May 11, 2022
Hills hub dog
Day 81 - Drvar to Knin (Croatia)
As if to prove that we are back on track, today was one of the biggest of the trip so far - not the most kilometres at 69, but the most elevation gain at about 900 metres. We smashed it! No real struggling, no cycling into the night...! Just a little tired at the end of the day.
The route was beautiful - hot and sunny, up through forested mountain climbs into green valleys.
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We stopped in Bosansko Grahovo for a coffee and a rest, and a cold drink for later. Chatted briefly with an American-accented guy who was born locally but now obviously made it big and lives in the States, going to see Arsenal in London, meeting Thierry Henry in Chicago, and getting his signed shirt!
As we descended to the border the scenery got rockier, with the mountains seeming to come closer together and get spikier.
Unfortunately, the rear hub of my bike is clearly ruined. No idea what happened, but over the past couple of days it's started making a horrible noise when free wheeling, as well as sometimes skipping forward with a horrible clank when putting power down, and scariest of all, once or twice it feels like the cassette has stopped spinning freely so the chain has bunched up in a way that feels like it could stop the pedals or even the back wheel from turning! Maybe it's unfair but I'm not very happy with the bike shop we got these from, first the crank, now the hub, it's not like we've done that many kilometres...
Anyway, it made what was a lovely descent much more clanky, grindy, and fraught.
Another bad thing happened on the descent: our first proper dog attack. We have obviously encountered hundreds if not thousands of dogs, most of them bark at you, some of them mean it, most of them are chained up, some of them aren't, one or two have actually given chase to a greater or lesser extent. This one actually attacked!!
I didn't think to speed up as I didn't think it would do anything, but it bit my pannier! It made a hole in my couple of weeks old new ortlieb pannier!!
I mean come on!! Good job it wasn't my leg, I suppose, but of all the idiot dogs to encounter on remote Bosnian forest roads... He probably broke a tooth! Why can't he realise that it would be in everyone's best interest if he just fucked off!? Is that too much to ask??
At the border the policeman wanted to give us a fine, as you are supposed to register with the police if you stay more than two days in the country. We did register with them at least once, but didn't keep the little receipt (doh!), but the nice lady had seen us riding up a hill days before and let us off.
Now we are heading to Sibenik as unfortunately there are no bike shops in Knin. Fingers crossed my hub doesn't explode before we get there!
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The scenery is stunning and the level of fitness must be up there as the best you’ve been ! Sail triumphant Rocky riders !Sending much love and apols for temporary loss of adulation from me xxx
2 years ago
Today's ride: 69 km (43 miles)
Total: 2,921 km (1,814 miles)
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| Comment on this entry | Comment | 1 |
2 years ago