Gorizia is a town that has changed countries multiple time. The last after World War I when it became part of Italy. The new country of Yugoslavia built Nova Gorizia, at the border, so that both towns formed one place. Crossing into Slovenia involved riding from one side of a square to the other 🙂
This European Union really works well on the continent. Places “moved” as the various empires grew and fell. Now the borders are more visible on maps than on the ground!‎
Though I did have the impression that Corsica, Sardinia and Sicily thought themselves seperate from their continental parts.
Rode out of Nova Gorizia expecting the temperature to drop. Away from the plains of the coast, and getting up into the hills. But the temperature rose from 30degC to 32degC! Yikes. I had been on the road for 5hrs. This was getting tiresome. Â
Luckily this was for just another hour, whilst the traffic was moving, and with some shading from the trees. Real alpine meadows. Pretty. But still hot.
As I approached Postojna, stopped, drank most of a bottle of water, and poured the rest into my helmet and jacket. Helped cool me down.
Even more helpful, the temperature quickly dropped to 26degC, and I found my B&B.
Luckily I had checked GoogleMaps before setting out as TomTom did not have a clue about the street. Was not listed on their maps. Only been around for 20yrs!
Nice ground floor apartment.
Better still, they knew a welder! So I unpacked and prep’d the bike in order to remove the cracked bracket. As well as giving the bike some TLC.
A chap showed up, and led me into the woods, many klicks from my B&B, to a lonely barn. Things your mother told you not to do: follow strange men into barns 🙂
Wasn’t expecting to see a laptop running diagnostics on a Mercedes.Â
Luka straightened out the bracket, and got to welding.‎
Meanwhile Emmerson Fitipaldi found two old guys who plied me with very nice red wine! Fitipaldi is my nickname for the kind gentleman who led me to the garage. If you think Italians drive quickly, come to Slovenia!
Jesse Luggage bracket back on and my thanks to Slovenia 🙂
Rode home gently.
Where Peter (mine host) invited me into the back yard for a chat, and to pick fresh cherries off their tree 🙂
Then (after a shower) supper at a recommended restaurant, that has OUTSTANDING garlic soup…..
Walked back via my first Slovenian beer.
Picked up breakfast from a bakery.
And to bed.
Awoke Wednesday morning before 7am. Felt way too early, so went back to sleep till 10am. Been a while since I rode for 6hrs. and I really cannot take the heat.Â
TaiChi helped.Â
As did bureck and strudel for breakfast.Â
Next step. To put my RHS pannier back on the frame.Â
Checked everything was still tight. It was.
Put the box on.
Perfect fit. hahaha. When I say perfect, the petrol-filler-cap catches on the pannier, once the bike has been dropped. Just slightly. Does so again 🙂 Has been that was since my first ride to Louisiana. Some 100,000km++ ago.
Pottered around.Â
Washed my shirts. That’s the trouble with the heat. Riding gear does not stay wearable for long. Especially the balaclava.
Then out to do a bit of shopping. Was out of munchies.
Finally, out for supper, and to bed.
Thursday up before the alarm.
TaiChi.
TLC for the bike.
Pack.
First stop is the castle in a cave……
Used to be all in the cave, but each addition came further and further out.
ps: there is a back door.
Second stop, lunch at the caves. Thought that I should have had it at the castle. Caught the chef coming back from the fields with fresh herbs. Though lunch was tasty and filling……
preceeded by soup, and followed by crepes.
Caves were awesome. Some 100m from lowest cavern floor, to highest cavern ceiling.
And there is a post office there! Sorry. Only one postcard.Â
One thing. Book your tickets in advance. Thursday tickets were available, but none for the weekend and next week.
But with happy memories, I rode off and onto Ljubljana. Â