Rab Island rideabout

September 29, 2020

Rab is a relatively small island, as far as developed Croatian islands go. At 94 square kilometers, it’s perhaps 20% larger than Lopez in the San Juan Islands, if that means anything to you. With a third of its surface area tied up in that steep, barren slope on the east side, there’s not much room for roads.

Today, we rode most of the miles we haven’t covered already, if you don’t include residential streets. Down to the ferry terminal at the southern tip, and back; and out to the green, protected northwest corner and back. A very relaxing, lovely ride with more climbing than we’d been expecting: nothing large, just a constant stream of low rises.

There’d be more to say about it if I hadn’t wasted my time this morning watching with aghast amazement at clips of last night’s presidential debate. Out of time, don’t want to get behind. Just the pics and video.

Video sound track: The Craftsman, by Eric Kingstad

Biking along the waterfront south of Pag, looking back at the old town.

Looking back at the ridge we crossed on yesterday’s hike.

The waterfront promenade at Banjul, the next community south of Rab town.

Looking across the channel at Dolin Island, the long pencil we saw from above yesterday. Behind it is a high point on Pag, our destination tomorrow.

Another view on Dolin. It’s uninhabited now, but even there you’ll see a few of those mysterious ancient stone walls.

Approaching ferry port at Mišnjak. One way to get from Rab, and the one we took last time, is to catch this ferry to the mainland, bike the coast highway along the lower slopes of Velebit, and then take a second ferry back to Pag. Sort of a long, complicated ride.

Still descending toward the ferry, which you can just see at the end of the road.

Looking at Rab town from the heights above Barbat. Like I said earlier, there is a lot of incidental up and down in today’s ride.

We’re off at the northwest corner of the island now, stopping for lunch at Suha Point. A beautiful spot, and it felt wonderful lying on the grass and feeling the breeze. It made me think back to our wonderful stay with Jack and Maria back in Castellabate last year on our tour of southern Italy.

There must be something to this sailing thing. Looks very enticing. Maybe we should have given it a try somewhere along the way.

Biking through the forest preserve that covers the northwest thumb of the island.

Still in it. Peaceful riding, which looks like this the whole way.

We followed the road to its end, but never came to a spot where you can see the sea.

Looking up a channel to Rab town. This channel almost splits off the northwest corner of the island. It won’t take much rise in sea level to complete the job. If you’re considering visiting Rab, probably sooner than later is the right idea.

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Ride stats today: 27 miles, 2,200’; for the tour: 1,258 miles, 59,100’

Today's ride: 27 miles (43 km)
Total: 1,272 miles (2,047 km)

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Steve Miller/GrampiesWe watched in real time for the last part of the so called debate. Horror and nausea fought for the upper hand. OMG, the poor USA.
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4 years ago

Scott AndersonTo Steve Miller/GrampiesIt is all so hard to fathom. We watched snippets this morning - horrifying from start to finish. Personally, I think he drove the last stake in last night and will only stay in office by force - which certainly looks imaginable now.

We feel so conflicted over here. Aghast, saddened for friends and family back home, but relieved to be in a sane part of the world. We feel quite sure we won’t return until January, when our Schengen days are up (it does look like we can continue on to Italy and Greece from here). But I’m not sure even then - depending on what’s happening then we might shop around for another destination until this chaos subsides.
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4 years ago

Jen RahnWe've been enjoying the photos of your happy and stress-free faces.

Limit your exposure to the steaming dung heap!

We made it through maybe 20 minutes before we had to turn it off.
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4 years ago

Lyle McLeodStaying focused on the positive .... absolutely stunning ride. Such varied, and beautiful, terrain in a compact area. Was the lack of other vehicles in the video a result of selective editing or was it the reality of the day? Even if ‘selective editing’, it looked pretty sweet.
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4 years ago

Scott AndersonTo Lyle McLeodThe video was pretty accurate. Once you get past the suburbs south of Rab, it’s a dead end road to the ferry, which runs only every hour and a half. The wooded park (one of the most important oak forests in the Mediterranean) is gated, open to pedestrians and bikes only. There are a few miles north of Rab that carry traffic on the road to Kampor that we didn’t include (no pics either), but it really wasn’t bad either. You’re right, pretty sweet. I wish we’d stayed here longer.
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4 years ago