The wrath of the Gods and a tortoise called Tim.

After a lovely breakfast of fresh eggs, courtesy of a local chicken, Elias led the way and we headed further into the hills around his village.  The next 2 hours where spent on fantastic trails that the Tiger had no problems with while I admired the views and occasionally stopped to take photos.  All to soon it came to an end and I had to face the reality of a long ride to Bulgaria.

One of the Greek off-road sections.

I wasn’t going to be taking a direct route because I wanted to do see Mount Olympus and I know that there is a great road that leads up and over it which should deposit me on the right road for the boarder.

It didn’t disappoint and soon I was working my up the mountain side through a series of hairpins, sweepers and short straights.  Every corner revealed a new view of the Greek countryside, one in particular sticks in my mind.  As I rounded a bend the land in front of me opened into a large flat plateau surrounded by mountains much like a crater.  The base of the crater was covered in a patchwork of fields of all colours being worked on by local farmers.

Riding onwards and ever upwards the temperature dropped noticeably and dark clouds gathered with clear intent.  Rain was coming.  I was looking up hoping to see the summit of Mount Olympus and quickly realised that it wasn’t going to show its self today.  The clouds grew darker while thunder and lightning made its self know overhead.  I quickly pulled over and zipped up ready of the inevitable onslaught.  As soon as the final zip closed the heavens opened and the rain came in force.  I haven’t seen rain like that for years, the road instantly became a flood and day became night as the lighting flashed around me.  Somehow I must have angered the Gods and they chased me off the mountain.  Before running I stopped under a bit of shelter, checked the map then set the GPS and rode away leaving the wrath of the Gods behind me.

Mount Olympus. Hidden by rain clouds.

Sometime later on another fantastic Greek road with the main highway in the distance I was wondering why I wasn’t on it speeding towards the boarder.  I thought nothing more of it and carried on with the bike depositing more and more of its sump guard on the Greek tarmac.  After a while I stopped to check the GPS and realised I had it programed for “curvy roads” and not “fastest route”.  Running behind time I changed the settings and carried on but not before nearly running over a unsuspecting tortoise.  With my sons voice ringing in my ears I called him Tiny Tim.  Tim was kind enough to let me take some photo before weeing on me at which point I put him off to the side of the road and carried on.

Me with Tiny Tim (very exciting if you're 2).

The border crossing was uneventful, once I bypassed the long line of trucks, and I stopped at duty free to pick up some booze for my host in Romania. 

About an hour later the sun had disappeared and I was getting tired when I spotted the chance to camp by a river.  I pulled up and was instantly accosted by 3 very large dogs.  I looked around and a man was standing nearby.  He was clearly in charge of the adventure rafting outfit nearby and would have instantly melted any woman on the rafting tours.  He was tall, athletic well tanned with bright blue eyes, even I’ve got a crush on him.  I got off the bike, very slowly, and asked if it would be okay to camp here he said it was fine and not to worry about the dogs.

I set up camp under their watchful gaze and after a while they wondered off having accepted me.  Supper that night was a chicken wrap and a bottle of Stella from a service station.  Lovely.

Wild camping in Bulgaria.