Last stop in Croatia, tired legs and immigration discussions

Dear friends and family,

I came across a YouTube video about leg strength being the single best indicator of longevity. Of course, doing what I am presently doing, it attracted my attention and my desire to believe it.

I actually did a little research and the reason is that people who have strong legs are the ones who are most active typically, and it is proof of some activity that helps against chronic conditions like diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity, and high cholesterol.

With these thoughts in mind and a firm conviction that of course it was true since it was on the internet (and I wanted to believe it), off I went on my third hard ride in a row. I had a weather window with little winds and the Shengen clock ticking, so after a day of a five hour ride, then a seven hour day ride, I sat astride my steed for a six hour ride.

Almost every ride here starts with a big uphill segment as the towns are low at the coast and the roads typically are higher up across the hills. As I climbed up out of town I heard the first complaint of the day, one that I hear every day. “Oh, oh, not much in these legs today, don’t think we will make it for several hours” signaled my legs to my brain. 

I knew this was a faint excuse, for I hear it every day. My legs are sore to start and until the blood vessels expand to get those legs oxygen, there is discomfort. And there it was today, as usual.

The complaining parts let up as I as usual didn’t pay them any attention and up the hill we started. Yesterday, even though a flat ride relative to most recent rides here. worked my legs hard. There was soreness all over my body and not just my legs. Could use a break, but not in the cards for today.

I knew from the navigation app that ten miles in the big hill climb would start and last for the next eight miles. “Anyone can do a slow uphill for eight miles” I thought to myself.

Even during that first part of the eight mile climb, the complaining started again. My legs go from a noticing which muscles make noise, typically from inside thigh muscles to quads, upper and then lower and then to hamstrings. Since this is normal I expect it and power through. Noise from muscles and denial from the brain.

Today, however, seemed different. The noise was louder and the discomfort approached the pain level. I am aware when riding, that if I push my limit too much, I can hurt myself with a pulled muscle and then be toast for bike touring. 

What is discomfort? What is pain? What is dangerous?

All of these I spent time trying to sort out. I know that the body is capable of much more than we typically go, but I also know that in the case of day by day touring, overdoing it one day has consequences for the future days. This is a marathon, not a sprint, so preservation is important. 

I don’t like it one bit when pedaling up a hill the legs just stop. No mental decision to stop to rest or push the bike uphill, just stop with no alternative decision at the ready. It kept happening today and frustrated me. “Who is in charge here?” was my constant question. 

Yes, it turned into six hours of riding with many stops and a few walks uphill. The only time that I pushed extra hard was when going up a steep section a racing biker on his carbon fiber ride passed me going up, coasted down and passed me going up again. I made sure that he wouldn’t have that opportunity again as I did manage to power up and over this hill to not be embarrassed again. My mantra was “40 and 40” meaning, 40 years older than him and carrying 40 more pounds. 

I made it into Trogir, only twenty miles or so from Split, where I would catch a bus (ferries are not running until May), to get to Dubrovnik, right hear the Montenegro border.

Forecast for huge winds and city traffic convinced me to use  the garage available and packed up the bike and Uber into Split. The fancy big car sliced right through the wind and dropped me off next to old town. In the old town, where I am staying the roads are only six feet wide, so it’s walking only. Very slowly as well, carrying my bike in a bag. 

You can see by my pictures that in the offseason one can roam the old Roman and Greek ruins alone. It seems special but even a little spooky at night in the dark passageways. Crime is very low here, but low does not mean zero, so I pay attention. 

Each of these last four cities are wholly or partially UNESCO world heritage sites and it’s easy to see why when exploring them. Founded from 400 to 600 years BCE and still standing! As I walk the streets alone at night I imagine those ancients walking the same exact streets.

The cities of Sibenik, Split and Dubrovnik all have old towns inside castle walls with very narrow streets. Several episodes of The Game of Thrones were filmed in these three castle cities. 

Also, Sibenik was the first city in the world to have electricity supplied to the whole city, devised by the most famous Croatian, Nikola Tesla, who brought hydroelectric power from a nearby river. 

I like hostels occasionally to meet other travelers from different countries. At this hostel we had a discussion about immigration at breakfast together. We were myself, almost always the only American, and an expat American now living in Montenegro, an Italian woman living presently in Turkey,and six guys from Nepal here looking for work to eventually get citizenship and bring their families who are still in Nepal here to join them.

Since the Trump administration emphasis on shipping out all illegal immigrants is in the news it was our topic of discussion. The Nepalese guys said they just want a better quality of living than they can get in Nepal and want to work hard, but cannot afford to work for the half minimum wage amount that undocumented workers typically are getting in the European Union. Minimum wage amounts are around 1400 Euros per month and the cash system pays about half that or 700 Euros for undocumented labor. For that amount they figured that after paying for lodging and food and transportation they would have zero left and what would be the point. 

They so do want to be part of a documented immigration system, but are struggling to find a way in. They did know all the rules of Croatia, France, Spain and Portugal and were weighing their options of which to try. 

They did say they would love to move to the US to try to be citizens but recognize that this was not possible now. They see that the legal immigration path of a quota of legal immigrants per country into the US via a lottery of educated or business savvy people was temporarily (?) suspended so even that option was out. Due to their lack of education, they felt they had no chance even if it still existed. 

I once again felt my privelege of having grown up in the US with all the opportunities it offered me to become financially relatively secure in retirement. That is all they wanted, was their own chance and it was a little sad hearing of their struggle. Each day in the hostel I could overhear when they video called with their families back in Nepal to report any progress that they might have made. 

The immigration issue seems to be a big factor driving politics here in the EU, just as in the US. So many new immigrants coming from Africa and the Middle East being absorbed into Europe, sometimes well absorbed and often not so much. Lots of Europeans I met feel that their countries (Germany, France, Slovenia, Italy and Croatia) can no longer afford to absorb any more or afford to support the ones they have already taken in. 

I took the bike to a shop here in Dubrovnik to prepare for the next leg of the trip into Montenegro. No more time pressure to get out in 90 days once there (only 30 miles from here) so if I find a great place I can stay for a few days. Or take rest days if needed. 

Did you hear that legs? We can take a rest day anytime if needed or wanted.

Sending love,

Charley