Sun07Aug16: Toplice, Slovenia – Hrvatska – Ptuj, Slovenia (82.5km, 3,131.2km YTD)

cemetery, Bettinci, Slovenia

Music at the swimming pool turned off about 8pm, dozens of bats flocked west over the campsite in the fading sunset, everybody on the site quietened down shortly afterwards, I probably was asleep before 10pm.  Up at 2:30am for a look at the stars, camp started to rouse itself about 5:30am.  Short 78km ride today so nobody’s in a real rush, just the usual ‘riding day jitters’.

vineyard, New Jerusalem

Out of the gate about 7:30am, group of nine riders just poking along the virtually flat farmland with fields of mature corn.  Up past Bettinci into the foothills, then there’s a turnoff up a steep road towards New Jerusalem, Gergo thinks this is a great side-trip and he’s right – steep 10% and 15% grades, but wonderful views of the vineyards from the ridge leading along the top of this range.

Hrvatska frontier, Stava River crossing

Inside the town of Mihovic the flags indicate our route turns to the Right, so the TDA van passes us and - because Peter McCartney has planned on ‘knocking off’ another country today - we go straight ahead, down the hill towards the Stava River, and voila! – we’re in the country of Hrvatska (a.k.a. "Croatia", although I have no idea how it got that name), another member of the EEC.  Peter’s route on Garmin parallels the Stava River and the TDA flagged route in Slovenia, so it’s not much longer in distance, but infinitely ahead in ‘adventure/exploring value’.

Kaffe Bar, Hrvatska

Flat farmland along the river with more fields of corn and sunflowers, but it’s time for a morning coffee break so we head towards a village nestled at the base of the hills.  The local Kaffe Bar is open, and although the locals have ordered beer at 10am on a Sunday morning, we make do with Cokes and coffee.  Funniest part of the experience is when I go to pay and the bar wench informs me that she can’t give change for my Euros because Hrvatska has its own currency – the crown.  The locals understand what I’m trying to do, laugh at my lack of knowledge about their country, and think this is a big hoot.  Oh, well.

We continue to follow the Stava River westward and go leave Hrvatska but border control wants to see our passports.  I have mine handy and turn it over, the other three only have driver’s licences so the officials finally give up on being proper and pass us through.

Back along the cornfields to Ptuj (pronounced “p-tooee”) and a stop in the centre of the Old City for lunch at a bakery – not much prepared food available in this town on a Sunday, so we survive on miniature pizzas and hot dogs with our soft drinks.

Today’s destination is the "Camping Terme" site just across the river from Ptuj, and we roll in about 1:30pm with 82.5km showing on my Garmin.  Lots of riders are still out on the road so apparently most of us have decided to just take it easy today.  Set up the tent, shower, laundry, and lots of time to just relax in the afternoon sunshine.  Bought a ticket for E6 to the Thermaln Park water park and splashed around in the water, down a water slide, floated on an inner tube, etc. just to cool down; it works.
After the rider's meeting and supper, its blog and photo time over at the affiliated Grand Hotel Primus which has good internet service.