Mar
19
2010

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Flat Roads to Kalampaka

by Tara

Since we've arrived in Greece, we haven't seen many cyclists. In Athens especially, bikers seem to steer clear of the city, except for a few brave souls who speed around helmet-less amidst the smog and traffic. Today was a pleasant surprise for us, as we packed up our free-camp, ate a massive breakfast of eggs and bacon (there is bacon here!), and headed off towards Kalampaka.

On the single flat road we were on the whole way there, we began seeing something we'd almost completely forgotten existed—other cyclists! One young man held giant metal pipes in one hand as he pedaled home from the hardware store. Passing through towns, we noticed many elderly people slowly biking to or from little shops. In a city about 20 kilometers from our intended destination, the streets were flooded with cyclists and there were even bike lanes!

We arrived in Kalampaka early in the afternoon and were instantly greeted by an old man on a rusty scooter. After a few seconds of pleasantries, he began hard-selling us on the benefits of staying at his daughters' guest-house. We got him down to a good price and there was free internet, so we agreed, even though he was a little annoying.

It proved to be a good choice, "Rooms Totti" has everything we need and nothing more. Now we're settled at the foot of the Meteora: giant monoliths with monasteries perched high on their peaks. Tomorrow we'll set off hiking for a day of sightseeing. As I write this, Tyler is busily programming away for his clients. We may wind up spending three nights so he can stay caught up.

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