and wet in Lentechi. Luckily we find a great guesthouse, where we get a delicious dinner.
The next morning the hostel owner even accompanies us to the hospital and translates with her good English. In Mestia Andi had to pay 100 GEL (39.-CHF) for the treatment and the vaccine. The hostel owner and also the hospital stuff find that extremely expensive. And so it happens that the second vaccine costs only 14 GEL (5.- CHF). Also this day is rainy so we stay another night in Lentechi.
We are very happy that the road from Lentechi to Kutaisi is in good condition. In Kutaisi we stay for three days, as it rains nonstop again. The streets have become to real streams. The market of Kutaisi is quite big and we are happy about the fresh vegetables and the tasty fruits. In a very low-cost guesthouse we feel at home and we even bake a plum cake.
Finally the sun shows again and we make our way towards Tbilisi. We drive on a two-lane highway with a wide safety lane. We enjoy the good and safe road. Here also the dogs stay mostly far away. On this route there are many trucks and thus it has a lot of roadhouses. After two days we arrive in Tbilisi. It is a big city with a very nice old town. Here in Tbilisi we have to pick up the Iran visa and bring Andi’s bike back on track. Andi’s rear brake has lost oil. In addition, the bike makes weird clicks. Micha, the mechanic, is very committed and seeks creative solutions with the spare parts available. On Saturday we do a sightseeing tour through the old town. Everywhere freshly pressed orange and pomegranate juice is offered.
Since this August 2017, the Iran visa can be applied online. We have already requested this in Ushguli. Nevertheless, it is still a huge bureaucracy until we finally hold the visa in our hands. After 10 days our E-Visa was accepted. Thus we were able to visit the Iranian embassy in Tbilisi on Monday. The office is only open from 10:00 to 13:00. After a long wait, we are assigned with additional points to be completed: The amount of 50 euros must be paid into the TBC Bank, then a copy of the health insurance and a passport photo is needed. Until we have organized these further requests, the consulate has already closed again. Therefore, we have to stay another night in Tbilisi. The next morning we finally get the visa and make our way towards Armenia.
The last ride towards Armenia is very scenic. As dawn breaks, we ask a stonemason for water. He lives alone in his caravan next to the main road. He offers to camp on his property. The place is too close to the road for us, therefore we reject the offer with thanks. As we finally found our place, this stonemason arrives in his car and brings us a few wood billets😀 The next day we enjoy by great autumn weather, a picnic in the open air without freezing. We are confident and look forward to the new country Armenia.
Conclusion: Apart from the many aggressives dogs, Georgia is a beautiful country. We like the fact that the cows, pigs and chickens can walk around freely. The Georgians like to drive very fast. Many cars experience a second or even third life here, many have faded, German advertising inscriptions. In addition, many have no bumper and the steering wheel is sometimes on the left, sometimes on the right handside. People are more reserved than the Turks, but they are always helpful. They also smoke a lot, even the taxi drivers and you are alway exposed to passive smoking. Only a few people speak English. The Georgians are very sociable and like to drink alcohol. We are often offered chacha (Georgian liquor) or beer, which we always refused. They are proud of their Khachapuri which is available in different varieties throughout the country: pita bread with cheese with or without egg. Although we have read that the Georgian cuisine is varied, we have experienced it as rather one-sided. Khachapuri is always served and at any time even for breakfast. Then there’s the same thing with beans (Lobiani) or meat (Kubdari).
Still in Greece we made us smart how to dress on the bike in Turkey.
Judith is already mourning the short pants and thinks she has to drive with 3/4 pants.
In this heat this thought is not so fun! Already on the swinging ferry crossing we realise that the Turkish women dress like the European women. When we arrive in Marmaris and see that the women are still in the evening in the bikini, Judith can slowly breathe a sigh of relief. We see only one woman bathing in the costume, all other bathe in the bikini. Marmaris is a lively and pulsating city, we are especially thrilled by the safe bike trails!
After a rest day we leave Marmaris. We want to go along the beach through the Marmaris National Park to Dalyan. We set off early in the morning. The cleaning work and the many bottles of beer and garbage around, let us guess that a big party took place. Much later we realise that the end of Ramadan was celebrated. After 5 kilometres, the road is closed because we enter a military zone. We need to re-plan. Quickly we have a solution and get on our way. A two-lane road with a wide shoulder leads us up and away from Marmaris. We leave this main road and pedal hard up a high pass on a lonely road. We are quite astonished as shortly after the pass, already on the descent, we again stand in front of a blocked road. Aha thats why, the road was so lonely … We have no choice but to return and go back to the main street. The morale has been hit, we are now already the whole morning on the bike and we are again almost at kilometre zero!
Every way down has its way up. We stop at an unremarkable hut at the roadside. Unfortunately nobody understand English. With our turkish we can just order water and turkish tea and say that we want something to eat. But that is all … Quickly comes help from the next table. First with english and then with swiss german! Thank Burudu for your help! She also gives us some tips, what we should definitely visit. The Gözleme with Köfte are fantastic! Traveling in autumn is absolutely great because it is harvest time. Again and again we pass stalls along the roadside, which offer freshly squeezed orange and pomegranate juice. Mmh are these delicious and so fresh!
Ui, ui, ui Judith has got a flat tire. Tired we repair this.
Right at sunrise, with the prayer call of the mosques, the alarm clock rings. We are on the lake at Köycegiz. The many coffees are very inviting. We are still on the way to Dalyan. The way there leads to an highway and our motivation for this road is limited. The day before we saw a poster with an advertisement of a ferry. We ask where and when this ferry goes to Dalyan. Quickly we get help and we can hitch a ride with a safari boat. Especially for us, the boat is turnd, so we can tie up our bikes beautifully at the bow. And so it comes that we get the top spots on the boat roof. Shortly before the city of Dalyan we are asked to come down, since the police does not allow to sit on the roof 🙂 In the countryside too, the turkish women dress like the european women. Only sporadically and mostly older women wear a headscarf. We meet the first tour cyclist! It’s the Turk, Murat. He is on a four-week tour from his hometown Istanbul. He also confirms that our bike dress is perfectly fine. Turkey is divided by Ankara, in the western part the more modern and open Turks live, and in the eastern part it is rather traditional. He also gives us a few tips and advises us not to travel to the kurdish area, which we also had not planned.
We like the Turkish hospitality and the Turkish food. People are more dynamic than the Greeks. Many Turks sit on the ground and eat their meals, just as we do. Also the fresh salads, the fine omelets, no pork and the Köfte (minced meatballs) are very welcome. Once again, we enjoy a delicious melon on a roadside. The salesman immediately sits down to us and helps to eat the huge melone. We try to chat with him, but unfortunately we do not understand him … We must improve our turkish.
In Kas, Andi finds in the mirror with horror that he definitely looks like a freak! Beard and long disheveled hair. Luckily, the area teems with Barbers. Andi enjoys the full, turkish “Kuaför” program: This means cutting hair and shaving beard, including eyebrows, removing nasal and ear hair with burning cotton, as well as head and neck massage!
All this for 50 Turkish Lira (16.- CHF).
In Kas we are undecided where our journey should continue. We draw several possibilities on the tablet. We are very interested in the backcountry, but ultimately the dice decides for the route. Already the first evening when we ask for water once again we get to know the turkish hospitality. We are offered fresh grapes and red peppers. The next day, we will again be presented with fresh grapes by a passing car. In the evening we ask a farmer for water and he immediately invites us for a cay. In addition to the cay, we get pampered with pita bread, apricots, fresh olives, tomatoes and cheese. He even offers us to tent next to his house and gives us eggs along the way. To sleep on his property we reject politely and move on. We still must get used to this great hospitality. Also on the wayside we are a welcome change for fruit and vegetable salesmen. These older women turn out to be very self-confident and maternal. They are very concerned that we eat enough and have a good seat 🙂
For the Cay we mostly pay nothing, because either someone invites us or the owner wants nothing. Again, we have to reject grateful gifts because our bags are already filled and we declare that we can not carry so much. Twice we are invited by teachers to cay. The twofold father Ali and teacher is committed to the Erasmus exchange program for students. He even invites us for lunch in a restaurant. He is very pleased that tourists are traveling to Turkey despite the tense situation in Turkey.
From Beysehir to Aksaray we take the bus. We want to make progress, because the autumn is approaching and we want to go to Georgia, which is very mountainous. In addition, the desert-like moon landscape to Aksaray should not be very exciting. The trip costs 35 TL per person (9.-Fr.) and the bicycles are for free, however this worked out only after the second bus company. After the bus has arrived the big speculation starts how these bikes can be loaded into the bus. When the eight Turkish men are still puzzling in front of the luggage compartment, Judith sees a solution, takes her bike and simply puts the bike upright into the compartment. She pushes a suitcase slightly to the side and the bicycle fits perfectly in. Except for one man all are enthusiastic about Judith’s action and look at her admiringly. Then it goes quickly and also Andi’s bike is loaded. In Aksaray the first Warmshower.org awaits us. Until now we had often tried to stay at Warmshower.org, but it never worked out. Ahmed is a student in Aksaray. He lives in a bachelor’s flat with Met. We were glad to stay there as we arrived late in Aksaray by bus, but the next day we were also happy to move on.
Aksaray has over 100 mosques. When its time to pray, it sounds randomly from each mosque. We have already asked ourselves a few times why it is not prayed together and more coordinated. In the park, we meet a man who can answer this question. He tells us that 10 years ago there was a good solution, that only one mosque sung and the sound could be heard in all the other mosques. However, this was reversed five years ago, since it was felt that it is more tradition to proclaim the prayer from each individual mosques and that this renewal endangered their aspirations to be accepted by Allah after death. This man also tells us that it is difficult to get a safe and well-paid job. In addition, he confirms our observation that investments are primarily made in road construction and in mosques.
Now we are looking forward to Capadokia. The white sandstones and the rocks with its housings are very impressive. A little off the beaten track, we find a beautiful sleeping place. Andi sees on the GPS a small gravel track parallel to the main road. The next morning this road leads to the “love valley”, which is very beautiful to look at from above.
From Kayseri to Sivas there is only one very busy road, so we take the bus. After several attempts we are able to take the bicycles once more for free. So we pay 25 Turkish Lira (8.-Fr.) per person. Here in this area most women wear a headscarf. Judith wears now only 3/4 pants. With tail wind we drive from Sivas towards Zara. It is also a multi-lane road, but fortunately it has little traffic and a wide safety lane. In Zara, we are talking to an Imam. He proudly shows us photos of his family. After Zara we turn into a small street. A nice pass that takes us above 2010m asl awaits us.
Shortly before Bayburt we are fighting against strong headwind. We were also told that it will rain the next days. After almost 10 weeks without rain and not to worry about the weather this comes as a surprise to us. So we gladly take the offer from a bus driver to ride to Bayburt.
In Bayburt we study the weather. It really does not look so good for the coming days and we have still to cross a pass of 2500m asl. So we decide to go already in the direction of the pass and to do the crossing the next day. Already after an hour drive we are looking for shelter from the rain. The rain shower only takes a short time and we can go on again. It has cooled down significantly and we are fighting again with strong head wind. Suddenly a farmer stops us. He asks us where we want to go. After learning that we want to go to Uzungöl and over 2500m pass, he shakes his head vehemently and anxiously. He asks us to turn around and to eat and sleep at his place in the next village. Tomorrow the weather would be better. We thank him for his invitation, but we don’t feel like going back. For us, it was clear anyway that we would start the passing the next morning. As we see a wind-sheltered spot with water, we stop and settle for the night. A little later, just while Andi is taking a shower, this worried man comes back and brings us food. He is satisfied that we rest here and cross the pass the next day.
Early in the morning, warmly packed, we head towards the pass. It is once again a very beautiful pass! The gravel track leading upwards is easy to ride. We are astonished when we see a small hut on our path just before the second summit, which has a sign that says „Otel“. Loud music can be heard outside. We are delighted to drink a warm cay at the warm fireplace. It turns out that this older man has lived 22 years in Stuttgart and has now been back in Turkey since 26 years. For 6 months he lives up here and hosts the few tourists and during the winter he stays in Uzungöl. Unfortunately it is quite foggy on the summit and the nice view we have to imagine. Shortly before Uzungöl it starts to rain again. We find a cheap accommodation and have a warm shower. In Uzungöl we encounter the first women wearing a burka which however are Arab tourists. At night, Andi got sick with fever and chills. Judith also has a funny, rumbling stomach. Was it the kebab from lunch or the cheese from dinner or the eggs? We don’t know it. So we’ll stay second and third night.
On Sunday after two days of rest, Andi feels fit enough to continue riding. On this day a Turkish cycling race from Caykara to Uzungöl takes place. Soldiers armed with assault rifle regulate the traffic. What if their instructions are not followed? Will you be shot? But this is not the case. Nobody shows real respect, all cars are criss-cross overtaking the cyclist. Well the assault rifle does not help a lot.
After Of we head for Rize. It is a multi-lane road directly at the sea. We don’t like the area at all. The motorway blocks the access to the sea and only non-cycling crossings and underpasses lead to the sea. Rize, however, is a nice town. After Rize we continue to Hopa. Andi has his first flat and finally a welder re-align his bicycle stand. Juhui, the bike does not fall every other day! A Turkish teacher tells us that there are “ögretmen-evi” in every city, which are cheap teachers accommodation. However, we made different experience, either they are too expensive or full. So we decide to tent. It is slowly getting dark and we seek in vain a quiet and safe sleeping place. When it even starts to rain, we give up the search and find shelter in our first real flophouse: A smoky, dingy room (60TL, 16.-CHF.). The next day we fight through the monsoon like rain to Arhavi, where a package awaits us. Wet and frozen, we arrive at the accommodation, to which we could send the package. To our great horror this accommodation is booked out, but the owner Cengiz regrets this very much and organises a hotel close by, a great room with breakfast for a sensational friendship price. Normally, this hotel would have cost a lot more. We are glad to receive the package at the post office the next morning.
We want to get away from this monster highway and off into the mountains. So our plan was to leave in Hopa towards Arthavi to cross the border to Georgia near Posof. We reject this plan in Hopa as it rains once more. In Hopa we meet a Russian cyclist who arrives soaked and frozen in the same coffee house. Together we are looking for a hotel. However, these are all too expensive for us and so we continue together towards the border. Shortly before darkening, we find a great spot on the beach. It is a campsite, which is however not in operation in October. The owner is very generous. We can dry our clothes in the warm pub and cook in the kitchen. Under the canopy, we set up our tents. At this point, many thanks again! The next morning we cross the border to Georgia. With a crying eye, because the five weeks in Turkey have really pleased us. We were able to communicate a little bit in the Turkish language. Now again we have to learn a new language and writing.
Conclusion: Every Turk smokes! Everywhere we were exposed to passive smoking. The Turkish hospitality is overwhelming! We will definitely take some of them with us. Everywhere we were sincerely received and supported. Great interest in us and our trip was shown. We can not confirm all our concerns and warnings about this country. Turkey is a great country to travel. We have very well experienced the tense situation in the country, we also have experienced a demonstration, and many Turks are worried about how it will continue.
With the Superfast Ferry it takes 16 hours from Bari to Patras. It is a windy and damp night on the deck. In Patras we have two rest days in a nice airbnb. The Greek coffee is served by a lift and, of course, the coffee is cold in Greece.
So now we can go: Greece we come 🙂 Early on Sunday morning we head southwards. It is a beautiful, quiet morning. No, it’s not quiet! Everywhere we pass barking dogs. Unlike in Italy, you have to expect that the fence is broken or that the gate is not closed. Now, either you are fast enough that the dogs won’t follow or you stop to face the dog… The second is more effective, but needs more courage!
As we discover in the map “Agios Andreas”, we know that we want to stay there over night. It is a beautiful place and we enjoy a romantic sunset 🙂 Until now our most beautiful sleeping place!
After the more flat part, Greece now appears from the hilly side. It is wonderful here. On the one hand, we like the great views very much and the people in the countryside are much more friendly to us. Unfortunately, the fewest can speak English. With our little learned Greek, hands, and feet, we succeed more or less in communicating. At a remote village shop the seller proudly presents us two delicious nectaries and a Greek who speaks a little German tells us that these are from his own garden. The next day we will experience even more Greek hospitality: In the morning we are paid for the coffee and at lunch in a remote, extinct village (where only 3 people still live) we are spontaneously invited to lunch when we ask for water. It turns out that this family lives in Athens, but spend the holidays in the parents’ house. Again, thank you very much. Later in the evening we are even gifted with local delicious figs. Between olive trees we find once again a great place to pitch our tent.
Quickly we get to Kalamata back to the sea. Along the coast we cycle to Kardamyli. There we spend a beautiful evening, in one us recommended fish restaurant directly at the sea. An amazing bay is our home for the night. After a morning swim we cycle over a nice pass to Neo Itylo.
A small fishing village, which we like so much, that we decided to stay and spend the afternoon with bathing. Our sleeping place we find on a hill with a fantastic view.
The southern part of this peninsula is getting drier. We like the beautiful Areopoli very well. After a short pass a great descent follows to Gythio and again we find a great sleeping place, this time right on the beach. Now it goes again over 1500 a.s.l. and then to Astros. While we have lunch in a small place, we are invited to the coffee. Our Greek knowledge is once again required 🙂 They can only shake their heads as they hear that we want to cycle over the pass to Astros. For safety, they give us vegetables and olive oil on this impossible path. We are very happy about these gifts, as our stock is actually a bit badly calculated. The pass with 1525asl. we accomplish the next morning.
When we arrive in Kastanisa, we are delighted by its appearance. The secluded and small village has got its name from the many chestnut trees. So our efforts paid off! We stop in a restaurant and enjoy a Greek dish Pita with cheese. Shortly thereafter, the driving vegetable dealer stops and we can improve our supplies again.
In Astros we jump once more into the crystal clear sea. At the beautiful boat harbor we cook our dinner. After breakfast, again on an exceptionally beautiful spot, we cycle to Nafpoli. That this town is beautiful, unfortunately, have also discovered some other tourists. So we leave again after a short coffee stop. Our longer stop is then at a beautiful, lonely bay. After the recommendation of a Greek, we take the detour and cycle to the Museum Epidaurus.We are thrilled by the beautiful scenery. Tired, we arrive at the Archaeological Museum at 8 pm. We pay the proud price and visit the theater and the remains of the temples and sprints of the Greeks.
We hear that the package has arrived in Athens. So we take the ferry to Athens in Methana. In Athens we have to do our washing once again and we are very happy to receive our two packages. Thanks again Lazaros for your help! After a day of cycling through the chaotic and touristic city, we take the ferry to Rhodes.
In Rhodes we want to stay a few days and recover, but hardly arrived in Rhodes, we are almost killed by the many tourists. So, we quickly buy the ticket for the journey to Marmaris in Turkey.
Conclusion Greece: We liked Greece very much. The people we met especially in the mountains were very kind and hospitable.
Faster than that we have thought, we leave Switzerland and are in Italy.
The first tracks were hard and we enjoyed a break in Bormio. We let our muscles relax in the thermal bath and enjoy a massage:-) We set up our tent between the caravans at the cableway station.
With new energy, we go up to the “Passo di Gavia”. It is a very nice ascent and we can keep up with the fat cyclers ? At the top we look forward to the visit of Bruno and Eva. The two hikes and the common time remain in our best memories. Thank you very much for your visit and for the excellent dinner! Then we cross the narrow pass road of the Gavia over the Passo del Tonale to the Val di Sole.
What is going on with the Val di Sole? It is not so sunny … We brave the rainstorm and we are happy that in Arco we finally meet the summer and Andi finds new cycling shoes. In Arco, we decided not to cycle to Venice, but to surprise Judith’s siblings in Tuscany with a visit.
After an amusing train ride through the “Poebene” from Verona to Parma, we will cycle up to 1000m above sea level and head over to Tuscany. With full speed ahead, we drive along the beach to Piano di Conca, where the holiday villa of Judith’s siblings is. The surprise is successful and we are very welcome. The grill is already hot and at the big table we are served delicious food. We spend the next day at the beach. Thank you very much for the nice stay !! We were able to relax. The next morning we say good-bye to Judith’s siblings and their families and leave again …
It gets so hot! Even for the dogs it is too hot! Fortunately, there are always fountains, which are a welcome cooling.
We decide immediately to set the alarm clock at 05:00 and spend the hot temperatures in cool parks, coffees or shopping centers.
Yes, exactly after so many hours on the bike, the bums can hurt terribly! Judith hopes that the Velomech Andi can do something 🙂
On the national holiday we have a rest day. Well recovered, we continue towards Monte Sibillini. Shortly before our destination to the village Visso, we disregard a closed road. We think that we can pass these with the bike. But there flows a river, instead of a street. During the last August earthquake, the mountain has slipped and has totally destroyed the road. We have no choice and have to return. At lunch in the village we hear that two other mountain bikers have the same problem and the host spontaneously offers a ride by a Jeep up in the direction of Castelluccio.
We drive and push our bikes the rest of the way to Castelluccio. The beautiful view rewards the hard tour! Shocked, we see that Castelluccio was almost completely destroyed by the earthquake …
Since we didn’t come through Visso, we have to get some money down in Norcia. Also Norcia was hit hard by the earthquake, the church is completely collapsed and large parts of the city are blocked off. However, we get everything we need and then we go back to Arquata del Tronto. This road is blocked as well and so we have to drive to the next valley. Since it’s Andi’s birthday, we want to dinner in a nice restaurant. So we decide to go to Amatrice as it is the next bigger village. Shortly before Amatrice we are once again in front of a closed street! We ask and we are told that there is no more Amatrice and only the military is present. The next shop was in Sant Angelo. When we arrive in this place, our breath stops: This village is also totally destroyed! The police help us and explains that Amatrice is accessible from behind and there is a new restaurant in the “Area Food”. Tired we take note of this and fight again over two small pass and 18 kilometers. But we are rewarded and we can enjoy Andi’s birthday dinner in the new “Area Food”.
In the morning we realize that all Amatrice is totally destroyed and we recognize the extent of the earthquake series! At the “Area Food”, a provisional school was also set up, since the other school is no longer safe. 300 people have perished and children ‘s drawings at school show that the processing of the experience will take a long time. We meet an Indian who shows us the destroyed villa of his bosses. He tells us about the happenings and tells us that today, after almost 12 months, the shop opens for the first time. We urgently need food, but the onslaught is so great that we do without it and continue in the direction of Abruzzo to Gran Sasso.
To the Gran Sasso it leads over a larger pass and we enjoy once more in the height to stay overnight. The next morning, the cable car leads us comfortably to 2100m to Campo Imperale. We enjoy the fast ride down and drive through the steppe-like landscape towards Torre de ‘Passeri. We spend the night in a B & B, where we can use our freshly learned Italian 🙂
A narrow, beautiful ravine leads us to the lakes and the park of Abruzzo. For the midday we choose a lake, which should lead over a short Singeltrail away from the pass road. However, this turns out to be a narrow, blocked trail! Since it is mostly downhill, we decide to flee to the front and are rewarded with a shady and secluded spot on the river. The 100 bears and 50 wolves that are supposed to be in this park will keep us from spending the night at this beautiful place, so we will end the torture this evening. At the end, there are still short, flowing singeltrails, which leads back to the solid road. After that, we head down to Scapoli.
After a day of laundry and a rest day, we enjoy the train ride to Napoli. The city and the beaches are quite polluted. The coast from Napoli to Salerno is very nice. It has always lonely bays, whose beauty has also discovered large, luxurious yachts. Again and again we come to beautiful villages and treat ourselves to a Cappuchino.
We are well advanced and already reach Basilicata. Brrr, in Basilicata we are surprised by a cold wind and some rain. As we called, we are lucky enough to find shelter at the roadside in an unfinished, detached house, where we can enjoy the wind protected place to spent the night there. Again and again we strengthen ourselves with the Schüsslersalz 3,5 & 7, so we have our mineral household under control. The beautiful starry sky attracts photographers. Oops! What’s wrong with Andis Expedmatt ?! A first chamber is solved and there are still more … There is no more sleep !!! We look for a replacement. Unfortunately we only find a cheap, uncomfortable mat in Decathlon. Luckily we can order a new one online and thanks Andis’s work colleague Lazaros we have an address in Athens. @ Lazaros: Thank you very much for your help!
Alberobello is a popular tourist destination and also the Giro Italy was there 🙂 It is famous for its trullis. Trullis are houses, which were built after the model of the shepherd’s tent. The roofs are only stacked with stones (without mortar). The fast build-up and dismantling of the city helped to circumvent the taxes in the 17th century.
In the caves of Castellana we make a two-hour tour through the 3-kilometer grotto. They were the most beautiful in the world. Then we go to Bari where we take the ferry to Greece.
Conclusion: Italy is a super country, which we actually already knew 🙂 Everywhere, even in the most remote villages, one gets top Capucchinos and in almost every park it has a fountain with cool water. Top cycling country, although further down we were often glad that we were not with the road bike, since the roads are often quite sh ….
On 17.7.2017 we say goodbye to Andi’s parents, who have welcomed us with great hospitality the last three weeks. Thanks again! Exactly at 07:17 we cycle with our packed bikes to Baar. There we also say goodbye to Judith’s parents. The farewell always hurts, even if you have long been looking forward to it …
For the first stage we shoot for something big, however we still enjoy a cool down in the Walensee. The pushing with the heavily laden bike must still be practiced, Andi falls and lands very softly in the stinging nettle. It burns horribly. Fortunately, we have Schüssler salt ointment 3&8 and a second mirror with us. Thanks Rita and Michi. 🙂
The visit to Andis grandmother in Landquart was great and entertaining. She is still top fit. We hope that it remains like this. Thanks again for the great Zvieri!
Tired we arrive in Küblis and enjoy the sleep in a comfortable bed.
On the second day, we head towards Davos. The new bypass tunnels are awesome, because up to Klosters the road is almost car-free.
After Davos Glaris we turn left into the Landwasser gorge. And cycle on a gravel track, which later becomes a flowing single trail. Which is easy possible with our heavily loaded steel-wheels.
A secluded farmer-pub rewards us with a homemade, selfservice pizza.
Strengthened it goes again in a short single trail with a few steps, which has stressed bikes and rider, fortunately all went well.
From Filisur we head towards Albulapass via Bergün. In Bergün, it is crowded with cycling travellers.
At Lake Lai da Palpuogna we ignore the camping prohibition sign and stay directly at the lake. Only a fisherman caught us later at night. He gives us information on fly fishing. Would be something for you Tim.
After a windy night we cycle up to our first big pass. Shortly before the Albulapass we overtake Horst, a retired German bike traveler. Great respect Horst for your performance! We wish you a nice trip over the next passes! We hope that we also can make such tours at the age of 65.
In the Engadin we cycle along the cross-country ski slope towards Pontresina. Shortly after the Berninapass we leave Switzerland behind us.
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