Bulgaria route08

• Total distance: ? km
• Official Biketour Bulgarian number: 00359888159200

Coordinators are Yolanda and

Sleeping places

2 July,3 July & 4 July (Wednesday, Thursday & Friday) Sofia - 0 km

Wednesday 2 July

• Arrival day
  • If you arrive before 18:00 you can meet us at Struma 5, if afterwards go to Krichma 21
• SLEEP:
  • Krichim 21, Sofia
  • Phone Yo 00359(0)888159200, Rossy: 00359(0)898347815

Thursday 3 July

• • Timeplan/programm

15:00 - max. 18:00 start meeting about Biketour in general Address: Kirchim 21 Agenda points: basic info on Biketour & explanation of consensus decisionmaking process (Yo can tell about this); some info on bulgarian route (Bulgarian organizer..); practical needs for Biketour and info on taking care of Biketours possesions (trailers, cooking materials, basic food, twitter); decide amount and way of paying participant fee and other administration issues; info on the action on the 4th and planning together how biketour can participate. 19:00 Diner at Vegetarian restaurant Dream House Address: Alabin street, floor 1 (sidestreet of Vitosha street near the court building: Vitosha street is main shopping street in Sofia. Alabin street is the street where mc Donalds is. Restaurant is on same side of the street on first floor - look up to see the orange and green sign "Dream House!") , I think prices for food&drinks will be around 10/12 Leva (5/6 euro) per person...depends on what you choose.. We reservated for 15 people now, please tell YO if you want to join (so I can call if group gets bigger!) Yolanda: 00359-(0)888159200 (also if you can not find the place!) (i also invited some ex participants who live in Bulgaria to join us!)

• SLEEP:
  • Krichim 21, Sofia
  • Phone Yo 00359(0)888159200, Rossy: 00359(0)898347815

Friday 4 July

1. • Action day in Sofia to promote alternative energy sources. Before 17:00 preparation in and around Krichim 21
     • Action - demonstration of alternative energy models, cycling parade, open information centre with Sofia NGOs - NDK (National Palace of Culture)

Meeting and prepairing at the spot on 17:00 start action day: 18:00 After the action bikes and luggage will be brought to Rossy's villa on Vitosha mountain. Participants can take buses. Organizers will direct you to the location.

• SLEEP:
  • Villa Vitosha mountain
  • Phone Yo 00359(0)888159200, Rossy: 00359(0)898347815

5 July (Saturday) Samokov 46,3 km

• ROUTE: Bistritsa (7 km) - Jeleznitsa (12 km) - Kovachevtsi - Samokov 46,3 km.
  • Cycle: We meet at 10:00 at Vitosha mountain villa and leave at 11:00.
    • If you arrive on the 5th after 10:00 we are not able to direct you to the start location of Biketour. Better is to find your way (with public transport) to Samokov, where we will sleep this night (see: HOW TO GET THERE)
• SLEEP: camp at Samokov
  • HOW TO GET THERE:
    • Here directions from Sofia to Samokov by public transport: Public transport reaches to Simeonovo afterward you need to cycle..

option 1: get tram 9 from rail way station Sofia (be ware there are different stops at the station: go through the tunnel and on end of the tunnel to the right. Tram direction "Hladilnika (ХЛАДИЛНИКА)" . Get off at the last bus stop and move to the bus stop for bus number 89 (going to simeonovo). It is the final stop! Then you ask for Bistritza. Follow directions FROM SIMONOVO bellow

Option 2: Get tram 9 at Sofia rail way station (be ware there are different stops at the station: go through the tunnel and on end of the tunnel to the right. Tram direction "Hladilnika (ХЛАДИЛНИКА). Along the way the tram passes an underground tunnel (near NDK tram stop) Once you get out of the tunnel get off go left through the underpass. You will reach bus stop of bus nr 94. Get on this bus and get on the second stop (this is the "seminariata": priest school). Get here on bus 67 to Simeonovo get off at last stop. ask for Bistritza. Follow directions FROM SIMEONOVO below

• • • • FROM SIMEONOVO climb Bistritza and Zheleznitza. The climbing is long but after it there is only downhill ride towards Belchin Bania. From there take left to Reliovo to Samokov. There are then 5 km to the crosspoint to Beli Iskar. Entering Samokov take the road to Malioviza and Beli Iskar. There are 6 km to the camp place before the crosspoint to Beli Iskar. You can visit Shishmanovo Kale /a roman fortress/ near the road between Samokov and camp place.

6 July (Sunday) Velingrad 64,5 km

• ROUTE: Samokov - Velingrad

1. Samokov - climbing to Borovets and downhill ride to Kostenets - Belovo - Sepremvri (by train to Velingrad) 64,5 km
2. Cycle & train: we will cycle to Sepremvri and take a train from there to Velingrad. Trains allow bikes and go at 09:00 (arrival 10.45), 13:05 (arrival 14:45), 17:25 (arrival 19:10) or 02:45 (arrival 04:13). It’s wise to get up early to at least catch the last train….

• SLEEP: ?
• General Bulgarian info nr.: 00359(0)988248433 Yo 00359(0)888159200

7 July (Monday) Benglika 44,2 km

• ROUTE: Steep climbing - Velingrad (980 m), Beglika (1500 m) 44,2
  • Cycle and Action - Help local environmental group lodge a complaint in the municipality agains illegal substitution of forests into ski resorts.
• SLEEP: Beglika camp
• General Bulgarian info nr.: 00359(0)988248433 Yo 00359(0)888159200

8 July (Tuesday) Shiroka lyka  

• ROUTE: Beglika - Dospat - Borino - Shiroka lyka 80 km
• SLEEP: Shiroka lyka family hotel/camp
• General Bulgarian info nr.: 00359(0)988248433 Yo 00359(0)888159200

9 July & 10 July (Wednesday & Thursday) Gudevica

• ROUTE: Shiroka lyka - climbing & downhill (very steep 30 km) Smoljan - down hill to Gudevitsa 50 km
  • Rest/action day on 10 July - lodging a complaint for broadening the NATURA 2000 range in the Smolyan region according to the EU Birds Directive
• SLEEP: Future Now Building /Camp - we stay here 2 nights
• General Bulgarian info nr.: 00359(0)988248433 Yo 00359(0)888159200

11 July (Friday) Ardino 

• ROUTE: Gudevitsa - Smilian - Rudozem- Ardino 53,2 km
• SLEEP: Ardino family house/camp

12 July (Saturday) Krumovgrad 72,7km

• ROUTE: Ardino -Boino- Kyrdjali - Momchilgrad - (downhill ride) Krumovgrad 72,7
• SLEEP: Krumovgrad camp

13 July & 14 July (Sunday & Monday) Madjarovo 60,7km

• ROUTE: Krumovgrad - Padalo - Kotlari - Madjarovo Vulture conservation centre /camp 60,7
  • 13th July - Cycle / Action - information day on the threats of cyanide mining technology intended for implementation in golden mines. We will meet the mayor of Krumovgrad and go together with her to the mining area.
  • Rest day on 14 July - There is a biodiversity centre here for vultures
• SLEEP: 2 nights at Madjarovo Vulture conservation centre
• General Bulgarian info nr.: 00359(0)988248433 Yo 00359(0)888159200

15 July & 16 July (Tuesday & Wednesday) Svilengrad 49.8km 

• ROUTE: Madjarovo - Borislavtsi - Malki voden - Malko gradishte - Siva reka - Svilengrad hotel 49.8
  • Rest day/Action on 16 July: Information day on the risks of the petrol pipeline Bourgas - Alexandrupolis passing through the region
• SLEEP: Svilengrad hotel