🗺️Travels

🚴‍♂️🛑 Time to Call It: 1,100km Later 🛑🚴‍♂️ After 1,100km, after seeing the most scenic part of the tour, after being attacked by dogs, and after a few close calls with buses and speeding cars, I’ve decided it’s time to pause this journey. What really made me reflect was a conversation with a random guy in a park in Kladovo. He approached me while I was resting on a bench after a long ride. He looked homeless, but kept his style with a brand-new leather briefcase. He shared his life story: 20 years working in Germany, never using drugs, never drinking alcohol, and yet now living as a bum in the park. He even showed me his passport and a photo of the house he once owned, proof that he had it all—a wife, a kid, and now, nothing. Maybe it was the heat, the burnout from biking the last 125km, or just the exhaustion from living in nature and packing up every day. But his story, combined with the grim look at what lies ahead—900km of dirt, burnt fields, no trees, vast lands with villages 60km apart—made me question why I’m doing this. Climbing and pushing the bike in 40-degree heat, all for what? To get to Constanta? What initially seemed like a great goal now feels like torture and a waste of time. Given the dangers and road conditions, it would take me another month to finish. Do I have to complete this tour in one go? Absolutely not. Can I continue and resume in the future? Absolutely. Better prepared, with pepper spray against dogs, rested, and in a better mindset for a new adventure. For now, I’m heading back home, ready to work on meaningful stuff and enjoy a more sedentary life.

Staying at a four-star hotel in Kladovo with a gym and pool, and so far, this is the best breakfast I’ve had on my trip—and for not a lot of money! Not only does it taste great, but there’s so much extra stuff that you probably only get in true four-star hotels. No bacon, though, but the meatballs and meat pie were fantastic. 🥩 The salad bar didn’t disappoint either, with fresh veggies, tuna, and olives. 🥗🐟 And the view of the beach from the restaurant? Oh my god. Absolutely stunning. 🌅 One downside—coffee in Serbia still sucks, no matter how nice the hotel is. ☕️😅 And you know how you can tell the food quality is top-notch? You eat a little and feel full, satisfied, and satient—not carb-craving hungry with a sugar crash like after a low-quality breakfast. 🍽️👌

Tough Day: 124km from Golubac to Kladovo 😓 Today, I tackled 124km from Golubac to Kladovo, and while this section of the Iron Gorge is said to be the most scenic, it was one of the toughest rides of the trip. It feels like riding by the sea, but here’s why I wouldn’t recommend doing it in one day. Instead rest at Donji Milanovac and you will enjoy it much more : 1. Brutal Climbs: There are two long, brutal climbs at 10% grade. The second one is on a busy, two-lane road with heavy truck traffic. You don’t want to be pushing your bike with cars passing by at 50 km/h+. 🚚 2. Lack of Break Spots: There are few places to take a break—just some parking lots with no shade, which won’t do🌞 3. Scarce Water & Food: There are maybe two drinking points in the entire section. You’ll be half a day without water or food. Villages are sparse, so pack more food than usual. Don’t repeat my mistake! 4. Overrated Views: Don’t believe the hype—while the viewpoints are nice, once you’re standing there, it doesn’t feel worth the struggle. 😕 5. Crossing to Romania?: Before Kladovo, you’ll have the option to cross the bridge to Romania. Don’t do it. Drobeta is a heavily industrialized city, and you’ll be stuck in truck traffic for the next 300km+. 🚫 The Iron Gorge felt anticlimactic, and I’m seriously considering stopping my journey. More on that in the next post.

Some tips for fellow travelers cycling on the Serbian side of the Danube: 1. Ferry Required: To keep touring on the Serbian side, you’ll need to take a ferry. Avoid the Romanian side at all costs—stick to Serbia! 🚢 2. Infrequent Service: The ferry runs with two-hour gaps, so plan accordingly. ⏳ 3. Cash Only: Make sure you have cash to pay on board—no cards accepted! 💸 4. Car Priority: Cars get priority boarding, so cyclists, be prepared to wait. 🚗 5. Scenic Ride: The ferry ride itself is beautiful, offering great views both sidew of the Danube. 🌊 6. Water Point in Ram: In Ram, there’s a water point at the top of the hill. Refill here—you won’t find another chance for a while. 💧 7. Camping Tips: Once you leave the bike path, camping becomes tricky due to the proximity to the river and narrow roads. Either pass Golubac or camp way earlier before reaching the main road. 🏕️ 8. Golubac on Weekends: Golubac is fully booked on weekends, so plan ahead. But remember—cash is your friend! 🏨

Today, everything went wrong. It started with hours of riding through remote areas with no villages in sight—no chance to resupply water or food. Then I hit a 10km stretch of sandy dirt where I kept falling off my bike due to the weight and small wheels. 😩 After a tedious detour back to a paved state road, I was attacked by a pack of dogs—by some miracle, I wasn’t bitten. 🐕😳 Then I arrived 15 minutes late for my ferry and had to wait two hours in a parking lot. To top it off, the ferry had engine issues mid-river, but thankfully they managed to fix it. Switching sides of the Danube rewarded me with a nice bike path out of Ram, but of course, it didn’t last long. I ended the day in the busy tourist town of Golubac and was forced to camp in front of the border control station. 🏕️ There are no cameras, so it should be fine… unless the drunken kids on vacation decide to cause trouble. Planning to wake up early to avoid any run-ins with the police. 🚓 But for now, I will enjoy tomatoes and can of beans as my dinner, that should make it up for all troubles today.

Here’s where I’m camping tonight —not that I had much choice, but at least there’s a nice water reservoir with a few fishermen and a dry patch of dirt to pitch my tent on. Later, I found out I’m really close to local settlements—cue the all-night barking contest as dogs sniffed me out. 🐕 Oh well, hoping exhaustion helps me zone out. At least the night sounds were familiar this time: a garden party blasting Serbian top ten hits, a pop concert from a nearby town, and someone riding a motocross bike back and forth. 🎶🏍️