I was bike touring around Slovenia, with Stanley from France, a few years ago. We stumbled into Kamniks Festival-KamFest. They filled the old town with high quality crafts, chopper bicycle show, food, music and “FREE BEER” from Mali Grad Brewery. I biked back last week, to re-live this great event.
THE RAISED & SEPARATED BIKE PATH MAKE PARTS A SAFE-ENJOYABLE RIDE.
Sometimes the bike route was a shoulderless somewhat unfriendly bike route. I’m confident riding nearly anywhere, put I prefer carfree. I enlarged the phone map and found a gravel route that followed the river.
NICE COW BARN
IT DOESN’T LOOK THAT ORGANIC, BUT THIS TECHNIQUE OF GARDENING SAVES TIME AND WATER
MUCH BETTER UNPAVED PATH THAN IN CROATIA LAST WEEK
I MISSED A TURN AND THIS TRAIL WAS THE LAST KILOMETER BEFORE KAMNIK
SLOVENIA IS “INVESTING” IN HEALTHY BIKING INFRASTRUCTURE
I’m camping next to the community swimming pool, yep I go. I visit the pub/hostel across from the street from camping. The Mali Grad brewer is there, I ask if he’s giving free beer again this year? nope (shit).
I head to the local museum, how wrong can a 2.50euro admission go?
KAMNIK MUSEUM
LOVE THE KEYS
SO MORE KEYS
THAT’S ME, LOOKING AFTER MY HEART
HANDMADE WOODEN CHEESE STAMPS
I OWN A PAIR OF THESE SCISSORS
VIEW OF KAMNIK FROM 3RD FLOOR WINDOW
Across from the camping these workers were hanging fencing to prevent rocks from falling onto the road. They were hanging from ropes using a jackhammer-which part of no thanks?
HE’S USING A JACK HAMMER WHILE HANGING FROM A ROPE
THAT’S THE FULL SIZE OF THE MOUNTAIN
KamFest was moved from the old town to the city park, it just wasn’t the same (& no free beer). A friends band is playing next weekend so I’m going back to see them.
I decide to bike to Velenje, the back way (fewer cars).
STARTED OUT PAVED
SMOOTH GRAVEL
I PUSHED MY BIKE UPHILL FOR 2 HOURS-TOO STEP TO PEDAL (OR I’M TOO OLD?)
ABOUT 1000 METERS OR (3300FT)
I EARNED THIS DOWNHILL
2% OF WORLD HOPS PRODUCTION COMES FROM SLOVENIA!
I’ve been to Velenje in winter, but it’s summer and it won the “Best Beach” in Slovenia. I go swimming 5 or 6 times while I’m here. I went to dinner on a bike path, on the way home it was dark and I was kinda lost. When I realized I needed to turn around, I got stuck in a water filled hole. My feet are clipped into the pedals and couldn’t get out in time. Clipped in I fell into the mud, my whole side was covered with mud. To clean up I took a shower with my clothes on.
SUNDAY AT THE BEACH WAS PACKED-MONDAY NOT SO MUCH
BIKE SUNRISE FROM INSIDE THE TENT.
I’ve been bike touring every week for the past 5 weeks, it’s only rained once for 1/2 hour. That changed this morning, pouring and pouring, then riding to the train station in the pouring rain. I survived and plan to go touring again tomorrow. Skofja Loka for a concert then to Kamnik for another concert.
Climate Change is real and it’s all of us that need to reduce our fossil fuel use. Biking allows the freedom to explore without damaging our mother earth, consider trying a weekend trip close to home, you’ll be amazed.
RIDE ON,
JEFF
Beautiful! Looks lovely and tons of fun!