Today was a big day of climbing. That’s something I need to get used to here. After China and the Stans, I have more confidence in my ability to get the job done regardless of how high I have to go. However today was tougher than most, but really rewarding too.
As expected, I saw no breakfast places open as I left Nafplio, but chanced on a bakery not far out of town. There, I had the biggest chocolate pastry of my life so far, and it was still warm. It was washed down with a coffee and water, and I was soon on my way around the bay.
It was fairly uninteresting but magnificent at the same time. There was hardly a ripple on the sea and there was a tall ship anchored off Nafplio, but the road and traffic weren’t great, and apart from the water, there was certainly nothing to look at.
This first part of the ride around the top of the bay, was fairly uninteresting but magnificent at the same time. There was hardly a ripple on the sea and there was a tall ship anchored off Nafplio, but the road and traffic weren’t great, and apart from the water, there was certainly nothing to look at.
I made my way to the opposite side of the bay and wondered why I didn’t stay here last night. It was far more typically Greek and very relaxed. I steeled myself for the climb with a Fredo Cappuccino with medium sugar – this is now mandatory every day.
From here, the only direction was up. It was gentle to start with but I found that to be almost annoying. I could see the hills; I could see the road too, but I had to ride a few kilometres of 1-2% into a stiffening breeze before the actual climb started.
What followed, felt monumental. I could have been in Kyrgyzstan had not the road surface been almost perfect. The route itself was amazing with lots of switchbacks as it traversed one ridge then another. For quite a time, I could see the Mediterranean disappearing below me, until the road turned away, leaving the sea until I would get to the west coast in four or five days time.
There was very little traffic but it was always courteous and sometimes encouraging. These Greeks could teach the Pamiri people a thing or two about giving cyclists some space.
The heat meant that I was running low on water and as I got to the top of the main climb, in the middle of nowhere was roadside reservoir and tap. It was the first one I’d seen in Greece. In Turkey, there were plenty of them. I filtered some water, sat in the shade, drank and cooled down.
Soon after the next climb started, I stopped in the shade of a large fig tree and realised there were ripe figs in easy reach. They were beautiful.
Although long, the climb was gentle but persistent, until I was finally over the top and on the plateau. Before me lay fertile farmlands and greenery that I hadn’t yet seen in Greece. It felt like another country until a rusted out ute bounced past me with a toot and a wave and my mind was immediately back in Greece.
Tripoli lay ahead, and on approach, I could feel that this large town was different to the coastal and island places that I’d seen so far. Later, I’d see that it was indeed a friendly place but with a small bogan element that kept the streets from being too quiet. A town needs that to keep its edge.
I tried the street food festival, but they mainly had hot dogs and hamburgers which I doubt is bona fide greek street food, especially the “american smash burger” that I had.⁹
After the efforts of the day, I decided on a rest day to be kind to this body of mine. I had hardly been far on a bike in a month.
There was a street food festival in the evenings, but I wouldn’t discover this until my second night.
As luck would have it, Peter and Simone Blecher from Melbourne were passing through, so we had lunch and coffee on my rest day. I thoroughly enjoyed the conversation and the chance to reconnect. It was great to see them.
On the way home, I grabbed yoghurt, bananas and milk, planning a good breakfast and an early (for me) start in the morning.