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In Which It's All A Bit Run Of The Mill
September 22, 2008 by Mike
Alissos
Route: Loutraki - Corinthos - Ancient Corinth - Xylokastro - Patra - Alissos
Extraordinary things can't happen to me every day. I'm not Paddington Bear, after all.
From Loutraki, at the head of the Corinthian Gulf, I made it today to Alissos, which is at the other end.
I rode over the Corinth Canal, at its northernmost point. This crossing is a little wooden bridge that sinks to the bottom of the canal to allow canal traffic to sail over the top, before rising back up to allow us road users across. Ingenious.. if a little damp and slippery.
I passed through modern, dirty, blaring Corinthos on the way to ancient, dusty, quiet Corinth. "My guidebook says the site at Corinth is, well, a little bit dull," said a young Argentine tourist, by way of introduction and, I'm afraid, by way of stating the bleedin' obvious.
The ride up the Acrocorinth was much more satisfying, as were the views of and from the top. The Acrocorinth is a huge, solitary rock, topped with fortifications dating from Ottoman rule all the way back to Hellenic prehistory. Quite a feat to walk up, let alone to build walls, mosques, churches and castles up there.
There are commanding views over the old town of Corinth, the new town of Corinth, the Isthmus of Corinth and the Gulf of Corinth. All suitably corinthian. But I was more interested in the commanding views of the huge great bloomin' rainclouds gathering over the hills to the west -- if I raced, I mightjustmight be able to squeeze through on the between the mountains and the sea, before the rain arrived:
(I didn't. Got soaked.
...
...
OK you can stop laughing now.)
--
Past the southern end of the Rio-Antirio bridge at the head of the Gulf, which I rode past a couple of days and 318 miles ago. So, you see, it's educational, this blo-- i mean diary. You can go to yr local pub quiz next week knowing The coastline of the Gulf Of Corinth is approximately 318 miles (512km), give or take the odd wrong turn in downtown Corinth.
And on past Patra, a beautiful town at the head of the southern end of the Gulf, in search of a campsite with a 1000 year old olive tree; and even more beautiful views:
I'm on a deadline again. I'll be back on this road -- close to Corinth -- for a baptism next Saturday. I'll need to hurry round the Peloponnese, but I figure it'll be worth it cos I hear there's free food at the reception ;-)
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