The Bicycle Adventure Club - Come Ride With Us!

Historic Coastal Croatia 2022

September 16th to October 5th

Ride Coordinator: Sue Bunten
Report by: Paula Power

It was a trip for the record books.  Five Channel Islands Bike Club members joined 15 Bicycle Adventure Club members on a ride from Buje in northern Croatia, south to Dubrovnik, island hopping along way, led by Sue Bunten, guided by the ever present Alen Augustin (“the Genie”) and his nephew, Luka  from September 16, 2022 to October 4, 2022.  Ride with GPS provided the daily route.  Magnificently blue Adriatic did not disappoint and the scenery was breathtaking but there was much more in store for us.  What would that be?

After our initial meeting in Trieste, Italy, we traveled by bus to Buje, where we assembled our bikes and picked up rental bikes.  Then the feast began!  Platters of vealzA and vegetables, bread and olive oil.  The wine flowed as Alen explained the procedures for the trip.  This set the stage for delicious traditional breakfasts and dinners provided by our hotels and at local restaurants.  Truly a food adventure.

From Buje we cycled through forested hills overlooking the Mirna River to the ancient hilltop village of Motovun with one flat, one tumble, and one lost rider along the way.  From Motovun we cycled through a patchwork of agricultural fields punctuated by ancient hilltop villages, up, up, up past a gravel pit and down, down, down into the small city of Labin on our first challenging, hilly ride and an introduction to cycling in Croatia.

Our first view of the gloriously blue Adriatic led to ferry rides, island hopping and scenery that began with rocky, barren moonscape and transformed into lush hillsides of pines, vineyards, and olive trees growing in rock terraces as we headed south.  From the Istrian peninsula to Cres Island with a remarkable knife-edge ridgetop view of the Croatian islands and on to Krk and Rab islands.  And then the Bora came.  Winds from the northeast that can strip vegetation from the earth and blow cars and bikes off the road.  We changed course, cut out some island rides and headed to Pag Island where we witnessed a Croatian wedding celebration in our hotel.  Then on to the mainland where most took a taxi to Zadar because of windy, drizzly conditions.

Every morning was a food adventure – eggs and vegetables; cucumbers and sliced tomatoes, cold cuts and cheeses, fresh fruit and croissants.  Where to begin?  With coffee, of course.  And whichever you perferred – espresso, cappuccino, Americano – was yours at the push of a button.

Sue Bunten was our leader and historian.  By sharing fascinating tales of ancient and medieval Croatia at Happy Hour each night, Sue created a more comprehensive view of the architecture, culture and landscape for us all.  Romans, Illyrians, Byzantines, Venetians, Christians, and Orthodox, oh my!  A complicated history indeed! 

Zadar is the oldest continuously inhabited city in Croatia.  Inside the stone walls built in ancient times was a mixture of Roman ruins and medieval structures.  The Sea Organ and Sun Salutation were memorable modern elements in this lovely city. 

Then a ride to Skradin through small farm fields and villages which sadly still showed evidence of the terrible Yugoslavian Civil War of the 1990’s.  Our stay in Skradin, the gateway to Krka National Park allowed a day to ride the Skradin Loop around the Park or time to see the waterfalls and traditional watermills for which the park was created.   

Then came the a challenging (54.5 miles and 3,456’ elevation gain) and briefly terrifying ride to Split.  After a long day of riding with a headwind through rolling hills, vineyards and olive trees, we finished by climbing a mountain pass, and gliding down steep switchbacks.  Then came The Tunnel, lined with slick cobblestone and long enough to go completely dark for a few harrowing seconds, followed by a ride to our hotel along city streets jammed with traffic due to a cycling race.  Guided tours of Split and Zadar gave us a better appreciation of the culture, history, and architecture of these ancient, fortified cities.

On to Vela Luka where a short hike took some to a cave occupied by humans some 20,000 years ago.  From Vela Luka came one of the highlights of the trip – a ride through rolling hills of vineyards and villages, through a gentle tunnel which opened to dramatic views along nearly vertical cliffs of islands dotting crystal clear blue waters of the Adriatic!  The day ended with a birthday celebration for Bob Barrows and a cake topped with two flaming Roman candles!

Another equally magnificent ride brought us to the salt flats of the walled village of Ston and our farewell dinner in nearby Mali Ston including a birthday celebration for Sue Bunton complete with cake and Roman candles. 

After packing our bikes, we piled onto a bus for the seaport city of Dubrovnik, a UNESCO World Heritage Site recognized for its outstanding medieval architecture and fortified old town.  A fitting end to another memorable BAC Bike Ride.