Our last biking day has arrived! Today we set sail at 7am for the Island of Solta. We were supposed to harbour in Stomorska but there were too many boats coming in and we would have had to wait too long to dock, so Captain Anton steered us to Necujam and we cycled out to Maslinica where the boat was waiting for us. The ride today was about 20km but there was a 250m gain with an 8% grade over 3km. The rest of the ride was undulating hills (as the guides loved to say, "sometimes up, sometimes down"). At the peak we stopped in the small village of Grohote to visit a bee farm and had a very informative presentation by the beekeeper. He is a third generation beekeeper in his family and the only professional beekeeper on the Island of Solta. The island honey is famous for its rosemary which grows in abundance on the island. We were given a tasting of his rosemary and sage honeys as well as his bee pollen. We were also treated to fresh figs from his trees! Yummmmm. And of course we were free to purchase any of his products. The ride down from Grohote was a fabulous run of ups and downs through quaint villages with piled stone walls, fig, olive and pomegranate trees, and amazing bursts of fuschia bougainvillea growing along the walls. When we reached Maslinica we sailed out to a quiet cove and Captain stopped for those who wished to take a last dip in the Adriatic. The water temperature was quite cool but Ricardo took the "plunge" along with quite a few others. We then sailed to Trogir harbour to dock in for the night. The fun evening of the Captain's Dinner began at 8pm with a feast of typical Croatian cuisine including their version of moussaka, salads with feta and olives, lamb kabobs, and two types of Croatian sausage. We also had a Croatian torte for dessert. Captain toasted us with champagne and our waiter, Romeo, danced for us. The cyclists then as a group presented a few hilarious songs about the week and the crew/guides. Two were in German and the other was sung as a "bluesy" number by our Aussie friend, Paul. Good laughs and great camaraderie at the end of a stellar week. What a great trip and experience this has been!! The Dalmatian coast is absolutely stunning, the islands are magical, the crystal clear blue water is hypnotizing. This is a time we will not soon forget. Early call for breakfast Saturday at 7:30 as they need to start clearing the boat, so it's off to bed about 10:30. Tomorrow we are on to new adventures in Dubrovnik!
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