Riding Cyclette: Day 246-251: To nr Kozani

Kalamata

Quick spin around town before taking the bus back to Ioannina

Stayed at host's workshop and he kindly brought breakfast from home

/he also brought me some greek cakes and cookies to take on the road

With Filopimin (host)

Good to go!

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4th time back to Ioannina hosted by Aggelos... gonna setup the bike tomorriw & restart my jouney the day after

With the mechanic we befriended back in December when brother was here

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Ioannina on the opposite side... Bye!!

Taking a break from the wind and cold at a petrol station. I sat here watching the petrol kiosk sway left and right... the wind was howling fiercely outside. I was sipping my water very slowly, trying to be a wimp a little longer as I have a fierce battle ascend against the wind ahead.

A driver actually stopped to tell me to watch out and be careful as the wind was very strong ahead.

I lost the battle with the wind once... loosing control and my bike fell, luckily my reflex was good enough

No one in the village want to adopt me... until I reached the last house...

I asked if I could stay one night and she quickly says no problem... help me with my bags, showed me my sleeping place, toilet, sat me down and started feeding me...

Elena is making me sunshine eggs

3 eggs!!! She accidentally burst one yolk and asked if it was a problem... Of course not! I am thankful to eat my favourite eggs! After this there was still dinner packed full with potatos and vegetables... superb for my ascend tomorrow

Home

Writing her name :)

Big Hugs!!!

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A priest drove past, wind down his window, gave me a muffin and wished me good luck

Right at the highest point... more or less around 2000m. Somehow this was not as bad as my last snow experience as it was not a mixture of rain and snow which made me very wet the other time. Most of the time the road condition was surprisingly good too.

This was one of the song we sing weekly back in the south and during my climb in the snow it keeps ringing in my head... the lyric says ''It's not cold in Greece, it was never cold, come tonight so you can feel, like you've never felt before''... But I just wanted to shout: Κάνει Κρύο!!! (Its cold!!!)

Can you tell that its a snow angel? Me neither. I promised Sascha back in the sunny south that I will make one if I crossed this successfully. Its ugly but I made an effort.. the snow was so deep I couldn't get up without punching holes in the snow... and I have to do it quickly so I won't get wet

Losing salt... left on first 2 layers of my clothes

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Jimmy shouted from across the road when I was riding out of Grevena... made me coffee and a huge sandwich to eat and take on the road. Jimmy says he is married 8 times... asked why I cycle alone, its too dangerous, its too cold now, why I'm not married, why don't I get married in Greece, I'm too old now etc etc... Yes yes Jimmy next time I'll bring my husband along to visit you... hahah