Posted on 10/14/2004 8:45:07 AM PDT by ma bell
The finale reached a harrowing conclusion when the ride took an extended tour near the Serbian Kosovo border. On a raining day of mid 50s F, the ride concluded from the Serbian town of Vranje, where I was hosted by the Serbian Church of Vranje's Otac/Father.
While riding through the town center, mayhem was a given as cars were riding on the wrong side, next to each other on narrow streets. Cars swerved constantly to avoid so I followed the largest car on the road.
What I noticed was the lack of police or military presence beyond the town center heading towards Serbia's Kosovo. There was a strong presence on the opposite end.
I took the liberty of taking a picture and while an Albnaian in a tractor passed by, he kept looking back every few seconds. Upon mounting the bike, I was coasting down the hill behind him awaiting for a clear road/view to pass him.
As I shifted into a bigger gear to pass, he swerved to the left and cut me off as he still kept looking back. I backed off to a distance of 10-15 meters with his constant turning back.
So, I improvised and adapted like any good solid Marine Corps Tanker (I do have a pedalized vehicle, named Bog Beast). While he looked left, I swerved right out of his LOS. Then when he quickly looked right, I went left. He snapped his back to the left and I swerved right but only slightly out of his peripheral. When he whipped back around to the right, I gunned my pedals as I sprinted past his left.
When even with him, he gunned his engine for speed. Hey, I have know clue to what he has on him or comm gear to radio ahead. I went down the twisting mountain road hitting over 30mph, rain swept or not. I was to hit the town center and disappear to the other side where the police maintain a presence.
The Serbian Army patrol was a nice sight as I gave them a salute of thank you for protecting their AO.
Blog post will be available on this area very soon.
fyi
Take care! I recall quite a few Hay wagons that took up a lane and a half of roadway, not to mention the crazy tractor drivers.
hey, i don't have problems with albanians, just the kla/uck'ers.
enroute back to Vranje, i stopped at a gas station to grab some coke, no not the kla/kpc trafficked coke. i sat in the cafe shop with two albanains for an hour and talked. it was cool not knowing what their background was as "an american" was inside drinking coke.
they loooove Kerry and can't stand Bush.
"they loooove Kerry and can't stand Bush."
Wow. I imagine they idolize Bill Clinton....
Do you have a speedometer on your bike and what is the highest sustained speed you reached at anytime on that tour?
i have a wireless bike computer.
yes, aunt...they loooove and worship Wm Clinton.
Leaving Ljubovija as I crossed the border heading towards Bratunac, I chatted with the border guards for about fifteen minutes. They said the mountains are too high to ride, but wished me luck.Were the 2 Muslim guards native of that area (Srebrenica)?They were a mixture of ethnicity, two muslims and a Serb. The muslims have family in Portland Oregan and St Louis Missouri.
Riding past Potocari, 3 Bosnian muslims were pulled over to the roadside and said something in english. I stopped for twenty minutes as we small talked about where they were from and what they thought about Bosnia, etc... All 3 live in Tuzla with their family as they left Srebrenica in 1992 and in 1993. Relations are back to normal in their opinion as it is now business as usual minus the economic possibilities that existed prior to the war.
Were these Muslims you spoke with from Srebrenica all men, and were they older than 23?
"We send our deep appreciation to Zoran Smaic who organized a bicycle race to raise funds."
they look to be mid-20s, but doesnt matter what their age is. i have no qualms with the anybody there til they have a problem with me.
I spoke with an individual who admits Bosnia is pretty much cleaned up from the war. that is why US SFOR is being sent down to Kosovo, the albanians in ksoovo despise the american troops as that area will have a long period of occupation.
It matters because they'd be prime age for the "missing" boys and men of Srebrenica. Yet there they are unscathed and living in Tuzla.
ashdown is doing some good there by weeding out the refuseniks that do not want to relenquish their war gains.
that is how it is, Joan. all sides need to look forward, not to the past.
They all need to get with the 21st Century way of life and thinking, it is holding them all back. Believe me, there are serious issues here and that includes the Serbs. Don't even consider the Albanians as they are hopeless.
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