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Sean Barker

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Blog Entries posted by Sean Barker

  1. Sean Barker
    I was pretty sure that this would be my last tour so I wanted to go out with something special. This would be my sixth major tour in as many years. I knew I was well prepared and experienced but I was also aware that with traveling solo so far off the beaten track both triumphs and disasters lay ahead.

    All the entries you will read are taken directly from my diary that was written at the end of each day before going to sleep. They are for the most part an account of the route I had taken that day and my state of mind
  2. Sean Barker
    Istanbul (Tur) to Silviri (Tur)

    My luck was in. I managed to get a new front rack fitted and replace all the other worn out components. I was now confident of having a fighting chance of making it back.
    By the time my bike was ready it was 11:30 but I remembered a hotel I had passed on the cycle ride in and it was only 77km away so I decided to make my way for that.
    It seemed strange cycling into the setting sun rather than watching my shadow grow as evening fell.
    However the strong headwind that I had to force my way through on the run in to Istanbul was just as strong only now it blew me westward as I enjoyed the refreshing and cooling sea breezes.



    Getting the bike fixed up for the long voyage home.
  3. Sean Barker
    Bad Lobenstien (D) to Hohenberg (D)

    The heavy rain that had started as I was erecting my tent last night had continued unabated throughout the night and well beyond the morning. Alas my tent had flooded during the night and I and everything in it was soaked.
    I managed to air it out during a dry patch in the afternoon and it is now damp rather than wet.
    Today was cold, bitterly cold! I struggled to use my hands and shivered uncontrollably in the cold of the early day.
    Again I was getting bogged down on these forest cycle paths and decided to go in search of roads and easier passage.
    Through the trees I could hear traffic and made my way over the hills through the densely forested terrain in as straight a line as possible until I came upon the road I could hear. It was a fairly busy road but was to my eyes a duel carriageway.
    I pushed my bike onto the road and headed south east.
    No more than five km down the road I was joined by a "Bundespolizei" car (Germany's federal police force) and instructed to pull in to the side of the road.
    I was told that it is illegal to cycle on this road as it was the Autobahn.
    Embarrassed and concerned that I was in trouble I explained how I had been on the cycle paths in the forest but couldn't cope with the mud and had joined the Autobahn a few kilometres northwest unaware of what it was.
    The two officers (A male and a female) were most sympathetic and as we chatted about my weeks cycling and of how I planned to cycle to Istanbul and back. They pulled out an electronic tablet and showed me the best and safest way to proceed. They informed me that if I made my way to "Selb" I would find altogether safer and more appropriate cycle paths going in my intended direction.
    I was then told that the best thing to do would be to cycle some 10km further on where there was an exit that would put me back on course and that they would follow behind me to keep me safe.
    I cycled on with the police car some twenty meters back with lights a flashing and every car that either passed us or came from the other direction looked in my direction and no doubt thought I must have been someone of importance to warrant such support.
    When we reached the exit the two officers gave me a printout of the route to get me to where I needed to go and shook my hand wishing me good luck and safe passage as I crossed the continent.Having already made my way through "Gefell", "Topen", "Hof", and "Rehau" I continued on through "Selb" and on to "Hohenberg"
    I am now on the border and in sight of the Czech Republic
    After spending most of the last week wet I feel my strength is waning. My feet are in a poor state, covered in dead colourless and peeling flesh they are bleeding from the soles and heels. I have lost two toenails and two more are clearly not going to last much longer
    I shall let the air get to them tonight and bandage them up for tomorrow

    An eventful day that will live with me forever
  4. Sean Barker
    Tiszasuly (H) to Biharnagybajom (H)

    Another rain free day but boy was it hot! It was 32c out on the road and keeping hydrated was the order of the day, it is now quite noticeable how much more fluid I am taking on board.
    I followed my GPS course through “Kunhegyes”and on to “Karcag”, where I hit the E60 motorway and couldn’t go any further by bike, so I followed my compass in the hope of picking up a road taking a favourable direction. After spending the late afternoon and evening totally lost I found myself in the village of “Biharnagybajom” and made camp in the forest just beyond.
    I’m hoping to pick up my intended route sometime tomorrow
  5. Sean Barker
    Lnare (CZ) to Becice (CZ)

    Today I travelled along the quieter roads and national cycle routes (although they just follow the quieter roads with off road sections)
    I made my way through “Blatna”, “Skvoretice”, “Lom”, “Mirotice”, “Cerhonice”, “Ostrovec”, “Varvazov”, “Zvikovske Podhradi”. “Oslov”, “Vlastec”, Then onto the 138 through “Zahori”, “Albrechtice nad Vltavou”. Then onto the 159 through “Neznasov and onto the surprisingly large “Tyn nad Vitavou” before making my way onto the 147 to “Becice”.
    From the west I could see a large storm rapidly closing in on me so I heading for a small woods where I quickly erected my tent and got everything inside mere moments before being buffeted and shaken violently as the storm passed by. This was the most violent storm I had experienced since being caught in the open tundra of the Arctic some two years before and I knew from experience to get all the weight of my equipment around the edges of the groundsheet to prevent the gale getting under the groundsheet and lifting up the tent pegs.
    The storm soon passed much to my relief but the heavy rain that is now hammering my tent looks like being here for some time.




    A typical charming Czech town nestled in the forest atop a hill
  6. Sean Barker
    Spacince (SL) to Demandice (SL)

    I awoke at dawn after a dry night to see storm clouds gathering, so I packed up sharpish and just in time as the rain started no sooner than I hit the road. I set off happy in the knowledge that my tent and equipment were packed away dry.
    This was probably the least attractive stage so far as I stuck to the route on my GPS. The course shadowed the motorway and passed through a few industrial towns.
    The rain today had to be seen to be believed! As I cycled up and out of "Nitra" the water was coming down the road like a river.
    Large sections of today's stage were on busy roads and clearly the Slovaks are not used to cyclists as far too many of them sped past me at high speed with mere centimetres clearance. It was a stressful day at times as I wobbled and struggled for control in the driving rain as the cars whizzed by.

    The northern arm of the Carpathian mountain range that I would cross in torrential rain


    Taking some shelter from the rain
  7. Sean Barker
    Lukovo (Serb) to Kovizla (Serb)


    Wow! What a last 24 hours!

    I have been keeping a watchful eye out for signs warning of land mines before I venture into the forests to make camp but all too often the signs are hard to see as they are too low or even fallen over.
    Last night I looked carefully before making my way into the forest but could see no signs. I made camp some hundred metres into the forest after cooking up my evening meal beforehand and hanging my food in a bag from a nearby tree in case of an unwanted bear visitation.

    As I lay down readying myself for sleep I became aware of something digging into my back between my shoulder-blades. I tried to push it down through the groundsheet but it wouldn't budge. In frustration I battered it flat with the heel of my cycling shoe and then settled down for a night’s sleep.

    On the way out of the forest this morning (I had come out a couple of hundred metres further west than I had entered) I noticed a sign warning that that particular section of forest was mined.
    My mind was immediately taken back to the events of the night before where I had battered flat that protrusion. I’m still not sure what it was but I’m guessing it probably wasn’t a mine.

    Today was tough as I climbed some big mountains but the cooler air up there was most welcome. The latter part of the day was making my way down from the high ground with relatively flat terrain ahead of me to the north.


    A pretty alarming sign
  8. Sean Barker
    Jagodina (Serb) to Durdevo (Serb)


    [font=arial][size=4]Well the storm broke in the late afternoon today and boy what a spectacular storm it was. Riding through it with bolts of lightning hitting the road ahead of me and igniting a small stumpy tree to my right I couldn't understand how it wasn't me being hit as nothing was higher than me on this road.[/size][/font]
    [font=arial][size=4]I thought of how I had escaped with my life so many times on this tour from being run off the road and managing to grab on to the top of a tree before going over the precipice of a cliff, the incident in the marijuana plantation, camping in a mine field etc. I began to feel as if the Angel of Death was oblivious to my existence. I stopped in the driving rain of the storm and but my earphones in and listened to the Rolling Stones Gimmie Shelter on repeat as I rode through it surrounded with lightning flashes[/size][/font]
    [font=arial][size=4]Never did the lyrics of that first verse seem so apt[/size][/font]
    [font=arial][size=4][color=#474747]Oh, a storm is threat'ning[/color]
    My very life today
    If I don't get some shelter
    Oh yeah, I'm gonna fade away[/size][/font]

    [font=arial][size=4]As I sit in my tent now with the storm quietly rumbling into the distance, I think of the difference between the first part of the day and the latter part and how I had pushed my bike through a river crossing in the warmth of a sunny morning.[/size][/font]


    [font=arial][size=4][img]http://www.cheevie.webspace.virginmedia.com/Photos/Cycle%20Tour%206/P1000955.jpg[/img][color=rgb(0,0,0)]I stopped here to take off my shoes and socks to push the bike through the river[/color][/size][/font]
  9. Sean Barker
    Kovizla (Serb) to Brus (Serb)

    A somewhat frustrating day. I spent most of the morning fixing my bike but it's still in a poor state, it is showing the war wounds of a long hard tour. Both wheels are well out of true and the rear wheel is hitting the brake-pads on every revolution.
    I hit an overhanging branch today and scratched my right eye; I now find I can't see out of it properly.
    My sore throat has gone full blown and I can't talk, it hurts to swallow and my neck is nearly as wide as my head.
    I'm not sure which is in worse state me or the bike.

    With the credit out on the phone I really do feel cut adrift.

    At least now I feel as if I am back into civilisation though.
  10. Sean Barker
    Bujmir (Serb) to Jagodina (Serb)


    It was hot and muggy today, the storm clouds are gathering, it's obvious that this is going to be a big one and with no waterproof clothing and not feeling well I could well be in for a torrid time.
    The question is will it break tonight or tomorrow when I'm out on the road?

    Today I made my way along the N road that for the most part shadowed the E75
  11. Sean Barker
    Brus (Serb) to Bujmir (Serb)


    A hot day and a typical day of searching for quieter roads and getting lost.
    Despite my better instincts I spent most of the day travelling east and passing through a plethora of small villages before eventually ending up on the 217 and into Bujmir

    I don't think I'll have much option now other than travelling on busier roads for the most part

    These out of the way paths may be traffic free but they can be hard going all day
  12. Sean Barker
    Kassel (D) to Walterhausen (D)

    A beautiful day with no rain! I even had the chance to dry out some of my equipment including my tent and sleeping bag.
    I started off on route but was soon forced to take the cycle path route that passed through all the charming villages. Unfortunately I went somewhat off course and spent a large part of the day lost (something I would do in no small measure as the tour progressed).
    I eventually made my way to "Sontra" before getting back to "Eisnach" and then back on course to Walterhausen



    Deep into Germany and the start of the climbs
  13. Sean Barker
    Xapmaham (Bul) to Bjala Reka (Bul)

    Another hot day but thunder and lightning were always close by.
    I continued on the busy 8 and passed through “Stoykova”, Podkrepa”, and the larger “Haskovo”, then through “Klokotnitsa”, “Gorski izvor” and Varbitsa”. The storm eventually broke as I passed through “Bjala Reka” where I dived for cover in the corner of a corn field in the shade of a hedgerow where I made camp for the night.
    Hopefully this busy road will be quieter on Sunday.
  14. Sean Barker
    Prokupije (Serb) to Kursumlija (Serb)

    Today was considerably cooler than yesterday 28 degrees instead of the 35 degrees of yesterday and boy did I appreciate the difference.
    For the most part I followed a small river west and enjoyed a cooler breeze coming from the north.
    I am now quite close to the Serbian/Kosovo border and it is wild mountainous country.

    I have twenty days to make it to Vienna and then four days of easy street, I just hope I make it.
  15. Sean Barker
    Sofia (Bul) to Mountain paths to the west of Beles (Srb)

    After spending the previous day searching the city for clothes in vain It felt good to be on the move and leaving Bulgaria behind me.
    I followed the busy 8 and crossed the border at “Kalotina” and made my way through “Dimitrovgrad” before taking a left after “Beles” to escape this busy and dangerous road.
    I made an alarming discovery today. When going to take my heart medication I noticed that the packet I keep in my bar bag for convenience was empty and only then realised that when my pannier had been stolen that all my medication had gone with it.
    I simply can’t turn back now towards Sofia. There is no guarantee I could get a replacement stock anyway. I have to push on. This tour has been brutally tough so far and I now fear that it is about to get a whole lot tougher.
  16. Sean Barker
    Belovo (Bul) to Sofia (Bul)

    It was hot today and dry so I managed to dry out my tent and clothes after the storm yesterday.

    I made my way along the N roads that for all the world looked as if they had been abandoned. The route for much of the day was more off road than on.

    I checked into the "Art Hostel" which seems quite expensive for what it is but I really have no choice as this is most likely my last chance to get clothes and a pannier. I really don't fancy going through yesterday again

    I have checked out a couple of the larger bike shops but to no avail. It's mountain bikes only around here but when you consider the state of the roads I wouldn't want to be on anything else if I lived here.

    I will spend tomorrow looking for replacements but I'm not particularly confident.


    The run in to Sofia was on busier roads than I really cared for
  17. Sean Barker
    Kursumlija (Serb) to Lukovo (Serb)


    I'm struggling now. I'm suffering from a sore throat and fever. I'm also well off the beaten track. I also have to be careful here in the woods as by the tracks and markings I am clearly back in bear country, also wolves and wild boar.
    This really is a wild and beautiful place but I have noticed signs from time to time warning about land mines.
    When venturing into the woods to make camp I am searching out the wild boar paths and sticking to them.
  18. Sean Barker
    Bjala Reka (Bul) to Plovdiv (Bul)

    DISASTER! After making my way along the busy 8 and through “Debar”, “Popovista”, “Sadovo”, and onto the outskirts of “Plovdiv” I stopped briefly at a supermarket to replenish my supplies. In the short time the bike was out of my sight one of the rear panniers was stolen. It contained a few odds and ends as well as all my clothes. I have now lost all my Gore-Tex rain gear and changes of clothing. All I now possess (clothes wise) is the shorts, socks, vest and scarf I am wearing.
    I have spent most of the day in the police station, at first waiting for a translator and then the formalities of all the paperwork (which I’m sure will all be a waste of time)
    I have found a youth hostel in the old town as I will have to return to the police station tomorrow.
    I will also have to spend much of tomorrow in search of replacement clothes but I’m not hopeful of finding a pannier and/or cycling shorts.
    I feel really low right now.

    Sunset over Plovdiv
  19. Sean Barker
    Nis (Serb) to Prokupije (Serb)


    I didn't feel too well today, I think the heat got to me. Today was in the high 30's and I found myself constantly getting dizzy and swerving on the bike so took plenty of rests along the course which slowed progress down somewhat.
    I have spent the day making my way along the quiet little roads that connect up the little villages north of the E-80
    As I camp in the woods tonight I can clearly see I have some seriously mountainous terrain ahead of me
  20. Sean Barker
    Mountains west of Beles (Srb) to 10km outside Nis (Srb)

    Today was an eventful day.
    Even though I had camped in the shade of a wood last night I awoke this morning hot and saturated with sweat and shaking. I’m not sure if I’m coming down with something or going through withdrawal but I felt rough.

    Today was quite the contrast in terms of cycling terrain. The morning was spent on mountain paths and then in the afternoon I was back on some busy roads. It was on one of these roads (the 134) that I woke up in the middle of the road with my head in a field workers lap as she moistened my lips with some freshly cut water melon. As I regained my senses I could see my bike had been pushed to the side of the road and was resting against and under the shade of a tree. A driver had stopped his car and put the hazard lights on to prevent anyone running me over. I stumbled to my feet and thanked them both and sat under the tree with my bike to recover.
    I soon became aware that I was no longer under the shade of the tree, which had moved some 45 degrees around the tree. I had lost all sense of time. I was now acutely aware that I was not safe on the roads and would for the foreseeable future have to forge a path north west off road.

    I have made camp tonight in the forest and as I write this a tortoise has just walked past the door of my tent.

    I think I’m some 10km southeast of Nis which I think is going to be a sizable town.

    I will head in tomorrow and if I can find somewhere open replenish my stocks before making my way back into wilderness again.

    These out of the way roads in the Balkans may have been quiet but they looked as if they were bomb cratered
  21. Sean Barker
    Plovdiv (Bul) to Belovo (Bul)

    It felt good to be leaving Plovdiv and putting some distance between myself and that bad experience.

    It was a pleasant and warm day but humid as I made my way along the 8 and through “Pazardjik” but as I approached "Belovo" the skies went a dark blue and the heavens opened. I quickly ran for cover into the woods but by the time I had erected my tent I was soaked. I have wrung out as much water as I can out of my clothes and will just have to wear them wet tomorrow.

    I keep telling myself things will get better soon but I’m beginning to think that they never will.

    I’m sitting in my tent now that has collapsed and has a pool of water in it.

    I had intended to get food in the next town as I am clean out.
    I am hungry and soaked through.

    It’s not going to be a comfortable night.


  22. Sean Barker
    Plovdiv (Bul)

    I couldn't sleep last night as the events of the previous day kept churning away in my head. So I got up at first light (a little after 5:00am) and cycled the city and southern suburbs for chance the pannier might have been discarded but alas to no avail.
    I headed back to the hostel some four hours later and had breakfast before cycling back to the police station to finish off the reports.

    I then spent the day cycling all over the city and out of town shopping areas for cycling gear but drew dead. I did manage to get a couple of sports tops and a pair of casual shorts unpadded naturally, but at least I can wear them while my only pair of padded cycling shorts are drying.

    Looks like I'll have to pass through Sofia as that will be my only chance of getting replacements now.

    After cycling over 100km today and having nothing to show for it, I'm really struggling to stay positive.
  23. Sean Barker
    Overhausen (D) to Kassel (D)

    The rain never let up today, so that's 48 hours I've been soaked through and I'm starting to look like a human prune.
    I spent the day (as yesterday) on quiet forest roads and cycle paths and later roads but with the German drivers so courteous and considerate sharing the road with them is a pleasure.
    I made camp in the forest just north of Kassel. Soaked through and in a wet tent and sleeping bag I dreamt of drier days.
  24. Sean Barker
    Staatz (Aus) to Spacince (SL)

    A day of contrasts. The first half of the day saw dark skies and rain, then later in the afternoon it brightened up and the rain cleared, there were even glimpses of blue sky, something I hadn't seen in a while.
    An early start saw me pass through “Poysdorf”, “Wetzeldorf”, “Altlichtenwarth” and “Hohenau an der March” before crossing the border and into Slovakia. Once into Slovakia I made my way through “Moravsky Svaty Jan”, “Zavod”, “Tomkey”, “Laksarska Nova Ves”, “Trisin”, “Dolne Dubove” and into Spacince” where I found a little copse hidden away behind a hill where I made camp for the night



    Crossing into Slovakia
  25. Sean Barker
    Hohenberg (D) to Stribro (CZ)

    Sitting in my tent with the rain pelting the roof, this the ninth day of my tour and it has rained on eight of them!
    I crossed the border this morning and made my way into "Cheb" and then through "Lazne Kynzvart" then onto the "230" at "Plana" to "Stribro" where I made camp in the woods.
    I must admit I'm exhausted and my spirits are low. I am genuinely concerned that I have bitten off more than I can chew.
    I have never suffered so much so early into a tour before. Not being able to sleep properly at night due to my injured shoulder and painful feet is really taking its toll on me



    Crossing into the Czech Republic
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