Bright blue skies and favorable winds carried us from beautiful Trogir to Split - the route took us through many charming seaside towns with wonderful castles and medieval streets.
A view that is nothing like the streets at home!
We boarded with our bikes on a high-speed water taxi at the town of Kastel Sucuracat. It was a very clever and fun way to avoid the traffic and congestion entering Split. We disembarked at the Marjan Hill Park (where Peter and I hiked the previous Saturday in our arrival visit) and had a leisurely ride to the main waterfront promenade on Split.
Loading the bikes before the people, we do have our priorities!
Lee Savage, Carolyn Savage, June Wheeler, Peter Herzog, Nancy Hull and Bill Hull. Great people and great friends!
After a convivial lunch with Santa Barbara travel mates Lee and Carolyn Savage and Nancy and Bill Hull, we gathered with the group for a guided tour of Split's signature Diocletian Palace area. It was a great experience - even though we had visited Split for two days prior to the start of the bike tour, our guide greatly illuminated the early history of Split. We learned many things we would have never understood but for her narrative! We also were able to visit the subterranean rooms of the palace, which were beautifully restored and blissfully cool (it was pretty warm in the sunshine!).
At 4 pm the group reconvened to board a large car ferry to the island of Brac - our first of three islands we will visit on the tour. After a pleasant 45 minute ride we arrived in Supetar and biked 11K to our STUNNING hotel in Postira. Our terrace wrapped around the spacious rooms offering 180 degree views of the sea and the mainland shore. WOW.
A Hockney-esque terrace view - yes, it was the terrace of our room. Huge! Unreal! The distant shore is the mainland.
We had dinner together at the hotel restaurant and called it a night. The weather report was not encouraging for Thursday and our optional island bike loop, but I remained optimistic and resolute that we would be able to tour the island and enjoy the spectacular views offered by climbing!
We awoke Thursday to howling ESE winds and leaden gray skies - makes you appreciate sun and tailwinds all the more! However, with temperatures in the 60's, we hardy Minnesotans were undaunted. After breakfast Peter and I set out to conquer the 48k loop and its "scary" topography! We were joined by fellow bike tour compatriot Peter P. and he was welcome company!
Not exactly welcoming weather but we had been spoiled to this point - so we just got out there and biked!
The wind was amazing at times, gusting to 30+ MPH, which did not exactly assist us once we entered the climbing phase from Milna to Donji Humac. I was silently thanking my trainer Lisa Hane at Flex Appeal in St. Paul for suggesting last December to add more cardio to my workouts - I have never been stronger climbing grades of 10-15%. It was very sweet to hear our guide Silvija tell me I was "kicking a** on the climbs" - thanks Silvija!
The tiny spec on the left of the long road is me...there were great stretches of downhill as well as big climbs! Breathtaking landscape...
We gratefully took a break from the wind and rain showers to have coffee, soup and for me, walnut cream crepes in Donji Humac. Thus fortified, we were escorted over one more short climb before descending - rapidly - back to Postira. It was a bit of a shame the roads were wet and not totally safe as it would have been a hoot to zoom down from our high point, but safety first!
Back to Postira, with clearing skies later in the day on our pre-dinner walk.
We felt very accomplished upon our return and high-fives were exchanged all around by guide Silvija, fellow biker Peter P., my Peter and me. Nothing like a hot shower and a beer at the end of a big ride!
Dinner was yet another wonderful party at a local restaurant - the food was excellent (beef brisket-style with gnocchi) and the company even better. Peter and I agreed that this is one of the very best groups we have traveled with in our 9 ExPlus tours - so convivial and so fun. Big climbing day again tomorrow so I'm signing off for now - more news in the next 2 days!
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