Please watch the Relive video here, it is somewhat accurate! https://www.relive.cc/view/vevYJBBxdJO
We rode 58 miles(88km), 5,200 ft elevation
Early breakfast but opulent! Wonderful Greek honey, nuts, fruits, olives and hot dishes
On our bikes at 7:50am and the whole group rode together the 1st 10km from the D Resort Hotel to the ferry dock at the ancient port of Mytilene, for a 9am departure, destination the island of Lesbos, a 1 1/2 hr cruise.
Mytilene has been occupied since the 10th century BC.
This was our first taste of Greece and it is one of its most authentic islands. Lesbos is idyllic, retaining that classic laid back Greek lifestyle. Also known as ‘Emerald Island’ for its nature and forests of Mediterranean pines, chestnut trees and oaks, it is also a great place to ride a bike! Our route took us inland climbing through beautiful forests up to the mountain village of Agiasos.
Lesbos is a Greek island, therefore we needed to show passports. What was a little different was we had to show our passports and Turkish visa at the dock in Ayvalik to be able to leave Turkey. Then we had to show our passports when we landed to get onto the Greek island ( similar odd way of doing things on the return trip). And on the Greek side, the Customs guy examined every page and stamp on my passport, and commented, “You go a lot of place!”
Not a really big ride today in distance although we had good elevation, but it was exceptional with scenery and rolling smooth roads!
From here we are on the highest road in Lesbos and the views are worth it! We will also have earned our Ouzo at 853m before a 15km descent down to Plomari, where the famous aniseed drink was first created.
Then on we ride… hitting the Aegean Sea before we turned east, back towards Mytilene for our ferry back to our Turkish abode.
We rode to the highest point on Lesbos, at 2,600 ft (853m), then we enjoyed a fast 15km descent
On a fairly steep descent about 42 km in, I missed a sharp left hand switch back and continued straight down a different road. My Hammerhead immediately told me I was going the wrong way(think John Candy in Planes Trains) and so because of my speed and the grade it took a bit to stop!…I had to struggle to get back to the turn to continue on route.
Lunch was at km 50, and what a setting and beautiful Greek meal!…Dolomites, greek salad, roasted cheese balls, fried cheese, taziki, garlic bread…on the beach at a secluded cove.
A 20 km 6% ascent and 10km flat run got us back to the port of Mytyline
A glass or 2 of a nice rose and cold draft Heineken, then back to the ferry, and repeat of the Customs procedure.
At 7:35pm the ferry arrived back at Ayavilik and a few of us retraced our ride back to the hotel.
The first island ride of he trip, the 1st of five? I don’t think Odysseus had it quite like this when he came through Ayavilik or the Emerald Island! .
Life is good in Lesbos