Penguins Bike

July 18, 2026 - biked 68 km (42 mi), ferry'd 6.2 km (3.9 mi) - biked 1111 km (691 mi) total

Little bit of a rush today; we've got a ferry to catch! Instead of doing the main EuroVelo 8, we're going to do Croatia by island so we get scenic views and don't have to deal with as much traffic. So we cut straight across the Istrian Peninsula to the ferry to the island of Cres.

We some wonderful country backroads on the way, then some grueling highway shoulder hills with epic views. We stopped for water in a town with a church that has a relief of "St. George" but actually it was an old Roman god. They were so excited to find it they built a church there.

We had to bust for the ferry, though, and rolled right on and then it immediately left. We were both pooped but had to rush.

The island provided no relief as it was another 10 km of relentless uphill up to 500 m, then another 10 km right back down again. It did provide spectacular views. At the top was a saddle where you get to look out over the mainland on one side then the peninsula on the other. Truly a highlight. Then every few turns on the way down revealed new island views. I recommend traversing Cres for the views at some point.

I was hoping to set up camp, then walk into the town of Cres and we could get our first restaurant meal of Croatia. We went to Camping Kovačine and it was the most mega camping resort we have been to yet. Not like we had much of a camping choice, it was the only one on that part of the island. There are 500 camp pitches and one million kids on scooters and a live band and grilling outside restaurant. And it's a 10 min bike outside of the real town. So we listened to the guitarist play Radiohead and some Italian song everyone knew the words to and ate čevapčići and grilled veggies and watched the sunset.

July 17, 2026 - biked 57 km (35 mi) - biked 1043 km (648 mi) total

We had a rocky start literally. This country’s foundation is hard soil mixed with rocks.

For lunch, we met Ole from Germany who had lunch with us on the side of the Paranzana trail.

We diverted from the trail to make it across the Isteria peninsula to catch a ferry so we can do some island hopping.

In France, we never happened upon a winery but today we did! So in the name of celebrating my birthday week, we stopped for a wine sampling. It was lovely and we discovered Croatian accents sound a lot like Russian accents. We bought a bottle of red wine and headed to our campsite still 15 miles away. Little did we know we would encounter the worst road conditions ever. With 20% grade we climbed 500 m or about 1500 feet. We literally climbed, not biked. It was impossible because of the huge rocks. No car could even make it up.

We took turns pushing each other’s bikes up since it took two of us to tackle the elevation and navigate the rocks. It was hard enough to just hike it.

We kind of took a wrong turn and got some bad advice but we struggled through because what else can you do.

I can push through and still be grumpy. As it was getting darker, last dinner time and we still had miles to bike, we biked past small house farms. They were still working with a tractor or a hoe or feeding the chickens. Farmers work hard. A lot harder than myself.

We learned some lessons but never any regrets with stopping spontaneously for a Croatian wine tasting.

Wine before hills, in case the hills kill (you). Hill after wine then you can dine, is perhaps better.