So! A few days have passed since our bikes were stolen, and what's the update?
Yesterday (was it really only yesterday? it seems so long ago!), we were found by the local newspaper. They printed an article (two now, actually) about us getting our bikes stolen... and now Will and I have become very recognizable. It's a bit awkward.
The people here have been amazing. We're staying at a hostel, Hostel 40, and the people here have made what has been a pretty difficult time a bit easier to pass. We're still in Belgrade, and have had a few days to get used to the idea that we are no longer bicycle tourists. The article and the publicity got our hopes up a bit that maybe (just maybe) the thieves would realize that they picked the wrong two bikes to sell anonymously and stick them somewhere they would be found. Or do something stupid and get caught. One or the other.
But we're still left with the fact that our bikes disappeared someplace between two major cities in Serbia. There's a lot of distance to cover and while our bikes are unique, this would take a miracle.
So Will and I have come up with a pretty good Plan B. Zach flies out later this week from Zagreb, Croatia, so he takes his leave from us tomorrow morning.
Will and I have recently (about two hours ago) re-outfitted ourselves for hiking. This involved buying two relatively cheap packs, a pair of pants for me, and a pair of shoes for Will. We're going to head to Slovenia, which we have recently found out is the lost gem of the Alps. We're going to go and hike around for a week or two at a time, until it is time for us to head to Germany to catch our flight home in mid-September.
I've never done any long-distance hiking before-- my family has hiked, but nothing this involved or back-country. I'm really excited for it-- while I was absolutely in love with traveling by bike, I'm also okay introducing myself to this new form of travel. We'll get out of the city (awesome) and away from the crowds (even more awesome) and out of the 100-plus degree heat (the most awesome). We got some good advice from a few other bikers we met here in Belgrade who have been to Slovenia, and they were able to give us some guidance on where to go and how to get there.
It's not the trip we set out on. But, in reality, this trip has never been the trip I originally had in mind. And it's been awesome-- more awesome than I could ever have imagined. I have high hopes for the next couple of weeks, and I'm looking forward to this next branch of the adventure.
We're heading out of town, heading into the wide open air. We're going.
We'll keep you posted.
"You'll look up and down streets. Look 'em over with care.
About some you will say, "I don't choose to go there."
With your head full of brains and your shoes full of feet,
you're too smart to go down any not-so-good street.
And you may not find any
you'll want to go down.
In that case, of course,
you'll head straight out of town.
It's opener there
in the wide open air.
Out there things can happen
and frequently do
to people as brainy
and footsy as you.
And when things start to happen,
don't worry. Don't stew.
Just go right along.
You'll start happening too.
OH!
THE PLACES YOU'LL GO!"
Yesterday (was it really only yesterday? it seems so long ago!), we were found by the local newspaper. They printed an article (two now, actually) about us getting our bikes stolen... and now Will and I have become very recognizable. It's a bit awkward.
The people here have been amazing. We're staying at a hostel, Hostel 40, and the people here have made what has been a pretty difficult time a bit easier to pass. We're still in Belgrade, and have had a few days to get used to the idea that we are no longer bicycle tourists. The article and the publicity got our hopes up a bit that maybe (just maybe) the thieves would realize that they picked the wrong two bikes to sell anonymously and stick them somewhere they would be found. Or do something stupid and get caught. One or the other.
But we're still left with the fact that our bikes disappeared someplace between two major cities in Serbia. There's a lot of distance to cover and while our bikes are unique, this would take a miracle.
So Will and I have come up with a pretty good Plan B. Zach flies out later this week from Zagreb, Croatia, so he takes his leave from us tomorrow morning.
Will and I have recently (about two hours ago) re-outfitted ourselves for hiking. This involved buying two relatively cheap packs, a pair of pants for me, and a pair of shoes for Will. We're going to head to Slovenia, which we have recently found out is the lost gem of the Alps. We're going to go and hike around for a week or two at a time, until it is time for us to head to Germany to catch our flight home in mid-September.
I've never done any long-distance hiking before-- my family has hiked, but nothing this involved or back-country. I'm really excited for it-- while I was absolutely in love with traveling by bike, I'm also okay introducing myself to this new form of travel. We'll get out of the city (awesome) and away from the crowds (even more awesome) and out of the 100-plus degree heat (the most awesome). We got some good advice from a few other bikers we met here in Belgrade who have been to Slovenia, and they were able to give us some guidance on where to go and how to get there.
It's not the trip we set out on. But, in reality, this trip has never been the trip I originally had in mind. And it's been awesome-- more awesome than I could ever have imagined. I have high hopes for the next couple of weeks, and I'm looking forward to this next branch of the adventure.
We're heading out of town, heading into the wide open air. We're going.
We'll keep you posted.
"You'll look up and down streets. Look 'em over with care.
About some you will say, "I don't choose to go there."
With your head full of brains and your shoes full of feet,
you're too smart to go down any not-so-good street.
And you may not find any
you'll want to go down.
In that case, of course,
you'll head straight out of town.
It's opener there
in the wide open air.
Out there things can happen
and frequently do
to people as brainy
and footsy as you.
And when things start to happen,
don't worry. Don't stew.
Just go right along.
You'll start happening too.
OH!
THE PLACES YOU'LL GO!"
Great photo in the newspaper! You both look quite stern. Slovenia sounds like a fun place to explore. Remember when I lived on G Street? Well that roommate (Travis) spent a month hiking around the mountains of Slovenia and said it was some of the best hiking he's ever done. Enjoy!
ReplyDelete....and bummer about the bikes. In hell, bike thieves are whipped with chains and forced to true wheels that will never align.
~Ike