August 26, 2015
To Banska Stiavnica: Another hilltop finish
I had absolutely the best breakfast at the hotel, included in the room rate. It was cooked to order, and I took their suggestion of ham and eggs. The ham was fried and the eggs (3 of them!) were cooked on top of the ham. There was also bread and butter and jam and an assortment of cheeses and cold cuts. Mmmmm.
Then the descent! And what a descent it was. I left wearing my windbreaker, and pretty much rolled downhill for 10 miles.
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When it flattened out, I stopped and took off the windbreaker, as it was heating up.
The rest of the day was spent trying to avoid the motorway. I took some bike paths
and some smaller roads. I was in a region with lots of corn
and had to stop twice for train crossings. It was pretty
but it wasn't flat. In fact, I hadn't realized that I would be riding up into another, albeit smaller, mountain range. I finished the day in Banska Stiavnica, which is at the peak of the Stiavnica Mountains, at about 600 meters elevation.
It is an old medieval town built on the hill. The roads on town are steep, and both the road and the sidewalks are cobbled. Even modern features like speed bumps are cobbled. The history includes old silver mines, and with the mines, religious structures, skiing and outdoor sports, there is a lit of tourism in the area. That gave me accommodation options, and I'm at the Penzion Kastleman, in an old building near the center.
Today's ride: 77 km (48 miles)
Total: 1,646 km (1,022 miles)
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