Slovakia part 1

Its been a while !!
After my time in Canada and the amazing time at the BCBR time in the Uk sorting stuff out
The wonderful Shelley reached out with the offer to join her on a trip she had planned so how could I refuse.

700 km travelling from West to East of Slovakia, 17 days riding in the mid range mountains mostly off road.

If you like what I do then take look at the first week of our little adventure.

#bikepackingadventure
#bikepackinglife
#slovakia
#mtbslovakia

Right, we’re going to Slovakia. Not Slovenia, Slovakia. She’s convinced me to ride across the mountains for two weeks. Carpaththeians. Captheians, five terminals. [Music] [Music] Well, it’s the first morning of our Slovakia trip and we’ve had a night in the Aviator Hotel. We’re about ready to go. 695 kilometers to get from the west side of Slovakia to the east side of Slovakia. And we’re going over the Capaththeian Mountains. And we’re starting off in Bratlava, which is where we’ve flown into. And we’re heading to Casiki. Probably pronounced that wrong, but there you go. [Music] All right. [Music] Slovakia. We’re off. We’re off. Slovakia, here we come. We’re going to Cathol. First stop can be gas. [Music] Well, literally you can travel virtually all on these gravel roads and single tracks. And we’ll just keep following these uh signs. Seas, reds, blues, yellows, and uh yeah, good tracks up to down. [Music] [Music] We’re on a chair lift. It’s a a piece of metal hook holding the bike onto the chairlift. And uh yeah, it’s doing the job. beats riding uphill. Bob knows how you got us this far. I don’t know either. Don’t know how she does it. At least he hasn’t lost his sense of humor. [Music] We don’t see any other hills. We just look at this big power station. [Music] Good evening. Well, it’s uh approaching 7:00 and we’ve done nearly 40 km. We’re about done and we’re trying to find somewhere to camp. We found a picnic bench and then there’s a sign for a toilet up the road. So, we’ve walked up the road and look where we are. 100 yards up the road and there’s this little spot. It’s obviously little door and inside is a little room. People have been writing in the notepad. So, this is going to be camp for the night. Got candles and a bed. the little table. The sun’s still out. Good find, Shelly. Good find. Good find. Even matches. So, middle of bloody nowhere. And we’ve got we’ve got our own little hobbit pod for the night. Our little get along. Our little hobbit house. It’s um chili noodles and hot and sour soup for tea. Boom. Yeah, I would recommend to the Slovakians are very helpful on this track to cuz it’s really nice. There is a big uh cottage next close to the top. Yeah. Of the hill for food and drink everything. Yeah. Give me a smile and a wave. Hi. But British are the best. Oh yeah, I know. You are gentlemen. Ah, thank you. Thank you. Byebye. Bye. Bye. Six. Oh, well, we’ve been told three times now to go the mountain route. So, we’re going the mountain route. We’re on day three and we’re just cruising. Trying to get 50k in a day. [Laughter] the foraging mushroom. She’s happy now. She’s found some foraging mushroom people. We’re eating green langos. Langos. Langos. How do you like having your campfire, Sh? It’s very nice and warm. Nice change. It’s toasty. Very toasty. Trusting your instincts. Realize and knowing looks different to each when living authentic. Do more exploring. Deeper than knowing just what is essential for life that is thriving. deep mute out the chatter. Feel it. This has been our little camp. Well, we couldn’t get in the hood. Put the tent here. And we got the sun first thing in the morning. So, that’s quite nice. Morning cuper. Beautiful. Luckily for me, Shelly just figures out where we’re going because as you all know, navigation’s not my strong point. [Music] Hey, fall. Sun’s out. Not a bad camp. It was a good camp. It was a good camp. Had a fire, so that’s always a bonus. And now we’re in the sunshine. 9:00. [Music] Live a life you adore. I hope we don’t have to go back up that hill. Life you adore. [Music] So this is quadr something. We’re somewhere. [Music] [Music] [Music] Goldie, mute out the chatter. Feel it. Burn off the fire. Let go until there’s peace to your core. Live a life you adore. So, it’s not your average road ride, but we’re getting there. And there’s a lot of these, but these seem to be connected everywhere in the whole bloody country. We just popped out of this track. Look where we are. So, not only do you just ride through the woods, I’m joking. You ride through the plow fields as well. Single track special Shelly. This is not a single track. No way am I letting you add that this is a single track. This is a plowed field. Oh yeah, it’s all on route. Look at that nice tree all plowed field. Look at the nice tree all. This is called the meadow lands. this area. Can’t pronounce it in Slovakian, but the word of this this county means meadow land cuz it’s all meadow land and we’re riding across them. Now, you necessarily don’t always get the right track, but we weren’t far away. We were going down there and now it’s not. We’re going down here, which doesn’t actually look like we’re going anywhere. It just looks like we’re riding through the bloody forest. But there’s a little mark on the tree. So if you’ve got a mark on a tree, Russell likes his little mark. All is good. But yeah, it’s not the M6. This, that’s for sure. All right, pigs. Oh, they’re not camera shy. [Music] He’s the boss. Where’s the babies? God, there’s loads of babies. Anyway, little bit of pigs first thing in the morning. [Music] Well, after Yeah. Road motorway things, right? All crossing each other and I could not figure out how to get across because of like the left and right hand side of the road and all that. And on the same side as me, there’s a guy pushing a shopping trolley. Right, we’re trying to find camping gas in the middle of a very dodgy little city town. We’ve got a police escort. So hopefully come with us. Doesn’t mean they’re taking us to jail. It means yes, we’re going to take you to a camp shop. Yeah. Yeah. It’s been a mission, but garden. We found somewhere. Garden shop. There’s no such thing as a camping shop where we are, but we’ve got gas. We can have a hot coffee. This is videoing. left the city behind now. Thank God, says Shelly. And uh we’re getting back out in the country again now. Heat. [Music] Heat. [Music] Heat. [Music] [Music] Heat. [Music] [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] Red [Music] Slovakian cat feeding time. [Applause] [Music] Oh yeah, I like that. That was a winner. That was a winner. Loved it. [Music] Don’t like that. You’ll caught your tongue. Oh, nice. Been going uphill now for a fair while. [Applause] No mess me something like that. Anyway, it’s down there and we came from them hills sort of to the left of it. We’re getting up now. We’re about 800 m. We’re going up to 1,000 mters. Shell’s busy doing selfies. [Applause] my bag onto my So, this is up to 900 m and then 1,000 after that and then a th00and. It’s not riding. It’s not riding. It’s not riding. It’s pushing. Yeah, not riding up there. You won’t be able to see it. [Music] It’s a bush. It’s a bush. All right. [Music] Woo! [Music] 842 m in the sunshine. Bit of a scratch to get to the top. We’re doing all right. We’re heading that way. So after the big push up from 700 m to 840 m, the last 150 m is on this kind of beautiful track here. Now we’re kind of on the top, but we’re headed to the very top through this lot, [Music] which is quite a pleasure. And hopefully soon we’re going to get to the very top thousand mters and it’s going to open out and give us some views with any luck and all along we’re following as well as Shell’s excellent navigation. We’re following the seas. Just give you a clue. Is it going in the right way? [Music] [Music] Ah, I do believe we’re at the top. You’ve got to the top. We can go downhill now. Good. Do you? I’m excited. [Music] Bride train to be tame. Nature gave a new name source to nurture the world. Ready singing there too. Rain of it all won’t give me the stand. [Music] Now you’re ready. [Music] [Music] Whoa. Careful. Well, well, [Music] broke free. Heat. Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. Heat. [Music] free [Music] in my head. [Music] [Music] So, this was our little camp for the night. We were going to break into the nice little uh place up there, but we thought we’re better. We’re just getting ready for the off. Jesus Christ. Meadow lamp. This is a very typical little camp spot. Got a washing line up. Shall you like that? And uh there’s a little book uh that we’ve signed in our book at the back there. Uhoh. Let go a bit. Now we weren’t going around them trees. We’re going over them. Well, we think up bit down. We’ve got through that bit of a foresty bit which was they’re working there. We can hear them chainsawing. So is them trees maybe have fallen in a storm and um yeah, the track just got a bit lost. But now, woohoo! It looks like the track’s back. The track is back. [Music] Close your eyes. [Music] Get some rest. I’m by your side. Lay your head on my chest. I know you’ve had a really bad day, but I’m right here. It’s going to be okay. [Music] The world could fall down. It’s going to be okay. The sun could go out. We’re going to be okay. If all the blue skies ain’t too gray, we’re going to be okay. Calm your soul. [Music] Hold my hand. [Music] Don’t let go. I understand. [Music] I know it hurts. It wasn’t fair. It’s over now, so don’t despair. [Applause] The world could fall down. It’s going to be okay. The sun could go out. We’re going to be okay. Before all the blue skies make to gray. We’re going to be okay. [Music] [Music] The world could fall down. It’s going to be okay. The sun could go out. We’re going to be okay. Before the blue skies fade to gray, we’re going to be okay. [Music] The world could fall down. It’s going to be okay. The sun could go out. We’re going to be okay. If all the blue skies fade to grow, we’re going to be okay. a little cake when we ask for water. So it’s and I and I’m coffee and a cake t. Shelly doesn’t want I’m looking for a hotel with a jacuzzi. We’re on the up again. Why I’m finding it so hard? Cuz it’s freaking steep. That’s why you’re finding it hard. We’ve kind of come up one of the paths. It’s bloody steep. I think it’s cuz my feet are just constantly slipping. We worked out there. We just pushed up that bloody thing. You won’t even be able to see it. Won’t even be able to see it, will they? [Applause] Nice tarmac. Nice pebbles. Something bella. What’s it called? This bella. It’s got a V in it. Yeah. This is day seven of riding. Shel’s busy away plotting where we’re going. God help her. God help you. God help me. I’ve got time to borrow Russell’s glasses. She hasn’t seem to found anywhere with Wi-Fi. Nowhere with a hot tub. Definitely nowhere with much signal. Not many people at the moment. No cafes and restaurants on this trip. No cafes and restaurants on this trip. But there you go. Some trips are like that.