Day 5. Sun. Aug 9. Szolnok (Hungary) to Gyula (Hungary)

Distance: 122 km

Time: 5 hrs 54 min.

Speed: 20.6 km/hr

Climbed:  566 ft

AHR (Average Heart Rate) 99 bts/min

Cum Distance: 555 km

Cum Climbed: 3601 ft.

Punctures: 0

Another day to complete our crossing of Hungary.

Since there would be no convoy start (we’re on the edge of town) groups were free to hit the road early after Rider Briefing and breakfast.

I walked about the site before breakfast to view the flowers (had already downed the tent and packed away)

We hit off at 7.20 on a short bike path onto Highway 442 heading for Marfu. Roads were quiet this Sunday morning but we stayed on bike paths when available. That's the legal position here. Also cyclists are required to wear hi viz tops on the public roads outside of built-up areas. I wore it for the day.

Many times the bike path passed by allotments and fruit orchards.

We were a group of 5 today having been joined by Susan (Canada, formerly China). Because of the exhaustion at the end of yesterday’s ride, we settled on a constant 22 km/hr speed no matter who was in front. Still it was 5 km at the front for each of us. It worked well and we all reached the camp in Gyula fresher than yesterday. Although touching 40 deg for most of the day, the heat didn’t feel as intense as yesterday, probably because a gentle breeze from the south (we were on a south-east course). Also were fresher throughout as a result of the brisk start.

With the heat, the bottles heated up fast (insulated bottles wouldn’t stand up to this heat). At this stage I’m losing my taste for drinking hot water.

The regular blue pumps were a God-send, to fill with cold water and to cool down the head.

We’re still on the Great Plain of Hungary. Vast tracts producing sunflowers, maize and grain. But no work in the fields today. Some large canals about also to irrigate and we rode for a few ,kilometres along by the embankment of one.

Generally shops are closed on Sundays, except family shops. It’s a European scheme brought in here in the last year to make Sunday a family day. Good idea. We did find some of these family shops for cold drinks and ice-cream.

After the 122 km the orange tape indicated the camp site ahead at 3.00 pm. Again high fives all about.

That’s just 2 pm at home so I had time to organise myself before the throw-in in Croke Park. I tuned in to parts on the radio. Unfortunately, next Sunday we’ll be in the mountains and chances are 

We are now at the edge of Hungary and enter Romania tomorrow morning after 3 km. Got to get rid of the Hungarian forints so we’ll spend a while here in the campsite bar tonight. Generally (including Budapest) local beers sell at 1 to 1.50 Euro per pint. So, we might be here a while.

We already had Rider Briefing tonight and a lovely dinner of spaghetti bolognese and fresh corn on the cob. Everyone went back for second helpings. And the local brass band were holding practice in a building nearby with the windows open.

.Another warm enjoyable day of riding

Thank God for the health and thank God for the energy.