02.06.2016

Another rainy night, so packing up took quite a bit if time getting the tent dry. But there was a strong wind and some shelter, so that helped. We said goodbye to Katrina and Tobias and hoped we might see them again on both our wanderings.

We set out with a strong wind behind us, gradually up hill. The up hill getting steeper and passing through some 12 unlit tunnels, we were glad we had put the lights on the tandem.

Some were quite short where you could easily see the end. Some much longer and curved, so it was very dark and seeing the road surface, even with lights, was tricky.

We could see a large area of plastic roof in the distance, we thought this might be the archeological museum at Lepinski Vir we planned to visit, and it was. The road to the museum went steeply down hill, so we were losing some of that height we had climbed!

When we arrived at the museum we watched a film of the archeological dig carried out in the area just prior to the hydro-electric dam being built in 1970 and the area being flooded. Routine surveying had uncovered some interesting finds. But much much more was to follow. A settlement, some 10,000 years old was discovered. The whole thing was moved to its current higher location at the museum before the river was flooded. The museum showed how the finds indicated the sort of life these mesolithic peoples lived on the banks of Europe’s great rivers.

The way onwards from the museum directed us along a small road leading away from the museum, not back the way we had come. This road gradually and steeply took us further down hill, until we were in the valley bottom with the road onwards high above us.

 

One of us was a bit grumpy and frustrated about losing SO much height, only to have to climb back up!

We will leave you to guess which of us that was. However it was a pretty valley and there was a small bridge, suitable for a game of Pooh sticks, the first for a while.

Diana also picked some wild flowers, so the tandem had a bunch on the back for our onward ride.

Before we began the climb up, there were two fords to wade through! Then the climb, which we managed with stops, but no pushing the tandem.

We rejoined the main road just at the point where it began a steep climb up to its highest point! A well deserved lunch stop at the top with magnificent views.

Then the down hill a mile and a half of down, with no need to pedal.

 

We reached Donji Milanovac mid afternoon and found accommodation and enquired about boat trips, some possibilities, but yet to be confirmed.

We ate in a restaurant where our gluten free and vegetarian requirements were met by making a sort of tapas from starters, salads and other side veg on the menu. This included a local grilled cheese, a bit like haloumi; a red pepper and tomato paste, also a speciality of the region, with grilled mushrooms, a Greek salad and chips for Simon and bread for Diana. All washed down with a bottle of Serbian red wine.

Nerd’s Corner

Brnjika to Donji Milanovac: 38 miles.

Total distance travelled so far: 2158 miles.