At the end of the month I like to look back on what I’ve done and where I’ve been. On how I felt and what was on my mind. It turned out that my Instagram pictures actually give a pretty good impression. So, I decided to put them together in a blog post. Here’s November where I stayed two weeks in Sarajevo before I took my bike for a ride to the Croatian coast. An exciting month full of social stuff, warm showers, blue skies and new opportunities. Scroll down to find out more!

Biking the White Trail in Bosnia & Herzegovina

I’m back on the road again. By bike! After a 7-month hike I’m reunited with my old love. She’s going to take me to Buna, Neum, the Croatian coast and hopefully back to Zagreb. No idea how long it’s going to take, no idea what the weather will be like, but we’re going to give it a try.

Balkans by bike, discover the Dinarides in BiH
Up up up to Bjelašnica
Via Dinarica White Trail Bosnia and Herzegovina by bike
Bjelašnica, Visočica

Bjelašnica

After a pretty late start in Sarajevo, I biked up up up until I found a nice place to camp. Oeff, I forgot how tough biking on a fully loaded bike is. And oeff, there are some muscles that I didn’t use for a long long time! During the night the temperature dropped below zero, but believe it or not, the morning sun is warm. I think I even got sunburned today! This is a view on Bjelašnica on the right and Visočica in front. One of my favourite mountains ánd favourite roads through the Bosnian mountains. Happy to be back!

Looking back on November: biking Bosnia and Herzegovina by myself
Brand new

Visočica

Might be a brand-new road, it’s a pain in the ass. Or legs. So much steeper than it seems. When you stop it’s difficult to get yourself rolling again. If you don’t stop, you don’t get to see the views behind. Bikers issues. This is my second day on the bike and I kind of realize that on a bicycle you really have to push through sometimes. It’s a completely different sport. I actually have to go much deeper than when I’m hiking. It’s interesting, it’s painful, but most of all it’s super, super beautiful. All of it.

Biking the Dinarides - Visočica and Treskavica, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Treskavica

Treskavica

And that snowy mountain is Treskavica. It’s one thing to cross all those mountains on foot, you get to feel and experience them. That’s what I did last year when I hiked the Via Dinarica White Trail. By bicycle on the other hand, you get to see them. You see how they are connected, how they form the landscape, but also how each mountain has its own character. Its own shape with its own specific features.

This is perhaps why I like to go back to places, why I like to explore both by bike and on foot. It’s like a puzzle that slowly starts to show an image. I need time to see that, and I love the process of this image that is growing, getting its shape. While growing, shaping and forming they nestle themselves in me. Those mountains. I’d like to get to know them, because the more time you spend with them, the more I realize I don’t know them at all.

Looking back on November: Hello Herzegovina
Hello Herzegovina! Such a good idea to make a detour on the south. Although it can get windy, it’s much much warmer. It feels like spring!
Looking back on November: biking in Herzegovina
˝Servis Bicikla˝ It’s funny, this bicycle sign reminds of home. It’s a universal sign, I know, but still it feels Dutch.  And my bike is alright, one flat tire, but no need for a service yet.

Biking the Blue Trail in Croatia

Biking Via Dinarica Blue Trail Croatia
Hello blue sky!

Cetina canyon

After taking this photo I rolled down into the Cetina canyon, gorgeous, but terribly cold. Couldn’t believe the difference with just a few minutes before. Later, while my tent turned into an igloo, I scrolled down all the blue sky photos I took. Oeff, nature is strong. And oeff, I’m so thankful to experience it all.

Looking back on November: Beautiful but cold
Brrrreautiful Bivak
Looking back on November, biking the Croatian coast - Omiš
Omiš

Omiš

Ok, I have to admit that I want to walk up that white rocky mountain there, pitch my tent far away from the road and enjoy this powerful feeling of sleeping alone in the wild. Instead, I take a super long lunch break at the pier, stare at my bike and give my feverish body what it needs. Warmth and rest. Not so bad neither.

Looking back, Last Sea Sunset in 2017 for me
Split

This is where I decided that it was enough for now. A perfect moment to stop. For now.

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EVAdinarica

Hiking & Biking the Balkans

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