After the group tour concluded, I spend a couple more days in Skopje playing city tourist. If you are interested in history, this is certainly a city and country to explore. The city and area has been occupied for about 4000 years. Yes, hard to imagine, isn't it? Neolithic settlements have been uncovered at the Kale Fortress; Romans, Bulgarian, Yugoslavian Empire, Bulgarians in collaboration with Nazi Germany and I don't remember who else.
The central plaza with all the giant statues is pretty overwhelming. They include several of Alexander the Great, Romans, and giant rearing horses from which the penises were removed as someone in the government found them offensive. The walking streets and bike paths with outdoor restaurants, adjacent to the plaza, along the Vardar River, beg a stop for a beer or a bite. There is one craft brewery I came upon, and I didn't hesitate to sample their local IPA. Although I'm a big IPA fan, I found their ales more enjoyable, partly because there was a heat wave going on. Skopje is also the birthplace of Mother Theresa. I'll post some photos of the trip soon. Vodno Park - if you are going: From the central square, you have to make your way to the bus station, to catch the #25 to get to the park for either a hike, mountain bike ride, or a cable car ride to the top, to get close to the huge, lighted cross. Getting to the bus station: it's an easy 20 minute walk, along the Vardar. Where the walking street ends, turn right onto a busy main street (you'll begin seeing buses heading in the same direction you are). There's a grey air conditioned shopping mall building, where you make the right turn, where you can change Euros to Denars, shop in a large grocery store, visit the pharmacy, a bakery, or shop for clothing items. Continuing on this street for maybe 10 minutes, you'll see the train station, as a sort of bridge, over the road. Can't miss it. Turn right, and walk to where you see all the red buses. The station numbers are marked on pillars and you're looking for #25. Get your ticket in advance, in the yellow bus which has been converted to the ticket office. Give them 160 denars for the round trip and they will give you a plastic card to scan when you get on the bus. The bus and cable car do not run on Mondays. It loosely runs every 30 minutes all other days. It is about 30 minutes to the end of the line, which is at Vodno Park. If you have any feelings of vertigo, do not ride on the upper deck of the bus. The views, once you begin the climb, are breathtaking but for me there were terrifying! When you get to the end of the line, you can take the 15 minute ride on the cable car (buy tickets at the kiosk) or walk on a paved road (8 miles round trip with about 2000 feet of gain). The paved road is mostly shaded, thankfully. There are several trails that would keep you off the paved road but without a map, I chose to stay on the road. Besides, the mountain bikers come screaming down the trails as I observed, and I wanted to live a little longer. There were several rest stops along the way with tables. I found the summit to be sort of anti climatic. There is a cafe and a kids' playground at the top. It looked like there was at least one other route to get up there, via another road. Had I known what to expect, I probably would have spent this day exploring the several museums around the central square.
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June 24, 9.30 pm Macedonia time...I have had some great fun in Macedonia and briefly in Albania, but i will save that report for a time if I ever get home.
I am stuck/stranded in Amsterdam today and through this night. It all started when my flight from Belgrade to Amsterdam was delayed just enough to prevent me from making my flight home. It was easy enough to get another, via Seattle, and adding about 5 more hours to the trip. After boardibg and sitting on the plane for several hours (I know the time because I watched an entire 2 hour movie while waiting for takeoff). It turns out that all air traffic came to a standstill as something broke with the piping that is used to refuel the planes. Amsterdam is a world hub, so this is no small issue. S I proceeded to the ticket services location with several thousand other stranded flyers. It took close to three hours to get to the front of the line. I was informed there were no hotels to be had ( airline would have paid) and no they do not give food vouchers. One can get fully reimbursed at some point though. I was told to either wait for an email advising me of revised departure (there are staff that only do this) or get in yet another 3 hour line to talk to the ticketing people. I will wait for tge email. Meanwhile my priority was food and finding a piwer source. Both taken care of and now I will soend the night in a booth out of the insane crowds. No, they are not insane, but just many, many people in the same situation. I have been here for almost a week now and in spite of having internet every night, I have been too tired to post anything. That and maybe too stuffed from eating the amazing food here to even move.
The first day was a relaxing river kayak which was quite peaceful mostly, except when interrupted by the powered tourist boats. Its a very popular destination, even during the week. Because rain was predicted for second day, we opted to hike to the sumnit of a local mountain, somewhere around 7000 feet. It was windy and wet, but better than being on a bicycle. Each day, we have been treated to an overwhelming assortment of local cuisine. Cucumber and fresh tomato salad seems to be appropriate at any meal. Sheep cheeses are also popular. Then there is the homemade bread (everything we ate was farm to table). Spread some garlic puree on it and that could be the meal. But, there are wild snails sauteed with onions and mushrooms, tender beef and pork...oh it just doesnt end! I will post some food photos later. The hikes and biking have not been great distances but challenging, with visits to small ancient villages and stunning views, when skies have been clear. The guides, Marko and Alex, are a wealth of information about this amazing and often overlooked (by Americans) tourist destination. I'm traveling soon with BikeHike, my favorite adventure tour company to hike, kayak and mountain bike:
"At the crossroads between the East and West, Christianity and Islam, Macedonia has long been a melting pot of civilizations. While this Balkan nation has many notable similarities to both Greece and Turkey, this emerging destination retains an unmatched level of authenticity." As with most adventures, there are highlights and lowlights. My adventure was no different.
One of the highlights I want to call out is the kindness and generosity of the docents at the Erie Canal Museum near Syracuse NY. They invited me in even though the museum was closed, fed me the best pulled pork I've ever had, and Linda Vishnesky offered to transport Stanley and me across town to the DeWitt Canal Trailhead. I had heard, and she knew, that navigating through Syracuse to get to the DeWitt is a nightmare. The lowlights? I've already forgotten them. My mileage came in at just over 700 over the course of 18 days' riding. I don't know if I'd say it was "fun" although there were fun and joyful moments. It was an adventure and I don't regret one minute of it. I think I used everything I brought and only forgot bug spray and sunscreen. Most valuable piece of gear - my .5 lb Helix chair. Most useless piece of gear - 20 feet of cable I thought I would use for securing my bike and panniers. Never unrolled it. Would I do it again? Well maybe, but why? There are so many new places awaiting discovery. With that, I must organize for my next adventure which leaves in a few days, to North Macedonia for mountain biking, hiking and kayaking. Stay tuned! For the first time in almost a month, I used a real towel; a true luxury! I am kicking back in Cleveland and exposing Stanley to a little culture. The natural history museum and the art museum are must do's if you find yourself in Cleveland. The anthropologist who discovered Lucy (the hominid) is from Cleveland and because of this they have an extensive Lucy exhibit. I sampled Souse today at a deli, not knowing it was head cheese in a loaf. I was advised it is better with cheese. No, it isn't. I am looking forward to trying Amish fry pie, though. Anything with "pie" in the name can't be bad. June 25...Geneva State Park
In spite of what the host claimed, I again got assigned a mog site. I could tell when I got to it. Fortunately, I've learned from my experiences; I pitched my tent in the gravel car parking spot. The rain came, thankfully, after I was fully set up and ready for it. It poured for hours, but I stayed dry and so did most of my gear. Most everything I brought has been stored in dry bags and I've been using my treated backpack covers as rain covers for my panniers. It has worked well. Power is not impossible to come by, walking to the shower/rest rooms, just up the road. Since I could not go a day without a ride, I inquired as to where the library and coffee shop was. An 8 mile ride without baggage is a welcome treat, so here I am in the library of the Geneva (not to be confused with Geneva on the Lake) town. Riding through the neighborhoods has also been a treat, admiring the many older homes, which, if they could speak, would likely have some good stories to tell. The town was established in 1805 and the founder and his family were taken by the local Native Americans, but released the next day.... June 24...53 miles
Man, I'm burning through the calories! According to my Garmin, 2,989 today alone! The road seems easy after all the trail riding during the first phase. Still, it was a long haul with rolling hills and head winds. The rain did not happen...at least during my ride. I took a break in Conneaut for that bike touring special - second breakfast. I had been craving toast, so I had that with a decadently sweetened ice tea. Stopped again, in Ashtabula, at a beautiful park. Apparently, at one time Ashtabula was a bigger iron ore port than Cleveland. Arrived in the tourist area called Geneva on the Lake, to the hordes of tourists strolling the streets in search of their personal favorite foods and souvenirs. Or possibly inspecting the many lakeside cottages for a place to stay. I stopped as well, several miles short of the state park, to enjoy a so-so ice cream. Beggars can't be choosers out here in the wilds of northern Ohio. June 23...35 miles
Making my way to Campground Sara, just outside Erie, near Presque State Park and adjacent to the largest waterpark I've ever seen, not that I've seen many. Arriving on a sunny Sunday meant everything was going full bore; the roller coaster rides and screaming people, the cars, inching along looking for a treasured parking spot and the best smelling fast food joints ever. Campground Sara is, so far, the only place I've encountered where arriving by bike gets one a discount, like half price. Every site even has electric outlets and water faucets. The place is an eclectic mix of gargantuan trailers staying for just a day or two, and obviously long term trailers that have taken up residency, complete with wood decks, tool sheds, and landscaping. As I was unpacking two "neighbors" , Chris and Terry, came over to welcome me and ask about my travels. They had never met anyone who had been traveling by bicycle. They quizzed me endlessly about the bike and my experiences, all with an innocent curiosity. They advised me to build a fire to keep away the mosquitoes which would surely eat me alive if I did not. They loaned me some bug repellent (about the only thing I forgot to pack) and offered me an ice cold bottle of water after I turned down the offer of a beer. Getting here was comparatively fast for a loaded touring bike and someone who was not in a great hurry anyway. I rode through countless vineyards and small towns (what's the difference between a town, township, hamlet, and village??) with names like Portland, (home of Marmaduke) Ripley, North East, Schuyler, and Cherry Creek. June 22...36 miles
I opted for a KOA; not much more expensive than NY state parks and staff much more friendly and accommodating. While packing up, I ate my breakfast in motion, as I often do. I was starving an hour later and I must admit I have eaten more fast food lately than probably the last 20 years! It was a pleasant ride, continuing on Hwy 5, which will eventually take me back to Cleveland. Navigating through the town of Erie was quite easy as there's a lovely bike way that skirts the lake most of the way, making for an easy route. This area is rife with marinas, huge power boats, and all sizes of homes, backing up to their personal beaches along the lake. June 21...54 Miles
The rain that was not predicted to occur caught up with me, about 10 miles from the State Park. Drenched but only on the outside. Here at the State Park, another site in the "mog", muddy bog, much like Seneca Falls. The ride was good except navigating through Buffalo, NY. Thanks, Sheriff Larry, for your navigational tips! There is a bike path that skirts the town, mostly, which while on it, was pleasant riding with views of Lake Erie. This lake seems huge, in that one cannot see across it, and most of the time, there are 1 foot or so waves crashing on the beach. Riding along Hwy 5 West was a pleasant change from the Canal bikeway, with adequate shoulder, good pavement, and low traffic. June 20...A little more about the town. Atleast two movies made here, Niagara, starring Marilyn Monroe and Canadian Bacon, starring John Candy. The city has been on the decline for the last 10 years or so. Steel, auto and Whirlpool left the area, causing serious economic hardships. Tourism has sort of put Niagara back on themao, as a state park. So much of the revenue goes to the state and the city gets no benefit.
The Indian population is growing, as people discover the great deals on housing. This large population is most evident by th many Indian restaurants and food carts. Investors are beginning to notice the area and I do hope the local economy turns around sometime soon. June 19...Buffalo to Niagara Falls, 29 miles
Arrived via Amtrak in the wee hours of the morning, yesterday. Slept in the station until daybreak, then rode to the town of Niagara Falls. Away from the bustle of the tour buses, food carts upscale restaurants and hotels, as well as a casino, I saw countless historic (read old) homes on the local streets, many of which were empty, abandoned, and boarded up. Real estate opportunities abound here. But it's cold in the winter, like zero degrees, is a good day. Made my way to Wanderfalls Hostel on a quiet residential street just a few blocks from the Niagara River and the Falls. It's a homey, comfortable place and reasonably priced. Due to the heavy rain predicted for Thursday, I decided to stay here for two days. They make pancakes for breakfast! Due to more rain predicted starting the middle of next week, I may shorten my route and ride the southern side of Lake Erie but I'm still researching that. Today, I'm a tourist. |
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