Life is not a Practice

The "2016 Racing Bike Adventure".

Heidi and I cycled from Nesselwang to Dubrovnik.
1200 kilometers with 17131 meters of climbing. Nearly two times Everest! Six international border crossings and numerous passes. Lunch in mountain alps and dinner on the harbour wall.



The complete route is shown at http://www.gpsies.com/viewStages.do?fileId=jngvnsvdgwvloizs&fileId=aquwepttwsnmxwhj&fileId=uoniecwqhavacqng&fileId=xygsfrjfocuvfuoh&fileId=jsenzmzjgmgmsuta&fileId=lahyrimykudsfpnz&fileId=xqyrooayatuiqofx&fileId=heexcgqrueavqrzr&fileId=oqkljabdiqzndpmt&fileId=ifmoxjajgquzjzsy



Day 1 - Nesselwang to Innsbruck (Austria)
http://www.gpsies.com/map.do?fileId=jngvnsvdgwvloizs
Left at lunchtime to get over the Fernpass and positioned for the Brenner tomorrow. The run down the Fernpass was fast and fun as we had no cars in front of or behind us.

Day 2 - Innsbruck to Reischach (Italy)
http://www.gpsies.com/map.do?fileId=aquwepttwsnmxwhj
Across the Brenner Pass. We took three hours to the summit and cars were taking one and a half or more for the same stretch because of all the queues. On the Italian side we used cycle paths all the way.

Day 3 - Reischach to Villa Santina (Italy)
http://www.gpsies.com/map.do?fileId=uoniecwqhavacqng
Two passes and lots of beautiful scenery. After the second pass it was all downhill to the pizzeria where we spent the night.

Day 4 - Villa Santina to Spondnja Idrija (Slovenia)
http://www.gpsies.com/map.do?fileId=xygsfrjfocuvfuoh
A nice easy ride to warm up next to the river and then the crossing of a "really" steep pass. Near the start we met a shocked swiss biker on his way down who said "you are not really going to cycle up there are you?"
Ended the day in an empty valley with only one hotel. But that one was enough.

Day 5 - Spondnja Idrija to Rijeka (Croatia)
http://www.gpsies.com/map.do?fileId=jsenzmzjgmgmsuta
The last day "in the mountains". A collection of small passes took us to the sea. It started raining at the Croatian border and we reached Rijeka soaked through.

Day 6 - Rijeka to Rab (Croatia)
http://www.gpsies.com/map.do?fileId=lahyrimykudsfpnz
Hid from the morning rain in a bus shelter. Enjoyed the ride across the island of Krk and the ferry journey to the island of Rab. Hotel right on the harbour wall.

Day 7 - Rab to Skradin (Croatia)
http://www.gpsies.com/map.do?fileId=xqyrooayatuiqofx
Started the day with a water taxi trip to the island of Pag. First half of the day on the Island and second half in the war marked inland. Ruined, shot up houses still decaying 20 years later. Spent the night in the beautiful town of Skrada.

Day 8 - Skradin to Podstrana (Croatia)
http://www.gpsies.com/map.do?fileId=heexcgqrueavqrzr
Cycled to the coast and then visited Split which was definitely not worth the effort. On along the coast until "rain stopped play" and we took refuge in the next hotel

Day 9 - Podstrana to Neum (Bosnia i Hercegovina)
Fantastic Adriatic coastline. Spent the night in Bosnia.
http://www.gpsies.com/map.do?fileId=heexcgqrueavqrzr

Day 10 - Neum to Dubrovnik (Croatia)
http://www.gpsies.com/map.do?fileId=ifmoxjajgquzjzsy
An easy day to our destination. In the evening we enjoyed aperitif, main course and sweet in three different restaurants.

Day 11 - Dubrovnik to Airport (Croatia)
http://www.gpsies.com/map.do?fileId=hgncxvxtmjiqavel
All day to do 20 kilometers so we added 8 kilometers with a kayak tour to the island of Supetar.


Some pictures at https://goo.gl/photos/gpMxUWAyBmVCWZFR8