Platak – DH Platak -Grobnik Alps – po Čeki

Country: Croatia
Mountain: Grobnik Alps – Platak
Length: 46,5 km
Elevation gain:  1460 m
Maximum elevation: 1363 m
Tehnical difficulty: 5/5
Download GPS Track: Platak_Radeševo_Grobnik Alps_po Čeki
Date of ride: 01.11.2020
Suitable for E-bike: Yes

I don’t even count how many times I visited Grobnik Alps, but this time we wanted to explore trails on our own. Untill now, every time we visited this place we followed someone elses gpx, this time we decided to create our own route and hope for the best. We parked our car in Dražice on free parking lot near main square. We always park here because after ride we eat in local restaurant. From here we started our ride and followed paved road to Soboli to meet with Matko from BK Rodeo. I’ve met him the day before when we rode together on Učka mountain. From there we connected to gravel road that begins near Grobnik race track. From there, path is pretty straight forward. Even though gravel road is on loose surface, pretty steep and very tiring, we prefer this ascent than  asphalt road, but if you like you can choose ascent on paved road.

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MTB Zagorje Enduro – Tonchek & Tochkica

Country: Croatia
Mountain: Medvednica
Length: 45 km
Elevation gain: 1580 m
Maximum elevation:  925 m
Technical difficulty: 3/5
Download GPS Track: Zagorje enduro_T&T_Cyclotrail
Date of ride: 08.02.2019.
Suitable for E-bike: Yes

If you are visiting Zagreb and have a whole day for MTB experience, this route is very good trip for visiting northern and south side of Medvednica. For ascent we used popular Leustek trail (There is a tacit agreement between hikers and mountain bikers not to ride downhill this path, so it is very important for everyone who read this text to follow this simple unwritten rule.) On the intesection Leustek trail and macadam road, we went right on macadam road that leads on trails named 21 A, 21 and 20 which goes through meadow Danjka. First ascent path ends at hut Hunjka, and from there we descended by trail called Zagorje Enduro trail.
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MTB Papuk – Orahovica

Country: Croatia
Mountain: Papuk
Length: 62,95 km (4 shuttle rides)
Elevation gain: 2473 m
Maximum elevation:  766 m
Technical difficulty: 3/5
Download GPS Track: MTB Papuk_Orahovica_Cyclotrail
Date of ride: 04.01.2020.
Suitable for E-bike: Yes

Papuk is the largest mountain in Slavonia, it extends between Bilogora, Krndija, Ravna gora and Psunj. Its peak Papuk is at 953 meters above sea. Even though Slavonia highlands (such as Papuk) are not higher than 1000 meters, they are very noticeable in the landscape because surrounding alluvial fields which are mostly not higher than 100 meters above sea. Usually I don’t go on shuttle rides, so this vacation in my hometown was a perfect time to use selfinvitation with weekend warriors and join them on Papuk trails. Weekend warriors are enthusiasts from Osijek who travel almost every weekend from Osijek to Orahovica to dig or ride trails on Papuk. They also organize Papuk extreme challenge. Usually I’m not very good at jumping gaps and kickers, so this shuttle dh session was ideal for some practice. It is actually very good feeling when you are going on descent still fresh. This is probably the best way to work on downhill technique, in one day I descended my 2 weeks quota.
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