"Biking In Lesvos Greece -April 09": I'm singing in the rain
After almost a two day lay over I was ready to ride.. I had come to Greece ready for some rain and this rain was not going to slow me down. Riding in rainy weather is my middle name, I said out loud as I repacked gear in the gallon zip-lock bags I had brought along. With everything inside of zip-locks and the rain covers over the outside of my panniers I was ready to roll. Raincoat, shorts and sandals made up my riding gear along with a pair of yellow tinted shooter glasses. I will give a plug here for these: On an overcast day these really add to the crispness that you see. In rainy Southeast Alaska we called these sunglasses as you could almost believe it was a sunny day while wearing them. They also help to keep you from getting hit in the eyes by rain drops. 10-15$ at any place the sells sporting goods.


On the rise leading out of this village I looked back kind of sad to be leaving. I had written down on a yellow post-it the villages I needed to pass through to get to my next destination. It works fairly easy follow the signs from one place to another until you get there. Write on the back side places that would be wrong ways. Worked for me.
The road forked at the next village, and I uttered those words that always comeback to haunt me. 'There must be a pass over those mountains'. 'No son there will be a ton of climbing, switchbacks and hairpin turns for the rest of the day but a pass you have got to be kidding' was the reply that the bike gods laughed in my face. The climb took me into a pine forest where I met the prettiest goat herder who was trying to get her goats away from the road. I watched and took photos as the pictures attest this is not who comes to mind when you image a goat herder.



This end of the island is normally arid and quite desolate. As it was still early in the season the spring rains had allowed patches of green to invade the otherwise brown landscape. I took my lunch on a deserted beach that was off the main road. I debated on camping here or moving on. The sun had joined me again so I pushed on Sigra wasn't that far off. I stopped in the village for a meal. Loaded up on fresh veggies and fruit and went off in the pursuit of a camping spot on a beach. As I had already learned you only drink Ouzo with friends I drank some local wine then slept under a zillion stars.