Day 52 Mile 2,000

Start point: Neum, Bosnia and Herzegovina

End point: Cavtat, Croatia

Miles: 52

Key words: oddity, mussel farming, wild boar, limitless, fortress walls, gazpacho

After my leisurely day off in Neum I was feeling refreshed and road ready, even though my calves were sore from the endless stairs in the cliffside town. I was back in Croatia before long with a quick stop at immigration. This young officer didn’t ask me many questions, he just shook his head at me jokingly and sent me on my way.

It felt good to be on my bike, and I got a surge of energy from a honk and wave from a smiling motorist. A barn red van passed me and an older woman peaked her head out the passenger window. We made eye contact and she smiled and waved. I must be a bit of an oddity in an area where few bikes are on the road, fewer are carrying luggage, and even fewer are female.

I’m guessing, based on the high concentration of roadside stands selling mussels in this area, that these floating objects are for mussel farming

Seeing lots of wild boar signs but no wild boar!

Another beautiful day on the Med

Knowing my Mediterranean days are numbered (only 8 days left!) I was taking every opportunity to jump in during the day. Today’s swim break was down a steep road to the rocky waters edge, but the refreshing dip was well worth it.

Mid morning swim break

Cooled from my swim I carried on. The heat was upon me but I felt energized nonetheless. Dubrovnik was not far ahead, and reaching this historic city signified a huge milestone for my trip.

I crossed the iconic Franjo Tudman bridge and let out a loud “woohoooo!” It was official. Entering Dubrovnik marked my 2,000th mile of cycling since Barcelona. I felt limitless.

2,000 miles and going strong

Cycling the highway above Dubrovnik was hot and, despite offering a great view, a bit devoid of character.. I rerouted to cycle closer to the old city and was happy I did. Suddenly I was cycling next to the Fortress Walls of Dubrovnik. The effect was truly stunning. If not for the brutal heat I would have liked to explore further.

Dubrovnik Fortress Walls

I stopped at a sandwich shop where I watched 90s music videos, ate a grilled vegetable quesadilla, and waited for my core body temperature to return to normal. Sometimes when cycling you don’t realize how hot your body is until you stop moving and also stopped generating your own breeze. Several people around me were fanning themselves. It wasn’t just me. It was a hot day.

After another hour of sun baking miles I finally reached my home for the night. I didn’t know much about the small town of Cavtat, but I found a cost effective room and it was at a great point in my route. I showered, dressed and walked down the cascading steps to the waterfront in search of dinner. I was successful in my quest,  enjoying a killer gazpacho and seafood spaghetti while watching the sun disappear from sight behind the horizon.

The sun sets in Cavtat

Total miles so far: 2,013