Long story short, the first on the list was the Orbea Rise and just amazing, a couple of days ago one appeared in the local classifieds. After some negotiation, Orbea Rise is my new favorite toy as of today. Although I thought I'd spend the first day making sure everything was bolted down and in place, I couldn't resist and took it out for a smal ride on a local trail through the woods. This forest track is completely flat, so I haven't been able to test how it performs on big climbs and downhills, but I plan to in a few days on my local trail.

First impressions are GREAT! Very manoeuvrable bike, solid frame, excellent grip and the thing that surprised me the most - I have never ridden a more comfortable bike. I can't wait to steal a few hours tomorrow and take it out on a slightly more demanding terrain.

It is the Blue Circle of Divcibare. Trail is around 26-27km with 700meters of climb. The last time I rode this trail was from the highest peak of the mountain and as I approached the start, I couldn't help but remember how difficult it was for me to climb back up those 700 meters of altitude after the downhill section.

So at the last minute I decided to continue to the foot of the trail and do the climb while rested. That way, in the end, I would only have a descent. Besides, I decided to ride the course in the opposite direction, since I still ride a hardtail bike, and descending the rock garden is no fun with it. In the end, it turned out to be a complete hit. On the uphill I rode and pushed bike a bit on some tough sections, but the downhill was a lot of fun.

See it for yourself :)

Just leave everything and
shut yourself off from everyone...

And just
Completely isolate yourself...

Yeah, me too...

Instagram reel from my recent hike Pico de Aireiro on beautiful Madeira.
Video taken by myself.
Sound from common Instagram reels background music.

As if made for the music that accompanies it:

'I am me,
Don't hold me in place
My soul the winds are blowing

I am me,
Like a restless sea
I hate ports, I hate shores'

Music and lyrics: Prani Valjak, Performing: Oliver Dragojević

However, here in Vojvodina, in the middle of the Banat, on the very edge of Deliblatska peščara, a completely different picture was tucked away. As if the sandstone itself is not unusual enough, on its edge are nested hills whose appearance is, to say the least, different. On the edge of the sandstone, modest and hidden from prying eyes, unsightly at first glance, stretch the beautiful and marvelous Zagajička hills.

It was created by the slope shaping the sand of Deliblatska peščara into huge, hundreds of meters high dunes. The same wind refined them and covered them with a thin layer of earth, on which today grows rich grass and the occasional solitary tree. The Zagajica hills are completely different from anything seen in Vojvodina. I read somewhere the expression 'green dunes of the Pannonian Sea' and it best describes the unusual appearance of these hills.

(This is only a part of my story about the Zagaica hills. I hope to publish all my writings one day. Until that day, bits and pieces will come out in various places and at different times... just to see how it sounds after a while)

Actually... testing mobile 3Speak app with this video 😃