We've been in Bremen almost 3 weeks now. We will be leaving
the day after tomorrow to reconnect with the group in Athens
Greece. Its been cold and raining most days we have been here.
We took 3 short bike rides (40 - 50 Kilometers)while we were
here, been too cold and wet to do much more.
One morning we had snow!
Monika´s father came home from the hospital for a few
days shortly
after we arrived, but had to return. His condition continues
to
deteriorate slowly.
One day we took the train to Hude to visit an old school
friend of Monika's that she hadn't seen in 25 years.
There seems to be a new tiny car popular here called the
SMART which I heard is a joint product of Mercedes and Swatch.
(Its about the size of a swiss watch, so this sounds correct).
This is one of the larger models:
There was a big glass display case full of these at a shopping
mall near here, 5 or 6 stories high. Looks just like a watch
display case. Sorry I didn't get a photo of that.
We took one other side trip to Hamburg overnight, to visit
another old friend of Monika's.
Greece
March 17, 2000 - Athens Greece
Flew in from Bremen yesterday, stored our bikes at the airport
for the day and shared a taxi into a cheap hotel in the middle
of town with a couple of other tourists at the airport.
The driver looked like Bruce Willis and tried to charge us
double the meter rate when we got there, but we all refused
and he finally left with what we gave him.
The rest of the Odyssey group arrives today (a day later than
originally scheduled) from South Africa and we all ride out of
Athens tomorrow. We used this morning to take the subway and
walk up to the Acropolis, very windy up there.
On the way back we ran through a huge museum next to the hotel
before we had to check out. Then carried our bags about a mile
through town to the bus terminal and took a bus out to the hotel
(out of town) where the group is arriving. After finally getting
a room (they said they didn't know we were coming even though
we called the office in Seattle twice and told them we would
be
there), took a bus back to the airport to retrieve our bikes
from
storage and ride back to the hotel.
March 18, 2000 - Epidavros Greece
A number of riders stayed in Athens so they could see
something while we rode out to Epidavros, mostly following
the coast, A fairly easy day but I was really dragging near
the end after not riding for about 3 weeks.
March 21, 2000 - Pylos Greece
During the last 2 days we rode through Tiros Arcada,
and Sparti. The first day along the coast and the second
up many switch backs into the mountains, past a high
monastery.
Monastery on the mountain:
Little did we know when we looked up at it that we would be riding
up there!
Part of the charm in riding through rural Greece:
Today we got to the top of a high pass and it started snowing,
on the way down turned to very cold rain, had to stop once to
thaw out my fingers enough so I could hold the brakes. On the
last part we got into very heavy rains, gear trucks were held
up in customs out of Athens because no one was here ahead of
time to claim them, and since we arrived on a weekend it would
not be possible to get them until Monday. So I was worried about
our bags already sitting in the rain when we got to the campsite.
When we did arrive it turned out the trucks weren't there yet
because of some other delay, so we joined everyone else down the
street in the restaurant where it was warm and dry.
When gear arrived later we had a couple of roofed porches
so it could be unloaded out of the rain. I hurriedly put up the
tent in a lull where the rain slowed to a light drizzle and we
climbed in just before the intense storm resumed. Didn't bother
with a shower today because I would not have been able to keep
dry
walking back from the showers to the tent. Would have been a
beautiful day with better weather, but the weather can make all
the difference.
Most of the places on the coast we have gone through have
been near ghost towns this time of year. Not much is open until
summer time here.
March 22, 2000 - Olympia Greece
It was our good luck that it stopped raining about 3AM and the
wind had made the tent mostly dry by daylight. Today we had a
much easier ride of about 65 miles into
Olympia.
March 23, 2000
We took our first train ride with 28 other riders to Patra
today so we would have time in the morning to look at the ruins.
Olympia being the site of the first Olympic games. At Patra we
boarded the Superfast ferry and after an hour or two's
mix up in waiting for our room and a comfortable overnight cabin
for the journey to Italy.
ITALY
March 24, 2000
Pushed our bikes off the ferry at Patra and rode out of town
to Alberobello. Italy is rather nice riding. People seem to like
seeing bicycle groups on the road here and we get a lot of waves.
March 25, 2000 - Lido di Metaponto
Took a short cut today and had fun
finding our way through a town midway. The roads were not marked,
and we had trouble finding the way out of town. Stopped by a
park to study the map, and three old guys sitting on the park
bench came over to offer help. Each one had a different opinion
of which way to go. We tried one way, which turned out clearly
to be not what we were looking for, so doubled back past the
park bench to the interest of the men sitting there and proceeded
in a direction none of them had indicated (which turned out to
be right). The campground we were supposed to stay at today didn't
know we were coming because TK&A never reconfirmed with them
that we would be there, and they were closed (still pre season)
when the first riders arrived. It being a Sunday made it hard
for them to buy the food to feed us, since stores are closed
on Sunday. Didn't eat until late, and the quantity was lacking.
Bought the last three sets of brake pads from the bike mechanic
as ours were wearing thin. They had not had any stock of break
pads when people started wearing them out (with all the mountain
terrain and riding in rain we have done, they wear quickly),
so I decided we better grab these while we could.
March 26, 2000 - Scalea Italy
Today was a 100+ mile day over the pass across the instep
of the "boot" of Italy. A long gradual climb for 112Km
which was not too difficult then an exciting steep and winding
descent.
March 28, 2000 - Scalea to Marina di Camerato (Italy)
Beautiful ride. Midway we passed through a small town which
was a very tight squeeze for the gear trucks to get through the
street with only inches to spare.
March 30, 2000 - Paestrum to Pompeii (Italy)
Today's DRG routes us along the Amalfi Coast. Since this would
be a very narrow road with a lot of traffic, it would make it
difficult to enjoy the view. We'd like to get to Pompeii in time
to see the ruins, so we decided to take a short-cut. Checked
the map and then asked a local about the route and took off.
A bit of a challenge finding our way through Pompeii to the campground,
but managed to arrive before noon. We were the first ones in.
Ruins were right across the street, and just out of luck this
happened to be a day with free admission. Spent the afternoon
walking the ruins of Pompeii.
Above, some of the restored ruins of Pompeii. Below Monika
on the streets of Pompeii. The large stone blocks were set to
block standard width chariots from entering so you would have
to rent a special Pompeii chariot for your visit. (They thought
of everything back then).
March 31, 2000 Pompeii to Sperlonga Italy
Today's route goes through Naples. Almost everyone arrived
after closing time in Pompeii yesterday, so many are staying behind
to view the ruins then taking a train to catch up. We are in
the group of only 50 riders riding the route through Naples.
It turns out we have to go over 20 kilometers of cobblestone
road in Naples. There is a lot of traffic, but we can get through
the city faster on a bicycle than in a car. I'm starting to understand
the Italian system of driving. Cars generally don't stop for
stop signs, only lights, and scooters stop for neither most of
the time. We just follow the scooters. The cobblestones make
your bike vibrate so much you can't read your DRG while riding
on them (because its just a blur from the vibration) so we have
to stop to read it. Got my wheel caught in some tram tracks running
parallel to the road, but I'm starting to enjoy the challenge.
Days through big cities should be shorter mileage (they are not)
because the city traffic and finding your way really slows you
down.
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