Penguins Bike

Day 42 - Where are you from? - Tuli, Bosnia & Hercegovina to Stoliv, Montenegro

July 28, 2026DavidSarah

July 28, 2026 - biked 49 km (31 mi), ferry'd 0.95 km (0.59 mi) - biked 1538 km (956 mi) total

We crossed into Montenegro after a ‘quick’ ascent. We kept climbing after the border crossing until we bombed down and with glee saw the sea once again!

While we were drooling over how gorgeous Kotor bay an older lady in a long boyfriend shirt, buzzed hair and a straw hat asked in an exaggerated American accent, “Where are you from?”

We get this question a lot. We usually say the USA and then if they want more I sometimes say California or Oregon. David usually says Oregon. Everyone has been generally chill with the politics side of things and don’t mention it all. Mostly they are surprised that we came from so far. Mostly people on bikes doing what we do are from Germany, France or at least Europe.

We feel proud to travel such distance to enjoy their land.

Still climbing but at least it’s not on rocks

Cars slowing down for the border crossing

First country to stamp our passports on this entire trip!

Lamborghini with an Illinois license plate. Tell me that story.

I’m eating stolen goods. I was so hungry and David suggested stopping at this one place with pizza, pastries and drinks. I piled up my plate and tried to pay but realized that nobody was paying. Turns out it’s attached to a hotel like of like a land cruise.

Ferry to cut 28km of heavily tourist traffic around the bay

Passengers and bikes (and penguins) ride free!

Stopped to get our favorite salad-shopska.

Our simple campsite for 15€ a night. We saw two other tourists like us- one from Australia and another from Belgium. They had some great travel tips for us and it’s nice to meet others who are doing the same thing as we are.

Worst shower of my whole trip and possibly my whole life. No water pressure, one temperature and hardly any privacy.

Thought this was couscous but it’s millet. Cooks like rice we looked up. Does not taste like couscous sadly.

David took a swim but I just had my ‘shower’

Bonus photo-David reliving his childhood?

Day 41 - Sarah Navigates - Ravno, Bosnia & Hercegovina to Tuli, Bosnia & Hercegovina

July 27, 2026Sarah

July 27, 2026 - biked 60 km (38 mi) - biked 1489 km (925 mi) total

David has been the navigator and mostly the photographer, but this morning his phone didn’t charge. So I took up navigating.

Later that morning, David’s pump came apart mid tire fill up. It just needed a very small hex key to fix but we didn’t have one. We both deflated our tires the previous day when riding over the gravel.

We continued biking on the Čiro trail with views of the mountains, valley, farmland and ghost towns of stone buildings. The ride in the morning was idyllic-paved, flat and hardly any cars.

When we started to approach Trebinje, David noticed a workshop spilling with tools and granite stone.

We stopped and chatted for about an hour about all sorts of things. Very interesting guy who has roots in Serbia. He has three young kids and so we gave him three of our stickers that have animals riding bikes.

We still had quite the climb before our remote campsite, but we made sure to get some groceries before. We made it to our A-frame stay at 8pm and reserved the last option available. The place was so nicely equipped for only 18€.

After a day of rest and out of direct sun, David’s phone started working and charging properly. But he is definitely going to get a new phone right when we get back. Finally!