Route 2009

DRAFT ROUTE PROPOSAL! dates, places and activities can still change a bit. Big cities are easiest to start joining biketour: Belgrade, Skopje, Ohrid (Struga), Durres (as we are there a few days and only one afternoon in Tirana), Podgorica, Sarajevo, Banja Luka, Zagreb. Of course you can be adventurous and join us from other places - but please let us know in advance.

Serbia

• 5 July Belgrade

Map to "Gavez" restaurant/cafe at Ada Ciganlija (Belgrade) where Biketour 2001 and 2005 already has been)

BT Welcome meeting Be aware: we stay in a place which charges € 5 per night, excluding food etc. Belgrade is expensive.

preparation of event of next day

• 6 July Belgrade

Critical Mass through Belgrade center

take a train to Skopje [1]

Start at 10:00 PM from Belgrade train station on 6.07.09. and arrive on 07.07.09. at Skopje around 6:50 AM. This is a direct train with 2nd class only seated accommodation, Sleeping-car and Couchettes. Price per person approx € 20,- (not yet clear about bikes)

Nb. we initially planned to start BT in Skopje. But as we thought that many participants will come over Belgrade, we planned to facilitate the transport BG-Skopje, by trying to get a train together. This we then also can present as campaign to promote bike transport per train. After that (...) we also thought to add an action in Belgrade on the lack of integrated transport policy. However, our initial plan was just to facilitate the transport to Skopje.

Conclusion: we don't have money for this train trip. If you are coming from the south of Serbia, maybe its smarter to head/stay in Skopje and join the biketour there, instead of going to Belgrade, and immediately take the train back to Skopje. But of course you are welcome in Belgrade, we love to have you, just then be ready for some expenses for yourself.

Macedonia

Download the route description here and see the BT site for a rough google-map.

• 7 July Skopje

  BT participants arrive by train.

  Event on new rent-a-bike system in Skopje

  Ride to sleeping place near Katlanovo, in tents or perhaps in school building in Skopje.

• 8 July Veles

  Ride to Veles.

  Event on the smelter [2]

  Sleep over near Veles (Mlados Lake?).

• 9 July Smokvica – t.b.c.

  Take a train/bus to Smokvica.

  Event on the building of the highway and the destruction of the IBA.

  Return with a train/bus to Veles.

• 10 July

Ride to Teovo (only 35km)

Ride to sleeping place in Teovo (either in Monastery, Scout camp or unused school)

• 11 July

Ride to Debreste (only 35km)

Visit of the conservation project of water buffaloes (http://www.biosfera.org.mk/)

Sleeping place t.b.d.

• 12 July

Ride to Bitola

Sleeping place t.b.d.

• 13 July Bitola

Bike parade in Bitola center towards the new Info and Educations Centre on sustainability "Volvox" which offers projects on renewable energies (http://www.biosfera.org.mk/)

Sleeping place t.b.d.

• 14 July

Ride to & swim in Prespa Lake (Oteševo or further)

Sleeping place t.b.d.

• 15 July Struga (Vevcani)

  Ride to Struga.

  sleep over at Krste Jon scouts in Struga or etno village Vevcani

Albania [3]

Route suggestion: Via Ignatia, [4], [5], hint from SNV Balkans in Tirana.

• 16 July

Ride to around Librazhd

Sleeping place t.b.d.

• 17 July

Ride to Elbasani (less then 25km from Librazhd)

action on chrome and iron smelter (t.b.c.) together with local groups

• 18 JulyPrëze

Ride to Rrogozhinë

• 19 July

Ride to Dürres (See p. 61 with travel tip with bike to Dürres by a :) boat and :( plane)

film screening about Vlora Industrial & Energy park in city centre (inviting people to join action next day)

• 20 July

public awareness activity on Energy Park plans at Porto Romano harbour of Dürres (info:http://seedw.org)

if possible: film screening at the touristic beach

• 21 July

Resting day at Dürres

• 22 July

Ride to Prëze (35 km)

activity with communities with whom the Permaculture Ass. of Prëze works with within the Green Agenda project (http://www.greenagenda.net/albania/)

• 23 July

visit to Tirana (by bus back&forth from Prëze??)

event in Tirana: film screening?, public action on transport & bike use together with local groups? tbc

sleeping at Prëze

• 24 July

Ride to Kuje (only 12 km)

Action on the Fushë cement factory (4 years in operatin) and the Antea cement factory (planned for 2010) i.a.w. Eden (http://eden-alb.org/)

Sleeping place t.b.d.

• 25 July

Ride to Lezhe

Sleeping place t.b.d.

• 26 July

Ride to Shkodër

• 27 July

Action (on NPP plans) or activity (on sustainable energies) in Shkoder together with local groups

Montenegro

• 28th of July

cycle 23 km Shkoder- Vladimir + 19km Vladimir-Ostros (difficult climb, possible? to be confirmed)

camp there

• 29th of July

cycle 42 km Ostros - Rijeka Crnojevica

camp with FORUM-MNE int. camp/volunteers (to be confirmed)

• 30th of July

action in morning? (to be confirmed)

cycle in afternoon 30 km to Podgorica

introduction of country/events/bike action next day

cycle to camp place, 5 km above city

• 31st of July

joined action in Podgorica with Green Home on airquality and transport in the city

(we can help prepare in morning)

camp 5 km above city

• 01st of August

cycle to Nikšič (& put tents 5 km above city)

• 02nd of August

activity in Nikšič? (to be confirmed)

• 03rd-4th of August

cycle by passing Žabljak and Pluzine (details to be confirmed)

• 05th of August

cycle to border (details to be confirmed)

BiH

• Ščepan Polje
• Foča/Srbnije
• Trnovo
• Sarajevo -- 09/08/09
• Visoko
• Kiseljak
• Zenica
• Travnik
• Skender Vakuf
• Banja Luka -- 16/08/09
• Omarska
• Prijedor

Croatia

• Hrvatska Dubica
• Sisak
• Zagreb -- 25/08/09
• Jagnjedovec -- 28/08/09 - arrival at MuM camp - END OF BIKETOUR 2009!

See it on google map (1st version) to satisfy the geek in yourself.