Day 1 Mitilini - Thermi - Agios Rafail

Km 21,3

Departure from the port of Thessaloniki at 01:30 midnight at 15/8/2012, with boat European.

I did this trip alone, and the boat was a good place to socialize and know thing routs, or other thing about Lesvos island.

The trip was 14 hours with good conditions.

I arrived at three o'clock in the afternoon, it was a hot day! About 39C degrees Celsius!

I did a little walk at the center, stop at locals store to by a map, and eat something, and to pass my time waiting the 5 or 6 o'clock to start my trip.

Because i was late i choose for first destination the monastery of Agios Rafail, because was only 25 kilometers, and the second reason was the free accommodation.  

The Monastery is built at a hill  at 300 meters and the last 5 kilometers was the most difficult.

On the boat

The statue of liberty at Mitilini

Hot noon 40~C

Gates of Agios Rafail

Free stay at monastery's public rooms

Good morning my bike 








Day 2 Agios Rafail - Tsonia Beach

Km:40.57, Trip time:2h41m, avg speed:15.06
I woke up early 6:30 to not reach the high temperatures. Ι did'nt slept well the last night because in the room was many  people  and making a lot of noise. My destination was the Beach Tsonia, because told me that's is very beautiful.
The route http://www.bikemap.net/route/1793026?13456735196425#lat=39.269039476851&lng=26.40762&zoom=12&maptype=terrain

The route was relatively easy, without traffic.

The monastery of Taksiarchis

Cooking near the beach Tsonia at noon.

 

Tsonia Beach.

Day 3 Tsonia - Molyvos - Petra - Molyvos

Km 56.99, Trip time 4h 41m23s, avg speed 12.15 km/h
I woke up early to prepare my stuff and eat breakfast, starting cycling the big ascend from Tsonia until Klio village, its was about 5km but hard.
After to Madamados at Taksiarchis monastery, i did a stop there to take shots and fill with water.
After monastery went to Sikaminea and after to Skala Sikamineas where is the same village but at the sea side.
From Sikaminea until Skala was descend.
After there i went Efthalou. I had dirty road there, but easy one and very beautiful.
After  Molyvos, and after to Petra were i did my resting swim.
At 13:00 o clock i left from Petra's beach and head to Molyvos to organized camp for the night.
The route http://www.bikemap.net/route/1800562#lat=39.35489529867&lng=26.263905&zoom=13&maptype=ts_terrain

Morning on Tsonia beach

Wich road? I choosed to Skala sikamineas. (no at this foto)

The road from Skala sikamineas to efthalou.

The same

At Molyvos organized camp but was empty.

Psirou beach Molyvos.

Day 4 Molyvos - Panagia Faneromeni

Km 65.26, trip time 4h.22m, avg speed 14.91.

Very nice beach, and wonderful church inside in a cave! No camping allows there but i found a small hidden spot, back of the church!
Also found there some guys from Slovenia that did surf , and their are very friendly and invited me for dinner.
Some rest at churches offers me some shadow, and also i take a break at Vatousa village in a graphical cafe restaurant. I had strong wind at the top of the mountains, and its was very dificult to keep the balance of my bike. 

Small churches across the road was good spots for resting!

Traditional cafe since 1900

Pure energy.

Down there is the Sigri

Rest point for a nap.

Panagia faneromeni beach.

Looks good for a tent.

Wind surfing from my Slovenian friends.

The Slovenians camp.

A magical moment...

Night in chapel

Lolyness..

My home.

Strong winds.

Hi guys thanks for everything!

Day 5 Sigri - Hrousos

Km 38.70, Trip time 3.09, Avg speed 12.27km/h

The one of more difficult routs! It was so up and down but the type of the road with combination with the very high temperatures! close to 40 Celsius. The road type was dirt and some gravel.

 Some kite surf guys.

The road from Sigri, its like desert.

 Camp at Xrousos beach

 Hamit an imigrant from Afganistan.

Little tavern by the beach.

Day 8 Hrousos - Nifida

Km 89.30, Trip time 2h:43m, avg speed 14:03km

After 2 night rest at beautiful beach, i started to other side of island. I passed from Kalonis Gulf a close and very warm see where i stopped there for dinner at a tavern with delicious sardines!

i took a nap at this little kiosk the noon, no cycling with high temperatures.

Flat road!

Nice nature that mean the end of Kaloni's Gulf.

  

Day 9 Nifida - Polihnitos - Vatera

 KM 27.42, Triptime 2h.02m Avg speed 13,47

I passed my night at Nifida's beach. It wasn't something there to see it was little bit bored. I search for a place to camp asking people where can i. I had one option about a small church out of the village, but warned me about the snakes and the loneliness there. So i decide to camp at my second option at the end of the beach. This evening i had lost one of gloves and i was very nervous about searching it about an hour.
 So woke up the morning i prepare my coffee and my breakfast and took the road to Polihnitos!
And the surprise was that i found my glove on the road, near at pavement down from a stone.
Someone found it and left it there, so i wrote a note and left it down from the stone where a describe my thanks. God bless him :)

When i arrive at Polihnitos i took a rest after the ascend from nifida and ask people where is the hot springs of Polihnitos.

It was 1km out of the town so i went there to take my bath :P
It was fantastic the water was so hot about 42 Celsius and told that these springs are from the Europe best springs. Polihnitos Hot Springs.
I stayed there until 5-6 o clock the evening! i did many baths and also i had a fast food there and a coffee.
Thanks the persons where work there, was so kind and help full. (Thanks to Afroditi there)
At the evening started for the Famous beach of Vatera. It was full of people and beach bars.
Took a rest in one of these and drink a coffee and did  my regular evening swim.
At night i search for a place to sleep and cycled about 3km to plormari direction, and found a place with few trees near the beach and opposite a Hotel. I found there Italians with caravans. I asked them where can i camp but they didn't  speak English and they was little bit scary. So i left them to find alone the night spot!
Actually i found a good place but there was an another guy where also camp ith his aiora.
This guy toured the island by a kayak. (Kostas Kayak Guy, thanks mate for everything! )

Nifida night camp.

the same.

Hamam at Polihnitos