Koroni Moroni – Bike Hike and Yak – 5 mile bike (6/1/09)

6:30 is early anywhere. Ceclia and I were already on the road by then. From Base-camp Turtle we were heading to some western beaches to check possible turtle nests. You ride through the early morning in the villages of Mavrata and Thiramanos; and then down the old dirt road to Koroni. The old road becomes impossibly impassible after the vineyard and the cows.

Here you dismount and hike down a cutback trail and clay cliffs onto Koroni beach. We walked Koroni, picking up trash and looking for turtle tracks. Lots of the former – none of the latter.

Next we grabbed the two beached kayaks and took to the Ionian. On the yak we went over the perfect blue green sea and some reef formations. Schools of fish scampered about the rocks. On the coast the Ionian had carved impressive caves from the clay and rock cliffs that abutted the sea. I came close to one, but did not go all the way in as I feared a smashing end to the trip.

About a km later we landed. At the western beach, we found a deserted land thrown up against the foothills of Mt. Ainos. The beach was apparently only frequented by Katelios volunteers, locals with ATVs and sheep. (there were droppings everywhere.)

I felt like the trolls in the Hobbit. “No sign of bur-hobbits, but plenty of these here dwarves.” Indeed, no sign of nesting turtles but plenty of this here trash.

We kayaked back to Koroni and climbed up the dilapidated road, then biked back to Base-camp Turtle. It was beautiful ride, hike and yak. It was a trip that as a guide that with lunch I would have charged 50 bucks a pop for. (maybe, that’s how those guides start out.)