Saturday was a really exhausting day, combined with the night of Friday. I am happy to have arrived in Knin now.

I was slightly aggressive this morning as I did not/ could not ride on during the night. I could put this aggression onto the road with my weak legs until I found a PEKARA (bakery) in Otocac. The lady was nice and she had some strong food left for me including Borek. So my mood changed into the better, also a coke I could get. A little bit further up the road, I got some coffee, so the basics had been collected and the day could start.

Might be my downest morning so far, I am quite well back in line, I think. Smile is back on my face and I could enjoy another Espresso in Knin, downtown.

Won’t set a target for today, Mostar is on the list that is for sure. If I challenge a border crossing at night, we will see. Did several major points during the darkness, which I would have preferred to see during daylight! Climbing without daylight is no fun at all, as you don’t know when it is done. 

Anyway. It is Sunday. Enjoy it. Have a good lunch, rest and some time for each other!

Ready on time. Things are packed, added a polar jacket for the alpine days. You never know. Some pieces shall remain in Belgium so the saddle bag size gonna shrink, at least a little.

Waiting for the train on a sunny morning. Kids and Nico waved goodbye, for me now is the start of an amazing experience lasting for hopefully two weeks!

Around lunch I gonna meet Jeff, Josh and Nelson in Brussels. Idea is to cycle to Geraadsbergen all together. So to say “we are factory five” bicycles and cycling in Shanghai.

Most important new feature for spare parts: two pairs of cleats, as I love to walk them off during cycling…

This is a bicycle race for those who wish to pick up a bike, shake hands on the start line and race thousands of miles for the pure satisfaction of sport and no other motive but for the learnings of one’s self.

Transcontinental.cc

Today it is July 18th. Eleven days to go for this years biggest challenge on two wheels. As the bike is in perfect condition right now, there are only few things left to be added.

• As the saddle is on its way to Brooks for the second service already, a replacement already arrived. For this bike the weight weenies thing is not necessary at all, but the the replacement options for the saddle are weighing more than double. 
• The new Marathon Schwalbe wheels are really heavy as well, as they shall be inflatable. All flats during the last race in Croatia had double holes (snale bites), so it was always a punch on the rim. I have to really think about adding all this additional weight.
• A replacement for the Revelate also arrived. Ortlieb is now also offering this kind of bags, as waterproof. FOAK (First of a kind).
• The last amendment are two blips ( remote buttons for shifting during being positioned on the time trial bar. I will have to replace all bartape for that, so I will wait some more days for this installation.

During the last weeks cycling is soft cycling, no more than 100k a day. I am pretty lucky as one of my clients who is asking for a concept until end of this week, is just 40kms away from home. Commuting by bike is just perfect now. Weak point, there is no elevation at all, it is all about keep moving.

Until today it is not clarified yet, how to get back home from Canakkale, as it is close to nowhere. My wife accepted to come to Turkey as long as I arrive there. Finally arriving in Canakkale and knowing she is waiting behind the finish line, gonna give me a strong push. She will bring the suitcase into Turkey, all the details still need to be arranged. I call it, Chinese Style of travelling.

Really looking forward to that experience, slowly getting excited. Major parts of the rout in Croatia are identical to my prior Hardcro ride, just from the other direction.