September 12, 1998
Ptuj to Celje
Most of this day was spent on very quiet roads in and around the hills south of the Drava. There were several memorable episodes. While stopping at the side of a store in a very small town, we were startled by greetings from a young man who was the wall. He was a cyclist nd had good English skills, nd was quite interesting to talk with. Later, in the very small town of Policane we encountered a group of five British cyclists, stopping to refuel at the same market as we had. The most gregarious of them, a short, rather ill at ease man, was riding a folding bike.
After lunch in the small park in the town square, we set off for Celje and soon lost our way in the remote hills of the ridge to the south. We spent the next half hour in very lovely, very hilly country, often on unsealed roads, occasionally pushing up some ridiculously steep incline, until we finally worked through to the other side of the ridge and cycled downriver the remainder of the way to Celje.
Celje was a bit of a disappointment, although it had some attractive features. The foremost attraction was a street theater performance in the main square. The acting troup was quite distinctive. An almost vaudvillian slapstick group, they presented a succession of vaguely connected skits. The group made extensive use of folding aluminum ladders as props, fashioning them into bridges, boats and so on; and of a long blue plastic tarp that was put to use as a river or barrier. The action frequently moved down the street and through the surrounding crowd, forcing the audience to hustle along after them almost as though they were participants.
Our hotel was a big disappointment - it had very small rooms, a tiny bath, and single beds aligned end to end.
Today's ride: 56 miles (90 km)
Total: 231 miles (372 km)
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