Distance: 80 km
Time: 4 hrs 43 min.
Speed: 17 km/hr
Climbed: 3513 ft
AHR (Average Heart Rate) 111 bts/min
Cum Distance: 1807 km.
Cum Climbed: 37,332 ft.
Punctures: 0
Yesterday, I intimated that we were finished with all the rough roads. My apologies. How wrong I was. Half of today’s 80 km was on a rough broken road with sharp descent and climbs included. Not gravel roads but broken and potholed pavement. I'm promising nothing else concerning roads or hills till we reach Istanbul.
Being a short day (as far as kms were concerned) breakfast was at the later time of 8am. But there was a doubt about this breakfast and I suggested going foraging for the necessities. There were delicious looking grapes growing on the grounds and some wild apples nearby. However things worked out and we had a breakfast dish and coffee. It fuelled us up for the day.
From the hotel, we had a sharp short rise back up to the main road. Anytime today that we were moving at a slow pace the flies decided to accompany us. They didn’t bite or sting but just an annoyance. Some cyclists stopped regularly to apply anti-bug spray to themselves, their helmets, their bikes even but it made no difference. These flies were out to have a good time.
Our route today was in the shape of the H in the Hyundai logo.....a little bit on a perfect surface Highway 79 ,then a swing left onto Road 308 (a rough one) for 40 km, then turn right onto Highway 9 straight to Malko Tărnovo. The beginning and end were on perfect smooth surfaces but with constant ups and downs. The ups were generally 2 km with gradient of 4% at least.
That middle 40 km of broken surface was something more suited for a mountain bike. At first as we passed a few large fields being tilled it was just a rough surface. Later on as we dropped it deteriorated and became looser. The surroundings reminded me of Mountain Charlie Road from Skyline to Santa Cruz. This drop lasted 11 km and we knew that a long climb was in store. We gathered at the bridge below gathering courage for what was flagged as a 10 km climb to the 28 km mark.
I took off up the hill (everyone at their own pace) and it just kept rising and rising before me. At least it was in shade as the day was warming up.
Finally, after passing a few, I came to the top to see Susie riding off into the wilderness. Up here in the high country, not a sign of human habitation about. For 60 km of today's route, not a sign of house or home. I reckon that most of this wooded countryside must be State held.
With that big climb done, the road continued on up and down and the surface generally deteriorating. To make matters worse, we got stuck behind a timber truck that stopped and gingerly negotiated each and every pothole. Not a hope of passing him. We wouldn’t have been going much faster anyhow. On a few occasions, in the deep potholes he bottomed out and scraped the underside along the ground. This 40 km stretch was memorable, won’t forget it for a while. But, enjoyed it all the same. The bike dealt with it admirably and no damage done. A strong horse!
On two occasions today we came by police checkpoints. Refugees coming across the Turkish border is a problem and movement is monitored. The first one was deep in the woods on Road 308 and we provided a moment of excitement for the two policemen there. The second was on the main Highway 9 just after lunch. We didn't exactly fit the profile of refugees. Tonight we are just 8 km from the Turkish border.
Once on the main road after lunch we had absolutely perfect surface. But our troubles weren’t over. It was never flat. At first we had a screamer of a descent for 2 km but we just knew that we’d have pay-back time. And that’s exactly what happened again and again. As always we regrouped at the top before another down and up. Some of the descents passed by scenic rock and forest points. With less than 10 km to go we reckoned that it now be all downhill to Central Malko Tărnovo. How wrong we were! The landscape managed to squeeze in another 3 ups and downs in that remaining part.
Staying tonight in a very very basic hotel. Three in a room and the three of us are together. Some bright spark put up the sign. Before dinner we resorted to a local hostelry to taste the local beverage in the sunshine.
Downtown there seems to be some sort of a local festival going on. Chairs being placed out in the square and also a bit of a market taking place. Might go down afterwards to see what’s happening.
Bad looking roads, right enough!
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