Doubilet-Benson Orient Express Bike Trip 2014: An Up-and-Down Day to the Middle of Nowhere

When we reserve lodging, which we do via online booking well in advance of our bike trips, we always try to stay in hotels in or near town centers. Once we arrive at our destination each day, we check into the hotel, take showers, and then wander around town to see the sights and eat. Today’s hotel, over a mile from our destination town of Luleburgaz, was the only exception to our rule of staying in town centers, because we couldn’t find a hotel in the town.

Each evening during the trip, we review the next day’s ride, looking at the length, total climb, route profile, and potential snack and lunch breaks. We also check the weather forecast, including temperature, probability of rain, and wind speed and direction. We knew that we were in for a ride today that was constantly up and down, never level, when we saw the route profile (see below), and that we would be buffeted by strong cross-winds from our left.

The 47-mile ride today was enjoyable, but did conform to the challenging hill and wind conditions that we expected. Our destination hotel is a little strange, in that it’s a large place with over 100 rooms, numerous employees, and expansive grounds, but there are almost no others guests staying here. We arrived in time for lunch at the hotel and sat alone in the dining room large enough to seat a couple of hundred guests. Then, with nowhere to go, we spent the rest of our time on our computers, doing work and other tasks.