Wednesday, Septemeber 6, 2023
Finally, it’s time for breakfast, a water refill, and personal hygiene. It’s time to hit the beach, and this time we first check the route and then head down to the sea. A 10-minute ride from Krk, we find a rocky, secluded beach with a little forest and shade, perfect for lounging. Our bikes turn into clothes racks, the tent mat and cushions into a living room with all our stuff around.
After swimming in crystal-clear water (which is also favored by sea urchins) and a short sunbathing session on the increasingly hot rocks, it’s time for a second breakfast of the day and to set up and manage our shared Instagram profile. Late in the afternoon, it’s time to gather all our things, pack them onto the bikes, take some aesthetically pleasing photos, and head towards our sleeping spot.
Just as we’re thinking about how we haven’t met a single cyclist with panniers in three days, a couple with loaded bikes passes us. Before the village of Salatić, we found a small clearing under the road where we could sleep. We had some worries because of the plants with spiky flowers that could puncture the tent floor (which is still waterproof for now). At dusk, a dormouse came alive and started to explore around our tent so we had to play high-frequency tones on the phone to scare it away (which is also a good defense against martens and other rodents that are dangerous to the tent).
Quick tent setup
When night falls, the list of things you can do as a bike tourer significantly shortens, so at 8:45 PM, it’s time to sleep. Early to bed and early to rise…