Discover Crete on a Touring Bicycle

Well rested and with a fine breakfast we start our day. Shortly after leaving the hotel, we turn right onto a small road that leads to the island's interior. It is first steep, then extremely steep uphill - pshing the bike is the only option. First doubts arise whether we are able to make the planned round the island on such roads. When the road finally becomes somewhat flatter, we were supposed to turn right. But the path to the right looks not very promising. After only a few meters it changes in a rough rocky track. So we decide to ride further straight on the paved road. But after a few hundred meters the road tilts straight down. The slope is really breathtaking. We wonder wheter our brakes are strong enough for this. At the lowest point reached, we come to a sharp right turn onto a very steep dirt road. And it becomes even worse. Finally Therese get stuck in a mud hole filled with sticky goo, and she buries her shoes into it. Oh may ... After this rather unpleasant start we are really happy to eventually come on a paved road again. It's the road we would have to follow at the real beginning of our trip. It is wide, newly paved and almost traffic free.

We are very impressed about the huge amount of flowers on the wayside. They shine in the clear sunlight - just beautiful! The few villages through which we come, are completely deserted with the exception of the impressive dogs that bark at us aggressively and persistently pursue. But in the meantime we have cut - based on the experience of the previous day - a little stick for both of us. If we show the stick to the dogs, then even really angry barking pursuer lose soon their interest to us.

On the road to Kastelli we ride through a few small towns, but there are no open restaurants nor any possibility to buy something. On a large building just before Kastelli - there is a big market - we stop and ask if we can buy a bottle of Coke. The friendly owner brings us two ice-cold cans of it - for free! And he allows us to use the hose and a brush in front of the building to wash our dirty bikes full of mud. What a service!

In the hotel Kalliopi in Kastelli we get a very warm reception and as the very first thing two ice cold beers as a "welcome drink". The room in the house behind the nice hotel offers large rooms with a balcony and a beautiful view over the olive groves and the mountains in the background. We love this kind of travel!

The restaurant Irida in Kastelli serves an excellent dinner too. We are reconciled with the day.

Hotel Kalliopi, Kastelli Pediados, Iraklion Kriti
Web www.kalliopi-hotel.gr, Phone 28910 32685

Restaurant Irida, Kastelli Pediados, Iraklion Kriti
Tel. 28910 32023   

Today we start early just after eight clock. We respect the expected height meters. At the beginning it is always easy uphill, but the ever-increasing headwind costs more power than the barely noticeable weak slope.

Just before Martha the first serious pitch of the day begins. On the good road we soon reach about 250 m higher the top of the initial hump and then whiz down to Ano Biannos, where we for five euros get two - it seems to us rather quite expensive - Cappucini.

In this village the next rathe steep slope begins up to the with its nearly 740 meters above sea level highest point of the day. Up there awaits the traveler a monument to the Greeks, who were killed on September 14, 1943 at this location by the German occupiers. Despite reflective mood impressed us the great view of the mountains and down to the coast. The wind - today our constant companion - has refreshed. His fierce gusts blow us now in direction east.

The descent down to Mirtos is a challenge. We occasionally run the risk of being knocked over by the violently the road sweeping wind. It shakes in any case quite strongly on our panniers. So we are very happy to arrive safely in Mirtos. Here we find immediately the Hotel Paradise on the beach with a great view onto the troubled sea, and a very nice room at a price of only € 35.-. We can even accomodate our bikes in the vacant adjoining room - what a phantastic service! Thank you very much for that!

Hotel Paradise Mirtos
mail lamprakosgiannis@yahoo.com, Phone 0030 2842 051554
The owner speaks english, Cyclists get a discount

Today it's back to the mountains. The roads that we have encountered so far, are all well and there's little traffic. That is the case again today. The slope is uniform and we gain altitude fast. In Mithi we admire the large plane tree and the nearby source. A guest from the nearby coffee ask us, where we come from. As we say "From Switzerland," he says, "Ah, Helsinki". Our attempts to convince him of something else fail. He is, as we soon find out, heavy drunk. Thus we leave him with his opinion that we come from Helsinki in "Älväzia", as he says. It is anyway not important, and also we can make at least a confused Greeks happy with it, and that is indeed something.

After Mithi there is a first steep and then very steep down to a gorge entrance. Here the road makes a sharp bend to the left and upward. The road presents itself as a real wall the curve. Whether we ever come up there? Thanks to the really small gears on  our touring bikes and by making use of the not quite so steep road edges on the wrong (left) side of the street in the switchbacks  finally we are able to master this challenge without having to push. After about one kilometer, the slope is somewhat back to normal. From here on, climbing can be managed quite well, and after passing the small village of Males it continues to climb only moderately steep up to just under 700 meters above sea level. This is the highest point of the day. The wide view of the sea just before Anatoli is finally a well deserved reward for the long climb.

In Kalamafka we deicde to take a snack and something to drink - both are generously donated to us by a guest at the tavern. He asked us something about the whence and whither and immediately chosen us to be his personal heroes. From him we learn that the first of May in Greece is a day of rest. It is often used by families for group outings and it also marks the beginning of spring. Young women wearing wreaths of flowers in their hair, and everywhere people are sitting aroung eating and drinking plenty.

In Iearapetra arrived - the steep ramp shortly after Prina having behind us - we decide to continue with the strong tailwind something along the coast in the east. But this turns out to be not as real pleasure: We see that many hotels on the beach are still closed. So we ask ourselves a bit worried whether we can find a home to stay today. So we ask in the next open hotel at which we pass, for a room. It's the hotel Coriva Beach shortly after Koutsounari where we get a whole bungalow - for only 50.- € per night! The facility is very nice and well maintained, all plants are in light colors and bright flowers. Wow! Highly recommended, even for a longer stay.

Also situated right at the beach is a nice restaurant, which is of course highly welcome to us after this strenous day.

Hotel Coriva Beach, near Koutsounari
web www.corivavillage.com, mail info@corivavillage.com
Phone +300 28420 61263, 61160-2
Fax +30 28420 61164