Going a bit far...

This was a fantastic day (actually last Tuesday - ed.) that maybe got a bit out of hand...

I knew it would be tough climbing away from the coast and back up to the central mountain ridge. I was on the way by 8.15 and going well.

Climb went well. Fierce for around 20km but with the cool of the morning, it was a steady plough in the granny gear. A few scary hairpins where you worry someone will roar round the corner without expecting to see a cyclist doing 5 kmh... To be safer I ride well out from the kerb (err, hillside) to be seen sooner and to give me somewhere to run if needed.

Scents of pine trees gorgeous. There are also eucalyptus, which Odysseus would not have recognised. When the road itself is not in sight, you could imagine this as Homer's Greece..

Whee, a descent much sooner than expected ! Forgot how freezing it gets, whizzing downhill for an hour. The towns rush past. Beside me a pretty stream shaded by sycamores. Dry sycamore leaves cartwheel along beside me in the breeze. Clumps of tiny pink cyclamen become swathes...but no point in taking a photo as they are never far from a plastic bag or water bottle. Sad, when it so easy to imagine dryads in this dappled shade.

The descent is fairly tricky as yesterday's heavy rain has washed a lot of debris into the road. The hotel owner had warned of rockfalls, but these were tiny and easy to avoid without stopping.

The easy bit got me well ahead on miles, but all good things come to an end. There was still a mountain range (a little one) between me and the coast. This was a horrid slog much of the way, rewarded with views over the sea as I dropped down to Limni, the first potential overnight stop.

This is where the bonkers bit comes...

Got to Limni at 3.30 having done about 75 k. Feeling good and as it was all along the coast, decided to press on the further 25k to Loutra Edipsou, partly to enjoy its thermal waters and maybe a swim in a non-freezing sea. First 9k to Rovies went well, tho a little bumpy, down to 7 kmh on parts but also some good downhills. Then the sign said it was 20km to Loutra when it should have been 16 based on previous signs. Then terrain got horrid! I half expected it from the map. Very hilly, me down to 6kmh often. Descents risky because of lots of fallen rock. At one point climbed to 300m even tho sea in sight. Just a really bumpy coast. By 4.30 I thought it best to fit lights, tho it was barely dusk. One moped and one car passed me with lights on so I followed suit. Started to feel really weak and a bit dizzy, bad enough to have trouble controlling bike (v few cars of course). Water intake ok but took 20 mins to sit and eat a few biscuits from my emergency supply. Feeling better, pressed on. Dizziness better but v tired, not really sure I could make it, even though only about 12k to go.

I dodged a little 30 cm snake wiggling across the road. Sadly I failed to dodge a small fallen rock. Disaster... Instant puncture. Aaargh. The light was pretty dim by now. Front wheel thank goodness. Stone had pierced my kevlar tyre. Bah. Got on with it tho still feeling wobbly. Really struggled to get tyre back on. Worried about fading light. Eventually managed fine, but feeling v tired and a little panicked. By now fairly dark and not nice, esp as I had to watch out for sharp rocks in the beam of my good front light. And still having a little trouble with the hills. Shall pick uo some dried fruit I think, for instant energy. Chocolate is perfect, but melts in this climate. Pressed on and found my puncture had happened only about 2km out of town. Completely dark now. Took a while to sort hotel. Took a while to wash oil and grease off... as the chain came off three times during my dizzy period (bike gears were perfect all day until then so think I was just so tired I was stuffing it up)

Headed out to bring gone souvlaki pitta and beer. Also picked up some lovely sweet, seedless grapes from the back of a truck (literally). Back to hotel for food and sleep...

105 km, 2300m of climbing... Probably a bit much, but feels like a real ride.