MTB Sveta Gera/Trdinov vrh

Country: Croatia/Slovenia
Mountain: Žumberak
Length: 41 km
Elevation gain: 1630 m
Maximum elevation
:  1178 m
Technical difficulty: 3/5
Download GPS Track: Sveta Gera_Trdinov vrh_Cyclotrail
Date of ride: 22.06.2021
Suitable for e bike: Yes

We decided to finally visit Sveta Gera (or Trdinov vrh on Slovenian). I’ve got a gpx file from Filip (on of the founders of Night riders Croatia) who recommended me to ride this trails as best of Sveta Gera. This track visits both side of border amongst Croatia and Slovenia, so you can say that this ride is illegal because there is no official border crossing. We started our ride from Sošice, it took us about hour and a half from Zagreb. Ascent from Sošice is on unpaved road at the beginning it is very easy not so steep, but as we were approaching peak, macadam became steeper and loose. It wasn’t so though for me because Ivan, Marko and Gojsi were riding E-bikes, so they gave me a boost on uphill sections.  After little rest on the peak we descended on the easy flow trail that goes along the ridge, and then we went on trails called Trdinka and Ciklama. Those trails are marked as black and red trails on trailforks, but for my website I classified them as 3/5 on technical difficulty. Ciklama and Trdinka are classic bike trails perfectly made by Slovenians, and those trails are ridden on Sloenduro competition. On the end of Ciklama trail we reached unpaved road on Slovenian side of Žumberak that leads to Sveta Gera/Trdinov vrh. This path easier than road on Croatian side, better maintained and not so steep. After reaching Sveta Gera peak for the second time, we descended once again on the flow trail that goes along the ridge and border, but after that trail end, we didn’t turned left, we continued forward on unpaved road.
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MTB Velebit: Sveto Brdo

Country: Croatia
Mountain: Velebit
Length: 32,5 km
Elevation gain: 1400 m
Maximum elevation
:  1751 m
Technical difficulty: 5/5
Download GPS Track: Sveto Brdo_Cyclotrail
Date of ride: 05.06.2021
Suitable for E-bike: No

Finally, a serious ride on Velebit. Even though this is not my first MTB ride on Velebit, it is first ride on Velebit with proper trails. Few years ago I was visiting Velebit couple of times, but that were mostly XC rides. Žac invited me to go with him, Miroslav, Vjeko and Dino. It was already my plan to visit Sveto Brdo, so he didn’t have to ask me twice.

Before going on Velebit, we checked weather conditions, it is very important to avoid hot summer days. Could be very hot. We caught probably one of the last weekends when it is possible to go on Sveto Brdo without risking heat stroke. We started from Zagreb very early by car and from Sveti Rok went by Majstorska cesta (name of the road)  close to famous “Tulove grede”  and parked our car near.

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Drniš – Promina

Country: Croatia
Mountain: Promina
Length: 35 km
Elevation gain: 1390 m
Maximum elevation
:  1148 m
Technical difficulty: 4/5
Download GPS Track: Drniš_Promina_Cyclotrail
Date of ride: 22.05.2021.
Suitable for E-bike: Yes

Weekend when we visited Promina was reserved for Velebit and its highest peak, but due to logistic problems and weather conditions we decided to visit Promina instead. We were amazed with this mountain positioned in inland of Dalmatia and its beautiful trails. I got a contact from a friend and he sent us “best of” gpx track and even drawn for us some parts of trails that we wanted to ride.

We parked our car on parking space of some building and from there started our ride that starts from Drniš. From there we started to Promina mountain. Almost  all the time, ascent is on unpaved road, some short parts are on hiking trail (and doable with bike).

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