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Changed some currency (RSD to BGN, $1 = 1.8 BGN) while still in Dmitrovgrad, Serbia, then hiked to Bulgarian border and crossed on foot. No delay at Kalotina border crossing for automobiles or myself on foot, whereas descriptions of horrible delays on internet. Construction in progress, so evidently they fixed whatever was causing delays. Bulgarian border control stopped me near Dragoman and asked to see passport. 81 BGN at Dragoman Hotel, paid in advance through booking.com. Pullups possible using football goal at north end of park Dragoman.
Train to Sofia (leaves 10:00, arrives about 11:10). Purchased SIM at A1 store inside Mall of Sofia in central Sofia: 20 lev, which includes 20GB data and 1000 national voice minutes valid for 30 days. Each SIM refill of 15 lev adds 20GB data and 1000 minutes valid for 25 days. Or so it appears, because description of service is ambiguous, with multiple possible interpretations, both in SMS texts sent upon activation and on mobile company website. Changed remaining RSD to BGN, withdrew more cash from ATM. 52 BGN at EasyHotel, paid in advance through booking.com. Pullup bars in Park St Nikolay, just north of Opaltchenska metro.
Having second thoughts about plan from last year to walk through mountains to Samokov, with extra 2 nights camping, versus bus from Klisura. Will eat tomorrow morning then carry bread and cheese for Sunday, plus 4 days peanuts and chocolate. Can buy more food in Klisura or at huts if I decide to take longer to get to Samokov.
Left hotel at 6:35. Skipped morning exercises other than pullups in park. Ate breakfast. Bus 66 at 8:03 from Vitosha metro stop for 2 lev, arrive at Hotel Moreni stop (1800m) at 9:00. Drank 2L with breakfast and 2L with lunch at spring, carried 4L from spring. Camped same place as last year, amid beeches about 4km along E4 GPX south of Zaslon Smilo.
Spring running slow, about .5 liter/minute. Drank 1L, picked up 2L to replace 2L used at breakfast. Camped same place as last year, amid beeches about 3km along E4 GPX from Klisura.
Hiked into Samokov: about 25km. Some rain on way. 3 nights at Guesthouse Elizabeth in Samokov for 157 BGN, prepaid through booking.com. Booking.com included some special discounts, and normal price would be 171 BGN, versus 60 BGN/night listed on hotel reception price list, so 180 BGN for 3 nights. So cheaper through booking.com despite 15% commission. Idiotic for hotels not to encourage direct booking.
Plan: 6 nights to Razlog, ascending via Govedartsi. 5 nights Pirin, ascending via Yavorov hut, loop west, descend to Bansko. Another 5 nights in Pirin. 5 night return to Samokov. 5 week loop on E8 and Sultan's Trail.
Split in sole of right boot. Boots should last until return to Reno, however.
Bought 3*830g bread (including for today), plenty of peanuts and chocolate but forgot to buy 2*200g cheese, so short food to get to Razlog. Will have to change campsite plans to visit more huts. Bus from Samokov to Govedartsi (runs every few hours). Overcast sky, thunder, light drizzle. Camped in fir/spruce forest about 1km after Mechit Hut at 1850m altitude.
Overcast and cool most of day. Camped 2km before Ribni Ezero, just after crossing creek, turn right (west) and walk to dried puddle, then about 20m south to sheltered spot among dwarf pines, not too bumpy.
Lots of oozing open sores on body which are irritated by constant salty perspiration. Thought I was itching back in Serbia from heat and perspiration, but maybe it was chiggers. Should have noted in trip report when itching began, to get some idea of where chiggers located. Another week or two to heal. In retrospect, hiking in Serbia something of a nightmare: overgrown trails, thorns, torn clothes, heat, and now apparently chiggers as well. Hiking so much better here in Bulgaria. Maybe go back to original plan of summer in city, whether in Serbia or Ukraine or elsewhere, wait until end of August for hiking.
Sores on body finally drying and forming scabs. Big lunch at Ribni Ezero hut. Drizzled some in afternoon, with rumbles of distant thunder. Camped same place as last year, about 1.5km north of Semkovo hut, 500m north of where trail joins road, 200m upstream in valley east of trail, 1950m altitude, nice open flat spot under tree. Only drawback is branches might fall from tree in storm. For someone without bug net to sleep under, swarms of flies would be drawback everywhere in these mountains this time of year. Mosquitoes minor problem in comparison.
Ate at Semkovo hut. Camped on way to Makedonia hut.
Makedonia hut front door open but unoccupied when I arrived at 11. Ate bread, peanuts and chocolate, filled water bottles, accessed internet (signal at tower just to east of hut). Guardian came by at noon, after I had eaten, so just ordered omelet: enough animal protein to get me to Razlog comfortably. Camped among beeches about 1.5km as crow flies from where E4 leaves road. Not many suitable flat spots for camping in area, but finally found one.
138 BGN for 3 nights at Hotel Nadezhda in Razlog (normal price 150 BGN but booking.com paid 12 BGN). Pullup bar at park at Alexander Stamboliyski and Gotze Delchev, near hotel and store. Soaped entire body and scrubbed. Sores felt much better afterwards, especially after skin dried and sores crusted over, with no more itching. Maybe soap killed remaining chiggers.
Sores on body are rapidly healing. What was needed was showering, rest, and mild enough temperature so not covered in perspiration all day.
Pants and shirt both have many small tears that are gradually increasing in size. No point stitching because fabric weak and stress from stitching would simply cause another tear. 1 spare pants and 2 spare shirts available, both new, so no problem. Add short pants to packing list in future and don't try to get 2 years usage from long pants again.
Left town with 800g peanuts, 6x85g dark chocolate, 800g bread as trail food. Plan to follow similar route as last year. Soaked in perspiration during ascent but sores healed enough that no longer irritated by salt. No private rooms at Yavorov hut so bunk in dormitory for 25 BGN, which I had to myself. Terrible headache at night, not sure why. Maybe ate too much.
Skipped morning exercise other than pushups and pullups using children's swing outside. Omelet and bread for breakfast. Nice weather. At trail junction 3km from Yavorov hut, took trail that descends to Chernata Voda then continues towards Sinanitsa hut. Trail clear and well-marked until near bottom of valley, and bottom of valley open, so easy to navigate using GPX. Lots of cow crap polluting larger streams, but one small stream on slope seemed clean, so picked up 2L there for breakfast tomorrow. Trail very overgrown and poorly marked after ascending from open valley bottom into forest on other side. Camped at first suitable campsite after crossing valley bottom, just off trail at 1820m elevation.
Trail very overgrown with tree branches, shrubs and high grass in clear areas, though at least not thorns like in Serbia, and difficult due to narrowness of trail (where trail still exists) along very steep slope. Absolutely no possible campsites after where I camped yesterday. Occasional old painted waymarks still visible on trees, however pathfinding would be extremely difficult without mapping GPX. Took 3 hours to travel 5km to junction with Zagaza to Sinanitsa trail, which is clear. All in all, trail south from Chernata Voda to Sinanitsa not recommended. In future, follow trail that runs downstream from Chernata Voda along valley bottom, then join up with Zagaza to Sinanitsa trail. To use yesterday's excellent campsite, proceed 700m along Chernata Voda to Sinanitsa trail, which is overgrown but not nearly as bad as further on, camp, then return to valley bottom in morning.
Huge tear in pants where existing tear caught on branch. Sewed on patch while resting after finally reaching Zagaza to Sinanitsa trail. Need more such patches in repair kit.
Big lunch at Sinanitsa hut. Camped same place at last year, in clearing about 2km after Spane Pole hut on trail to Begovitsa hut. Shepherd stopped by and asked some questions about 20:00, but I couldn't understand anything he said, other than "сам", which can mean "only" or "alone". So maybe he was inviting me to his hut, because there was light drizzle and cool temperature. He eventually smiled and left. So this campsite is definitely not stealthy, though otherwise excellent.
Lighting, thunder and heavy rain last night. Overcast and cool in morning. Water pooled under tarp: downside of choosing flattest spot in clearing. Sides of quilt wet but mostly dry by morning. Stayed warm in any case. Maybe shepherd was warning me yesterday about thunderstorm, or maybe he just didn't like me camping in his territory, because he came by in morning and hung around until I packed up and left. Postponed pushups and rowing until later. Forest begins about 1km from where I camped: should be possible to find campsite there, either before trail begins steep descent or 1km later when slope flattens, just before trail crosses stream then ascends again.
Lunch at Begovitsa hut. Light rain started soon after leaving for Pirin hut, but couldn't wear poncho on ascent because too warm, plus legs would be wetted by vegetation regardless. Clothes and boots soaked by time I reached good campsite, secluded behind clump of trees about 60m to left/north of trail, 2.7km as crow flies from Pirin hut, 1950 altitude. Climbed under quilt and dried clothes with body heat. Rain stopped in late afternoon. Cold dry wind picked up during night, but campsite well protected by trees.
Cold dry wind from north, partly cloudy sky. Door locked at Pirin hut, though guardian visible inside, sleeping while sitting up. Didn't wake when I tapped on window, so walked 100m back to Trite Reki hut, and had big lunch there. Able to get feeble mobile connection at hut, just enough to download new email. Hut open through September and guardian said Malina hut also open in September. Sunny at times in afternoon, so spread gear in meadow to dry everything. Really need large waterproof sack for quilt and clothes. Camped along E4, direction Malina hut, clearing in forest on flat area about 300m after ascending from valley with stream, 1780m elevation.
Terrible headache at night. Maybe food poisoning, maybe just ate too much. Low lying clouds and dense fog higher up, cold north wind, occasional very light drizzle. Lunch at Tevno Ezero hut. Camped at usual spot, about 425m along Demyanitsa to Bezbog trail, 2240m altitude.
Walked down to Bansko. 145 BGN for 3 nights at Bellevue Residence Apartments, special 50% off deal. Pullup bars in city park and Ploshtad Oborishte.
Made advance reservation for Razlog, since weekend stay.
Ate breakfast in town, carried out 1.3kg bread, 1.1kg peanuts, 5*85g dark chocolate. Enough to supplement huts for 5 nights camping, return on day 6.
Frost on tarp. Forgot to store bottles under backpack, but not frozen, so temperature just above freezing. First cold day since back in Spain. Lunch at Begovitsa hut. Guardian was away when I arrived at 14:00, but arrived immediately after. Camped on way to Pirin hut, same spot as last Monday.
Lunch at Trite Reki hut, camped at same spot as last Tuesday.
Lunch at Malina hut, which has wifi, then returned to same spot as yesterday for camping. Beautiful weather: clear sky, mild temperature, no wind.
Annoying encounter with cowherd and his dogs. Furious barking of dogs (who detected that cowherd didn't like me) discomposed me enough that I fell and banged my knee while hurrying away. Then tore my shirt later and had to stop and sew it up. Finally made it to Tevno Ezero hut where I had lunch. Felt better after that. Camped at usual spot on way to Demyanitsa hut.
Walked down to Bansko and then Razlog. 150 BGN for 3 nights at Hotel Nadezhda.
Sores on buttocks from Serbian chiggers still not fully healed because they keep getting irritated by sweat and pressure from bottom of backpack, new sore on shoulder from backpack straps, sore on face, pimple or other irritation in outer ear, cuts on head from bumping into branches while scrambling under blowdowns, bruised knee from Thursday, mild case of diarrhea: whole body feels like it's falling apart. Saw some unkempt looking stray dogs in the park while eating lunch, scratching their flea bites and licking sores on their paws: couldn't help comparing myself to them.
Added 15 BGN to A1 account. Next refill due 10 Oct.
Bought airline tickets to/from Reno. $805 for Sofia to San Francisco (leaving 3 Nov, arriving 4 Nov) and San Francisco to Madrid (leaving on 29 Feb, arriving 1 Mar), on British Airways. $178 for Oakland to Reno (5 Nov) and Reno to Oakland (29 Feb) on Southwest (no more screwing around with buses in USA). Plus maybe $20 BART fees between SFO and OAK. So about $1000 total. Still need to buy bus ticket from Madrid to Granada (early morning 2 Mar), plus motel reservation in Reno (5-21 Nov).
Paid for another night at hotel, 50 BGN. Body healing, but slowly, so need more rest. Delay also positions future hotel stays away from weekends.
Ate big breakfast in town, then left with 2L water, 2*900g bread, 3*200g cheese, 1000g peanuts, 5*85g dark chocolate. Extra bread and cheese in case Makedonia and Semkovo huts closed. Camped just before Dobursko hut. OpenAndroMaps shows roads between Razlog and town of Dobursko, then use bgmountains.org map for route to hut, if confused by forest road network on OpenAndroMaps map.
Dobursko hut closed but spring water running outside. Lunch at Makedonia hut. Camped on way to Semkovo hut. Cows and dogs in valley, so careful to pick stealthy campsite.
No problem with dogs detecting me either last night or this morning. Semkovo hut closed and no water running outside. Backtracked about 600m to house at intersection of roads, then took dirt road (not shown on maps) just behind house which leads northeast/right to piped spring about 200m from house. Camped at same spot as 26 Aug. Lightning, thunder and rain in evening.
Cooler, less humid and clear sky in morning. Lunch at Ribni Ezero hut. Camped at same spot as 25 Aug.
Camped just before Mechit Hut.
Walked to Samokov. 110 BGN for 3 nights in single room at Hotel Grand.
Paid for additional night at hotel for 40 BGN. Need break from hiking and camping, room very nice and peaceful, avoid Saturday night stay in Velingrad. Body finally healing from issues listed in 16 Sep entry.
Ate breakfast in park then took 11:00 bus to Borovets. No passengers besides me. Borovets such a miserable looking town in the off season. Probably even more hideous with dirty snow piled up along the streets. Carrying 830g bread, 3*85g chocolate, 900g peanuts, 200g cheese for tomorrow. Zavrachitsa hut closed, so collected water and continued on another 3km and camped at 2400m elevation. Exposed col but little wind, so should be okay. Lots of cows and huge protection dogs nearby. Stored bottles under backpack because temperature likely to drop below freezing, though unlikely to be as cold as last year about this time.
Some rain during night. Surprisingly, temperature didn't drop below freezing. Cows and dogs disappeared during night but then returned in morning and surrounded me as I was preparing to eat breakfast. Cows are driven crazy by smell of bread and dogs looked hungry for it as well, so I limited myself to handful of peanuts and chocolate and then packed up and moved on. Camped just after Belmeken dam, at 1900m elevation.
Guy walking through forest spotted me breaking camp, so site not as stealthy as I thought. Bought some food at store in Yundola. Loaded up with water at piped spring outside town and camped at 1600m.
4 nights at Къща за гости Шошови in Velingrad for 193 BGN. Pullup bar in Borov Park, on side towards E Georgiev Street.
Ate breakfast then left town with 2L water, 6 * 85g chocolate, about 1000g peanuts, 200g bread. Bought more bread and some cheese at store in Rakitovo. Camped same place as last year, about 1200m elevation, 50m from road, 7.5km as crow flies from Batak. Weather continues mild and dry.
1.5L remaining for breakfast. Picked up 2L at piped spring along highway into Batak, bought food at store, ate and drank 1L from piped spring in park on way out of Batak, towards mountains. Carried 2L in pack to Teheran hut. Unnecessary precaution since spring 100m south of hut (along western of 2 parallel trails) running strong. Drank .5L from this spring, so 3L for day with 2.5L available for tomorrow morning. Camped across from small lake, 1500m altitude, 17km along GPX from Batak.
Picked up water from piped spring: passed at least 3. Camped at 1400m, abouy 3km from Borino.
80 BGN for 2 nights at Къща за гости Мелиса in Borino.
Topped up A1 mobile service with 15 BGN, so 25 days more service, just enough until Nov 3 departure.
Ate breakfast in town, drank 2L, left carrying 2L, 2 loaves bread, 200g cheese, remaining peanuts and 2*85g chocolate from Velingrad. Camped in forest same spot as last year, saddle at 1420m, 2km as crow flies west northwest of Chairski hut. Light rain in evening.
Fooled around in the morning and made late start, so arrived at camp (just before E8 and Sultan's Trail split) at 19:00. Just enough light to allow preparing ground and setting up tarp. Beautiful day. Had weather been less mild, might have been delayed and then arrived after dark. Maybe split this stretch into 2 short days. Road in forest at 1900m elevation after Mugla blocked by blowdown, so maybe just camp on road.
Someone ran tractor or other vehicle down first 200m of shortcut to Smolyan, starting from paved road near yesterday's camp, so this first 200m much easier than last year. After first 200m, join well-traveled dirt road. 200 BGN for 5 nights at Hotel Katarina in Smolyan.
Ate breakfast in town, carried out 3*650g bread, 3*200g cheese, 6*90g dark chocolate, 5*200g peanuts. Both piped springs on way to Pamporovo running slow, but able to collect 4L. Camped same place as last year, 1600m elevation. Cool temperature all day, rain in evening.
Rained moderately all night, stopped by morning. Skipped morning exercises other than pushups. Foggy and cool all day. Light drizzle in afternoon. Late start, so short hiking day. Camped at 1800m elevation in forest just before Presla hut. Passed numerous running piped springs today, so no need to haul so much water from piped springs near Pamporovo.
Clear sky and cool temperature all day. Camped too soon yesterday because of late start. Next time, camp in forest at col about 1km before Svoboda hut. Lots of piped springs, so no need to haul water. Piped spring just past Svoboda hut good place for breakfast, since open and sunny. Towards end of day, load up with 4L at paved road 8611, where 2 piped springs running strongly, before ascent to dry ridge. Camped at 1500m elevation in forest near Akvatepe hut.
Beautiful weather: clear sky, mild temperature, dry air. Good campsite in forest about 6km past Akvatepe hut. Passed 2 herds of wild boar feeding on maize scattered on ground near hunting cabins. Piped spring with spigot running strong near where E8 joins paved road. Drank 1L and loaded up with 4L for remainder of today and tomorrow morning. After GPX leaves road to get around Sini Vruh, OpenAndroMaps map wrong so use bgmountains.org map or follow clear waymarking. Camped in field just off road after Sini Vruh hut.
Clear sky, unseasonably warm. After Zhult Kamuk until near Surnitsa, OpenAndroMaps map wrong, so use bgmountains.org map or follow clear waymarking. Ate and loaded up with 4L water at piped spring between Zhult Kamuk and Panichkovo. At store in Panichkovo, bought sardines and fruit for today and loaf of bread and cheese for tomorrow. Trail from Yonchovo passing under Orlova Skala well waymarked and currently clear, but will soon be overgrown by brush in places without forest canopy. Camped in open forest at 500m near Terzitsa peak.
97 BGN for 2 nights at Family Hotel National in Mineralni Bani.
Reserved room at Sparks Motel6 for 2 weeks. Can cancel up to day before arrival. Price lower than last year. Pullups using gate to basketball court next to police station.
50 BGN for another night at hotel.
Ate breakfast in town. Left carrying 2.5L water, 2 loaves bread, 200g cheese, 3 * 85g chocolate, at least 600g peanuts. Heading toward Asenovgrad/Plovdiv along Sultan's Trail lowland route. About 9km along GPX from Mineralni Bani, strong running piped spring. Drank 1L there and filled bottles, so 4L for tomorrow, in case no further springs. Camped in oak forest about 11km -along GPX) from Mineralni Bani. Short day. Lots of wild boar grunting nearby after sundown. Mating season, so males might be very aggressive, so cautious about shouting at or otherwise challenging them. They left eventually.
Weather continues abnormally warm for late October. Detour to rock fortress time consuming but worthwhile. Piped spring along way (as marked on map). Another piped spring running strongly along main route (after returning from detour) at 14km (along GPX) from Iskra (also marked on map). GPX mostly on dirt roads, though parts involved bushwacking because abandoned road. OpenAndroMaps map does not show all roads, so bgmountains.org very helpful when bushwhacking. Camped in forest about 9km (along GPX) east of Iskra.
Bought food and 5L water in Iskra. No peanuts and only milk chocolate. Camped in forest on dirt road leading south from GPX about 2km (along GPX) east of Lenovo.
Long hot day through farmland with no shade, like back on Sultan's Trail in northern Serbia. Late October usually not this warm. If raining, dirt roads would turn to mud. But dry this year. Bought food in Lenovo. No peanuts and only milk chocolate available in store. Bought 1.5L water in Cherven plus fruit fur tomorrow. Several stores plus 2 hotels. Camped in brush 1km west of Cherven. Stealthy enough provided no hunters with dogs wandering in this brush early tomorrow morning.
Solitary boar prowling about nearby, even though close to town and dogs barking not far away. Didn't run when I shouted but continued grunting and investigating then finally wandered off. Males aggressive and not easily frightened this time of year.
Pullup bar along GPX, after water reservoir and just before final descent into Asenovgrad. More pullup bars in riverside park, just north of GPX. 54 BGN at Semeen Hotel Dani in Asenovgrad.
Walked to Plovdiv. Pullup bars in Malkyat Park and Moldavia Park, or search Google Maps for "Calesthenics". 107 BGN at Best Rest Guest Rooms, next to bus station. Bought bus ticket to Sofia for Wednesday, Karats bus company (office next to train station, across street from South Bus Station), 15 BGN, leave 13:00, arrive 15:00.
106 BGN for 2 nights at EasyHotel in Sofia. Pullups in park Saint Nikola.
Change currency at Mall of Sofia. Metro to airport. Evening flight to London Heathrow, sleep in airport.
Flight to San Francisco, BART to Oakland, sleep in airport.
Morning flight to Reno. Passed blood collection center on walk from airport to motel, so donated pint of whole blood. Should do this every year, to keep ferritin level down. $461 for 7 nights at Motel6 in Sparks ($66/night).
77 nights in Bulgaria (38 nights camping, 39 nights in hotels/huts) followed by 2 nights in airports during return to USA. 1835 BGN total hotel expenses ($996), or average of 47 BGN/night ($26/night).
Route until Mineralni Bani was mostly repeat of last year, except longer town stays. Repeating route and lengthening town stays makes everything easier and more enjoyable.
Because Bulgaria joins Schengen in 2024, future trips will start September 1, so possibly extend stay until mid-November. Temperatures abnormally high this year for late October. If temperatures return to normal next year, then Sultan's Trail lowland route good choice for late October and early November hiking/camping.