The ride out of the hotel was going to go up because that's the only way we seem to ride of late. The first climb took us 2 hours high up into the mountains. Today we reached a new record of hitting over 1500 metres in altitude.
We were planning to reach Zabljak nice and early to try and visit the friends we met on the mountain yesterday afternoon. Well, we couldn't find the number of their house or in fact a number on any house. So the visit has to be put off until another day.
As we crested the first mountain we came across a tunnel which was roughly 3kms in length. Now this is a terrifying experience being in a pitch black tunnel with a little red flashing light on your helmet and Peter's headlight to pick up the road in the distance. We had to ride so close to the kerb so as not to hit our panniers on the gutter. We had may cars, buses and trucks pass us from behind and from head on. Each time they gave us plenty of room, but still it was a bad feeling with the horrendous noise these vehicles emit in the tunnel. You think for sure you're going to be bolded over.
We took a break after exiting the tunnel to try and compose ourselves. We were both hoping that we might get some downhill for a change. We did for a short while after Zabljak, but the road went up again, 2nd mountain for the day. This one peaked out at 1540 metres, another record for the tour. It was time to stop for lunch. We found a shack with a good area to sit and eat our tuna, tomato sandwich, washed down with water.
Whilst eating lunch we could see that the only way the road was going to go was down into the gorge. The base of the gorge is Tara Gorge which has a huge bridge across it and some young people flying across in harnesses and wire rope. There was no way I was going to give that a go, I had mountains to climb. After a couple of photos at the gorge, it was time to get back on the bikes and ride back out. I did enjoy the adrenalin rush roaring down into the gorge but I always had in the back of my mind that I had to climb back out again. Yep, 3rd mountain for the day.
The climb out of the gorge was spectacular, pristine pine forests and a gorge to peer down into each time we rounded yet another switchback. By the time we reached the top we had covered 10kms, that's about 1 hour 30 minutes of climbing. I'm starting to get over mountains.
We stopped at the top for a drink and some fruit and to sit and look at what we had just conquered. To some riding a bike out of a gorge is 2nd nature, but to us old fellas, it is a huge sense of achievement. We look across the gorge and can see a beautiful landscape that we'll probably never see again in this part of the world.
Once we hit the top of the mountain we still had about 25kms to reach our destination and the town of Pljevlja. The majority of the 25kms was downhill at a speed of 50kph. I don't touch my brakes much when going downhill, I think the faster the better. We reached our destination at 4pm and quickly checked into the only hotel in town. After a shower to wash our smelly bodies, it was time for a walk of the town. There's a lot of people walking the streets, up and down, with their friends, not playing on the internet or watching TV to all hours of the night like so many do back home.
We had a nice dinner at the hotel restaurant which cost 10 Aussie dollars for a feast.
Tomorrow we head to the town of Prijepolje which is located in Serbia. I think I need to do some reading tonight to see what the place is all about.
Until tomorrow, safe riding.
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