Today started out with a concern about my bike. She was low on oil again and it was starting to affect the engine output. I bailed from the TET route to find a garage to add oil to the engine. I think all the first and second gear miles are taking heir toll and the piston rings maybe getting worn. That and using the wrong oil for about 2 weeks now!!
Anyway, I packed up camp and set off, finding a garage en route. They filled the engine up with 10/40 synthetic, which is all I could find two times now. After this, I had a moment with the phone nav app, ending up back where I camped last night. I retraced my steps and carried on, finding a cafe with hot coffee and buttered toast to set me up for the day.
The route wasn't difficult at all in terms of riding, the nav was painful with the phone app, but doable. I meandered under huge limestone crags, dreaming of climbing again, then passed a huge groups of German walkers before getting into some issues with a land owner who had blocked off the route with huge boulders in a really awkward place to turn around. Cursing that person, I eventually got turned around, only to find a route meandering through someones olive orchard to get back to a passable road.
I stopped at a village shop for some supplies and Patrick, a Ditch GS rider went past, then turned around and came for a chat. We ended up riding all day together, then drinking beer and wine in the lovely Hotel Salambina at Salabreno. I caught up on internet, had a shower and a shave and generally chilled out. It was lovely to ride with someone and have a bit of company after weeks of being alone.
