There was still a trace of snow on the grass and also a little snow/ice on the roads where the sun had not melted it as I was coming over the top from Sušičko
The Balkans, late 2015 on my old XT600E (Arrunya)
- Thread starter Wayne66
- Start date
I then went in to Lubljak where I was going to stop for the night but I still had a couple hours of day light left because I set off early in the morning. So I sat with a Coke and decided on what I was going to do. I made the decision to go to Kolasin, which will be my jump off point to go to Skopje in Maceadonia.
The road from Lubijak to Kolasin was great. A little wet in places where the sun hadn’t dried it out and oil/diesel was abundant in those areas. But overall a super road riding along side the Tara River for most of i
Found myself a cheapish nice hotel and I am going to chill for a couple of nights, Arrunya is safely in a garage. Getting to practice my German again with the old landlady as she doesn't speak more that a few words of English.
On Thursday its through Kosovo to Macedonia
Wayne
The road from Lubijak to Kolasin was great. A little wet in places where the sun hadn’t dried it out and oil/diesel was abundant in those areas. But overall a super road riding along side the Tara River for most of i
Found myself a cheapish nice hotel and I am going to chill for a couple of nights, Arrunya is safely in a garage. Getting to practice my German again with the old landlady as she doesn't speak more that a few words of English.
On Thursday its through Kosovo to Macedonia
Wayne
Day 30 Balkans Trip
Not a lot to report today. All I have done is some washing and been out for a walk, had some food and relaxed all day.
Tomorrow I am hoping to be on the road for 0800hrs and go from here ( Kolasin) to Skopje in Macedonia to visit Petre for a couple of nights. Then it will be time to do the long push back North
Wayne
Not a lot to report today. All I have done is some washing and been out for a walk, had some food and relaxed all day.
Tomorrow I am hoping to be on the road for 0800hrs and go from here ( Kolasin) to Skopje in Macedonia to visit Petre for a couple of nights. Then it will be time to do the long push back North
Wayne
Day 31 Balkans Trip
Had a great ride today from Kolasin to Skopje in Macedonia
The roads were really good all day.
Day 31 Kolasin to Skopje
When I sent off from Kolasin at 0800hrs it was really cold and thick with mist. You could only see about 50 meters in front of you. As I started to climb I came out of it. This didn’t last too long, as soon as I droped back down I was back into it. Cold, wet mist. I even had to put my heated grips on at one point. The mist lasted for about an hour and a half.
Looking down on the some of the mist I had ridden through
Had a great ride today from Kolasin to Skopje in Macedonia
The roads were really good all day.
Day 31 Kolasin to Skopje
When I sent off from Kolasin at 0800hrs it was really cold and thick with mist. You could only see about 50 meters in front of you. As I started to climb I came out of it. This didn’t last too long, as soon as I droped back down I was back into it. Cold, wet mist. I even had to put my heated grips on at one point. The mist lasted for about an hour and a half.
Looking down on the some of the mist I had ridden through
Crossing the border from Montenegro to Kosovo was easy and I paid 10 euro for some insurance which was valid for 15 days, they did not do transit insurance. The road on the route I took was really good and afforded some good riding.
A sneaky shot of the Border post
Some shots inside Kosovo
Spotted this in one of the towns I went through...I didn't realise KFOR were still in Kosovo! It had Soldiers in it, not local, I thought the uniform looked German
A sneaky shot of the Border post
Some shots inside Kosovo
Spotted this in one of the towns I went through...I didn't realise KFOR were still in Kosovo! It had Soldiers in it, not local, I thought the uniform looked German
The crossing from Kosovo to Macedonia was not so good. I left Kosovo ok but when I came to the Macedonian border I got a stroppy guard after being told by another to park in a particular place to go buy insurance. So we exchanged words and then he walked off but he was not very happy. I got the insurance which was 50 Euros, I nearly fell through the floor, all the other countries I had been to had not totalled that price. But anyway it was paid and off I went. It was only about 20 in to Skopje from the border.
I went straight into the city centre and found a cafe with Wifi so I could message Petre to come and get me.
Skopje - Wikipedia
Then it was to his place for food and drink and a relax after doing just shy of 200 miles
Wayne
I went straight into the city centre and found a cafe with Wifi so I could message Petre to come and get me.
Skopje - Wikipedia
Then it was to his place for food and drink and a relax after doing just shy of 200 miles
Wayne
Day 32 Balkans Trip
First I would like to say a big thanks to Petre and his great family for hosting me for a few days and showing me some of the sights around Skopje.
Getting ready to go out
First I would like to say a big thanks to Petre and his great family for hosting me for a few days and showing me some of the sights around Skopje.
Getting ready to go out
Had a good ride around the outskirts of Skopje and inside the city.
Visited a view point up Mount Vodno which over looked the city and you got a great view of Skopje.
Vodno - Wikipedia
Visited a view point up Mount Vodno which over looked the city and you got a great view of Skopje.
Vodno - Wikipedia
Then we went and had a look a a 12th Century Church which was still on Mount Vodno but a bit further down. It has been renovated but on the inside there was some lovely murals on the wall.
Middle Vodno Monastery, Mala Bogorodica.
Middle Vodno Monastery, Mala Bogorodica.
From there we visited Lake Matka which has been artificially made in a canyon by building a dam across the River Treska. Also there is another church this time is was a 14th Century Church and again there were some good murals on the wall
Matka Canyon - Wikipedia
Then it was into the city and a visit to the Old town Bazzare. Filled with lots of market stalls and cafe bars.
Wayne
Matka Canyon - Wikipedia
Then it was into the city and a visit to the Old town Bazzare. Filled with lots of market stalls and cafe bars.
Wayne
Day 33 Balkans Trip
Stayed local to Skopje and visited a viewpoint at Kozjak and had a great view across several ridge lines and another man made lake made by the River Treska
North Macedonia Timeless
Day 33 Local to Skopje
The View
Stayed local to Skopje and visited a viewpoint at Kozjak and had a great view across several ridge lines and another man made lake made by the River Treska
North Macedonia Timeless
Day 33 Local to Skopje
The View
On the way back we stopped at an old 14th century Monestary with is still working with an Order of Women. Saint Dimitri Monestary.
Inside the main church the murals on the walls and ceiling were very spectacular.
Tomorrow morning I start my trek north and back towards the ferry home, but I still have nearly 3 weeks left
Wayne
Inside the main church the murals on the walls and ceiling were very spectacular.
Tomorrow morning I start my trek north and back towards the ferry home, but I still have nearly 3 weeks left
Wayne
Day 34 Balkans Trip
Today I travelled from Skopje to Niś in Serbia
Day 34 Skopje to Niś
Before I go on with today. I would like to say another big thanks to Petre and his family for hosting me over the last couple of days. I have had a great time in and around Skopje
Had a bit of a bad day today. I didn’t feel really in the mood when I got going from Petre’s place. But I had to crack on and do some miles. I had all the intention in getting to Niś and then going to look at the fortress. But it didn’t happen.
I jumped on to the main road (dual carriage way) from Skopje towards Kumanovo. Then something went a bit wrong with the Montana. I ended up going into Kumanovo and through the other side heading out of town. I didn’t think it was too much of a drama but about 15 miles out of town the time of arrival was going up and not staying at what it originally was. That wasn’t good so I monitored it for about 5 mile and it still kept going up. so I turned around and went back to Kumamovo and got back on to the Dual Carriageway. By this point I had done about 40 mile and an hours riding for nowt.
Leaving Macedonia and entering Serbia went smoothly. They didn’t even ask to see bike docs or insurance at Serbian Border point. Although I didn’t have to buy any as my insurance company covers Serbia.
The Serbian Border Point
I then just rode to Niś. I stopped in the centre to get a sim card, had a coffee then went a looked at the fortress. I didn’t go in as I wasn’t really in the mood. Niś on first impressions to me was dark and grey all over. I am hoping that rest of my trip in Serbia is a lot better.
To top it all I have booked into the Best Western in Niś and in the room above me they have been drilling for the last hour. After a phone call to reception its now stopped.
The day can only get better.
Tomorrow I am hoping to get to the Monestary at Studenica.
Wayne
Today I travelled from Skopje to Niś in Serbia
Day 34 Skopje to Niś
Before I go on with today. I would like to say another big thanks to Petre and his family for hosting me over the last couple of days. I have had a great time in and around Skopje
Had a bit of a bad day today. I didn’t feel really in the mood when I got going from Petre’s place. But I had to crack on and do some miles. I had all the intention in getting to Niś and then going to look at the fortress. But it didn’t happen.
I jumped on to the main road (dual carriage way) from Skopje towards Kumanovo. Then something went a bit wrong with the Montana. I ended up going into Kumanovo and through the other side heading out of town. I didn’t think it was too much of a drama but about 15 miles out of town the time of arrival was going up and not staying at what it originally was. That wasn’t good so I monitored it for about 5 mile and it still kept going up. so I turned around and went back to Kumamovo and got back on to the Dual Carriageway. By this point I had done about 40 mile and an hours riding for nowt.
Leaving Macedonia and entering Serbia went smoothly. They didn’t even ask to see bike docs or insurance at Serbian Border point. Although I didn’t have to buy any as my insurance company covers Serbia.
The Serbian Border Point
I then just rode to Niś. I stopped in the centre to get a sim card, had a coffee then went a looked at the fortress. I didn’t go in as I wasn’t really in the mood. Niś on first impressions to me was dark and grey all over. I am hoping that rest of my trip in Serbia is a lot better.
To top it all I have booked into the Best Western in Niś and in the room above me they have been drilling for the last hour. After a phone call to reception its now stopped.
The day can only get better.
Tomorrow I am hoping to get to the Monestary at Studenica.
Wayne
Day 35 Balkans Trip
The route today was from Niś to Jagodina via the Studencia Monastery
Day 35 Niś to Jagodina
The roads were a bit boring in the beginning, long and straight over flat land. It was starting to get a bit monotonous.
But things started to get a bit better and by the time I was about 30 miles from the monastery the road was great, long sweeping bends along side a river following the contours of a valley.
This Castle was at the other side of the river
The route today was from Niś to Jagodina via the Studencia Monastery
Day 35 Niś to Jagodina
The roads were a bit boring in the beginning, long and straight over flat land. It was starting to get a bit monotonous.
But things started to get a bit better and by the time I was about 30 miles from the monastery the road was great, long sweeping bends along side a river following the contours of a valley.
This Castle was at the other side of the river
The Studenica Monestary was great and it is still a working Monestary. It dates back to the 12th Century. There was a bloke in there who was there to ask any questions and spoke good English. So I got a good history lesson too. He wouldn't let me take photos of the inside. The ones I did get were when is back was turned. The murals on the walls were wonderful. I thought it was worth the visit.
The link if you want to read about it.....
Studenica Monastery - Wikipedia
The link if you want to read about it.....
Studenica Monastery - Wikipedia
I don't know what it is but I can not gel with Serbia like I have with the other countries I have been to on this trip. But you take it as it comes. I am hoping my couple of days in Belgrade will be good when I get there.
Some more views from on route
Tomorrow I am going to try and find some caves
Wayne
Some more views from on route
Tomorrow I am going to try and find some caves
Wayne
Day 36 Balkans Trip
My route today was a bit further than planned, Jagodina to Belgrade
Day 36 Jagodina to Belgrade
What a day it turned out to be. Different but great. Yesterday I said that I wasn’t gelling with Serbia like the other countries I have been to. Well today I gelled….quite literally
I was on the road for about 0815hrs and had plotted the route on basecamp to go to the Resava Caves and then on to Smederevo to look at the fortress.
My route today was a bit further than planned, Jagodina to Belgrade
Day 36 Jagodina to Belgrade
What a day it turned out to be. Different but great. Yesterday I said that I wasn’t gelling with Serbia like the other countries I have been to. Well today I gelled….quite literally
I was on the road for about 0815hrs and had plotted the route on basecamp to go to the Resava Caves and then on to Smederevo to look at the fortress.
On the way to the caves I stopped at the Ravanica Monastery, N43.97267 E21.49698. Very nice it was too. I did not go inside the building as it sounded like they were at prayers.
But it was worth a look.
Ravanica - Wikipedia
But it was worth a look.
Ravanica - Wikipedia
The road to the caves was great until about 2 mile from them. It when went to a track which was quite rideable, then it went to rocks, which was still ok if taken slowly with the weight I was carrying. Then it went to a very steep incline with boulders jutting out of the ground. If I had been on my old CRF250X then no problems but with the fully loaded XT, not fun haha. managed to do most of it ok but I locked the back brake and lost it over a boulder. No photo as the bike was sliding away from me. Managed to lift the bike up and thankfully it was still in gear. I stopped at the caves and the bars were out….more later
The Caves, the guy there spoke no English at all and my Serb-Croat is very limited so in the end I didn’t go in. They are very long and I didn’t have time to go around it all anyway but it would have been nice to pop my head in
Resavska Pećina cave
Resava Cave - Wikipedia
The Cave Entrance
The Caves, the guy there spoke no English at all and my Serb-Croat is very limited so in the end I didn’t go in. They are very long and I didn’t have time to go around it all anyway but it would have been nice to pop my head in
Resavska Pećina cave
Resava Cave - Wikipedia
The Cave Entrance
Once I left the Caves I took a slow ride no where…I was trying to find somewhere to get the bike looked at. I stopped at Despotovac and had a coffee. I gave the bike a closer inspection. To me it looked like the bolts that go through to fasten the bar clamps to the head were bent. Nothing doing in Despotovac, or so I thought, on the outskirts I rode past a car place with a bike outside it. A quick turn around and I went back. Very helpful. He wasn’t a bike mechanic but knew one. While I was waiting the guy fed me kava and slivo. An hour later this bloke turned up and I followed him to his work shop which was a bout 300 meters further down the road. He took the bolts out and one of them was bent, he took it inside the workshop, brought it out straight and it was fitted back on the bike. All sorted. He wouldn’t take any money but I gave him enough to get himself and his guys some Pivo
The Mechanics
Back on the road to Smederevo to see the Fortress.
The Mechanics
Back on the road to Smederevo to see the Fortress.
On my way through Velika Plana I saw a bikers cafe. So it would have been rude not to stop for yet another coffee. I got talking to a biker sat outside and he kindly paid for my brew.
I met some great people today.
Just before I got to Velika Plana I crossed a bridge which was single lane traffic only and was shared with the trains. Thats a first for me
I met some great people today.
Just before I got to Velika Plana I crossed a bridge which was single lane traffic only and was shared with the trains. Thats a first for me
The road was great and I got there in no time at all.
I went straight to the Fortress. It had seen better days but was still good to see. It had a commanding view over the River Danube. The inside is now a park.
Smederevo Fortress - Wikipedia
One of the cannon ports
A good view of the Danube from the fortress
I then went into the town centre, had a brew and contemplated what I was doing next.
There was a nice church in the Town Square
Smederevo - Wikipedia
Some other stuff in the Town Square
I went straight to the Fortress. It had seen better days but was still good to see. It had a commanding view over the River Danube. The inside is now a park.
Smederevo Fortress - Wikipedia
One of the cannon ports
A good view of the Danube from the fortress
I then went into the town centre, had a brew and contemplated what I was doing next.
There was a nice church in the Town Square
Smederevo - Wikipedia
Some other stuff in the Town Square
I rode around for a bit but could not find a room so I decided to head towards Belgrade where I have an Airbnb book for tomorrow night. Nothing available on route so I ended up in Belgrade. Never mind it will be a short ride tomorrow.
The night sky on the way to Belgrade
I have tomorrow and the day after in Belgrade then I will be continuing to push North
Wayne
The night sky on the way to Belgrade
I have tomorrow and the day after in Belgrade then I will be continuing to push North
Wayne
Day 37 Balkans Trip
Local in Belgrade
Set off from the hotel at about 0900hrs.
Day 37 Belgrade
I went to do a recce of where I was going to be staying for the next two nights. Once I had found it I went deeper in to the city centre.
Had a good ride around and found a nice square filled with cafe bars.
Sat and had a coffee whilst I waited to hear that my Airbnb place was ready.
Not a bad place to stay. The price is good, two nights for a price cheaper than my hotel last night.
Some of the Architecture is nice
Belgrade - Wikipedia
The apartment
Tomorrow I am going into the city for a walkabout and hopefully go and have a look at the Fortress
Wayne
Local in Belgrade
Set off from the hotel at about 0900hrs.
Day 37 Belgrade
I went to do a recce of where I was going to be staying for the next two nights. Once I had found it I went deeper in to the city centre.
Had a good ride around and found a nice square filled with cafe bars.
Sat and had a coffee whilst I waited to hear that my Airbnb place was ready.
Not a bad place to stay. The price is good, two nights for a price cheaper than my hotel last night.
Some of the Architecture is nice
Belgrade - Wikipedia
The apartment
Tomorrow I am going into the city for a walkabout and hopefully go and have a look at the Fortress
Wayne
Day 38 Balkans Trip
Had a good few hours out today and walked about 4 miles.
I got the bus in to the city centre and went and had a look around Belgrade Fortress, it’s very big, there is a lot to see and the inner of the Fortress is a park.
Belgrade Fortress - Wikipedia
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Had a good few hours out today and walked about 4 miles.
I got the bus in to the city centre and went and had a look around Belgrade Fortress, it’s very big, there is a lot to see and the inner of the Fortress is a park.
Belgrade Fortress - Wikipedia
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