| sonny430. 11. 2022 12:02:02 |
This year I successfully completed the STKP and thought I'd share some memories here (also for my own records). For all 41 stages, it took me four years. Thank goodness I'm stubborn, otherwise I wouldn't have finished it at all. The initial enthusiasm fades over time, and hobbies and life situations change. I rode all stages alone and stage by stage, which makes it harder because you have to return to the starting point.
Stubbornly, I rode every meter marked in the GPX files. That meant climbing some peaks twice if the route didn't allow a sensible return to the start via the descent route to the other side. For example, to Iztok Hut under Golaki, I first climbed from the Idrija direction, next time from Ajdovščina, so I could descend the planned route, even though I already had the stamp from that hut.
I can admit that the trail would be too hard for me with a regular MTB. It would be possible, but for me, given everything, it would be a life adventure. I had a good eMTB and two batteries. I usually rode stages in a figure-eight shape, leaving the car in the middle, riding one loop with one battery, then swapping and riding the other. Still, most of the time I had to pedal parts on my own power.
99% of the trail is rideable. On rare sections, you have to push the bike. Mostly marked (meaning signs at main junctions and blue-white marks along the trail), but without GPS it would be hard. So many unmarked minor junctions, singletracks, forest paths, turnoffs that if you want to follow the track, you need GPS. And the cyclist is too fast, misses signs accidentally. From stamp to stamp (e.g., main road), probably ok without. This isn't criticism of the trail managers; it looks like huge effort was put into the trail, and still is, so heartfelt thanks to them. They've arranged everything super. No comments or suggestions, just humbly wish they continue the successful work.
In short, the trail is long. Needs will to finish what you started. Rewards with satisfaction at completion. In between, I remember mostly the people I met. Discovered places I hadn't been. It was worth it.
Some stats:
- took me 43 days total (two stages too long for one day)
- 54-113km per stage, avg 70km
- total 3037km
- 600-2747m elevation gain per stage, avg 1774m
- total 76297m
- avg speed 13km/h
- Moving Time: 1h30min to 6h per stage, avg 3h41min
- Moving Time total 158h
- Elapsed Time: 2h to 8h30min per stage, avg 5h32min
- Elapsed Time total 238h
 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31
| (+12) |  | |
|
|