On our journey between Albania e Greece we left each other just this side of the Greek borderWe are in Epirus and we are travelling along the third stage towards IoanninaAt Sagiada, we bid farewell to the Ionian Sea and begin our journey toward the mountains. First, we tackle a few kilometers of dirt roads in a secondary valley, with lush Mediterranean vegetation, but unfortunately, we realize that the dirt roads aren't as well-worn as they are back home; instead, they're more like mule tracks, the bumps accentuated by our bags.
The journey continues
After an hour or so, we find the first outpost of Greek civilization along the road: a bar where some old men take shelter in the shade of a pergola. Zeus chooses to make his first appearance in the guise of a cat approaching us while we're eating a sandwich. It's best not to joke with the gods, so we're more than happy to give them a bite.
Start one 6-kilometer climb at 7 percent, which becomes painful due to the heat, and at the top of the pass we pass between two cows placed there specifically to give us some comfort. The descent is very open and panoramic and we realize that we are far from the tourist routes, in the True and rugged Greece, made of sun and harsh mountains that surround you. We find human presences in the small village of Keramitsa, where a boy no older than ten is the only one in the family who can express himself in English and points out a fountain that would have been out of our sight.
Direction Ioannina
Once we reach the valley floor, we prepare for the second climb before Ioannina. We know we have to hurry because the the weather forecast promises rain, but the heat forces us to apply the brakes and cool off with an ice cream along the way. At the café tables, here we are again… Zeus, this time in the guise of an old gentleman who carries a basket of figs under his arm. Knowing that we are Italians and moved with compassion, he gives us some of his sweet fruits, truly providential because the The climb is 10 kilometers long and, although the gradient remains around 5 percentThe extremely wide road features long straights that dampen our spirits. Having reached the top with our last bit of strength, we barely have time to put on our raincoats before stepping into the rain that accompanies us all the way to Ioannina.
At dinner, Dimitri, the waiter who serves us feta and tzatziki, has the passion for cycling and nurtures the dream of coming to cycle in our Dolomites, work permitting. "Are you arriving in Metsovo tomorrow? Well, it's not exactly like the Alps, but it's similar." He bids us farewell at the end of the meal.
Climbs to sweat
The next day in fact we go up again, again with a double climbThe first begins immediately after Ioannina, overlooking the vast lake on which the city stands. A local cycling enthusiast, Steve, passes us., who climbs like a chamois, so light is he compared to us. He drops us, comes back, cheers us on, and sets off again, doing this two or three times throughout the climb. He too, at the top, it takes us to a hidden fountain from an Orthodox church and warns us about the upcoming climb: "Ten kilometers before Metsovo, there are three dogs on the loose and attacking. Ride together!"
And so we do. When we reach point "x," the dogs spot us several hundred meters ahead, on the mountainside. We line up in a parade, occupying the lane, and when the pack leader emerges from the guardrail to chase us, the only thing we lose is a healthy dose of adrenaline...
Greek hospitality
Metsovo actually reminds of the Alpine landscapeIt is located at 1.000 meters above sea level, among the mountains of the Pindus chain, rich in green fir and beech trees, and is a tourist resort with wooden houses and tiled roofs.
The small apartment is given to us by a young local boy, but a few minutes later someone knocks on the door. We open it and a gentleman offers us a plate with a slice of watermelon, apricots and peachesHe doesn't speak English, but a smile is enough to understand each other.
At dinner, we embarrass the waitress by ordering so many dishes that there's no room left on the table, but, contrary to her expectations, we leave nothing.
End of the adventure
The last stop goes from Metsovo to Kalambaka, the end of our tour. The first ones 10 kilometers are on a climb with scenery that is very reminiscent of our Apennines, so let's get into Thessaly with a descent without a living soul and still a gentle slope down to admire the sandstone cliffs, once submerged by the waters, on which the Orthodox monasteries of Meteora now stand. The etymology of the name literally means "in the middle of the air" and it seems like a great way to end our cycling adventure.
