| VanSims18. 06. 2012 16:26:14 |
Morning, I drive towards Mojstrana, where I park, pull the bike and backpack from the car and head along the bike path towards Italy. In Kranjska Gora, I stop at the shop to get some food and especially water, in Trbiž also for ice cream. After a few more km ride on the nicely arranged path, I arrive at the lower cable car station to Višarje. Futile search for bike parking, so as usual leave it in the forest locked to a tree. Since the time is almost 12, I commit mountaineering blasphemy and take the cable car (one way 10 EUR) to Višarje. Since the description on hribi.net for Kamniti Lovec is a bit awkward (road goes left, not right), I ask for the path. This time (see my note at Svačica and Celovška koča), I speak Slovenian. And what do I gain? I have to wait a couple of minutes for the lady to call another lady who speaks Slovenian well!  I set off then and when I reach the chapel (last station of the way of the cross on the pilgrimage path), I continue into the forest. I meet lots of Slovenians, quite a few Austrians and few Italians. While climbing the gullies just before the summit, I meet a group descending terrain admittedly very crumbly, carelessly triggering rocks onto the lower path. No, not rude Slovenians or careless Italians but "cultured" Austrians.  At the summit, I meet a group of Austrians who came up the path from Prašnik saddle. Topographically obviously not well versed (except one correcting them) as they mistook Hochalmco for Grossglockner, Viš baptized as Mangart! Anyway, the view on really nice weather was magnificent! Since I planned a circular via Prašnik, I ask the versed one how the path is. He asks if I have 'Kletersteigset' and without it advises against the path to Prašnik as 'steil' and 'bruchig'. So I abandon the circular. After the Austrians leave, I enjoy the view a bit more and two Slovenians arrive at the summit with whom I get into a long chat about this and that. A little after they leave, I descend myself. Down the crumbly gullies it's really a bit annoying but still possible to descend nicely without triggering rocks! Then I descend back to the chapel and go to see Višarje. Besides, they speak Slovenian there; all signs besides Italian and German are also in Slovenian. In the little church, surprised, I hear Slovenian singing from the speakers. Really, totally different than the pass under Grossglockner where despite meeting many Slovenians, not one Slovenian sign (but e.g. in Dutch ) On Višarje, I meet again the Slovenians with whom I chatted on the summit, then descend via the pilgrimage path over Višarska planina. The path is steep and a bit awkward for descent, brings almost directly to the lower cable car station (up direction: from lower station a bit left towards Trbiž, past parking, at junction right, short asphalt and few houses into forest where signpost too). With the bike, I ride back and stop again in Trbiž for ice cream (can't resist Italian ) and in Rateče at Mojmir for beer. There some Italians brought a puppy constantly jumping on the waitress. On the way back, some Slovenian family sits in the middle of the bike path. In the middle child - kid not guilty if has crazy parents and if it sucked... For parents I don't care but not for the innocent cyclist! Do that on the Italian side, they destroy you!  Also otherwise don't think right that along the path allowed for landowners (weekenders) to drive cars which is unparalleled in Europe. To make irony bigger, the sign warns cyclists before cars instead of the opposite since cars actually drive where normally shouldn't and they should watch cyclists!
| (+4) |  | |
|
|