What a day! We started out with a great breakfast at the Hotel Kras in Postojana. There were four bike tourers from Germany at the next table and we had a good chat. The sky was blue but the wind was blowing. It was going to be interesting!
Fortunately, for the most part the wind was in our favour. Had it been the other way around we might still be on the road. The wind was a factor all day. We started out on quiet secondary roads and one lane byways through agricultural areas. The scenery was beautiful and the only concern was when the wind became a crosswind. It was powerful. It really buffeted the bikes.
There are no pictures of the next bit. It was a little stressful. Our incredibly quiet secondary highway was suddenly swarming with trucks. Big trucks. Gravel trucks. Swarming is an exaggeration of course, but it felt that way. I am not sure why I find them so intimidating - at highway speeds a car is as deadly as a truck - but I do find them unnerving. Add wind buffeting us around and ugh. Not my favourite riding. Fortunately it didn’t last long, although it seemed like forever at the time. We came to highway construction and an intersection and poof, they disappeared as quickly as they had appeared.
Then it was happy riding. We took a break along the road and then again at a small village where we ate our picnic lunch. Not the most atmospheric spot this time. We choose a bench in front of the grocery store because it was protected from the wind. It did make it very convenient to supplement our lunch with chocolate though 👍. We met a lovely man from Manchester there who fell for a Slovenian lass and has been living there ever since. . We had a great visit.
We always feel so grateful that most of the traffic is on the major highways and that we aren’t down there in a big hurry.
Then we arrived in Lipica. It is the location of the state stud farm for Lippanzer horses. We had the time so we stopped and before we could even believe it we were scratching Lipizzaner foals behind the ears. We toured the stables, we admired the mares and we watched the show. The whole thing was so much fun.
White fences like this mean horses, in this case, very special horses.
Then the riding was easy, breezy into Trieste. It was downhill, and while the wind was still a factor there wasn’t much effort involved. Somehow though, we missed a turn and arrived in Trieste from the opposite side the CN had intended. Then came the great hotel hunt. There were lots of one way narrow streets and lots of traffic. We went up narrow alleys that were so steep they were nearly vertical, only to come down again. We went in circles. We went past expensive shops. We were both baffled by this point. Two police officers came by as we were standing at the foot of about a hundred stairs to a cathedral and were evidently 90 m from the hotel. We asked them. No problemo, just carry your loaded touring bikes up the hundred stairs and you will be there. I looked at them in disbelief. Poco a poco (little by little) they said. Sheesh! So the CN went up without the bikes, located the hotel, and with the help of the receptionist found the right way to get there.
Trieste is an amazing and ancient city. There will be many more pictures like this tomorrow.
Keith ClassenThanks...How sweet! It was quite the day ... with the wind, trucks that caught Kathleen’s attention, the horses, the elusive hotel, late dinner and then the tired blogger. Some days you never know what to expect... thats all part of the fun. Its been fun following you guys and certainly fun to meet you in New Zealand last February. Have a great trip home. Envy you guys having spring summer around the corner.
Keith Reply to this comment 5 years ago
