Stage 31: From Etoliko to Patras

From Etoliko to Patras there were only 60 km left, so I could have a relaxed breakfast in Mesolongi, the next biggest town. Of course, there were many stray cats again, showing interest until there's no more food left. After that, I continued with a strong headwind towards the east, always along the main road. A few kilometers before Andirrio, at a viewpoint right on the coast, there were already three touring cyclists, as if they were waiting for me. Two Frenchmen, Jeremy and Alex, who had started in Lyon in August, and a German, Michael, who had started his tour in Split. He had also just met the two Frenchmen at this viewpoint!

We waited a few more minutes to see if more travelers would come by, but that was not the case. Since we all had Patras as our destination, we decided to continue together. The almost 3 km long bridge can be used by cyclists without toll fees, but at the other end of the bridge there's a staircase... According to my bike computer, I reached the 3000 kilometer mark right in the middle of the bridge!

In the afternoon and evening, Michael and I explored the city a bit while the Frenchmen took care of their laundry. Later in the evening, the four of us met for some beer and snacks. I learned that Jeremy wants to take a bit more time to explore the Peloponnese by bus, while Michael, Alex, and I have similar plans. We decided to continue our journey together for a few more days and meet Jeremy again in Athens at the latest!

The next morning, Michael and I did some sightseeing (castle and odeon) before we continued the ride as a duo around noon. Alex wanted to sleep longer but soon caught up with us.