Vincent has left for Larissa and I’m in the Hotel working on this Blog (wanna keep the peeps updated).
THIS IS THE VIEW FROM MY HOTEL BALCONY.
I love working on the blog, but enough is enough and I call Yannis, “let’s go for a ride.” The best part of JEFFS BIKE TOUR is unloading your bike and to go exploring, by bike . That’s the problem with bus/train travel, once you arrive your walking and you can’t go as far as you can with a bicycle. Some cities do have bike rentals, but not all.
YANNIS KNOWS THE BACKROADS
For the past week I kept seeing these flowering plants in farmers field, but didn’t recognize them.
IT’S TOBACCO, THIS REGION IS #1 IN TOBACCO PRODUCTION IN GREECE.
Yannis was saying that their are trying to get the tobacco farmers to grow something else.
I LOVE ALL THE STONEWORK
THE TREE TO THE LEFT OF US IS SUPPOSE TO BE HUNDREDS OF YEARS OLD. (there’s more pictures in the PHOTO GALLERY)
WE DO SOME CLIMBING AND YOU CAN SEE THE VINEYARD BELOW TURNING YELLOW WITH WINTER COMING.
CLIMBING WITHOUT ALL THE GEAR IS SUPER FUN
WERE ON A ROUTE THAT WAS USED BY A BIKE TOUR THIS SUMMER, HENCE THE DR. BIKE SIGN.
Yannis took me on 2 awesome tours around Elassona over the past 2 days. I feel lucky to have met him, thanks to Vincent for hooking us up with Yannis. I said “Yannis is the Bike Guru of Elassona” there’s more. After talking with the mayor of Elassona,
YANNIS GOT PERMISSION TO PUT 6 “BIKE PLANTS” AROUND THE CITY.
He painted them, planted them at there locations and put the plants on them. I find them an interesting concept, promoting positive bicycle awareness.
So I´ve spent 4 days in Elassona, it’s time to go. Am I traveling alone? (a frequently asked question)NO.
YANNIS AND HIS FRIEND ESCORT ME TO THE PASS (I walked the uphill, while they road)
A LITTLE SHEEP ACTION! (look closely).
IT’S DEFINITELY UPHILL.
ONE THING ABOUT CLIMBING, THE VIEWS ARE FANTASTIC! (one of many roadside memorials)
We finally reach the top, but not before I’m attacked by a sheep herders dogs. Yannis rides back to see what all the commotion is about, everything is OK.
WERE AT THE TOP (finally) AND IT’S TIME TO SAY OUR GOODBYES. THANKS SO MUCH YANNIS FOR SHARING A LITTLE PART OF HEAVEN CALLED ELASSONA,
Yannis is planning a long tour and was asking me A LOT of questions. I’m glad to exchange information that encourages people to hit the road on their bike!
My plan is to ride down part of the mountain and find a river and do some camping. Meanwhile the fall colors are amazing!
(this photo is for you MJ)
YOU CAN SEE THE HIGHER UP EVERGREEN TREES IN THE BACKGROUND
I FIND MY LITTLE RIVER AND HENCE CAMPSITE TOO.
THE FALL LEAVES DO A GREAT JOB OF COVERING GREECE’S LACK OF RESPECT FOR THE ENVIRONMENT (tossing garbage wherever).
I LOVE LISTENING TO THE RAVONETTES ON MY I-PAD,
FALL COLORS IN A FRUIT ORCHARD
OLD GREEK WOMEN
GREECE IS STILL USING OLD FARMING TECHNIQUES OF HEAVY TILLING. BBC REPORTS THAT LOW TO NO TILLING IS THE FUTURE OF FARMING TO HELP PRESERVE THE PLANET.
I LITE THESE TO CANDLES FOR NATASA AND I, HEALTH AND HAPPINESS!
BACK IN OREGON, WE HAVE A GAS STATION WITH AN AIRPLANE, YEP AND THEY HAVE A HOTEL WITH A PLANE ON IT.
I’m making great time, I stop for a coffee and chocolate cake. I’m not sure what happened but I missed my turn and ended up 20 km out of my way and worst of all? On a freeway. shit. I finally find the frontage road, it’s nearly dark, I find a spot to camp. Done.
TO CONTACT YANNIS HE CAN BE REACHED AT WWW.RESTOREBICYCLES.COM
OR CALL HIM AT 00306973981979
I’m nearing the end of my bicycle tour if you have any questions or comments please post them to this website so others can see them. I will be in Slovenia over Christmas (with Natasa) and then traveling through SE Asia for 3 months (some with Natasa). I’m not sure I will be blogging on this site? Biking is more fun to talk about.
Thanks for reading and posting your comments.
RIDE ON
JEFF
NEXT? DEAD ANIMALS AND GREECE’S FINAL WEEK
PHOTO GALLERY IS HERE
YANNIS RODE WITH ME TO THE TOP, THEN I ENJOYED A MONSTROUS DOWNHILL THAT I SPLIT INTO 2 DAYS.
It’s been fun “riding” with you (from the comfort of my easy chair) and hope you continue your blog when you get to Asia. 22 more working days until retirement.
This is great to read. But having sent our bikes back to Germany four weeks ago, it also makes me miss them now. It is true that you experience a lot more surprising cool stuff than with a train/plane/car/whatsoever.
Having said that, I wish you all the best for Slovenia and Southeast Asia. We’ll be in Thailand and probably some other places too, wanna meet up? Oh btw are you on facebook?
Cheers, Philipp