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MTB Krk Baška – Obzova

Country: Croatia
Region: Island Krk/Obzova peak
Length: 32,5 km
Elevation gain: 980 m
Maximum elevation:  569 m
Technical difficulty: 4/5
Download GPS Track: Krk Obzova Cyclotrail
Date of ride: 02.03.2019.
Suitable for E-bike: Yes

Obzova is the highest peak on island Krk and the trail that leads to the peak is one of the most interesting I rode in last few years. Route starts near beach in Baška. Baška is resort town situated on southern part of island and is famous for its old town, churches and long beautiful beach which is sadly overcrowded during summer.  We didn’t have such problems because we decided to visit Baška in March.
As I said, our route starts near beach and follows paved road to the graveyard. Paved road ends there, and starts carrigeway that leads through pine forest to the famous Moon plateau which offers impressive landscapes made of karst and stone deserts which look like moon surface. There is mtb race (4islands) that is held on this island, and big part of the race is similar to this route, but the race then goes to Punat, and this route continues to Obzova, and then descends back to Baška. Ride is not suitable for hardtail bike.

This was my first serious ride on the new bike, and first real test, so I was a little bit impatient to see how will the bike respond. Even though 130 mm suspension fork worked well, 150 mm or more would be better.

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MTB Pelješac – St. Ilija

Country: Croatia
Region: Pelješac/ st. Ilija peak
Length: 26,5 km
Elevation gain: 1080 m
Maximum elevation:  961 m
Technical difficulty: 5/5
Download GPS Track: MTB Pelješac_st.Ilija_Cyclotrail
Date of ride: 17.06.2018
Suitable for E-bike: No

St. Ilija is the highest peak of peninsula Pelješac. Because of its distinguished position st. Ilija offers one of the best views in Croatia and is situated on hill known as Zmijino Brdo (Mons vipera) or Perun’s hill. I mentioned Perun when I was writing about my visit to Mostar and ascend to Velež ( in Slavic mythology Perun is the highest god of pantheon and the god of sky, thunder, lightning, storm, war, law, fertility and oak threes) Peak was named by chapel of st. Ilija.

For a long period of time, visit to Zmijino brdo by bike, was on my bucket list. And I was sure that this visit would be once in a time, because remoteness and distance of peninsula Pelješac from rest of Croatia, but as it shows, I was mistaken. During 2018. I visited st. Ilija three times, two times by bike, and one time while hiking with my friends, and every time I visited this isolated area I discovered another beautiful part, which was hidden from me before. If I wanted to live in a peaceful part of Croatia, far away from city noise, light pollution and smog I would definitely chose  Pelješac. As I’m writing this text, construction of bridge that connects Pelješac and mainland is in progress, and even though this move will ease access to Pelješac, it will also destroy islandish nature of Pelješac, I hope I’m wrong. On Pelješac for the first time I saw moufflons, jackals and the most venomous European snake vipera ammodytes. And when I saw them there, they seem so natural there, as if they were created for only purpose just to live on that harsh rock.

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MTB Gradac-st. Ilija-Drvenik

Country: Croatia
Mountain: Grabovica/ sv. Ilija peak
Length: 36 km
Elevation gain: 1350 m
Maximum elevation:  773 m
Technical difficulty: 5/5
Download GPS Track: Gradac – sv. Ilija – Drvenik_Cyclotrail
Date of ride: 28.06.2018
Suitable for E-bike: No

Biokovo Nature Park is the most dominating presence on the southern Dalmatian coast and its whole massif stretches 36 km along the coast and is very popular hiking destination. When I was in Gradac, first thing that I saw was very very steep hill which rises up to 773 meters at a short distance. When I watched that beautiful creation from the sea, I imagined that climbing to its peak would be like walking on the edge. Later I found out that there is 4 km long trail from from the cemetery to the peak ( HPD Adrion maintains this trail) . At first I was suspicious that this trail could be ridden by bike, so my decision was to hike this ascent, and then decide if it could be “bike friendly”. I couldn’t ask local hikers for advice, because for them, most of the trails are not suitable for riding, our perception somehow differentiate. After hiking trip and refreshment in Adriatic sea I realized that this steep and at first sight unapproachable cliff could actually be visited by bike.

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