Don Quijote

September 26, 2024

In two days, Trieste will mark my first major milestone. There, I will finally meet Sofia and leave the Alps behind.

It’s as if I had sensed what was coming, as I barely sleep the night before near the lake Bled.

It certainly doesn’t help that I haven’t eaten enough and am feeling hungry. And knowing that wild camping is forbidden throughout Slovenia doesn’t make things better either. So, I end up writing blog posts in the middle of the night. By morning, I’m exhausted but treat myself to a hearty breakfast in a local café.

It seems the entire flock of Bled’s birds has sensed that I need an extra boost of energy.

Today’s destination is Ljubljana. Since the route wouldn’t be very challenging otherwise, I come up with the “brilliant” idea to take a detour to visit a church on a hill in Jamnik and the charming town of Skofja Loka. I add 500 extra meters of elevation to my ride.

Upon reaching the church hill, I meet a cycling couple from Basel, Matthias and Simone, who are touring Slovenia for a few days. As we follow a beautiful path toward the church, strong winds suddenly pick up. I gladly accept some bread and cheese from them as we take shelter behind the church. While I’m telling them how lucky I’ve been with the weather - no rain so far - it suddenly begins to pour. What irony!

I hope it’s just a quick shower, as my drone isn’t waterproof, and I really want to capture some aerial shots of the church. I wait. After a while, Matthias and Simone leave. I continue waiting. Surely, it will stop soon. But the rain just keeps coming.

An hour and a half later, I finally give up. The rain has only intensified, and I’m freezing. So, I ride back down the hill, shivering. To make matters worse, I get lost and miss Skofja Loka. Fate’s irony strikes again: I’m drenched, and I’ve run out of water. At least I find some just before Ljubljana.

At this point, I don’t yet know that tomorrow will be even harder.

Ljubljana initially feels like a small provincial town. As I get closer to the center, I pass by some large, gray apartment blocks before reaching the charming city center where my hostel is located. After a refreshing shower, I manage to get a late dinner just before the restaurant closes.

Everything works out in the end.

Now, only the ride from Ljubljana to Trieste remains. I’ll arrive on the exact date Sofia and I had agreed upon in this port city.

But an invisible enemy seems to have other plans.

The drizzling rain is just a minor inconvenience compared to what’s ahead. The real battle begins now. Using my cycling gloves as boxing gloves won’t help - I wouldn’t land a single punch. So, I can only metaphorically fight my way through. This feels like my final test before reaching the first milestone – Trieste, the "end-of-level boss” in gaming terminology. But this is no game. My struggle is very real, and it’s tough.

The “ring” is moving slowly forward. After the first hill, the first round is over. I take a breath, though it’s easier said than done, considering the weight of my luggage. Maybe my adversary will surrender after this?

Far from it. With the same relentless force, it starts attacking again as soon as the road flattens out. And again. And again. Exhausting. Is there no final round? I think to myself that these stages separate the wheat from the chaff. Giving up isn’t an option. After all, I want to be the wheat, not the chaff.

Some cyclists pass by, grinning. If I turned back, I’d make the enemy my friend. But I want to reach Trieste and Sofia. I can’t just turn around. I won’t give up, even though I feel completely knocked out. I can only win this battle through endurance and persistence. Just keep pedaling. The only thing separating me from Don Quixote now is the bike instead of a horse.

Just before Trieste, my adversary taps me on the back in acknowledgment. I’ve won the fight. He has lost, the wind.

Recharging

Lakes