Slovenia: With bikes from East to West | 2021

<b>Hej!</b> We are waiting for the Slovenian <i>maglev</i> on the 23rd platform near the capital. The train will take us to the starting point of the tour.

We are starting this years tour where we finished our tour <i>Around Slovenia</i> last year.

Because crossing the border (still) requires additional organization and insecurity, we stayed <i>at home</i>.

We divided the tour into 2 different times and regions.

The oldest Slovenian town. This can still be seen on some houses.

In the evening, we virtually joined the celebration of the 30th anniversary of the Slovenian statehood day.

The next day we quenched our thirst in the <b>Jerusalem</b> vineyards.

The kind rafter moved us to the other side of the <b>Mur</b> river with the help of the current, where we ate delicious fish.

During or after the (safe) cycling path is built, it must be made more <i>comfortable</i> for cyclists.

More than 200 years ago empress Maria Theresa ordered to plant (fruit) trees along roads. They provided shadow and food for travellers.

You are going to have a hard time convincing people to cycle from/to school/work in 34 °C scorching weather.

Before eating the <i>Prekmurska gibanica</i> (layered pastry – a national specialty native to the Prekmurje region) we also had <i>dödole</i> and a plate of regional goods.

We booked the accommodation a couple days before we arrived, which isn’t something we usually do. But when we arrived to <b>Moravske Toplice</b> spa, we forgot where it was located.

Repurposed building: it was disassembled on the Expo 2015 exhibition in Milano, now rebuilt in Slovenia as a multipurpose structure.

It is environmentally irresponsible to build an unshaded parking lot for summer. There is still enough space for trees in the middle and along the edge.

We enjoyed a wavy road behind a toilet paper factory.

<b>Maribor ~ Lent</b>. The oldest wine grapevine in the world (> 400 years). The 25-liter yearly harvest is bottled in 100 protocol gift bottles.

You can never be too safe. Now try picking, cutting, grinding all 5 of the locks.

We ascended to the <b>Pohorje plateau</b> with help from Sherpas.

The Pohorje cycling path is not straight, but rather undulate. Not suitable for <i>sensitive</i> bikes.

The path is marked, but mostly in the wrong places, where you can't turn anywhere anyway, and there are often missing signposts at crossroads.

We <i>unknowingly</i> slept on the wedding venue, so we left before the bride and groom arrived.

Tired of ridging through <i>rodeo</i> terrain, we descend into the <b>Drava</b> river valley, where we rejoined civilization.

We mostly ate culinary than nutritious food.

The helmet was hanged on the bike instead on the head. At his age I can only smartly advise him to wear it.

When the innkeeper understands cyclists don’t want to leave the bikes outside overnight.

Once upon a time, a smeltery of lead and zinc severely polluted the local environment with toxic gases and prevented the growth of trees.

<b>Črna na Koroškem</b>.

1000 AMSL: <b>Podolševa</b>. The most beautiful panoramic road in Slovenia.

With permission from the farm’s owner, we publish the most photographed Slovenian highland property.

We didn’t know there was a traffic sign for danger from both sides.

The campaign was designed exclusively for the promotion of Slovenian tourism. But it triggered an unexpected response and desire from Slovenians for an independent country.

Night forecast: thunderstorms with heavy showers. But because we slept under a roof, the local storm went around village <b>Luče</b>.

We overcame another of the ascents and descanted into the Ljubljana valley.

From my own work experience: even larger cargo can be carried on the bike.

We waited under a roof for the storm to clear so that we took the final photo of the first part of the tour.

7 weeks later: after a <i>short</i> break ~ we continue with the 2nd part of the tour in the western part of Slovenia.

Around the yellow roundabout in the hometown of Tadej Pogačar ~ the king of Tour de France 2020 and 2021.

Ljubljana Airport is <i>slightly</i> smaller than e.g., London, so you have to be lucky here or have enough time to take a picture like this.

<b>Brezje</b> is the most visited pilgrimage in Slovenia. Cyclists now classify as a new type of pilgrims.

Abandoned gas station transformed into a drive in market.

Our friend told us that it would be instructive to write where we are riding underneath every picture. We followed his advice: around <b>Lake Bled</b> at night and ...

... and rode around again next morning.

They are promising that Lake Bled and Lake Bohinj will soon be connected with a bike path. We took this last chance to <i>enjoy</i> the main road.

Prize question: what ends and what starts at the sign?

The use of inflatable <i>flamingos</i> is prohibited in <b>Lake Bohinj</b> because it hurts the public image.

We drive into the <b>Baška grapa</b> ravine through a 6 km long tunnel. It was dug by hand at the beginning of last century in just 6 years.

<i>Štrukelj</i> prepared according to an old recipe made with flour with active charcoal, beetroot and cottage cheese. Organically grown and home made.

It’s getting late and we still don’t know where we will sleep.

We already know that we are sleeping in the territory of daddy, mommy and teddy bears. <i>Pssst!</i>

We pack up early in the morning right before the storm and ride down from the <b>Nanos plateau</b> to <b>Vipava valley</b>.

The wet ascent towards the Adriatic coast with wind blowing against us. This is the perfect test for a future tour in Iceland.

We also publish our tours on a German travel blog. So far, more than 148,000 visitors have read them.

(Un)lucky: the tire only popped when it stopped raining.

Until 2017, convoys of vehicles drove along the coastal road <b>Koper ~ Izola</b>. Now it’s only for cyclists and pedestrians.

Almost an idyllic view. If it was ruined by a cargo ship in the background.

Riding through an abandoned railway tunnel on the Parenzana bike path.

The last day had the most diversity of all. We are enjoying the last moments next to the <b>Adriatic Sea</b>.

Click the map and take a look at our tour around the outskirts of Slovenia 2020.

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