September 11, 1998
Olimje to Ptuj
We stalled around this morning until after 10 before hitting the road, to allow time for a dense fog to burn off of the valley floor. By the time we started moving the visibility had improved to about a quarter mile, a great improvement over the 100 yards we could see when we first looked out.
Most of our ride to Ptuj was on a poorly surfaced, very low traffic road edging the Sutla River and the Croatian border. This stretch was generally flat with occasional gradual hills; but made more difficult because significant stretches were unsealed.
The country is quite different here. The terrain surrounding the river consists primarily of steep sloped stand alone hills, most with vinyards climbing up their sides. The valleys bear different crops than the ones further west - melons are predominant, but we also sw fields of bright yellow peppers and of course the ever present corn and small vegetable plots. It was interesting cycling along the Croatian border. It is economically the poorest region we've encountered - poorer quality roads and homes, more manual labor in the fields, and generally a seemingly less healthy population.
About 15 km before Ptuj we pedaled to the top of a small knoll (Crna Gora) to visit the lovely Ptujska Gora Church, cited as the first Gothic church in Slovenia in our guidebook. It is remarkable for having an enormous carved wooden altarpiece depicting the Virgin protecting a hoard of citizens under her outstretched mantel; but it is also memorable for its lovely, modern stained glass windows. the hill itself is also an attraction, giving an impressive overview of Ptuj and the Drava basin.
Ptuj is a very appealing town, in spite of its curious name. It has a dramatic skyline, with its well preserved medieval center framed by the Drava below and the ruins of its immense castle bove. We enjoyed wandering its streets but enjoyed even more our experience at the farmhouse a half mile east of town where we spent the night. The hostess, Rosalija, has a very upbeat and energetic spirit. She added a lot to our feel for the country by discussing the rate and impact of change it is undergoing since its break from Yugoslavia. Her most startling observation was that our room had been used to house the family cow three years earlier. She also had a delightfully entertaining guest, an academician from Vienna.
When she sent us on our way the next morning, Rosalija supplied us with a half dozen newly picked pears and instructions to write when we return home.
Today's ride: 44 miles (71 km)
Total: 175 miles (282 km)
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