I set off at 7 a.m., ready for a big climbing day—and my navigator didn’t disappoint. I ended up pushing my bike nearly 15 km uphill, but it was a joy to stop for wildflowers, mushrooms, and the quiet of the mountain. Hardly anyone passed me—just one motorbike and one car—so it felt like the whole trail was mine.
Near the top, I met a couple who laughed and asked who had sent me this way. “My navigator,” I confessed. Turns out it’s not a cycling route at all because it’s too steep! Thankfully, just two kilometers later I reached the summit and was rewarded with 18 km of pure downhill gliding.
At the bottom, I celebrated with ice cream, where I met a family from Macedonia. Through their 11-year-old son (who impressively speaks four languages), I was invited to their hometown of Celje. They even helped me get my bike on the train. Now I’m settled here for two nights, ready to explore the castle because of the unexpected kindness of strangers.