Turtle Crossing

Tag #61

Tuesday, June 30

From Tirana to Fishtë

Country: Albania

My plan to start early has partially worked, so I set off in pleasant temperatures.

First, I head out of the city, which mostly runs along quiet side streets.

Shortly behind Tirana, I pass the ruins of the peak fortress of Preza.

This is clearly an indication, as I arrive at the top drenched in sweat.

So, I take a short break to enjoy the view of the plain and cool down.

Many parts of the complex have been restored, such as the bell tower and the associated mosque, so I take a little tour.

After that, I go steeply down a gravel road, needing to brake a lot.

In between, I check how hot the brake disc is and burn my fingers a little.

From that point on, I push it down, worried that the brake pads may glaze otherwise.

At the bottom, a sign points the way to Tirana, and the view on the map reveals that it was an unnecessary climb; I could have stayed in the plain.

Regardless, I take in the culture and turn left.

Through the valley, I go along quiet roads, gently up and down, and I make good progress.

During a break, I realize that I stopped right in front of some fig trees and can pick a handful of ripe fruits.

It becomes exciting when I have to cross a more than dilapidated bridge.

Somewhat reassuring is that a corpulent local casually walks over the old structure, which sways a lot.

For safety reasons, I wait until he has arrived on my side before pushing my bike over the untrustworthy planks.

I make it to the other side safely.

After a conversation with a French bikepacker, I take a break and upload the next section of the route into the GPS while eating.

Rain is forecasted for later; for now, it is just hot and humid.

In the distance, smoke rises repeatedly from the fields, but since everyone remains calm, it seems to be okay.

Exciting, to burn fields or parts of them in these temperatures and dryness.

Unpleasant are the extreme bumps that are everywhere.

Sometimes, only a rope lies across the road.

This definitely ensures that cars hit the brakes, only to accelerate again.

Everything looks like a big racetrack.

And the stench is extreme today.

Hopefully, it's just the trash lying around everywhere and no decomposing animals.

That's what Kai reported when he traveled through Montenegro.

Heading north, I am facing a thunderstorm front, causing some mountains to disappear into the mist.

Fortunately, when the heavy rain begins, I find a reasonably suitable spot far from houses by a meadow and decide to end the tour for today.

The tarp is set up quickly.

And the rain, as often in the mountains, passes quicker than expected, so I decide to continue.

It's still quite early, and refilling water after a hot day is also a sensible idea.

In an area where there are signs warning about crossing turtles, I find one helplessly flipped on its back by the roadside.

I flip it over and wonder if it can do that on its own.

As an influencer, something like 'write it in the comments' would probably be said now.

I researched, and it is almost impossible for turtles to get back on their feet; it’s a life-threatening position.

In the newly discovered app, I saw directions to a potential campsite and make my way there. In the end, I arrive at a very beautiful place, above an olive grove with a view of a lake.

It may be private property, and I might have misunderstood the directions, but I realize this too late.

The tent is already set up.

Due to various circumstances, including an old refrigerator nearby and mostly gravel here, I decide to stay.

While eating my leftovers, which consist of noodles with spices, I observe the lightning storm flashing behind the mountain range.

Later, I even manage to photograph one before it's time to crawl into the tent.

Song of the Day:

Element of Crime - Death Kills