In which Sid and Doris celebrate the collective farm, in a land where horses are not pets.
Quiet flows the Duna. Today was an easy day and yet we are pooped and broached. Today’s numbers, about 93 kilometres from a town with not a lot (except some enigmatic surveyors) to Baja which has a lovely square with The River on one side where we sit now.
Over the last few days we seem to have moved to a new climate, though as we have a small sample it is difficult to distinguish from weather, which is very, very hot. The routes along the dykes are shade-less. We had a bit of luck early on with a couple of biggish riders out for a spin. We gave them a tow for a few minutes and then ruthlessly drafted them for several kilometres at about 28 kph. That’s the way to do it, says Mr Punch through his swozzle.
Happily today we have moved from village to village and found the essentials: Lipton’s Iced Tea, Cappy fruit juice and best of all the FuzeTea (Eco-apology: 7 single-use plastic bottles today, we will find out a way to make up for it on our return). Our last drink stop was at a little festival that was just closing up after their Pentecost Rave. We sat under a road bridge with many other cyclists in the only shade for miles around. Perhaps ten miles around. Also this was home to a House Martin which had impressively managed to stick its nest to the underside of a very smooth bridge.
The key exhibits from today are a tractor outside an old collective farm, an example of a local bus stop (“We only have really crappy buses and so there is no point in having a posh modern bus on our bus stop sign. Go and see our local Urban Transport Museum if you’re not convinced.”) and a sign forbidding handcarts, horse carts or tractors from approaching the traffic lights.
We should also record that we are now seeing storks, there was one on our dyke top path today. And frogs, though we only see road kill. We did see a red squirrel. We see signs that there are beavers but beavers have not been seen. Nocturnal, shy, damned idle.
We got into town soon after 4pm and while Sid cleaned and lubed the bikes Doris looked again at how we should get along for the next few days. Hill walkers will be aware of the Naismith formula which helps you calculate how long a walk will take given distance and climb. The version we need must take into account road surface so we have been measuring speed over various surfaces. Doris and “S” will post on the scientificable system.
Here in Baja’s square we also enjoyed the Evening Cruise, an event which features classic or pimped-up cars in many towns but here was Fizzies (50cc motorbikes).
We don’t know what this thing is stuck on top of that building. Please believe us that we haven’t just lined up two unrelated things in a witty photographic manner, the intergalactic signalling system really is attached to the top of that house.
Tomorrow we are going to Sombor and hoping to be less pooped, however much Miftah Bat would prefer more poop.