Slowing down

Tag #52

Sunday, June 21st.

From near Glykoneri to Krinides

Country: Greece

These were chaotic dreams of aggressive Minotaurs.

Very quirky and vivid.

After all, it’s fitting for Greece, even if Crete is far away.

Otherwise, the night was quiet, and I slept quite well, with no back pain to report.

Coincidentally, after I changed the route yesterday for some reasons, I find myself almost exactly on the actual path and I continue my journey westward.

Continuing on country roads gives me the opportunity to admire the landscape.

The upcoming nature reserve is very beautiful.

Wide bodies of water where birds circle above, on an island stands a solitary church.

Accessible via a wooden walkway that looks quite wobbly from a distance.

Seems to work considering the number of tourists.

In the distance, the mountains rise.

Otherwise, the day remains rather uneventful; occasionally I pass by a village.

And it still holds true, following the route is sometimes a wrong decision.

Since it should go along a river valley, I turn back once more, hoping for shade and perhaps some cooling down. At first, I wanted to just follow the main road.

The beginning of the path is also very beautiful, then I find myself in front of a green wall.

So I turn back again and return to the main road.

Just a few kilometers before Kavala, I meet two bikepackers coming towards me and we greet each other.

For a moment I think it would have been nice to chat with them, but the moment passes quickly, and I continue on.

In the city, it’s time to take a break and get out of the sun, so I head for a tree on the waterfront promenade.

There sits Nathan, munching on his muesli, a bikepacker from Germany, on his way to Eastern Turkey and much further.

We chat for a long time and share our experiences.

His astonishment that I am married highlights how special the support I receive from Jenni is while I explore Europe.

In hindsight, I think it would have been nice to go into the water, but it’s also good as it is.

The exchange also relaxes me regarding my further journey, as Nathan is coming from the north.

The last few days I’ve felt somewhat rushed since I’m still missing an overview of the remaining kilometers along the Trans Dinarica to Tolmin.

I will deal with that in the coming days when I’m in Thessaloniki.

I briefly consider adjusting my route, but I stick with the northern path as it was recommended, since there is less traffic there.

However, there are more elevation gains that I will tackle after continuing on.

At a gas station, where I refill my water supplies, a local speaks to me; a friend of his is currently traveling in Kyrgyzstan.

Of course, by bicycle.

He also gives me a recommendation for my dinner, and I head to the next place, Krinides.

From there, I then decide to go directly towards Serres, as the route on the map looks better in terms of potential camping spots.

After a few kilometers, I find a good spot: under a large tree, there’s a bench, and behind it, there’s an area that looks very suitable.

First, I have dinner again since I am basically always hungry, before I set up my tent at dusk and say goodbye to the day.

Song of the Day:

Mirar - Oslo