Day 21: Stogovci to Maribor

June 24, 2026

Day 21: Stogovci to Maribor

This morning, I woke up at 4:45 so I can get on the road by 5:15. I didn’t eat anything and I wasn’t hungry. I just wanted to get to Maribor at 8 AM.

I encountered two major hills. The first one was just a couple of miles from the start. The sign indicated a 20% grade so naturally I got off my bike and pushed.

I wondered if I ever bicycle in Central and South Americas how many more steep hills will I encounter. Even though my bike’s Shimano Alfine 11 gear box only has a range of 409%, compared to a Pinion gear box that has a 600% gear range, I would still be pushing my bike because I’m not physically fit to ride up the steep hills. I might not bike tour in Latin America after all if I don’t like doing hills.

The second big hill wasn’t as steep, but it had a similar elevation. I was able to ride up the entire hill, which surprised myself.

The scariest part about a hill is actually going down. I’m glad my bike has disc brakes and they provided more stopping power than caliper rim brakes. Still, I had to be extra careful not to slide or crash, especially when turning.

I reached my host Tatjana’s place at 8 AM. After storing my bike in a small room and my panniers in the basement, I took a shower then did laundry.

Over breakfast, Tatjana and I chatted a lot about her life, the Lent Festival that’s coming up this weekend, and some of the guests that she hosted over the years.

Tatjana also recommended me to buy the Izletka train pass so that I can use it on public holidays and the weekend. Since tomorrow is Slovenia’s Statehood Day, I can use the pass to get to Ljubljana, which is Slovenia’s capital, then I can stay there for two nights to explore the city. Then on Saturday, I can take the train again to Koper, that’ll bring me to the border with Croatia.

I thought about that idea and it made sense because I can save some time in the Schengen Area so I can leave Europe via Athens with enough time. I also decided to buy my flight ticket from Athens to Philadelphia on August 26 at 1 PM for $414.31, the cheapest ticket I could find. Since I plan to go through non-Schengen countries, such as Montenegro and Albania, I will stay in these countries longer until it’s time to go to Greece. I figured that if I’m still crunched on time then I’ll take a train to Athens. So the plan is set. I will not be cycling to Beijing, China, after all. Athens will be my final destination on this bike tour.

In the afternoon, Tatjana and I walked to the main areas in Maribor. We saw the world’s oldest grapevine in the area of Lent. It has survived for over 400 years and still produces grapes! Then we walked to the main square and went into the town’s cathedral before having some gelato by the Maribor Castle. From there, I walked to the train station and bought the Izletka pass for €15, along with a day pass for my bicycle for €1.50. After stopping by the SPAR supermarket to get a couple of things, I came back to Tatjana’s condo.

Not sure what I’ll do for the rest of the day. Tomorrow, I’ll take the 11:35 AM train to Ljubljana and stay for two nights to explore the city. I’ll take another train to Koper on Saturday before resuming my bicycle tour.