In Zagreb: another day ride to the south

August 24, 2020

So, only four days into the tour and I’m already falling behind with th3 journal. I won’t have it! This is all you get today, and be happy with it: just photos and captions. And our first video!!

Passing by the art museum on our way out of the city.

Another look at the Sava River, looking west toward Slovenia.

Zagreb is bordered to the south by a broad swale planted largely in corn.

Looking south. The hills begin in a few miles, and continue all the way to the sea.

Continuing south. After about ten miles we finally leave the city and lowlands behind. It’s green and lumpy from here on until we return toward Zagreb again.

We enter a forest reserve and find ourselves on a dirt/gravel road. It’s fine though; our GPS tells us we’ll be back on pavement in a half mile. We can handle that.

No, I don’t know what this structure is. Guard tower, fire lookout?

Here’s that paved road the GPS promised us.

Four miles later, still waiting for that paved road to show up. We’ll have to read up on this - maybe paved has a different meaning in Croatian.

After four and a half miles we finally come to a junction with a paved road. It’s not the direction we were planning on, but plans change. We have a map, and can improvise.

Yes, this is much better. The next ten miles bring lovely cycling - smooth pavement, low traffic, gently rolling hills.

Near Odranski we break out of the forest and approach the grassy corn belt below the city again.

We’ve seen stalls selling ears of corn here ever since we arrived, and it looks delicious. Somehow we’ll be leaving the city without testing it out.

Video sound track: Spring Lullaby, by Gabriel Lee

After dinner we walk back up to Gradec (the hill Saint Mark’s Church stands upon) for a last look around. This is Kozarska Street.

Graded was originally a separate, walled city. This is the Stone Gate, one of the few remaining parts of the old wall. The interior is also a shrine. From a distance, I thought the nun in prayer inside was a statue until we came closer.

Another look at the colorful tile roof of Saint Mark’s Church, constructed in 1880 (to replace damage from the 1880 earthquake?). On the left is the medieval coat of arms of Croatia, Dalmatia and Slavonia, and on the right is the emblem of Zagreb.

Flagpole and flags, in front of the parliament building.

Saints Cyril and Methodists Greek and Catholic Concathedral. Behind is Lotrščak Tower.

The facade of Saints Cyril and Methodists Greek and Catholic Concathedral.

The view north from the Gradec Belvedere.

In Grič Tunnel, beneath Gornec (gornec is also called Grič, and Gorni Grad). The tunnel is about a quarter mile long, wth four lateral branches connecting various points in the old city. It was built during the Second World War as a bomb shelter, and then used as a shelter again during the Croatian War of Independence from Serbia. It was finally opened to the general public only in 2016.

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Ride stats today: 39 miles, 1,000’; for the tour: 118 miles, 2,600’

Today's ride: 39 miles (63 km)
Total: 118 miles (190 km)

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