Albania done and dusted!

It was with a fair degree of trepidation that we woke to our final cycling day in Albania. Our 6/10 cycle graded tour had already thrown a few spanners at us in terms of steep climbs but our final day was scripted to be a beauty, or nightmare, depending on which side of the fence you sat on !

After doing 60 tough kms the day yesterday with over 1100  metres climbing today was going be just double the climb in the same distance (which really turned out in fact to be the first 40 kms) !!!

Leaving our not too well received hotel in Himare we launched once again into some serious climbs!  First came a 10%er leaving town and not long after a horrible extended 18% segment that had many of us walking other than the powerhouse cyclists and the little pocket rocket from Sweden Linda.

Linda has been an absolute delight on tour, battling away without complaint, one of the first to pitch in and help with the suitcases in the afternoon and much to Pommie Kev's horror even polite enough to take a turn up in front when cycling with him despite being half his size !(" I thought it was my turn said Linda" !)

While a number of us groaned for 1 km over the 18% segment we watched in amazement as Linda just powered on with pedals only just managing to turn over - what a determined person !

The 20 percenter ! 

Finally the top of our climb revealed some lovely coastline scenery which we just had time enough to admire before a screaming descent took us back down our hard won ground ! Back up we went again although this time competing with struggling lorries and cement trucks that could barely move faster than us because of the roads gradient. Here both Kirk and UK Michael took on the trucks using superior overtaking skills to get just far enough away to avoid breathing in their noxious fumes.

Regrouping for morning tea we eyed our final objective in the distance the Llogara pass. A 900 metre 6 switchback mountain with 10 kms of road of an average gradient of 5-7%, this was Redspokes Albania's signature swansong !

That was bad enough but we still had to cycle 5kms to the foot of the pass and with steep climbs of 10% + a few gave serious thought to pulling the plug straight off !  

The calm before the storm !

The pass ahead with its switch backs !

Climb it though we did.  In the cooler  conditions we even had time to take in the stunning views back down to the  coast. With a couple in the van already "Dilksy" decided after making 60% of the climb to join them still not feeling well and obviously mentally struggling after the boys in Germany (His next trip) kept sending him daily photos of meals that include sausages and beer !

Pommie Kev with restored mojo was in his element and  "Froomed" his way up the mountain with Pommie Pete in close pursuit ! Robbo later said that he would have caught up with Kev if he hadn't stopped to eat his Kendal mints - "Bullocks" was Kev's signature reply !

Incredible views

Linda, Julia & Kev on top of the pass ! 

While our stronger cyclists Karine, UK Mike & George did the climb in style i was really impressed by those that gutsed it out including Linda, Lee and Kirk - an incredible effort and one they can feel justly proud about !

Finally came the man himself ! Reckoning he had about 80 meters left in him, Aussie Kev took the summit acknowledging the rapturous applause with a typical 1 fingered salute - a really great effort by the part functioning man who i reckon still has many years of cycling left in him - well done Kev !

The descent to finish our trip was a stunner   Frightening in parts because of the speed you could cycle at, the sharp corners and strong crosswinds - it was truly memorable !

Karine on descent after being stung by a wasp !

Mike the first aid attendant !

After 60 odd kms we entered a smoke swept (they still have fires burning out of control) Orikum to celebratory back slaps, hugs, and in the case of the Antipodeans gentlemanly handshakes !

After the bikes were packed away we were transported 3 hours back to Tirana by bus. On the verge of cumulative exhaustion we had one final dinner together (read another 18 course meal) thanked our great guide Arjan, consumed numerous beers and reminisced over what has been a fabulous trip with so many highlights.

Arjan and Juli our great support team   

While we have made new friends we celebrate the fact that we spent time with old ones from Tibet - Robbo, Dilksy, Kev & Julia and Aussie Kev - it was a delight  to spend so many hard earned hours with each and every one of you !

The Tibet group do it again ! 

Finally for the Aussie boys we now head off to France  after a days rest to catch up with our Aussie friends, Rick, Noel, Linton & Viv in what should be a classic Tour Le Med !

P.s. 

No sooner had we both finished our celebratory dinner in Albania than Kev then self became ill spending our free day in Tirana barely able to move from our hotel bed. By the time we arrived back in Bournemouth at 5a.m. After a 3 hour flight and 2 hour drive we were both pretty knackered to say the least.

While we move on to France tomorrow (see the Le Med blog) we take the opportunity to thank our amazing hosts and good friends Kev and Julia for looking after us so magnificently - the fact that they have also shared our germs speaks volumes of them - on behalf of "Pathogen" Henley and myself a deep vote of thanks !

Sent from Samsung tablet

When Litchy blows a Fuse !

This tour (only rated 6/10) has been realtively tough in terms of climbing and heat and despite our idyllic setting on the beach at Sarander today was definitely going to be no different !

We launched straight into a bum busting 10% climb out of town that at least provided the benefit of regurgitating and re-eating ones recently consumed breakfast over and over again !

It's all stations up !

Finally out in the countryside all looked good until we rounded a corner to be hit with more substantial climbing, again 10% again granny granny with bucket loads of sweat to add !

It was here that Julia made her famed "when no sometimes means yes comment" when the team bus passed her just before a corner enquiring as to whether she needed a lift. She replied "no thanks".. and kicked herself after the bus disappeared to find herself confonted by more hills with now no choice but to bravely suffer her way to morning tea !

Our days total distance was only 60+kms but it covered 1100 metres in climbing taking us inland but high enough to still have wonderful views of the coastline !

Great coastal views

Our inevitable descents just simply led to more climbs one a 6km beauty that had a gut busting 17% section ! I walked while KTH rode later suffering for his brave effort !

With such a short day it was weird that our lunch stop would be only 4 kms from the finish when most of us were just dieing for an early finish and a swim. Henley nearly achieved this when he rocketed past our lunch stop only to be halted by the about to lunch group yelling at him !

View leaving Lunch !

With Kiwi Pere and Pommie Kev finding their mojo we soon arrived at our beachfont accommodation at Himare where all we could think about was having a beer and going for a swim !

Linda and Pete (Dilksy) after a hard day !

Most of us made our way across the rock strewn beach to plunge into the soothing waters although getting out was not so easy given the rough and steep pebbly surface.

Time for a swim !

H had to be rescued this time not from the water but from falling asleep on a deck chair with the gang concerned about his possible Zebra (sun burn) impersonation if we left him alone !

The accommodation sadly this time was not up to scratch, with poor service, an indifferent owner and a wiring system that must have been approved in India !

On two occasions in attempting to put in a plug to charge a device I succeeded in shorting the circuit in the room. After the first we waited 40 minutes after the 1 staff member on duty just simply walked off. The 2nd time the owner came up muttering something in Albanian which seemed to suggest he was having a go at us. He rattled around the key card in the power socket like that was going to fix the problem and then just walked off as well !

Finally with Arjan's involvement we were eventually able to get another room although just a little peeved at being treated like idiots !

Sent from Samsung tablet

The Beach at Last !

It was one of those moments when you wished you had a benevolent dictator in your group ! We'd crawled to the top of a section of road 6% plus - 5km climb and we were temporarily basking in the sun taking in some coke & coffee trying to make a group decision as to whether to go a shorter distance to our hotel 85kms or do the fully scripted 95 km route, both options to include a 90 minute tour of the famed Buttrint archeological site / Roman ruins

"Is there any extra scenery on the longer route"?  No ! "Are there any big hills on the longer route"? No ! Somehow the dont want tos (the non EFI's) were out voted 4-7 yet the longer option got up prompting one of our group to turn round say "what happened to the concept of democracy"!

With things threatening to spill over our group leader wisely decided to put us back on the bikes and review the options further some 30 kms down the line following a steep descent !

It was here that the Aussie contingent finally excelled ! Affer tailing the gang in on the uphill segment both Lard Ass Henley and Barge Ass Litchfield flew down the mountain despite our leader imploring us to use caution, "be stuffed" said Henley I've earnt this !

We made our way through nondescript countryside to a rejoining point where Arjan wisely decided to split the group in two, those wanting to do the longer route (none of the Antipodeans) and those wanting to do the shorter route ! 

We all started immediately on a 10% hill dodging traffic and a working excavator with a safety marshall waving his red flag like he was starting an F1 race !

We finally hit the coast !

The "shorties" reached our lunch point just shy of the Buttrint ruins 45 minutes before the "longies" using the time wisely to kill wasps (read K T Henley ) and drink copious amounts of soft drink and beer !

When the "longies" finally arrived we took lunch during which our guide explained the post lunch options 1) Do the tour of the ruins 2) Stay at our lunch place and wait for the "ruins" group to return ! 

"What's option 3" said one our group ! I'm sure our guide did everything he could to avoid using an Albanian expletive !

The ruins at least to us Antipodeans were amazing detailing Roman and medieval life in this part of the world frequented by so many conquering races.

Amazing Buttrint !

Amazing corner stone

Would be Emperor Henley ! 

Following the tour there were again 2 options 1) cycle to our hotel (17kms) - 2) ride in the team bus to the hotel !

While Pommie Kev, Julia and Kiwi Pete had at least some excuse (Pathogen Henley) Aussie Kev did not eloquently stating that he had an attack of the "CBF's" (can't be f.cked!)

After 17kms we arrived in lovely Sarander a beautiful seaside resort within spitting / coughing distance of Corfu !

Here we relaxed before journeying 50 meters for a dinner of almost exclusively Pizza with Kiwi Pete and self settling for large dollops of ice cream to wash it down !

We  are fast reaching the end of a tough tour and we've decided to go out with a bang !

Sent from Samsung tablet

Impressions of Albania

Impressions of Albania - 

We've been pleasantly surprised by the offerings of Albania in particular - 

- The seemingly mandatory requirement to drive while talking on your phone, despite this Albanian drivers have generally been courteous !

- Much to the annoyance of Henley the copious amounts of cucumber in the beautiful salads with teziki to die for !

- The occassional short sections of flat road (Kev says 33 metres) as against the never ending TDF like climbs

- The quality of the beer and coffee with some partaking in both during our breaks

A quick rating -

Weather 9/10 (only reason not 10 is some days too bloody hot )

Hotels 8/10 much nicer than normal RS tours but according to Henley some still with annoying shower functions !

Food 9/10 lovely food and salads - only reason not 10 is they serve so much we that we are all likely to come back as Porkies !

Scenery 8/10 some really beautiful days although some inland parts dry and featureless

People 9/10 generally really friendly with kids in particular likely to yell out to you and if you're lucky (according to Julia) get slapped on your bum 

Dogs 8/10 despite look mangy

Cycling 8/10 mainly pretty good 

Internet 8/10 mainly good as judged by the frequent times we've been told that Australia are playing crap in the cricket

Best sayings on tour -

"Bit slow today Kev" said Robbo as he flew past Pommie Kev like he was standing still (Robbo's drug sample has still yet to come back !

"I'm over twice your age" said Kiwi Pete to Linda (39) our Swedish lady - Pete is in fact 67 and recognised his maths error not long after !

"When a woman says no she sometimes means yes" said Julia in reference to knocking back a lift in our support van before a range of approaching hills 

And of course the famous KT Henley 

" That sure as hell ripped the crutch out my nightie" said Kev after completing one of the many of our steep hills !

" I've got a case of the CBF's" ("can't be f.ckeds") said Kev as he got into the team bus yesterday

The only time the Aussies have performed - 

When Lard Ass and Barge Ass (Henley /Litchfield) duo flew down the mountain yesterday

Sent from Samsung tablet

Albania Scores !

I might have been grateful for the extra 30 minute sleep afforded to us this morning (I didn't have to wake Henley up)  but I wasn't when the news arrived that unbeknown to me i'd ridden the previous day with 3 broken spokes ! After interrogating the other EFI contenders suspecting that there may have been some foul play afoot i spoke to our tour leader who suggested that with a true wheel and some good roads ahead I'd probably make the days destination without having to become a uni cyclist! 

The mornings brief ! 

The day starred like normal, sunny, Henley still on the bike (even if others were fast succumbing to his germs) and climbs seemingly around every bloody corner ! 

Our regroup phase 25kms down the road was a little more eventful than others after Kirk readjusting his pick up sensor, failed to see the direction that our group took at a cross road and started his own little private adventure tour of Albania. Found and back in tow with us and after our customary coffee and coke stop, we continued on to lunch joining a pretty busy main road that at least came with a damned good verge.

Kirk has gone missing !

Our experience with Albanian drivers has been mainly positive but the worrying sign for all of us has been the hundreds of roadside memorials that litter the country indicating that Albania's short lived freedom has not translated itself into safe driving on road.

With a stop for lunch and another opportunity for Henley to acquaint himself with his mortal enemy (cucumber!) we took off on the main road again this time with a strong tailwind that helped us quickly knock off the remaining kms averaging 30-35kms an hour.

Henley & Cucumber !

Our last climb for the day was a steep 2kms into the old township of Gjirokaster a UNESCO listed township and the birthplace of Albania's former reviled communist leader.

Our rest period of 45 minutes was taken up by having a shower and working out how to use the hotels door key before we went out on an interesting walking tour of the town including its immense castle (complete with military exhibits) requiring of course more bloody climbing this time up hundreds of steps but at least with its fair share of views  !

Tour time 

Lovely Gjirokaster

Castle of Borshi

With the city tour completed and ice creams found, we had just enough time to go back to our hotel and get ready for dinner our usual "18 courses" of amazing food !

From here we staggered to a nearby open air roof top bar decked out in Albanian scarves and the like supplied by our super friendly and soccer mad driver Juli to cheer on the Albanian team in their world cup march against neighbours Macedonia. !

Sadly for us and Juli, Albania could only draw 1-1 although it did at least allow Henley to do a war dance when Albania scored first !

Cheering Albania on ! 

With the match ending we dragged our way back to our hotel with the prospect of another dead mans sleep ahead before getting up 7.30 a.m. to do it all over again !!

Sent from Samsung tablet

"Lost in Translation",

It's not unusual to be threatened by Henley when waking him up in the morning these days. Oblivious to the time with curtains drawn and shades on, he managed a goodish "f.ck off" after i dragged his doona off him at 7.29 one minute before our scheduled breakfast gathering ! When he realised the time he quickly apologised then responded with"why didn't you wake me up ... it's your job Litchfield"! The fact that I I'd been up for 30 minutes with the rooms lights on full noisily bumping around packing was lost on him as an excuse !

On a beautiful morning we departed our forest based eco cabins at Sortire and headed straight (you guessed it) into a climb. Once finished the route became a series of so called undulations on some very rough roads (some with more potholes than bitumen) before a beautiful descent to our regroup point at Lescovik.

After a small history lesson from Arjan (still suffering from Henley's flu) we descended on a magical stretch of bitumen for 10 kms down to the valley floor with towering nearby mountains signifying the border between Albania and Greece.

It was on one of the descents that I caught up with Kiwi Pete. Stationary, Pete was talking to me about how lovely an ambience the ringing cow bells provided.Pulling up beside us our Canadian friend Karine jumped in saying "yes that was a great film"! With Pete and i looking at each other bemused Karine continued "Quentin Tarrentino is amazing "! The penny finally dropped that what Karine was talking about was the film Kill Bill .. so we both quickly replied .." Not Kill Billz" .."Cow Bells"! The 3 of us fell apart laughing !

The section following was hard work into a stiff headwind making us earn our coffees and cokes sitting in a cafe on a balcony overlooking the road in the uniquely named village of Carshovel !

Coffee time !

After our break we again climbed this time on a 3-4km 6-8% section that took us up for beautiful views of valleys and mountains that were arguably the best views that we've had on tour so far. Kiwi Pete did a chain on the hill which was quickly repaired (unlike our spokes) before we cruised on a bone jarring section of road (more potholes than bitumen) to our isloated no wifi hotel in Permet

Kiwi Pete - Looking towards Greece !

Looking back the way we'd cycled from 

Great views ! 

We'd arrived early enough to immediately be served lunch - another great serving of soup, salads, chips and filo pastry (with something green inside) washed down of course by the mandatory early finish beer !

After a small rest we headed off to the nearby warm water springs set in a beautiful canyon setting complete with 17th C Ottoman bridge.

While most our group had jumped in the suport van for the trip to the springs Swedish Linda and self had biked it (4kms each way) to keep alive our chances for the prestigious EFI award given to those who claim to have cycled "Every F.cking Inch" on tour. At the time of print Robbo the other group member in the running hast put in a protest claiming that the cycle to the springs was not part of the official route !

Ottoman Bridge

L-R, Robbo, Kev, Linda, Lee, Juli & Aussie Kev 

Amazing hot water springs  

While we luxuriated in the lovely warm water George our injury recovering cyclist, slipped on the pools entrance falling on his already injured hand ... ouch ! Unfortunately the teams paperatzi KT Henley ("I'm never going in the water again after Mt Gambier") had not yet arrived to catch the event but was still impressive with his numerous shots of various beached whales - self included !

We vacated the springs for a nearby coffee before heading back to the hotel knowing we had a cruzy night in front of us with a late start tomorrow ! Maybe an opportunity to try some of the areas famed racki !

Dinner at our accommodation !

Sent from Samsung tablet

"And then there were 6" !

It was an ominous early morning sound, deep rumbling thunder ! After realising that it wasn't coming from Henley's still sleeping  / comatose body I pulled open the curtains to reveal an "end of the world" looking skyline !

We were soon hit with a downpour big enough to have us threatening strike action over breakfast. Our seriously weakening tour leader (yes he too has succumbed to Henley's plague) put various options on the table but indicated that it was best if we got underway as soon as possible.

With the rain stopped we commenced our days cycle in much cooler conditions than we've been accustomed to. It wasn't long though before we got back into climb mode with a 4km stretch at 6-10%. The descent to our morning tea stop that followed took a victim when George one our stronger riders and invariably up the front, lost control rounding a corner suffering bad grazing to his hands and legs while taking a nasty chunk out of his chin. 

Aussie Kev on descent !

George a little worse for wear after his dismount !

With George now taking a seat in the bus after coming back from medical repair and Kiwi Pete also on board after coming down with an illness, our team bus was fast becoming a hospital ward ! 

Kiwi Pete takes the bus ! 

The 15kms following to lunch were a slow grind riding into headwinds and on roads that appeared flat but did in fact have a continual uphill gradient.

Partisan Memorial

When we finally reached Erske for lunch the main topic of conversation was who was going to occupy the rapidly diminishing available seats on the bus.

The mounting casualty list was becoming startling - Pommie Kev and Julia both ill, Kiwi Pete now ill, Kirk ill (not sure if we can blame that one on H but we'll try)  George injured and now Henley pulling the plug after doing just 37 kms. Even the plaque carrier himself was suffering !

Aussie Mike

Fabulous views

The rest of us (down to 6) set off after lunch and it wasn't long before Lee pulled over with a seriously warped wheel - the culprit was a broken spoke and luckily with so many in the bus she was able to swap her bike albeit with a bike a size too small.

With our Canadian love couple (Carine & Mike) up front it left only Pommie Pete, Swedish Linda, self and Lee to fly the flag on the tough remaining 30km segment

While the climbing was steep, the views were outstanding, amongst the best on trip so far as we headed into Albania's isolated hinterland

Sweeping bone jarring descents soon followed the climbs which most of us took cautiously not wanting to repeat George's earlier incident.

The last climb for the day was a never ending 5 km 6% rise through lovely forest like scenery.

We finally rocked into our Eco style cabins on a farm style property to finish the day and count our casualties preparing finally for a much easier day tomorrow !

Sent from Samsung tablet