Today, when I sat down after breakfast on the bike, I had doubts whether the day will provide enough events to fill a blog reasonably substantial. The doubts were completely unfounded. The answer: a resounding yes!
Today there were hardly any altitude meters on the program. Especially in the first half, the elevation profile corresponded to the topography of the Peine area - optical exception the mountains in the background. Shortly after Shkoder it went away from the main road over small side roads in a super condition almost without traffic. In addition a light tail wind. This is like riding a moped. Or to outline it from the emotional situation, I would like to quote here my esteemed colleague Sebastian Luther: This is like no appointments and being slightly drunk.
After half of the route, I sat down in a café in a small town to take a break and drink an espresso. I had not yet sat down when my table neighbor invited me to join him. It was Bujar, whose German and English are as good as my Albanian. Nevertheless, we talked somehow. At the end he invited me - incredibly nice.
In the second part it became a little bit wavier, so that I at least got my 450 meters of altitude. The ride to the center of Tirana was first along the airport. Shortly before my goal two tests of courage were waiting for me. I owe both tests of courage to the fact that I switched from Komoot to Google Maps as a navigation system to find the hotel - thank you Alphabet. First, the software led me across a makeshift suspension bridge. I was actually not sure if I should dare to do that. But turning back was not an option.
The second test of courage was through a bazaar where probably only locals shop. In any case, I was with my bike and the outfit so strange as if I came from another star. Well, please, the day has had a lot to offer so far.
Tomorrow I make a day break and will look at Tirana, plan the stages for the next days to Thessaloniki and rest.
Here is the course of today's route:
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