The weather forecast was perfect for hiking the Peace Trail a couple hours from Enzo and Allison’s house in Belluno. It was good to use our legs to amble instead of pedal. Placed along the trail are seven pieces of art by local artists that portray seven aspects of peace – moderation, wisdom, justice, courage, … More The Peace Trail/Massanutten Mountain
Sorry there was no blog this morning. We didn’t have internet last night. At home, we are friends with Allison and Enzo. Enzo is Italian and has a lovely family home in Belluno. They have arranged their life to be able to spend four to six months in this amazing place in the Dolomite Mountains … More Old friends in Belluno, Italy. New friends in Stephens City, Virginia.
Continuing westward into Italy, we mostly rode uphill today, with splendid mountain views surrounding us. We had over 100 feet of elevation gain per mile, and that’s hard! Of course, we’re pretty seasoned now, but still. At least, it was “only” 38 miles. The setting is magnificent, but the last hill to our lodging, Albergo … More Whoops, uphill again
Four miles into today’s ride, we crossed into Italy, our 11th country, the first whose language I speak. We rolled gently downhill nearly the entire day in perfect weather, cycling on the Adria Way, a scenic rail trail that follows the Fella River over several spectacular rail bridges and through a tunnel. Of the entire … More Into Italy (and DC)
It was so close, we could see the island from our lodging. We packed up our bikes and headed out along the shoreline to the spot where people rent small boats to row out to it. Allison and Enzo, our hosts in Italy in a couple of days, have been there. Allison swam around the … More A Tiny Island Inside a Lake
Callyn and I picked up the Trail of the Wire near our lodging and followed it another seven miles south and west of Ljubljana. It’s a very popular route for walkers. As we exited the city, we could see mountains ahead. We were headed right for them. The temperature dropped conveniently as we worked our … More Cycleraderie
While planning the ride, I used the OSM (Open Street Map) cycle view in RideWithGPS. (My friend, Marie, told me about this view a couple of years ago. It’s been an invaluable planning tool ever since.) In 2020 we were going to stay on the outskirts of Ljubljana and go into the city by some … More The Trail of the Wire
Our second farmstay in Slovenia! We’ve arrived at Domačija Artišek. Here’s a link to its photo gallery. To have the views they have, the buildings have to be up a steep hill. Shhh. We walked our bikes up. On the way there, we slithered peacefully through endless fields. Each small town had its grain elevator. … More What’s in Štore?
And has three lakes, Jasz, and a major river (the Danube) in between? A magnificent traverse of Hungary curated by Pete, beginning with wine in Tokaj. We left Keszthely on the Eurovelo 14 route and arrived at the border 47 miles into the day. We cycled into Slovenia on a road that has been built … More What starts with wine and ends with chocolate?
Sometimes you get the pacing right on a long trip but, occasionally, a place calls out too loudly to let you go on. And, at my age, there’s no guarantee there will be an opportunity to return. As I mentioned yesterday, we are in Keszthely at the southwestern end of Lake Balaton, where we decided … More Midpoint Relax
Life is Like a Bike 