BACK INTO SLOVENIA
...and no plan!
26th May - 28th May | 2022
This morning I tried to get up early to get at least the bike loaded before it is too sticky out there. I was not successful, but at 10h30 I was leaving. Took me a bit longer as expected ;-) I want to visit the Tolmin Gorges in Slovenia and then go back to Lipica. Yesterday, I figured out that their shows and opening hours do not match my travel plans - how selfish of them! So I was thinking of going and seeing the Gorges and then going south again to see the show the next day.
Whilst I was driving and making a bit of a calculation in my head, I realised that I still got 3 weeks until I will meet my mum in Budapest. Uff, so much time for two little countries! A new plan is needed! In this case, I will go up to the nice "camping" spot James was on his way up north as it was a nice spot. From there I will do the mountain pass of Vrsic and then Lake Bled, and whatever I will find on the way around ;-) Hopefully, I am luckier with the weather than James though!
So, that is the plan for tomorrow! It is good to make plans and then change them ;-) From the North, I will still go back South for the Lipizzaner horses and then it is time for a city-trip Ljubljana. And all taking it easy as I seem to have plenty of time!
Around lunchtime, I was at "Tolminska Korita" (www.tolmin-gorges.info). What beautiful gorges, not too long to walk, but beautiful. After that, it was time to go up to Bovec to the unofficial camp of David. He was really helpful and it is a nice spot, and popular! Weird to pitch up my tent on my little own! And then also a new one, and all the space for me alone!
I planned a little bit tomorrow's route, but it will depend on the weather, if I will leave my luggage here and ride a loop or if I will take it already with me and then find accommodation. So let's see what the weather God has planned for tomorrow!
Unfortunately, the weather God decided it will be raining the next few days :-( In this case, it was packing up all in the morning. What a pity, as I slept well in my new tent and it is such a nice place! I would have been ready in 2hrs with all the packing and little breakfast, but I got chatting to some camping neighbours, which was so nice as I was not in a particular rush.
By 11am I finally was on my way to the famous mountain pass Vrsic, 50 switchbacks divided into 25 up and 25 down on one side with cobblestones! Sounds like Steffi will enjoy that!! ON the way there came one Ferrari and Porsche after the next! I have never seen so many Ferraris in my life in such a short period!! I was hoping they all were through before I enter the pass as they seem to need a bit more space on the road; even if it is a straight bit!
As it will be my first real mountain pass, knowing it will be tight and cobblestones are waiting for me on the way down, no need to say that I had some knots in my stomach! At least no more Ferraris and Porsches, but countless motorbikes coming in my direction! Up at the highest point, it was time for some pictures before the fun part comes ;-)
I tucked myself behind a car that I had at least "clearance" of the curves. After some switchbacks, I realised that the down with the cobblestones was less stressful than the up earlier! Remember, me and downhill and switchbacks are not the best buddies! When I was down in Kranskja Gora it was time for some lunch and I think I deserved a chocolate cake today!
During that lunch break, I booked via Booking.com a room in a hotel close to Lake Bled for only €37 - see later for the surprise of the day!
I continued my tour direction Lake Bled. As soon as I forked off to Bled the traffic got immediately congested! Good that I am on a motorbike to pass the traffic as it is now 26C! After taking pictures and riding around the lake it was time to go to the hotel. As I didn’t want to go again through Bled I have chosen some back roads, which was the "905" and it was such a lovely winding road through the forest!
Once in the hotel, I got shocked when I opened up my confirmation, the charge was now €60! WHAT!?! How is that possible?!? I have never had that situation before and I have done nothing different than usual. The nice receptionist said she hasn’t changed anything and that this is their price. Hmmm, I paid for it, but I started a live chat with booking.com about it, especially as I did another test search with the same parameters for the next night and the hotel came up again with €37! Just to cut the story short, I came to an agreement with Booking.com!
However, it was a wise decision to stay in a hotel, as it started thundering and raining later that evening ... and it was still raining in the morning! So I took it really easy as check-out was only at 10am. Packing in the dry, but then it started raining again as soon as I started riding off towards Idrija to visit the famous mercury mine (museum of Antonijev Rov). Not only it was raining, but the temperature had also dropped to 13C, meaning up in the mountains at over 1000m altitudes it was even colder; my warm clothes are somewhere in my luggage packed away! So all the windbreaker and rain-jacket have to do the job!
With the help of Osmand, I went via lovely backroads to Idrija. Unfortunately, one was closed and another one got too tricky offroad for me on my own as I do not want to take any risk, if possible! At 14h I arrived freezing in Idrija and as the tour just left in the mining-museum I have booked myself in for 15h00. In the meantime, I had some lovely local food for lunch.
If you are ever in the area, visit the mine museum (www.cudhg-idrija.si). It is really interesting. The tour takes you nearly down below 100m and if mercury would be still in need they could still produce for another 40 years! Once back in daylight, I went directly to the hotel close to Lipica as I have booked a ticket for tomorrow to visit the stud farm of the Lipizzan horses :-D
Well, saying that, coming out of the mountains, down into the plains of the coast, there was suddenly such a strong side wind blowing. Serious, I was really scared! I drove along the middle white line and it would occasionally blow me to the side of the road, not talking about driving all the time leaning agains the wind! Of course, there needed to be a red construction traffic light, but I knew, if I will stop the wind will blow me over. So I took the risk to carry on driving as there was still sufficient space. There were even signs, that lorries of a certain size and camper van trailer were not allowed to be on the motorway! It was only for 8km, but it was enough for me!
Whilst you are waiting for the next blog, try a Radler Grapefruit - yummy, my new favourite drink here in Slovenia!
Places | Cities:
Nova Gorica, Tolmin, Bovec, Vrsic Pass, Kranskja Gora, Jesenice, Bled, Polje, Idrija, Sezana.
Driven km | Trip:
Total | Steffi: 12775 km
Maintenance | Breakdown:
./.
Health issues:
./.
Special thanks to:
Booking.com to take my complaint serious.
OsmAnd for its easy usage to plan a route.
Antonijev Rov - the mercury mining museum for being so interesting.