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Introduction: The beginning. Wednesday February 14, 2007
Day one.: Vienna to Bratislava. Thursday February 15, 2007, 64 km (40 miles) – Total so far: 64 km (40 miles)
Bratislava.: and the Iron Curtain bike trail. Friday February 16, 2007, 67 km (42 miles) – Total so far: 131 km (81 miles)
Bratislava and the Danube.: Just taking it easy. Saturday February 17, 2007, 37 km (23 miles) – Total so far: 168 km (104 miles)
Bratislava to Trnava.: On the way. Sunday February 18, 2007, 85 km (53 miles) – Total so far: 253 km (157 miles)
To Trencin.: Castle denied. Monday February 19, 2007, 70 km (43 miles) – Total so far: 323 km (201 miles)
Trencin to Piestivany.: Castles abound. Tuesday February 20, 2007, 80 km (50 miles) – Total so far: 403 km (250 miles)
Bojnice to Martin.: In search of a place to stay. Wednesday February 21, 2007, 80 km (50 miles) – Total so far: 483 km (300 miles)
Martin to Liptovky Mikulas: Beautiful Slovakia. Thursday February 22, 2007, 60 km (37 miles) – Total so far: 543 km (337 miles)
Liptovky Mikulas: Snowboarding days. Sunday February 25, 2007
Liptovky Mikulas to Motel on highway: Riding in snow. Monday February 26, 2007, 48 km (30 miles) – Total so far: 591 km (367 miles)
To Levoca.: Just walking the bike. Tuesday February 27, 2007, 44 km (27 miles) – Total so far: 635 km (395 miles)
To Kosice.: Cold cold riding. Wednesday February 28, 2007, 91 km (57 miles) – Total so far: 726 km (451 miles)
A tourist in Kosice.: Rest day. Thursday March 1, 2007
To Hungary.: Fairwell Slovakia. Friday March 2, 2007, 85 km (53 miles) – Total so far: 811 km (504 miles)
Hungry in Hungary. Saturday March 3, 2007, 107 km (66 miles) – Total so far: 918 km (570 miles)
Hello Romania. Sunday March 4, 2007, 97 km (60 miles) – Total so far: 1,015 km (631 miles)
The good, the bad, and the ugly of Romania: Beware of blue vans in Marmarus. Monday March 5, 2007, 69 km (43 miles) – Total so far: 1,084 km (674 miles)
The best of Romania. Tuesday March 6, 2007, 66 km (41 miles) – Total so far: 1,150 km (715 miles)
And into Transilvania: To Bistrita. Wednesday March 7, 2007, 83 km (52 miles) – Total so far: 1,233 km (766 miles)
Bistrita to Sighisoara.: Not dead yet. Thursday March 8, 2007, 144 km (89 miles) – Total so far: 1,377 km (856 miles)
Almost to Brasnov.: Longer than half. Friday March 9, 2007, 94 km (58 miles) – Total so far: 1,471 km (914 miles)
To Brasov.: Attacked by born agains. Saturday March 10, 2007, 27 km (17 miles) – Total so far: 1,498 km (931 miles)
Brasov to Sinaia.: Hello Count Duckula. Sunday March 11, 2007, 89 km (55 miles) – Total so far: 1,587 km (986 miles)
To Bucharesti.: The waitress from hell. Monday March 12, 2007, 130 km (81 miles) – Total so far: 1,717 km (1,067 miles)
Welcome to Bulgaria: Chased by truckstop whores. Wednesday March 14, 2007, 89 km (55 miles) – Total so far: 1,806 km (1,122 miles)
To Velico Turnov: Bulgaria in all its beauty. Thursday March 15, 2007, 106 km (66 miles) – Total so far: 1,912 km (1,188 miles)
Velico Turnov.: Rest day. Saturday March 17, 2007, 10 km (6 miles) – Total so far: 2,044 km (1,270 miles)
On the way to Stara Zagora.: A nice night to pitch the tent. Saturday March 17, 2007, 122 km (76 miles) – Total so far: 2,044 km (1,270 miles)
To Plovdiv: Gypsies? Monday March 19, 2007, 86 km (53 miles) – Total so far: 2,130 km (1,324 miles)
Rest day in Plovdiv.: A whole bunch of nothing. Monday March 19, 2007, 86 km (53 miles) – Total so far: 2,130 km (1,324 miles)
To Sophia.: And a homestay along the way. Wednesday March 21, 2007, 164 km (102 miles) – Total so far: 2,294 km (1,425 miles)
In Sofia.: Damn those French. Thursday March 22, 2007
Hanging out in Sophia. Friday March 23, 2007, 22 km (14 miles) – Total so far: 2,316 km (1,439 miles)
Welcome to Serbia. Sunday March 25, 2007, 112 km (70 miles) – Total so far: 2,428 km (1,509 miles)
To Nis.: and beyond. Monday March 26, 2007, 130 km (81 miles) – Total so far: 2,558 km (1,589 miles)
To Belgrade.: Sleeping rough in Belgrade. Maybe. Tuesday March 27, 2007, 210 km (130 miles) – Total so far: 2,768 km (1,720 miles)
Getting out of town.: Avoiding asshole bus drivers. Thursday March 29, 2007, 142 km (88 miles) – Total so far: 2,910 km (1,808 miles)
Welcome to Bosnia.: Hills, hills, and more hills. Okay, only one hill. Friday March 30, 2007, 100 km (62 miles) – Total so far: 3,010 km (1,870 miles)
Problems with Dinar.: The restaurant from hell. Saturday March 31, 2007, 79 km (49 miles) – Total so far: 3,089 km (1,919 miles)
To Mostar.: All down hill baby. Monday April 2, 2007, 131 km (81 miles) – Total so far: 3,220 km (2,001 miles)
Mostar to Neum.: Through Croatia and back into Bosnia again. Tuesday April 3, 2007, 85 km (53 miles) – Total so far: 3,305 km (2,054 miles)
Neum to Dubrovnik.: Beautiful ride along the coast. Wednesday April 4, 2007, 68 km (42 miles) – Total so far: 3,373 km (2,096 miles)
Dubrovnik to Kotor.: Awesome scenery. Friday April 6, 2007, 118 km (73 miles) – Total so far: 3,491 km (2,169 miles)
Kotor to Bar.: Sleeping on the beach. Saturday April 7, 2007, 99 km (62 miles) – Total so far: 3,590 km (2,231 miles)
To Lezhe.: Albanian fun. Sunday April 8, 2007, 118 km (73 miles) – Total so far: 3,708 km (2,304 miles)
To Durress.: The right wrong way. Monday April 9, 2007, 89 km (55 miles) – Total so far: 3,797 km (2,359 miles)
To Berat.: First hit and run of the trip. Tuesday April 10, 2007, 95 km (59 miles) – Total so far: 3,892 km (2,418 miles)
Lost in the Albanian highlands.: Directions from a guy on a donkey. Wednesday April 11, 2007, 61 km (38 miles) – Total so far: 3,953 km (2,456 miles)
Still waiting for lunch. Thursday April 12, 2007, 107 km (66 miles) – Total so far: 4,060 km (2,523 miles)
To Corfu.: Fun and frolics ahead. Friday April 13, 2007, 56 km (35 miles) – Total so far: 4,116 km (2,558 miles)
Onwards to Italia. Wednesday April 18, 2007, 20 km (12 miles) – Total so far: 4,156 km (2,582 miles)
Bus to Salerno.: Each country has at least one wanker. Thursday April 19, 2007, 10 km (6 miles) – Total so far: 4,166 km (2,589 miles)
To Tunisia? Almost.: Welcome to Roma. Saturday April 21, 2007, 48 km (30 miles) – Total so far: 4,214 km (2,618 miles)
Just riding around Roma. Sunday April 22, 2007, 63 km (39 miles) – Total so far: 4,277 km (2,658 miles)
Just Roman around. Monday April 23, 2007
Roma to Tarquinia.: And out of Rome. Tuesday April 24, 2007, 76 km (47 miles) – Total so far: 4,353 km (2,705 miles)
Tarquinia to Bolsena. Wednesday April 25, 2007, 91 km (57 miles) – Total so far: 4,444 km (2,761 miles)
To Castel del Piano. Thursday April 26, 2007, 99 km (62 miles) – Total so far: 4,543 km (2,823 miles)
To Sienna.: Clashes with Italian public holidays. Friday April 27, 2007, 89 km (55 miles) – Total so far: 4,632 km (2,878 miles)
To Volterra.: More beautiful towns. Saturday April 28, 2007, 72 km (45 miles) – Total so far: 4,704 km (2,923 miles)
Lucca, Pisa and beyond. Sunday April 29, 2007, 127 km (79 miles) – Total so far: 4,831 km (3,002 miles)
To Florence.: Or Firenze. Monday April 30, 2007, 65 km (40 miles) – Total so far: 4,896 km (3,042 miles)
Tourist stuff in Firenze. Wednesday May 2, 2007, 20 km (12 miles) – Total so far: 4,916 km (3,055 miles)
Leaving Firenze.: And over Italy’s spine. Thursday May 3, 2007, 86 km (53 miles) – Total so far: 5,002 km (3,108 miles)
To Rimini.: And welcome back to the Adriatic. Friday May 4, 2007, 103 km (64 miles) – Total so far: 5,105 km (3,172 miles)
San Marino.: And back to Rimini again. Saturday May 5, 2007, 60 km (37 miles) – Total so far: 5,165 km (3,209 miles)
To Chomanchio. Sunday May 6, 2007, 137 km (85 miles) – Total so far: 5,302 km (3,295 miles)
To Venice. Monday May 7, 2007, 121 km (75 miles) – Total so far: 5,423 km (3,370 miles)
Venice to Verona.: And one almost romantic day in the city of canals. Wednesday May 9, 2007, 140 km (87 miles) – Total so far: 5,563 km (3,457 miles)
Verona to the lake.: Groping Juliette. Thursday May 10, 2007, 55 km (34 miles) – Total so far: 5,618 km (3,491 miles)
To Lake d’Isea.: Let’s ride down some steps. Friday May 11, 2007, 108 km (67 miles) – Total so far: 5,726 km (3,558 miles)
To Lecco.: More beautiful lakeside scenery. Saturday May 12, 2007, 110 km (68 miles) – Total so far: 5,836 km (3,626 miles)
Through Como and to Menaggio.: Olli, olli, olli. Sunday May 13, 2007, 94 km (58 miles) – Total so far: 5,930 km (3,685 miles)
To Verbania.: To Swissland and out again. Monday May 14, 2007, 95 km (59 miles) – Total so far: 6,025 km (3,744 miles)
Into Swissland.: And half way up the Alps. Tuesday May 15, 2007, 113 km (70 miles) – Total so far: 6,138 km (3,814 miles)
To Chur. Wednesday May 16, 2007, 106 km (66 miles) – Total so far: 6,244 km (3,880 miles)
To Vaduz, Liechtenstein.: Death awaits for another day. Thursday May 17, 2007, 56 km (35 miles) – Total so far: 6,300 km (3,915 miles)
Liechtenstein, Switzerland, Austria, and Germany.: One good mechanic. One bad mechanic. Friday May 18, 2007, 67 km (42 miles) – Total so far: 6,367 km (3,956 miles)
To Fussen.: Navigating without a map nor compass. Saturday May 19, 2007, 127 km (79 miles) – Total so far: 6,494 km (4,035 miles)
To almost Innsbruck.: Almost. Sunday May 20, 2007, 101 km (63 miles) – Total so far: 6,595 km (4,098 miles)
To Innsbruck.: The roommates from hell. Monday May 21, 2007, 54 km (34 miles) – Total so far: 6,649 km (4,131 miles)
To nowhere in particular.: But a nice journey none-the-less. Tuesday May 22, 2007, 126 km (78 miles) – Total so far: 6,775 km (4,210 miles)
Kossen to Salzburg.: The hills are alive… Wednesday May 23, 2007, 81 km (50 miles) – Total so far: 6,856 km (4,260 miles)
Salzburg to Linz.: Sure, there’s a hostel, but where is it? Friday May 25, 2007, 157 km (98 miles) – Total so far: 7,013 km (4,358 miles)
To Cesky Krumlov.: Czech it out. Saturday May 26, 2007, 71 km (44 miles) – Total so far: 7,084 km (4,402 miles)
Towards Telc.: Goodbye Krumlov. Monday June 4, 2007, 137 km (85 miles) – Total so far: 7,221 km (4,487 miles)
Towards Telc.: But not quite. Tuesday June 5, 2007, 85 km (53 miles) – Total so far: 7,391 km (4,593 miles)
To Trebic.: Some nice towns today. Wednesday June 6, 2007, 96 km (60 miles) – Total so far: 7,487 km (4,652 miles)
To Zeliv.: The random find. Thursday June 7, 2007, 98 km (61 miles) – Total so far: 7,683 km (4,774 miles)
Festivals and more festivals.: Just getting around. Saturday June 9, 2007, 94 km (58 miles) – Total so far: 7,777 km (4,832 miles)
The unwanted guest.: To Prague. Sunday June 10, 2007, 113 km (70 miles) – Total so far: 7,890 km (4,903 miles)
Leaving town. Tuesday June 12, 2007, 77 km (48 miles) – Total so far: 7,967 km (4,950 miles)
From Praha.: Sleeping in a medieval castle. Wednesday June 13, 2007, 114 km (71 miles) – Total so far: 8,081 km (5,021 miles)
To Trutnov.: Thunder, lightning, very, very frightning. Thursday June 14, 2007, 101 km (63 miles) – Total so far: 8,182 km (5,084 miles)
Eastwards.: Look. Hobbits. Friday June 15, 2007, 70 km (43 miles) – Total so far: 8,367 km (5,199 miles)
East through ski territory. Friday June 15, 2007, 115 km (71 miles) – Total so far: 8,367 km (5,199 miles)
To Ostrava.: Guest of the creepy man. Sunday June 17, 2007, 140 km (87 miles) – Total so far: 8,507 km (5,286 miles)
To Auschwitz.: Navigating without a map. Monday June 18, 2007, 127 km (79 miles) – Total so far: 8,634 km (5,365 miles)
To Krakow.: And a very sombre tour. Tuesday June 19, 2007, 89 km (55 miles) – Total so far: 8,723 km (5,420 miles)
In Krakow.: To the salt mines. Friday June 22, 2007, 44 km (27 miles) – Total so far: 8,767 km (5,448 miles)
To Pinczow.: Bad doggy. Saturday June 23, 2007, 122 km (76 miles) – Total so far: 8,889 km (5,523 miles)
Northwards.: Nowhere in particular. Sunday June 24, 2007, 134 km (83 miles) – Total so far: 9,023 km (5,607 miles)
To Warsaw.: Crazy hell traffic. Monday June 25, 2007, 137 km (85 miles) – Total so far: 9,160 km (5,692 miles)
North, no wait, east.: Riding in circles. Thursday June 28, 2007, 107 km (66 miles) – Total so far: 9,267 km (5,758 miles)
To Lomza.: So where’s the restaurant? Friday June 29, 2007, 117 km (73 miles) – Total so far: 9,384 km (5,831 miles)
North.: The idiot on a bike. Saturday June 30, 2007, 157 km (98 miles) – Total so far: 9,541 km (5,928 miles)
To Lithuania.: How many times in one day can you be scammed? Sunday July 1, 2007, 126 km (78 miles) – Total so far: 9,667 km (6,007 miles)
To Vilnius.: More freeway traffic. Monday July 2, 2007, 98 km (61 miles) – Total so far: 9,765 km (6,068 miles)
Through Trakai and west.: Camping at the cemetery. Thursday July 5, 2007, 78 km (48 miles) – Total so far: 9,843 km (6,116 miles)
To Kaunas: More rain. Friday July 6, 2007, 124 km (77 miles) – Total so far: 9,967 km (6,193 miles)
The stolen bike.: Yet more rain. Saturday July 7, 2007, 74 km (46 miles) – Total so far: 10,041 km (6,239 miles)
Short cuts and getting well lost.: No, you don’t want to go to Russia. Sunday July 8, 2007, 117 km (73 miles) – Total so far: 10,158 km (6,312 miles)
To Klaipeda.: A bike path? Really? Monday July 9, 2007, 102 km (63 miles) – Total so far: 10,260 km (6,375 miles)
The Curonian Spit.: Beautiful, beautiful sea. Tuesday July 10, 2007, 68 km (42 miles) – Total so far: 10,328 km (6,418 miles)
To Liepaja.: Latvia baby. Wednesday July 11, 2007, 106 km (66 miles) – Total so far: 10,434 km (6,483 miles)
To Kuldiga.: Crashing a party. Thursday July 12, 2007, 126 km (78 miles) – Total so far: 10,560 km (6,562 miles)
To Ventspils.: Happy nudist beach to you… Friday July 13, 2007, 55 km (34 miles) – Total so far: 10,615 km (6,596 miles)
To Kolka.: The traditional Latvian drinking kiss. Sunday July 15, 2007, 115 km (71 miles) – Total so far: 10,730 km (6,667 miles)
Down the coast. Monday July 16, 2007, 120 km (75 miles) – Total so far: 10,850 km (6,742 miles)
Liepaja beach party.: Why do some girls insist on playing games??? Sunday July 22, 2007
To Sigulda.: Latvia is one fucked up place. Monday July 23, 2007, 90 km (56 miles) – Total so far: 10,940 km (6,798 miles)
To Estonia.: Where to camp? Where to camp? Tuesday July 24, 2007, 135 km (84 miles) – Total so far: 11,075 km (6,882 miles)
To Parnu.: The tent sure does come in handy. Wednesday July 25, 2007, 75 km (47 miles) – Total so far: 11,150 km (6,928 miles)
To Tallinn.: Almost. Thursday July 26, 2007, 115 km (71 miles) – Total so far: 11,265 km (7,000 miles)
To Tallinn for real.: Bad tire. Bad tire. Friday July 27, 2007, 32 km (20 miles) – Total so far: 11,297 km (7,020 miles)
To Helsinki.: The end of the trip. Wednesday August 1, 2007, 20 km (12 miles) – Total so far: 11,317 km (7,032 miles)
Well this is it. The big one. Maybe. Six or seven months in Eastern Europe and who knows what after that. You just get your life sorted out in Taiwan with a nice job, apartment and girlfriend so you throw it all away to ride a bike.
As a goodbye present of sorts two friends decide to steal from you. Thanks Americans.
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It really is winter. It’s cold and wet. But you are happy to be riding. Today’s destination is Bratislava. You follow the road signs out and find yourself on the freeway. Five kilometers later, and only 100 meters from the exit you are pulled over by the police. They tell you to get off the freeway. You can only agree. Hoping this being the end of the matter you continue on your way and up the exit ramp with just the occasional glance over your shoulder.
Bratislava Castle.
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