The hill climbs are worth it, when you see sights like this
We walk to our grotto lunch spot
A Church on the road to our beach grotto
Tamra enjoying Greek coffee before our morning ride
I've been getting a few runs inOur rides begin with a few quiet minutes, sipping coffee and just enjoying the beauty or the quiet. Yorgos has done a wonderful job finding wondrful accomadations. We mostly have two rooms and a balcony and usually a very small bathroom and often the rooms have a small kitchenette. We've enjoyed Greek coffee which is milder then expresso but still strong. It is heated with water and sugar in a small pot called a just until boiling and served in a small cup. The coffee is very popular and served everywhere at all times of day or night.
For breakfast we usually have yogurt and honey with fruit, a boiled egg, toast and nuts.
We get ourselves ready for our daily ride and discuss our ride with Yorgos and his brother Panoyotis, who has been riding with us most of the way. Pano, is a cyclist but he hasn't gone on many of his brothers rides and he's helping and keeping us all in line.
Tuesday 9/29
Today we'll have another challenging ride as we head for to the inner Mani, one of Europes wildest and most isolated regions. This area is mostly barren mountains with small olive trees and prickly pear cacti. It use to be denley populated area nd almost every hillside was cultivated. We can seen thousands of acres of stone fences and the hillsides are dotted with stone tower houses. The people choose these houses because they where easy to defend and very sturdy, as we can see because they are still around. Warfare seems to have been a constant for the Greek people. The area is doted with midevil churches and tiny chapels.
We rode up hills and down, not a car or a goat in sight. Until we see signs to the beach that Yorgos promises us. This beach is tucked away in an isolated cove, no sand but small round pebbles surround the waters edge. The cove is tucked into a hillside and we see a deep grotto that is shady and would make a perfect spot for our lunch. We have saved figs from the trees on our ride and we have tomatoes, olives and bread, we are set for a wonderful lunch. But first a swim... Helen swims with abandon out as far as she dares, Tamra and I both love to swim but the gentle cove also has more of the feel of an ocean too... so we stay closer to shore and enjoy the veiw of the rocks and fishes with our goggles. No need for snorkling equipment here if you bring your trusty swim goggles from home. We sun and snooze for a bit after lunch.
We do have the issue of the ride to our next destination... and of course it involves more hills. I have decided to change my ultimate challenge hill... no longer is MacIntosh Grade the toughest.. now it is Greek hills.
For breakfast we usually have yogurt and honey with fruit, a boiled egg, toast and nuts.
We get ourselves ready for our daily ride and discuss our ride with Yorgos and his brother Panoyotis, who has been riding with us most of the way. Pano, is a cyclist but he hasn't gone on many of his brothers rides and he's helping and keeping us all in line.
Tuesday 9/29
Today we'll have another challenging ride as we head for to the inner Mani, one of Europes wildest and most isolated regions. This area is mostly barren mountains with small olive trees and prickly pear cacti. It use to be denley populated area nd almost every hillside was cultivated. We can seen thousands of acres of stone fences and the hillsides are dotted with stone tower houses. The people choose these houses because they where easy to defend and very sturdy, as we can see because they are still around. Warfare seems to have been a constant for the Greek people. The area is doted with midevil churches and tiny chapels.
We rode up hills and down, not a car or a goat in sight. Until we see signs to the beach that Yorgos promises us. This beach is tucked away in an isolated cove, no sand but small round pebbles surround the waters edge. The cove is tucked into a hillside and we see a deep grotto that is shady and would make a perfect spot for our lunch. We have saved figs from the trees on our ride and we have tomatoes, olives and bread, we are set for a wonderful lunch. But first a swim... Helen swims with abandon out as far as she dares, Tamra and I both love to swim but the gentle cove also has more of the feel of an ocean too... so we stay closer to shore and enjoy the veiw of the rocks and fishes with our goggles. No need for snorkling equipment here if you bring your trusty swim goggles from home. We sun and snooze for a bit after lunch.
We do have the issue of the ride to our next destination... and of course it involves more hills. I have decided to change my ultimate challenge hill... no longer is MacIntosh Grade the toughest.. now it is Greek hills.
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