Rabac storm and Why and what?

Dear friends and family,

I was the only guest at this B and B in Rabac. They offer breakfast included, so my hostess each day has rounded up something to cook for me and made me my gourmet coffee as well each day.

I got up yesterday early to prepare myself and my gear to ride into Rijeka, my next destination. Yes, it was a 38 mile ride over lots of steep hills and yes, the forecast was for high winds and rain. Knowing I have good rain gear and sufficient energy, I was feeling prepared.

Mila, the host, offered breakfast at 0730, so I was up earlier to do my morning routines and get organized. I could hear the hard rain against my window even before I opened the drapes to see the dark, fast moving clouds offering hard rain and lots of wind. “I guess I’ll have to start with rain gear right away” I thought to myself. “Sure will be happy to be in by tonight” I added, aware that this thinking puts me into the future and hurt my opportunity to enjoy the present time of actually pedaling during the day.

At breakfast, alone in the glass enclosed restaurant, I heard and felt the rain pelting and the wind rattling the glass as both increased. In checking the updated forecast I saw that today’s forecast called for steady rain all day, with wind picking up in the afternoon to gale force. I already had a two day reservation at the next stop, so wouldn’t want to sacrifice that, but just for fun asked Mila if there was room to stay another two days. Since I was the only customer it seemed unlikely that I would be shut out, but maybe she didn’t want to work just for one customer. She let me know that I could stay, and at a significant discount as well. Something to consider.

I agreed to stay, enjoy the rain from a dry interior and called my lodging in Rijeka and they agreed to postpone my booking for two days at no extra charge.

Since no other restaurants in Rabac were open now, Mela offered to cook me dinner with what she could find in the kitchen. Faced with no other food choices I agreed. Turns out she is a great and creative cook. 

Over the course of the day, the customer count doubled, and at dinner the new resident joined me for dinner. He lives in Austria presently, born in Montenegro, and taking a work break for a rest in a quiet place.

After introductions he asked me two questions:

1. Why are you doing what you are doing? and
2. What do you think about all day?

It might be easier to answer that question if i go back to the doing it instead of talking about it.

This ride also had hills. One huge one and several shorter ones, riding inland a bit and then back to the coast. It wasn’t long and I expected a four to five hour ride only, which keeps it in the “enjoyable” range. Happy that I could once again, but for longer today, keep pedaling uphill. 

Long stretches of highway with no navigation challenges and little traffic allowed my mind to meander. ” I wonder if my body can continue to get more fit and allow me to ride longer and harder?” I wondered.

“What is aging really about and is it something I should worry about or just carry on and do what I want and worry about it later?”were more questions.

Now, the fun of long rides is that one can give many moments, even hours to thinking about these subjects, turning them over in my mind to fully examine them.

“Do you, Charley, think it enough to just enjoy yourself now and live off of the banked community service that you’ve already done, or is it necessary  to continue giving back all one’s life?”

“Isn’t it surprising how comfortable I can be traveling with just my panniers of gear and clothes, technology, passport and of course the Visa card?”

“Why do I need a lot of other stuff?” ” It costs money, you have to take care of it, and you can lose it” thoughts drifted through my brain in slow motion.

“What part of this am I doing that seems to keep me so happy and fulfilled?” “Is it the doing the hard stuff, being open to new experiences and especially new people and their ideas and then sharing it with others by writing about it in my blog?” I philosophized and questioned at the same time.

It’s been almost five hours of riding already. It’s pretty warm at about fifty degrees (F), but now its starting to drizzle. My navigation app shows it’s only three miles to go and all downhill, so no need to care about rain gear or energy (food) management. “I could be in a hot shower in a half hour or less.” I convinced myself.

Yes, it was downhill, a steep and muddy slippery downhill into the now steady rain to the top of a steep stairs that Komoot (navigation app) suggested I walk my bike down. About 100 feet of steepness and upon a look I realized that there was no possibility. 

I continued riding down the road and did find a perfectly curved steep downhill road to the waterfront access road. 

After a couple of hundred yards of waterfront riding, the app spoke to me: “you have arrived”. I looked and saw the sign that read “Echo burgers” and realized that Echo burgers and Echo B and B were not the same. In a search on Google maps, the message showing “not available” came up and I was sure I had been duped again, just like in Colombia last year when my booked hotel was placed in the wrong city.

Now that the rain was a deluge I was drenched through my wool t-shirt and my hands were ice cold. I asked some coffee drinkers as I passed the only open shop about Echo B and B  and they said to keep going and I would come across it, way around the corner.

Eventually I saw “Echo Restaurant” and ducked under cover between buildings. I called the number on my reservation and Mila picked up and said she could hear me downstairs without the phone, so would be right down and showed me to my room. 

Yes, the hot shower felt great as I expected only about an hour and a half earlier. 

Now, where was I? Oh yeah, why do I do this and what do I think about all day? You have today’s version. 

This is a lovely place to wait out the storm, in a cozy seaside village of about 1200 full time residents that turns into a family resort in the summer. I can hear the wind howl and see the big waves crashing ashore. The forecast is for sun by tomorrow. Could be up to six hours of riding with plenty of time for more musing. Looking forward to it.

Sending love,

Charley