Ten days from now I’m on a plane to Slovenia. Landing in Ljubljana, two days to orient, then the bike ride starts.
The route is a 640km loop through Slovenia with a Croatian coast detour. Julian Alps (Bohinj, Bled, the Vršič Pass at 1611m), the Soča Valley, Goriška Brda wine country, down to Opatija on the Istrian coast, back up through the Gorski Kotar forest, the Kolpa River valley, and finally back to Ljubljana. About 10,280 meters of climbing over nine riding days with one rest day on the coast.
Renting a gravel bike there instead of dealing with the logistics of taking mine. It is setup to work with panniers instead of bikepacking bags. I’ll be riding with my friend Mike, who I’ve done several bike trips with before. He has organized this epic trip. His friend Klement, who I met during my visit to Switzerland, will also join us for the first few days.
I plan to post a separate packing list, but the idea is to pack lighter than a traditional touring trip and bring it all with me on the bike including what I wear on the plane. I will need to check a separate bag because of tent poles and stakes.
What’s got me nervous: Day 1. 88km and 1,530m of climbing straight off a transatlantic flight. Jet lag, loaded bike, and the second-biggest elevation day of the trip hits before I’ve found my legs. I’m hoping they wake up by Day 3 (Vršič Pass, the iconic one) and stick with me through the Gorski Kotar forest on Day 8. If they do, the rest should follow.
I’ll post a full ride report when I’m back. For now — packing lists, weather checks, and last-minute everything.