Day 2 - Sleeping with the pines

Woke up long before dawn body clock is going to be an issue for a few days. Had bananas, rolls and orange juice for a cold breakfast. Learned my lesson last trip. Now before I push off I make sure that I have at the minimum something for a cold dinner, breakfast and an extra liter of water on board at all times. On this island everything is based around the village. The smaller the village the more basic the supplies the store carries. Fruit and fresh vegetables may be available in one village but the next village up the road even though it could be the same size may offer none. Staying ahead of the curve is going to allow me this tour to venture off the beating track heading towards places that I missed last time around.


I had the road to myself drifting down through groves of olive trees past sleeping villages barking dogs greeting me along the way. Plomari was a larger town right on the water. An impromptu vegetable market was going on along the side of the road and from the back of small pickup trucks.
But I smelled a bakery. Funny how that skill stays with me from tour to tour.
Fresh baked raisin buns still warm from the oven were just waiting for me up a side street from the main square. A vendor selling bananas another ½ liter of orange juice and I was set for a second breakfast.
Sitting on the ocean breakwater wall enjoying the sunshine I was about to make an interesting discovery. Albert Einstein is alive an well having at a late stage in his life the formula for everlasting. I am not sure how but I am including some photographic proof.

The road rose and fell like ocean waves.Yesterday I was wondering if I had bitten off more then I could chew with these huge hills on a bike that (one more time) weighted more then a humvie. Today riding under a clear blue sky I was able to even shift out my lowest gear. Wahoo.. Too soon I spoke as the next five plus miles were nothing but a solid climb. Soon I was about to put the bike to its first test. Steep downhill gravel road was the route I had picked and steep thick gravel was waiting with its tire grabbing, No prisoners grin. But before I got to far I stopped and made my first really bad rookie mistake of the trip. I wanted to photograph part of the steep hill that I had just come down. Without any trees or boulders to lean the bike up against I laid it down on its side. Both the front and rear panniers holding it up from laying completely on the gravel road. After taking the shots I put the camera back in the handle bar basket stood the bike up, down the road once again. A little speed, a hard bump and my right rear pannier flew off. A spectacular two and one half flip with a twist. The judges gave it a 7,7.5 and the Russian judge even gave it an 8.

IF when picking my bike up I had spent the 10 seconds that it would have taken to check the security of the bags after I had laid the bike down on its side I would not be writing this on a broken screen laptop.
I know from past experience it is not hard to defeat the connection system while the bike is resting on the bags. What helps hold the bag to the rack is the pressure from the lower clip. When you lay your bike on one of its bags you can easily take the pressure off this clip. While moving the bike to place gear in the outside bags and before you know it you have released this clip. Now the bag is holding on with the upper hangers only. They work best in the locked position with a solid grip from that lower clip but absent that they can twist free when the right bump gives them the force and angle. Were the upper hangers in the full locked position ? Most likely not. Anyone to blame ? No one but me. But as the say don’t cry over spilled lactose free soy milk.

The rains over the past few months had turned this steep gravel road into a rock garden that required both front and rear brakes in the full hand cramp position. It seemed like I had made better time climbing this mountain then I was making going down it. Several hours later I found myself looking down on a small village nestled in the valley below. As this wasn’t the main road I knew that there must be a better road to this place and maybe that better road was going in the same direction I wanted to travel. I take it back this wasn’t a village but a cluster of houses. But there was pavement and it was heading towards the coast. that was the good, the bad and the ugly was this huge head wind funneling up the valley road.
The closer I got to the ocean the harder it became to ride. Nuclear winds in the Columbia Gorge have some competition in the valley of Kato Stravos. Out of the valley at last the road turned and ran along to the breach. It wasn’t easier just better. I started to pass shuttered homes and then boarded up hotels, inns and restaurants. From the look of the map this place had some size (people). From the blowing sand in the street to the boarded up buildings I was alone. The strip was a couple of miles long and I had yet to encounter a soul as I reached the termination of the pavement on the far side of everything.

At one of the hotels there was someone in the back washing a truck. I went and asked if they were open?
All the shutters were down it was in my mind a rhetorical question. .Surprise the guy washing the truck was the owner. He said sure I could get a room they were not really open but had rooms still made up from when the season ended. Turns out they were there to use the restaurants kitchen to prepare part of their Easter feast. Some of you will want to see the live lambs before and after photos but I will hold off for now in posting those.
Nice room with a stunning ocean view. No food here they said but a tavern that will serve some light supper is just down the street. It was closed earlier as I rode past. Grandpa came out of the back handing me a 1.5 liter water. I offered to pay and he declined. Grandma arrives and chews him out, in Greek of course, but a ass chewing by a wife is an ass chewing, obvious without a needed translation in any language .
Owners tells me just before I ride off that I can have breakfast there in the morning. .

The only tavern open offered a stunning meal of fresh caught lightly breaded pan fried calamari, Greek salad, local red wine and fresh bread. I died and went to heaven. Then came the bill, nine euros
The cost of the wine alone anywhere else.
Full, tired, I rode back to my empty hotel as the sun was setting.

Today was another great day to ride.

I smell a bakery

Okay so I admit it is not the riding that I come here for it is the bakeries that lure me to this wonderful place.

With a fresh hot out of the oven sesame roll I wait for daylight to catch up to me.
New Life is a guest house in the heart of Mitilini that is everything Greek that you would expect. In need of a coat of paint and some maintenance but run by a Greek with a hearty smile and a want to make you comfortable you just overlook the flaws, smile and drink your coffee. It was here in the courtyard under the sweet smell of blossoming orange trees that I put all the pieces back together of my bike.

My bright yellow Detours Panniers were going on their first tour. Damn they make my bike look hot. So A little gear update is due here. I am touring with my Trek 520, Detour panniers,Detour handlebar basket (red). You can see my Aero bars,and my duel clip peddles. Love the light weight Detours Panniers as the four combined are less weight the my old pannier rear set. That and the fact that they are water proof not needing an additional cover is going to make a difference when it rains (yes it will rain it always gives me one day of rain to tell me I was once a fool to not carry rain gear.. Now I lug it as added ballast, helps stabilize the bike)

Have my map. Bike is loaded and still weighs more then a Humvie. I am in the lowest gear making a steady 4 mph on flat ground. What the hell was I thinking?? Do I really need or want all of this gear. But here is the Mediterranean on my left,hillsides on the right covered with blossoming flowers in all the rainbows colors, a warm sun shining overhead in a light blue sky and I am once again riding in Greece.

If you know me you know that I have only the lightest of plans while I tour. I have little regard for maximizing the miles or trying to go on pennies a day. My plan is to stay as close to the water as practical, camp when and where I can, eat good food washed down with local wines and beers. It known I know I know, lofty goals that will take Herculean (notice Greek reference) effort to achieve.


Newbie Tip:

Panniers are always packed for balance but there is a huge secondary concept that needs to be applied. What side do you lean your bike up against. Follow me here?
As most touring bikes are with out a kickstand you end up leaning your rig up against a wall or post or if you are traveling with a partner you can lean your two bikes together. This for the most part leaves the bags on the wall side inaccessible.
You also stand, walk and push from the same side making the bags on the far side harder to get at. Why is this important to know? The gear on that far side should be items that you only need in camp. Tent, sleeping bag, spares, tool kit. As opposed to items that you want the ease of getting to quickly. Jacket,clothing, toilet kit, food. My front left pannier is my food bank. I seem to always lean my bike on its right side. So when I come out of a store with new food supplies the front left pannier is easy to access without having to move the bike to store away the new items.
You follow this now.. today is a good day to ride..


I had heard that you could take a boat (not a ferry) across a small gulf so finding this boat was going to be part of my firsts days adventure. An Adventure it was as the three roads leading down to the water the first two turned out to be dead ends.
I wasn't holding much hope for the third as the little marina was just a small dock next to a tavern. No signs in greek or english, just a guy on the dock painting some wooden posts. Oh did I say no boat? There was no boat. I wondered if I was a fool standing on this pier with my bike. The painter smiled said boat? I nodded, he pointed off across the water and said "boat" once again. I said yes with even more nodding. He went back to painting.

Not sure what that all meant I stood there for a few minutes staring out to sea.
The song "should I leave or should I go" started playing in my head and then(wait for it)I saw a smudge out across the water that, could it be??? my ship well really a small boat was heading my way. five minutes later I had carried my bike on board we were heading to the opposite shore.

It was a very nice crossing, tea and biscuits on the aft deck (see photograph) cost of 5 euros for the crossing. Dropped me in a place called Perama that from all the lack of people was abandoned. Cruised around looking for the road to take me up to the next town. First wrong way put me next to a 400 year old windmill.

You have to understand that here on this island a road can go from a two lane with proper stripes and shoulders to a one lane alley looking cobble stoned crammed between two narrow buildings in a blink of an eye. What looks like the proper road can fool you when it dead ends at a factory only to find out that side street with the crumbling pavement is the main road.

The next town I came to had just received a shipment of throaty mufflers as there were a half dozen kids on their mopeds racing up and down the road loud baby Harley noises emitting from their exhausts. Monster grins as they passed my bike at a whopping 25 mph.

Three quarters up my second climb of the day I had run out of gas. I followed a small dirt road a quarter mile finding a small level spot to erect my tent. Hot, tired, cold beer, so ended my first day of riding.

Sunburned in Greece

Sunburned in Greece

Yasoo the greeting of Greece.. Also my one and only non swear word that I know in Greek
Though good merda is good morning but from me it makes everyone turn and scrunch their brow.
After two days of riding I find myself in a small resort area that is not yet open for the season. Not open as no stores, restaurants, no signs of life as I rode along the beach fronted street waves crashing in on one side and boarded up after boarded up motels, hotels and restaurants on the other. I had pressed on earlier in the day as from the map this place looked large enough to provision me out. But I am jumping way to far ahead here.

March 28
Seattle airport arrived as planned to be first in line at check in.. I Can not swear to it always working but there always seems to be less of an issue when you are first in line with an overweight and those too large bags. Not the serious overweight problem but those few extra pounds that going on a subway diet wouldn’t cure. I smile a lot make sure they see the bicycle helmet that I carry as a badge and smile some more. More often then not few extra pounds are noticed but overlooked and off I go to the over sized bag inspection area.
Again life was giving me a large smile as the TSA inspector told me not to worry as he would handle the bike with kid gloves. I watched , he did.. What was the past presidents saying 'trust but verify'.

Plane ride was long and mostly uneventful thought the one problem of this flight was a national issue :(
Air France out of wine, no white no red, no wine.. I asked to make sure that this was an Air France plane..Forced to swill brandy as a substitute for some reason the trip went entirely too quick.


Back to Bike worry in Paris. Layover was short had the traditional five mile run from one terminal to the next. Will I make it? Will my bike make it?
Huge crush of bodies all going through passport control then back through security. flight turned out to be delayed small 20 minute wait then we all we loaded on a bus to be taken the whole five mile trek back to a plane that was waiting only three planes down from my Seattle jet.. I waved.


Athens, sunshine, warm breezes, bike and duffel seen doing the carousal dance. can we see the happy smile on my face.. Now it was lugging both pieces to the ferry terminal. Cab fare was 55 euros. Metro train 6 with one transfer. I got to know several Greeks quite well as the metro was packed. After the transfer thing the train went several stations and stopped a construction transfer was to put us all on buses.. Now I grabbed a taxi as lugging the bike box up onto a city bus would be nearly impossible. With over an hour to spare I was standing in front of my ferry just a fourteen hour sea cruse left to be in Lesvos.

Body clock and local time having there way with me. By now I was pushing the 24 hour clock of zero sleep. Bike case and duffel stored in the secure area provided by the ferry I headed for a bed. At daylight their time plus an hour or two I will be riding.

4:30 am
bike and body arrived together at Mitilini daylight will allow me to reassemble and get on the road.. I am ready, rested and ready to rock..

what a real overloaded bike looks like

A friend sent this photo of a touring cyclist. As the old saying goes "a picture speaks a thousand words".

Two Weeks and Counting

Just two more Saturdays of work. Does it seem like I am counting??
Fat wet snow flakes this week gave the morning ride a little post holiday flavor.
How can a little snow or a cold hard rain dampen your day when you know a tour is just weeks away.
This is a great time to road test all of your wet weather gear that you are hauling along on your trip. Does your rain jacket have enough vents to keep you from soaking from the inside out? Is it long enough in the back, going below the seat when you are sitting so the rain doesn’t pool on you seat.

We all love riding with sparkling new gear but beware the thought of not getting it dirty until the trip can back fire. Just yesterday found out that my new water resistant LED tail light didn’t like the rain. When it was first bought some weeks ago it was tossed in the pile of going on tour gear but being held back with “ don’t use until trip mind set." A change of mind (happens often in my world) got it placed on the bike for a few rides. A cold hard rain, a fast downhill run then there was no light. Water had snuck in and caused it to fail. More then glad that it was given a actual hard test run.
It was fully warranted so replacing it wasn’t a problem. So now testing its brother to see if it is an design issue or just a flaw with the original one.

The rain cover on the new handlebar basket is having an issue with the brake cables. Could send them both to counseling if that would help but really think that it is just something that needs to be adapted before the next heavy rain.

348 hours, not that I am counting…

Pile of Stuff

Hard to believe that in less then 17 days I will be riding in another country under the Mediterranean sun. Today is about what I am taking, (with photographs).

I have transferred my Aero bars to my touring rig. As I have written about these in the past I shall just say that after ten years of use I would never tour without them. My new HD video camera now mounts right there on the front of the aero bars giving the camera a great height to record from. Did a test ride yesterday recording the commute to work. There shall be some spectacular Greek videos coming your way before no no wait for it seventeen days.


Clothing as you can see from the photographs is packed in several one gallon zip lock bags. Many a good reason for this.
First off it packs smaller. You can sit on the bags then seal them creating a package with most of the air gone.
Second is being able to see and choose items without having to touch them with dirty hands. Great for heading to the shower after one of those days where the chain needs repair and the dirt from the road just caked on everything.
Last is being able to have your sweat filled jersey properly sealed away from making all of your clean gear smell like a 8th grade locker room.

There is the Kelly Kettle next to my french press coffee maker.
A small tool kit, a few extra nuts and bolts,a spare clip in, tire patch kit, all in one tool, three zip ties

Sleeping bag with tent & footprint all in one compression sack.
Hint: load the sack with your sleeping back first then the tent. This way you set up the tent before having to pull the bag out exposing it to possible bad weather,dirt or what not.


Sleeping pad & tripod in one sack

Once again the weight of reality

Once again the weight of reality outweighs the dreams of planning.
As I head into the final weeks before departure I have accumulated a nice pile of gear that was purchased just for this trip. Each Item having just one purpose “to make my upcoming tour more enjoyable”. Simple light words used to justify purchases of a new bike, tent, clothing, two different bike bags along with a host of assorted small gear.
Here I was with my four Panniers and my dream pile of gear that even with careful packing was more then I could fit in my panniers. Signally they were attached to the bike. What’s the joke about failing off a cliff? It’s not the fall that kills you; it’s the sudden stop at the bottom. So it’s not the weight on one panniers it’s the sudden realization that combined your bike weighs more than a Humvie. Ouch!!!
I knew I was going pare some weight but the items that I ended up with in the no go pile were staring me with big fat puppy dog eyes pleading for a chance to go to Greece.
New padded camera bag – NO GO – replaced with Camera Armor
New spacious tent – NO GO – replaced with old friend and past touring warrior 1 person tent
New titanium pot & pan set – NO GO – Not replaced more bulk issue then weight.
Clothing - NO GO – Yes in the team spirit of CYCLE NU I will be traveling (had you going there) What was once two panniers worth of clothing now fits into one.
So I reduced the size of my load from four full panniers by half and knocked out over 10# of weight.