CYCLING ACROSS EUROPE – EPISODE 2: GREECE (Patras to Astakos) – BICYCLE TOURING

In our second episode in Greece we head over the famed Rio-Antirrio bridge and continue our cycle around the gulf of Patras. We have one of the best days on the bike to date with perfect weather and stunning coastline views for the whole day. We ride over 100km for the first time and find an amazing wild camp spot.

Stay tuned for our upcoming episodes as we make our way towards the west coast of Ireland.

Total distance cycled so far: 333km
Countries visited: 1
——————————————————————————————————————————————————————

FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM: @laurenandscott_
https://www.instagram.com/laurenandscott_

Enjoy this video? https://buymeacoffee.com/laurenandscott

*Licensed by http://www.epidemicsound.com –
Join here: https://www.epidemicsound.com/referral/yivkev/

we’re Lauren and Scott and we are cycling 10,000 km across Europe starting in Greece the plan is to cycle to the West Coast of Ireland passing through 15 countries we cycle through some of the most magical Landscapes Europe has to offer so join us on our first ever Bike Tour as we learn to navigate the European cycling networks encounter all weather conditions and overindulge in our favorite baked goods mine’s so crunchy in this episode we ride up and over the r Bridge the world’s longest fully suspended Bridge absolutely we come across a fellow cycle toura as well as our favorite town so far what an awesome town this is we experience not just the Greek Countryside that looks like a pool I might uh head back the other way but also the stunning Coastline winning off the go we’re heading over the bridge this morning we’re leaving just outside Patra it says that it’s going to rain um but it also looks a bit Sunny I’m sure the forecast has been very unreliable over the last few days so let’s just go find out we are leaving Patrick after having our first rest day we were very happy to have this as our bodies are still adapting to being on the bikes Lauren’s hands are still quite sore and numb so we’ve adjusted her hand bars a little let’s see how this goes we’re heading up to the radio bridge now we don’t know what it’s like for bik even if I’m meant allowed to be on here I read that you are you are allowed but uh there’s some contradicting points made so let’s just hope there’s a shoulder for us because H it doesn’t look too good but no cars yet it’s kind of nerve-wracking all right let’s join up now it doesn’t seem to be a lot of traffic on it because the toll is $20 per vehicle to go over it I think a lot of people avoid it but to get to the other side you have to go over it or you can go on a car below which is apparently more Scenic and um cheaper all in all this isn’t too bad at the moment TRS hopefully the shoulders is pretty [Music] good looking on right at the moment pretty impressive Bridge all right we’re just about to start our descent down the Rio Bridge was pretty stressful but the shoulder here is quite large as you can see but the speed is about 80 so in Greek terms that speed is actually 130 so these trucks have made out so it’s mpect some wom going the other way which is really [Music] nice where you going oh I don’t know I got to double check Mar go like underneath and around to that side staircase yeah let’s do that so we decided to take our panas off separately so we get through this steep staircase to get down to back to our route we were unsure if we could go on that toll road and this is taking us to the same spot we just had to get down here bit of a hard effort going down why is taking the pan off why is taking the pan off yeah tell what it’s warmed up considerably successful quick toilet bake and we’ll be on our [Music] way look how gorgeous this is Patra oh my Lord look at those mountains absolutely phenomenal there’s the bridge we just went over right over that that’s a awesome isn’t it yeah good so pretty those mountains are fantastic we stayed over there last night Patra is further to the right pretty well spread out but very pretty impressive bit of architecture all right let’s do it gu just holstering up bits of steel or wood no [Music] barely run over at the highway the side road we at the side Ro to [Music] crack back to the highway yeah pretty [Music] sure [Music] just made it to the top of the hill just come up from there that road over there all the way out this hill and there’s the r bridge that we cross earlier this morning and there’s Patra overlooking few cruise ships there still up this big climb to go up here just pulled over on the little side side lane how are you feeling 10 out of 10 it’s actually a good climb it’s like not too steep yeah hasn’t been that busy on our side which is good because the shoulder’s quite narrow and steep on one side stairs you now down yeah got to concentrate a lot don’t you yeah we’re almost at top though all right keep on keep it on all right and we’re off you can see how small the shoulder is here and the big drop off on our right hand side so we’re going to concentrate on where we’re riding banging into the ditch it’s down this big white line and we should be all right fence there yeah up the rocks oh yeah she’s going to be a staky Danel so at the top oh we’ve got a bit more to go is that look descent out there oh this is good fun like who doesn’t love climbing mountains with like 35 kilos on the back only pretty much you got to love it the exercise beautiful mountain here with some clouds dropped over look at the view out there let’s see if I can get it beautiful look at those mou you can see a little Seaside town there oh glorious I think we’re starting our descent now uh so better concentrate oh roads a bit Rocky here better to catch out the Le fresh Breeze too oh yeah yeah she’s good off [Music] [Music] weather [Music] too heavy on the brakes oh but I I know bit Rocky slide on the ground yeah so what options do we have here left well me the look like it goes straight yeah it’s 4:00 we are on the side of the road somewhere um near lini which was where we were headed for today um we think we’ve R about 74 km it’s been all on quite a busy road um with not a very wide shoulder the Greek drivers are very friendly and they’ve been giving us a lot of room but it just takes a lot of concentration I suppose um this morning we went up that beautiful mountain and it was raining on the top and it was freezing and then we came down back onto the coast and it was sunny and warm um so our rain jackets gone on five times today or six times we keep taking it off putting it back on taking it off put it on then we went through some really odd towns like really strange um the first one was really cool there was a lot like good vibe Lots going on there’s people everywhere I don’t know if it’s like a Greek holiday maybe I don’t know whatever know whatever I’m was doing um but then the second one we went to it was like an Island City so you had to ride on a bridge and off on a bridge and it was fully dead there was no nothing open it’s this little supermarket and just some odd characters around very weird um also got attacked by a dog scary that was in met lingy just before lunch I think I was a bit hungry too and so was the dog he wanted a little bit of my leg we are very close to Camp even though it’s quite early um our hands are a little bit sore and our necks are still pretty sore I think we’re getting used to riding this distances on these crazy very Rocky po holy roads so give you an update when we make it to [Music] gy [Music] got a bit of a traffic jam here with all the goats on the road some guy trying to direct it from his scooter they’re going absolutely everywhere oh where are you from Australia did respond to that one man inter dirting at the locals I think we’re going at about 3 to 5 km to go today there about we’re done about 75 I start looking for a campsite go from there she’s blowing oh we knock me off you Bo Here We Go Again shape shape and shape more shape yeah we’re [Music] going even if we just have a [Music] rest H are should have a music bar I don’t want I’ll get him you sit down yep so we failed at that camp spot before a guy end up com com into the padic and H and he sh to another padic but there was no nowhere for us to go anyway it was two to dce so now we’re back on the road again 20 5 um here’s an unfortunate dead puppy on the road which is the second one we seeing today which is really sad update now 6:00 thought we just found a spot but uh it was too step to get the boik down there so we decided against it and now we got a climb and lots of squiggly turns into asticus I believe so we’re hoping there’s a peel off Spot somewhere and we can just pop into the bushes because there’s no farmhouses up here um even though there is railing sheep in some areas but it looks to me so far that there is fences everywhere still just going to cross over here Al think you found a spotting in those bees checking out you reckon even up there seems okay there’s a bit of walkway up there have a look [Music] at good this is going to happen too isn’t it just ticked out about 100 km for the day to close too yeah that looks like a pool I might uh head back the other way cows bull whatever that’ll do me I say continue on heading down the mountain just H finally 6:30 after we did like an hour and a half an hour climbing probably look at that that’s gorgeous how pretty is that that is unbelievable that’s probably the best in town we’ve seen so far whilst up on the top of the pass searching for a flattish spot to camp for the night we met a lovely English lady named Joe she told us of a campsite she was aiming for at the bottom of the mountain outside of the next town she’d found this on I Overlander app so we thought it was a good time to share the other apps we normally have a geese at when looking for a spot these include park for night good old Google Maps and from now on I have leer now let’s get to Camp I tell you what B on top of him m is probably the scariest but most exhilarating feeling you can possibly get through ultralight hiking we experience a few uh hum that make you feel alive and on a bike it’s pretty much the same it cloudy and it look like it’s going to rain freezing up there now it’s not too bad sun’s out still break into Corners under around corners the brain’s going down little bit of drizzle F Tom uh we found the canc on qu to 7 just got into a stock this awesome descent and M got [Music] across ni everybody all Sav me did you want to get a GEOS or something or do you think we were just strugging Tom too much I just really [Music] okay what an awesome town this is far the best town we been to so far glorious may have found a spot how what’s the lock down there is it yeah what over there nothing platform what right there you could if you wanted but there’s no road that goes to it right no there’s a staircase that goes down there down there might be right’s go look at that dirt road see if there’s anything down there doesn’t look promising but up there looks pretty flat come on here us a good spot we got 7:00 doesn’t look good want filming still yeah oh brilant that was a great spot that was a really good spot bump your roide to get here no local coming down here the only people coming down here busy enough in their vehicle 4×4 I think we got something really yeah you know yeah it’s okay thr bumpy ride to get there so I can’t see any cars going there so the only other option I think is there around the corner yeah we can’t and I don’t think the beach is wide enough no there’s two people down yeah there’s nothing and and there’s people that’s it there so it goes all the way and then there’s this big spot of green oh perfect right at the end and you can’t go any further yeah that looks great wind is it flat as flat as anything that looks great it does look good I think yeah I think the other option is around there yeah that’s better that looks better cuz you never know it doesn’t seem like the sort of place but sometimes if you’re out on like a Friday or Saturday night people just come with their cars and drink and yeah in random spots yeah she’s a winner we’re going here oh this is absolute Paradise isn’t it final Camp spot finally 705 and we get this to our sales we’re just up there on the hill we’ve met a girl named Joe and she’s really nice so she’s camping with us tonight thank God we found this spot winning [Music] [Applause] [Music] oh