After a night of deep sleep in a clean, comfortable bed listening to the sound of a hard rainfall, I awoke early. The smell of mist and wet earth seemed almost perfumed after many days of being in the sun. I ate my musli and (after confirming that instant coffee made with hot tap water is as terrible as you’d expect – hey, I was desperate) headed south. I have deliberately stayed towards the mountainous border of Croatia and Bosnia, interested in seeing the beautiful forests and dramatic river valleys this area is known for, primarily Plitvička National Park, as well as the cultural differences between these two countries. The park, a heavily forested river canyon with deep turquoise lakes connected by cascades, was spectacular – particularly so from the seat of my bike.
Like National Parks in the U.S. during summer, the park entrances, parking lots and souvenir shops were packed.
I took a back road into the park, on the opposite side of the river valley from the main highway, that was too narrow, steep and slow for most vehicles, and felt like I had the place to myself. In our globalized world, getting off the beaten track feels more necessary but harder than ever, which makes a bike feels like the perfect vehicle.
See all the people down below?
Plus, when you ride up all of those steep hills, you get to be a pastry afficionado. Today’s delicacy was a delicious chewy baked flatbread filled with cherry jam. Ukusna!
After leaving Plitvička National Park, I descended for miles to the border and into Bosnia and immediately felt a long ways away. It is much poorer than Croatia (which itself is poor by European standards), with massive unemployment and an economy on par with many Central American countries.
Visually, the country’s Islamic influence, with minarets punctuating the horizon above towns and villages, stood out beautifully.
I arrived in Bihać, a small city on the pretty River Una with rough roads and hastily constructed post-war architecture, as it began to rain and just in time for Sunday lunch. I ate at one of the many crowded, smoke filled cafes as the rain came down, enjoying a delicious plate of ćevapi, small grilled meat sausages made of lamb and beef served with onions, sour cream, ajvar (red pepper spread) and Bosnian pita bread called somun. What a delicious way to end a beautiful day’s ride.
smallchainringbigworld 
We went to Plitvička about 15 years ago, and I do remember it being utterly stunning, but at the time not very crowded. Good and bad to see that Croatia and it’s parks are now more firmly on the tourist map? Sounds (and looks) like the quite the grand adventure, sir. Enjoy the reunion with the wife — must be any day now!
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Yeah, both good and bad. I think the Croatian economy depends heavily on tourism, so it’s good in that sense but I think if I had not been on my bike on a back road it would have felt pretty crowded. Yes, I meet Allegra in Split on Thursday!
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I have a random question. When you go into cafes and whatnot to eat, what do you do with the panniers? We just had a rainstorm here in Seattle, like yours on the trip. It’s felt like a relief for days now after all that heat.
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Hey! I just leave panniers on the bike outside and sit where I can see bike. Sometimes I lock the wheel to the frame as a deterrent. Yeah, the rain feels nice, no?
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I have a question…when you go into a cafe to eat and whatnot, do you usually just start at the top of the menu and order sequentially all the way down? Or perhaps will power has you just ordering the left half on odd days and the right half on even days? Man, the food you’re showing is crushing it. That flat bread and cherry thing…oh, man. Your trip is so stellar from a culinary perspective alone, Grant. I hope you’re noting recipes. As for the roads less travelled, the bike…what a marvelous ode to the bicycle.
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Well I often can’t read the menu so sometimes I just order whatever seems to feature, or I point at someone else’s plate!
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Have been trying to figure out how best you can summarize your trip upon return — I think you should host a slide show. Your photos are often so compelling as a statement of what you notice — uniquely — while on a bike trip. Something about a perspective on the world based on a moderate pace and earning your calories. Love, ric
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Maybe with foods from all the different countries?
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