Day 2 - Boarding the ship, a cruise from Split to Supetar, cycle to Pučišća.

Bike Route: Supetar - Pučišća
Length: 15.5 miles
Total ascent: 1247 ft
Highest point: 295 ft
Surface: 100% paved road
Difficulty level: 2/5
 

After boarding and getting settled in my cabin, we had welcome shots of cherry rakija and our first hearty 3 course lunch on board on the way to the island of Brač. 

The 1955 ship and my cabin are primitive but cozy, comfortable and clean... lots of teak. I'm in the bow cabin down below with en suite bath and a hatch above for daylight and fresh air.






Zucchini soup, salad, meatloaf,  mashed potatoes and dessert.

Here is the vessel we're on for the next 8 days... the MV Lopar. The Captain, Marino, owns it, and his brother, who looks like Tom Cruise, is a deck hand😁

Over the next week, we will sail and cycle around Croatia's coast and islands. Here is the route:

Upon arrival in Supetar, we were given our rented bikes which are transported on deck. Then we cycled with our guide along the coastal road to the northern part of the island.

This was our route today. I opted for a regular 21 gear hybrid bike when most of the group rented e-bikes. At first I sort of snickered. Not for long. 

I'm not an avid cyclist and am the youngest person on this tour, but the 2nd half of the route today was brutal! 

First we passed through the fishing village of Splitska, gorgeous!

Then on to Postira where we stopped for a short break. 






After our break, it was up and down steep hills with loooong climbs and switchbacks. I wish I had photos, but if I had stopped I wouldn't have been able to start again! They say pride goeth before a fall, and before long, I "fell" into last place..out of 28 people. Lol. This shot doesn't even begin to capture the many deep valleys we climbed out of! I'll try and find one online.
 
About 5 miles from our overnight stop, I was slowly chugging up a steep hill, and our guide Natasha came up behind me and insisted that I swap and use her e -bike. Wow. What a difference. I passed the other 2 suckas on hybrid bikes and made it to the ship in record time. Ha. I may pay the 60 euro upcharge to finish out the week on an e-bike. You still have to pedal and work! Who knew?

We docked in one of the most beautiful small settlements in Europe - Pučišća. We had a free evening in the charming village, well known for its long stonemason tradition. The weather got bad as we arrived, rainy windy and cold, so after taking a few photos, I stayed on board and got to know the crew and other guests....fun group!

More people pics later, but this is our Chef..


Comments

  1. Tracy RogersMay 15, 2023 at 12:28 PM

    Great photos. Like the boat and your room.

    ReplyDelete

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