Winnetou 4.0 - Lake Krka

At the end of the first wave of COVID-19, with borders reopening, Andrea and I decided to travel to Croatia. It was a welcome escape from the lockdowns.

We stayed in our Austrian friends' apartment in Rogoznica, just as we had the previous year. Our friends, Knud (an airbrush artist and American car enthusiast) and his wife Renata, were also with us. Knud, a man who has lived his dream, shares a deep connection to the 70s and 80s.
As usual, Andrea and I brought our bikes along, and I decided to revisit a beautiful ride I had done two years prior. To make it more fun, I created a story around the route. The ride led me to Nacionalni Park Krka, near Sibenik, and I decided to bring a bit of the Wild West into the mix. Inspired by the fact that many Karl May movies were filmed in Croatia, especially around Lake Krka, the story centered on Winnetou and Old Shatterhand. I rode my road bike (Hatatitla, as Old Shatterhand's horse) while Knud played the wise Apache chief. The "Brothers of Blood" were back to fight side by side against lawless bandits. The filming of this story with Andrea and Renata was filled with laughter and fun.
The ride itself began early in the morning, heading towards the Croatian countryside near Sibenik. The first climb offered beautiful views of Rogoznica and Primosten, two picturesque coastal villages. As the sun rose, I descended into Grebastica before leaving the sea and heading inland. Despite the coastal appearance, the route was anything but flat, with many climbs and descents that added up to a challenging ride.
The most scenic part of the ride began as I crossed a canyon with steep, winding roads, resembling the Grand Canyon. As I got closer to Lake Krka, the view was breathtaking: a quiet lake with an island featuring a church, a stunning waterfall on the left, and a river feeding into the lake on the right. The natural beauty was captivating.
After a thrilling descent and more uphill riding, I took a break in Skradin, a small town between the waterfalls and the Adriatic Sea. The harbor had a marina with impressive yachts, perfect for a quick espresso. From there, I rode uphill again, leaving the national park and heading towards Sibenik, a city rich in history. I visited a castle in the center that offered panoramic views of the city and its harbor.
The final stretch of the ride took me back along the coastal road to Rogoznica, completing the loop. It was a fantastic ride with amazing scenery and a fun story, which we captured in the video. When I returned to the starting point, I was amused to find that the "Indians" (Winnetou and Old Shatterhand) had patiently waited for me, making for a perfect and light-hearted end to the adventure.


bike: Pretty Betty Specialized Tarmac S-Works
starring: Gerry Samer