Penguins Bike

Day 40 - El Serpentine - Stoliv, Montenegro to Cetinje, Montenegro

Sarah

_July 30, 2026 biked 35.8 miles and climbed 4425 feet (1349 meters)

Big mountain day. For our Portland friends, it’s like climbing Rocky Butte 15 times.

This was the most elevation in one day I’ve ever done. I feel strong again.

If you click on the map you can see the road zigging back and forth to create the Serpentine. It has 16 switchbacks and helped us climb with a gentle 5% grade. We saw lots of tourists, motorcycle bikers and people cycling in spandex.

Plus, I may or may not have done all that with one of my brake pads rubbing on my back tire. It was hard to notice, but it was there.

We celebrated 40 days and almost 40 nights with homemade wine at our campsite and was greeted by a full moon.

We woke up at early at 6:00 to skip some of the crowds and the heat.
Leaving the campsite on a mini hill so steep we have to walk down.
The sun is out but not too hot.
The sun hasn’t risen on this side of the hill.
See- we do wear helmets.
Still waking up but we’ve climbed so far already.
We wish to have taken the gondola.
Sarah is so far behind can’t see her.
Found me! And don’t block the Kotor bay!
We rest at every switch back. All 16 of them on the serpentine.
We are glad we don’t have to drive these narrow, steep roads.
Can’t get enough but shortly after this we David got his 4th flat of the trip.
Found another thorn. He loves to roll over these spikey plants.
First you clean.
Then patch the culprit.
Back on the bike. We aren’t high enough.
View doesn’t get old but the higher we go the more woozy I feel looking down.
We made it to the top and devoured our food in the tiniest bit of shade on the side of the road.
Now we have a series of downhill and more uphill.
We found this cool cave!
David goes into mountain climbing mode.
He’s so high up! I worried he might fall and break his ankle.
In this valley with some farm lands completely surrounded by hills.
Downhill tunnels are a dream.
Bike legs keep make you wobble and almost fall over when you stop suddenly.
We made it to Cetinje. A cute town with more regional tourists.
The gelato is a mandatory break.
Our campsite is just a little bit further.
Pasta, tuna, tomato and garlic. Yum!
Homemade white wine with Shokër lake in the background.