When I left Macedonia, temperature dropped sharply: from 36° yesterday, to 14° this morning. Luckily, Polevo, the border post is on a pass, at 1200m, a 500m climb.

So I get warm quite easily, but the downhill is a different story. I am not really well equipped for the cold, so I am freezing and shaking all the way down. No pleasure in this descent!

Luckily it is not raining.
Not yet.

It started raining in the valley, and now things got really uncomfortable. I do have rain clothes of course, but these are not really waterproof. So after me feet, which were wet immediately, all the rest gets wet slowly as well.

I am not amused

Next city, Dupnica, I stop. Enough! 83km only. Who cares?

I need a hot shower.

Next morning, still cold, but no more rain.

Now the wind. Strong, very strong!

Due to the wondchill it feels even colder

I go to the marked, and buy some silly looking, but warm clothes. Being elegant is not really my problem at the moment.

On my bike again, fighting the wind. It is so strong, I have the feeling I am not progressing at all. My computer shows speed between 11 and 13 km/h! Desperating! After a while comes the next pass, the road starts going up, the wind disappears. Climbing up this pass I am faster than fighting the wind in the valley.

Down again, freezing again.
My nice new clothes are totally soaked from the sweat, they weigh a ton.
I need to shorten another day, my worst one so far.

Stop in Samokov.
Just cycled 43km
Average speed: 13,7 km/h, including the downhill!

Disgusted!

Kjustendil, first city on the Bulgarian side. Depressing!

seen on the road to Dubnica