Day 4: Edia - Zografou

View Day4: Elia - Zografou in a larger map

Distance -83 km
Total Distance - 216 km
Altitude Gain - 1373 m


Well, yesterday was a nice easy day! I spent most of my time doing not very much at all. I guess that's what makes the ideal holiday for most "normal"people. I confess it was rather nice - but towards the end of the day I was starting to get bored with "normal" and I was studying the maps, thinking about the cycling in the days to come. It reminded me a bit of when I was stuck in a campsite in Narbonne waiting for the wind to calm down enough for me to be able to continue to Barcelona. Or that time when I was stuck with Paddy in a tent in Scotland. Remember that, Pad? I'm sure you do! This time, at least, the weather was very nice - and I did stay put by choice.
In the evening I went back to the campsite cantine - and tried communicating everything in Greek. Actually, I think that trying to make any progress in this language is as big a challenge as cycling in Greece in the middle of summer. But my efforts are very slowly starting to bear fruit. The waitress complimented me on my accent. She then rattled off a load of stuff I couldn't understand. She knew she'd lost me. Perhaps that's why she brought me another gift - more yoghurt! Home-made yoghurt apparently - at least I think that's what I think she said. I was able to finish it without feeling ill - so progress there! Maybe it was because it wasn't pure yoghurt but tzatzigi. Well, I conquered that challenge - but I certainly wouldn't order tzatziki in any restaurant, anywhere!
I woke up this morning at 5am. However I didn't set off until 8am. It usually takes me around 2 hours to get myself and all my kit ready - and now I have to follow my physio-therapist's orders and spend twenty minutes every morning stretching. But I had two issues this morning. For one thing one of my *#!@ tent poles snapped. This happened last year - twice. It's a very light-weight tent - it's also supposed to be very strong. But however strong it is when it's up, it's no use to me if there's a 25% chance that one of the tent poles will snap while I'm putting it up or taking it down. I've fixed the problem temporarily with a small piece of metal tube I'd taken with me. But if it happens again I could end up without a roof over my head. With any luck it should all hold until I get back to Thessaloniki. I'm sure that nice man in the camping shop will be able to help me!
I was already fuming over this, when I noticed the second incident: the front wheel had a puncture again! Now this really wasn't funny! I don't mind the odd puncture, it's an unfortunate fact of cycling, and takes only a few minutes to sort out. But two in 50 kms on the same tyre! Smells of something sharp stuck in the tyre - but I'd already checked for this. So I took the tyre off, checked again, found nothing again, and mended the puncture. It was only small, so I guess I must have pinched the inner tube when I changed it the last time I had a puncture.
As soon as I started on my route, I noticed that the character of the scenery was changing from pleasant to very beautiful. It really was fine cycling this morning - I was so glad I hadn't abandonned the Sithonia tour like I was thinking of doing when I learned I had to go back and get my passport.

Looking across the Kolpos Kassandras

The photo just doesn't do this lovely view justice. Nice bike, though!

I stopped off in this supermarket in the middle of nowhere. The owners are very friendly and the place stocks everything from climbing ropes to toilet paper

After lunch, I threw caution to the winds and continued cycling at the hottest time of day. The route looked flat on the map and I really wanted to go as far as possible so as to not be on that very busy Néa-Moudania - Nikiti road I took the other day too late tomorrow (I've been warned that it could be even busier than the last time I took it as it's Saturday tomorrow - but I suspect most of the traffic will be going in the opposite direction.) I was wrong about the road being flat - it was hillier than the road I'd taken in the morning! But, despite the heat I was fine. Nevertheless, I stopped early in the afternoon as I didn't want to push my luck with my back too much with all the climbing I'd done during the day.
Today was certainly the best cycling I've done for a while. The views on the mighty Mount Athos were simply stunning, the hills were exhilarating and once more I've met some very friendly people. Also, the fact that my back doesn't hurt after this tough day proves to me once and for all that cycling really doesn't aggravate my back pain.
Tomorrow I will change my route (cutting out one of the mountains) and will head back to Néa Kalliktatia to pick up my passport. Maybe I'll get some more fruit on the way!

Mount Athos