Istra Land 2022: Event Recap

Words and photos by Exploro.cc

Some people feel the rain, others just get wet.

Welcome to the land of sun and sea! With an average of 300 sunny days a year, Istria is the perfect destination for outdoor adventures – and bikepacking. Let’s be honest: who hasn’t dreamed of leaving for a multi-day ride without packing even the lightest rain jacket? And bringing a swimsuit instead? In Istria, all of this is possible! Except for that one time when 300 bikepackers planned to ride the inaugural edition of Istra Land.

Istria is a triangular-shaped peninsula carved in limestone, marl, and clay veins and strategically placed in the turquoise Adriatic Sea. Its small territory offers a breathtaking and complex region that varies from proper mountain ridges to stunning seaside cliffs.

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Istria is Luca’s grandfather’s long-lost home – he was forced to emigrate to Italy after WWII during the Istrian–Dalmatian exodus. It’s also the scenery of many carefree summer holidays we spent riding between seashores, charming vineyards, and olive groves. We’ve been dreaming of sharing our favorite routes in Istria for a long time, and 2022 finally delivered the inaugural edition of Istra Land Bikepacking Adventure.

The start is set on Friday, September 30th, in Sežana, at the doorstep of Istria. It is very likely the first time this small Slovenian village has hosted so many riders. The excited chitchatting before the briefing is a colorful mix of languages from all over Europe and overseas. The rain is finally giving us a break after eight days of storms. Wait, did I say rain? Isn’t this the land of sun and sea? Well, at least we recommended bringing swimsuits too.

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Usually, Autumn is the best season to visit Istria. The weather is settled and still very pleasant (with daily averages of around 20°C), while the crowd of summer tourists is getting thinner. Sadly, this is not the case in 2022. After an exceptionally dry summer all over Europe, late August and September finally welcomed the rain. And the weather forecasts for the week preceding the start day are hopeless. But as goes the old Slovenian saying goes, “Saj nismo iz sladkorja,” we’re not made of sugar, are we?

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The riders set off from Sežana with a timid sun peeking between the clouds. The first section of the route crosses the ridge of the Dinaric Alps to reach the highest point of Istria, Vojak Peak. Luca and I rush to meet the front group in Ćičarja, just before the border crossing with Croatia. The doubletrack path is rocky, and navigating through resurfacing bedrock is not always easy, but everyone is smiling and enjoying the ride. What could go wrong?

Not much later, a concerned German pair rushes toward me.

“I think we have a medical emergency,” they both look worried, but apparently nothing’s wrong. “My heart rate monitor says I have 205 BPM, and it’s been like this for a while.” Suddenly, my legs feel funny. Not a heart attack within the first 50 kilometers, please!

“Can I feel your wrist?” I ask, and I count no more than 120 BPM, but he insists his device is correct. We use a watch monitor, and finally the electronics agree with me. We laugh it out as they resume the ride.

Fast forward to the top of Mt. Vojak. From there to the end of the Istrian Peninsula, it’s (almost) all downhill. But here’s where the real challenges begin. What we advertised as fast-rolling, smooth dirt roads leading to the coastline have turned into mud-cake nightmares. Istria did us dirty, literally. The past week’s rain has soaked all the clay grounds in the central area, causing the few non-rocky or gravel section to turn into sticky mud. Not a common issue in Istria!

We catch the riders at kilometer 130 while resupplying at a small market in Potpićan. The general morale is low, and graveliers are particularly discouraged. The mud is so gluey that prevents the wheels from turning, forcing many to carry or drag their bikes.

There’s a brand-new hostel right above the market. It first opened three days ago and is freshly painted in white. Around 60 riders end up spending the night here, and the owner – a lively Croatian woman – welcomes everyone with a smile. She doesn’t care about muddy clothes, shoes, or wheels. Bikes line up against the white walls, people shower fully dressed, and the floor soon turns brownish. The owner does not flinch. She’ll think of the floor and walls tomorrow. Tonight is all about helping riders in distress.

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Saturday morning answers all prayers for nice weather while the landscape changes from mountains to coastlines. With over 40 kilometers of shore trails, Istria finally keeps its promises, offering the opportunity for a dip into the crystal clear sea. While crossing Medulín footbridge, someone interprets the swimming part to the letter and accidentally dives into the water with their whole bike and bags. We almost get it on video!

As the riders make their way back to Sežana, fatigue from the long days on the saddle starts to set in. It’s Sunday early morning when we get a phone call from a tired Italian who’s 40 kilometers from the finish line but feels too exhausted to keep going. We try cheering him up, only to upset him more. He hangs up, cursing and leaving us with a bitter taste – not how we pictured the finish line vibes.

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After a couple of hours (and finishers), a tanned guy walks in, eyes glued to the floor.

“I’d like to apologize for earlier on the phone, I felt so drained, I just snapped,” he says.

Luca reaches out to hug him. It’s not our first match, and we know these feelings too. The Italian has breakfast with us and inundates the room with anecdotes from the road. It’s his first bikepacking event.

“Can you point me to an event calendar? I need to sign up for another one right away!” There’s no place for negativity at the finish line, and tonight’s events are already long forgotten.

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The 2023 edition of Istra Land is already scheduled for September 29th. Learn more here.

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