//Day 30 /10-04-22 /Nesebar-Sliven

A couple of days I read a post on a bicycle tourist facebook the question what is more difficult ?  Climbing or cycling against the wind. After today I can confirm that cycling against the wind and at the same time climbing is the “best” of both. My plan was to reach today Sliven, a small town direction Sofia, roughly 130 K and 1200 meter to climb, doing this ideally before 14.00 as rain is expected for the next 2 days from that hour. 

I left my Nesebar hotel later the expected as I had an interesting chat with the nice hotel owner about inflation, Ukraine, tourist development and rising energy prices. I got a 30%  discount for myself and all my friends (let me know your if you are interested) for any future bookings. I eventually said goodbye and started pedalling. I found an open bakery and had croissants as breakfast and bought lunch. It took some time before I was out of the concrete resort jungle and started cycling on the old road to Sofia (replaced by a new highway). 

The climbing went well, mainly long climbs of around 3-4% climbing grade during 10 K before reaching the top of the hills. The climbing was made somewhat more challenging thanks to a strong headwind of around 15k. Later in the day the headwind would change in a strong side wind which became at a certain moment so strong that I could  “hang” against the wind. On my left side there were some hills which would develop in small mountains later in the day. Sometimes the road was busy with traffic but most of the time traffic was limited. In the few villages and one bigger city I passed no people on the street and most business closed except the rare mini-market of gas station. I always wonder where to and how people disappear on Sunday : do they deflate themselves, take out their batteries, push the off-button to be automatically being activated again on Monday morning ? 

It was clear that the road has lost it’s importance the last years. A lot of businesses and functions aimed at passing-trough traffic were out of business. 

2 things that did not differ from the more “active” roads are the number of animal roadkills (dogs, cats, birds, foxes,…) and the number of memorials for people who had died during a car accident. The memorials have almost always the picture(s) of the people who died and the date when. Today I counted between Nesebar and Sliven (my side only) around 48 memorials. Most of the memorials have at least 2 pictures, often more (families, friends, couples,….). So roughly 200 people (counting both sides) on a stretch of 100 Km, a sad average of one traffic death per 500 meters…these memorials are accompanying me since Hungary……

The day was (not all) gloomy though. At a closed gas station  I made friends with the local youth soccer team. Although language was a challenge I understood they had just played an won a match. They were also happy to have their photo taken. Friendly kids. They waved me goodbye and wished me save travels.

My plan to avoid the rain was almost successfull….The last 20 K the wind increased even more, making it difficult to cycle. The sky became darker every moment. Lightning in the mountains behind my destiny town Sliven. I cycling on a plain between the  hills/mountains. And I got a little worried that the lightning would move my direction. I put Black Horse on turbo and started cycling as quick as possible. Just before I entered the city it started raining.I found shelter in a bus shelter to put on my rain gear when the rain changed in strong hail. 

After the hail (nice title for a song) I headed for the hotel I booked. This took some time as the heavy rain had changed the roads which I needed to take into a small rivers. Eventually I reached the hotel around 16.00 with wet feet. When I checked in it became clear that I had booked the room for tomorrow, fortunate this was quickly fixed. Every restaurant in the town was closed except a pizzeria restaurant…pizza it was. 

This is Adamo. The owner of restaurant Adamo in Nesebar. No relative or named after Adamo…Adamo charges to much for the food he serves.

Tomorrow I will cycle to to Kazanlak, a small town some 100 K away. Rain is predicted most of the day. Probably bringing back memories running to Santiago. A hotel room with bath is booked. 

Lessons learned : 

• My shoes are not waterproof.
• After 2800 Km my rear and Black Horse are finally friends. 

Song of the day : Buffalo Ballet - John Cale