Thessaloniki > other side of a hill > Thessaloniki 20km by bike and back 20km by hitchhiking

October 04, 2014

Thessaloniki > other side of a hill > Thessaloniki 20km by bike and back 20km by hitchhiking

[Originally posted Oct 4, 2014]

Katy here. Here we are: another night in Thessaloniki. Today did not turn out quite as expected (much worse actually). First to set the stage, about a week ago heading into Elbasan, Albania our rear wheel started acting up. We were just starting the long coast down into town when we heard a horrible clunking sound with each wheel rotation. We thought for sure this sound meant the end of biking, at least until we got to a major city to get bike parts. However, we were able to figure out that if we didn't coast, no clunking, so we made it to Elbasan just awkwardly pedaling down a mountain. The next day to Ohrid, we thought we might have troubles again but nope. Our bike--rather fickle--did fine. We have noticed our bike is often just fine when we start out a ride but then deteriorates by the end of the day, like a napless toddler. As the days progressed the bike got worse, to the point where we could not coast at all and to slow down we had to continue pedaling while braking which is a very strange feeling.

This was us, limping into Thessaloniki, non-coasting, and unable to stand up to move our semi-numb fannies around. We were in need of a bike shop in a bad way. The ride into Thessaloniki didn't help the tension. Insane 5pm traffic, people everywhere, and lots of noise to accompany Greece's second largest city. We made it to our Airbnb host. It did take quite the finessing to get our tandem up to the third floor--four flights since crazy Europeans count the bottom floor as 0 or 1/2. Then we set off on foot in search of a bike shop and dinner.

As fate would have it, we found a bike shop right around the corner and still open at 8pm. We quickly looked around to determine if this was our kind of bike shop. Typical items to indicate what type of a bike shop it is: high-end bicycles, quantity of bicycles, wall of legitimate parts and spares, an attached service shop, and an English speaking mechanic. Bingo. We quickly made friends with Angelos and told him our story. He said he could definitely look at our bicycle and he would even see it that night. Bingo again.

We got the bike diagnosed and were told to return at 11am the next morning and everything would be good to go. Turns out we had a hub that had gotten loose on the insanely bumpy road into Tirana, Albania (the day before the problems heading into Elbasan). It got tightened up. Then we had a few other things worked on: new chain after 5500km, new cassette from normal wear and tear, front derailleur adjustment, slight truing of our tire from our pothole mishap in Belgrade. We showed up the next morning and things seemed all picture perfect and ready to go. We brought all our stuff to the bike shop and set off.

Angelos and Clayton

Thessaloniki is set right on the ocean and we had a climb to get out of the city. Climbing 20km through traffic was not the ideal way for our day on the bike to start. Things were going along great. Our new cassette with a slightly higher gear ratio to make climbing easier, was doing just that--making climbing easier. After forty minutes or so, I heard a faint clank. Noises are common on bicycle but nosies bring a bit of anxiety because I am not a bike mechanic and mechanical issues bring out the worst in Clayton. Don't get me wrong, he has been great on so many levels of the trip but bike repair is not his forte--cursing loudly when an issue occurs or is not easily fixed would be his forte :) Regardless, I hoped the clank would go away. It did for a while but when we stopped twenty minutes later, it was back with a vengeance. Curse word. Curse word. Gloves thrown on the ground. I do not fault Clayton, I was feeling the same way and we had just spent €155 thinking we had fixed the problem not to mention we were heading out to bike at least 6 days through the potentially bikeshop-less countryside before reaching Istanbul. Clayton rode around awhile to see if he could reproduce the issue and the fickle bike began cooperating and no clanking so we pressed on. Up the rest of the mountains and down the 14% descent on the other side. Half way down... Clunkity-clunkity-clunkity-clunk-clunk-clunk-fuck (some of these sounds came from the bike, others from . . well, I bet you can guess). Just like that we were out of luck. We turned the bike around and set out to climb back up the mountain we just came down back to Thessaloniki. Ugh. We have done this a few times lately. Go down really steep hills only to climb back up them 15 minutes later. I was feeling rather dejected. Clayton lightened the mood as we started back up the hill, "At least we will have earned baclava and donuts tonights." The Greeks or at least Thessalonikians really like donuts.

The bike would not have it; our derauieller started giving us issues too and we weren't going to make it up that hill. Curse word. Curse word. We get off the bike and start pushing it up the hill. Clayton turns to me and says he will push, and that I should get us a ride. 2 1/2 minutes later...BINGO. My work is done. Red truck found. (A shout out to Charlotte, Clayton's mom. She taught me the best way to hitchhike - one of many other great things she has taught me. It should always be the girl with the thumb out. After catching the driver's attention with your thumb, quickly put your hands in the prayer position, squat a little, and grimace/smile--basically saying to the driver we aren't scary and we really need a ride. Please take pity on us.) It has worked a few times on this trip so again, thank you Charlotte!

Our ride back to Thessaloniki. Grimace not a smile.

Angelos, the bike mechanic, was rather shocked to see us again. Clayton and him worked on the rear hub for a bit. Cleaned it, lubed it. We think the issue might be the free hub, the mechanism that lets the wheel spin while the cassette stays in place. We got it working and Clayton took the bike out for a spin and things seem good. Cross our fingers. It was around 7pm, so too late to start out again so we will try tomorrow. Today goes down as our most expensive and less productive day. Bad combo. But the eating was excellent. It's always excellent.

Now the only issue...finding somewhere to sleep: to wild camp or not wild camp. We all know who likes what in this relationship. Greece is so expensive and all the hostels are booked. After wandering around testing out wild camping areas: too noisy, too bright, too many mosquitos, too many people, too many police, and a locked LDS church building. Cities are not ideal places to wild camp. Not to mention we are bad at this wild camping thing. We ended up paying wayyyyy too much at a hotel, but the clean sheets and hot shower (I actually took a nice bath, trying to soak up every last € that I spent on this place) are worth it. I am sure we will try wild camping again soon while in this expensive country so for now I am enjoying the cleanliness and wifi wondering how round two of climbing out of Thessaloniki is going to turn out. I am sure we will make it one way or another. Another being: waiting for a free hub to be shipped from Ann Arbor while we hop around some Greek islands by ferry. So really there are no bad options here :)