I have already done Sljeme and Ivanšcica in a day, but this time I wanted to add another Sljeme on the return, to increase the elevation gain (since climbing is the thing I love the most).
The day started kind of slow (I didnt feel like pushing), but I was feeling well. So I just used the cruising speed. If I comes to me I will push, otherwise I just take it easy.
I havent been on the Kustošijanski makadam in a while. This is a gravel road that climbs on Sljeme from the west side. I am not the most entertained by gravel, however since this road starts close to me, this is supposed to be the fastest way to climb on Sljeme from the west. I say supposed because its still a gravel so it takes more energy that paved roads.
The road is mostly in good shape, without too much loose rock along the way.
After climbing and descending Sljeme I still didnt feel in the race mode, however I decided to continue. There was some headwind from descending Sljeme all the way to Podrute, across the hill to Bela near Novi Marof and even going towards Prigorec (below Ivanšcica). Again I dont remember seeing this on the forecast :)
But the biggest problem was the heat in the middle of the say (it was around 22°C I think but like always exercising under the middle day sun never feels pleasant). This was the part of the day I felt the most tired or just felt out of place.
Water source after passing Podrute and Pokojec on the descend to Bela.
Dvorac Bela
One of those weird named places (in Croatian this means panties :)
Luckily, once I started ascending Ivanšcica (on the gravel road which leads through the forest) I felt better, started having more energy and actually felt more rested (then a few hours before) once I got on the top of Ivanšcica.
I was on the top around 16 o'clock. There were some guys preparing the jump with paragliders, but apparently the wind had almost died down at that point, so I left before and didnt know if they actually made a jump in the end.
The top was pieceful and quiet (just what I need on the week day), I have only seen a few cars going up, and that a good thing because the gravel road leading to Ivanšcica has a lot of loose rock, and dust and you dont want to go up there with a bicycle when the cars are driving next to you.
I havent pedaled the whole way up (just like the last time I went up with a bicycle) because the road is very steep at places and because of lot of loose rock and dust, it would be very hard to pedal all of this (escpecially with 28mm road tires I had). But if you have gravel tires and you want to destroy your knees (which I dont), its definitely duable.
On the top of Ivanščica
View from the top towards Sljeme
View towards north / west (towards Slovenia). In clear skies you can see Slowenien alps from here, but not today.
View towards Varaždin
Piramid on the top of Ivanščica, a nice place to hang out
Descend down into the Lobor over Oštrcgrad way (which revealed some new gravel roads destroyed by excavator machines) it makes me fucking puke, like there is no enough of these gravel roads already.
Forest of Ivanščica
Last part of the day with a second climb over Sljeme went pretty well, it was the end of the day with sun going down into the night and the temperatures were just right for the final push.
So end of the day was actually very pleasant, despite the fact I still experienced tiredness, although not nearwhere how I was expecting. The temperature was just right, after after the sun started setting, and I could push my body further.
One day I may do Sveta Gera, Ivanšcica and Sljeme all together in a day which would be the biggest ride yet for me. Currently I am a little bit tired (bored) from riding these roads all over again..
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