Balkan Stage 13 Split to Korčula, Croatia

58.6 km, 920m, 2:58 Moving, 64 kph max

No WiFi again in camp, so just a quick post. It was an easy day today but a fantastic day of riding. We dropped bags at the trucks at 8 so they could go get in the ferry line. Then a big hotel breakfast, hanging around for a while, then a short ride through Split to the ferry. Very relaxed, we boarded about 10 and started the 3 hour cruise to Vela Luka.

Scenic and relaxing, uncrowded and smooth. We chatted with a Finnish cyclist to pass the time. Close to docking we saw the famous Black Pearl which was amazing.

Bob and I rode off the ferry and detoured down to the town and looked around for a while, then started the climb. Lunch was supposed to be within a couple of km, so I texted after about 17 km. One answer was that we needed to go just a little more, the other said we had missed it long ago. But we couldn’t tell who was lying, Niek or Bob J. In the end, we just continued and it was Niek lying so we made it to lunch just as the last person was leaving.

Ype was very patient while we ate, then Bob said we had to hammer to avoid being last. It was just gorgeous scenery, up and down with no traffic and awesome. Hammer we did and passed many. Team Salsa FTW!

After an amazing steep 340m descent we made it to camp before 5pm and scored great spots in an olive orchard. Showers were good, then soup and snacks. Then a short rest to write this before dinner.

Dinner was a little later than usual since we arrived so late. It was dark when we finished but after the briefing for tomorrow, Wilbert asked, “Who has the Marmot?” So I stood up and said what an honor it was to carry the Marmot for two days and that it saw many funny things but I wanted to tell a true story about myself instead, one that included everyone.

Last night I had a dream that we were all riding through Croatia. We were trying to ride from lunch to camp when the wind picked up. We did make it but barely. It was like Patagonia. In the morning it was even worse and Wilbert said we couldn’t ride that day and would cancel the trip if it doesn’t get better. It got worse still, very scary. What we didn’t know was that the same thing was happening all over the world. Ocean waves got bigger and bigger and started flooding coastal towns. Soon we all died [massive groans]. But unlike my normal nightmares, it didn’t end there. I was watching the Earth from space and seeing many-kilometer high waves rush over every continent. Then I finally woke up. I was telling everyone about it at lunch the next day and Tom said ‘Wait a minute, that’s my dream!’ And told the rest of it which matched my dream exactly. Then I woke up Again and was in my bed in Split with Bob snoring. Questions about my dream were like “Do you have any more of those mushrooms left?” Etc. Funny that we had mushroom soup today. Anyway that was my dream that I shared. Good night, pleasant dreams!