Biking to HiveFest #3 - Trieste (IT) - Novi Vinodolski (HR)

After two days of cycling, todays journey (should) lead me from Trieste to Rijeka, a ride that would push me to my limits in ways I hadn't expected.

The day started early, the Adriatic glistening beside me as I pedaled out of Trieste and upwards toward Slovenia. The road through Slovenia was quite demanding, the climbs steadily draining my energy and I took a few wrong turns. By mid-morning, I could already feel the wear from days of riding, but there was no turning back. Finally I arrived at the Croatian border.

From there it would be mostly flat to Rijeka. By the time I rolled into Rijeka, exhaustion had set in. Desperate for a break, I found a small beach with a café and after cooling off by taking a quick swim, I ordered a cold beer and a cappuccino. After hours of relentless pedaling, it felt like heaven. Sitting by the sea, I allowed myself a brief moment to relax, watching the waves lap at the shore as I recharged for the next leg of the trip.

Refreshed and hopeful, I headed to the ferry port, expecting to give my legs a break. But when I reached the ticket booth, I was hit with the news: no bikes allowed on the ferry. My heart sank. All my plans for rest were dashed in an instant, and there was no choice but to keep going on my bike.

The new plan was now to pedal as far as I could or until it got dark. After another 45 kilometers and countless vertical meters I finally gave in, just arriving in Novi Vinodoloski, after a total 127 km and 1600 vertical meters in about 6 hours and 5 minutes.

The journey hadn’t gone as planned, but in the end, it was the setbacks, the exhaustion, and the sheer grit that made the arrival all the more satisfying.

Since I'm going all the way now, without any shortcuts, I will be having a loong day ahead of me tomorrow and then (hopefully) a short one to Split on Tuesday, in time for HiveFest. If the plan does work out this time, as the weather prediction is not that great for tomorrow.