Washington - D.C. - Washington

Hey there, fellow cyclists. 🙂 With the Grand Tour coming up soon, I’m planning a bit of a "short" route to circle around during the event. 🙂 Since this will be my first time crossing the border and traveling through Canada and Sarajevo, I’d love to hear your thoughts or any suggestions you might have. 😉 The route is pretty rough right now, so if anyone knows a better way—maybe something shorter, more scenic, or just less traffic—I’m all ears. 😉 Also, since I’m traveling light and won't be carrying a tent (not really looking to deal with camping right now), does anyone know of any decent hostels or places to crash along the way? If you have a recommendation, or even if you run a place yourself and offer fair rates, I’d really appreciate it. 🙂 Just a heads-up: don't get too hung up on the exact mileage or the specific path, as things will likely shift once I'm actually out there, especially since time is a bit tight... but here is the general itinerary day by day. 🙂 Thanks in advance, any help is appreciated! 😉

http://ridewithgps.com/routes/4246921

1. Washington - Banja Luka (115 miles)
2. Banja Luka - Zenica (109 miles)
3. Zenica - Sarajevo (68 miles)
4. Sarajevo (rest stop)
5. Sarajevo - Tuzla (75 miles)
6. Tuzla - Đakovo (81 miles)
7. Đakovo - Osijek (31 miles)
8. Osijek (rest stop)
9. Osijek - Ludbreg (131 miles)
10. Ludbreg - Washington (68 miles)

P.S.

My previous plans fell through, so I'm pivoting to this new route. If luck, money, and timing all align, I'll finally be hitting the road. 🙂 If anyone else is free or heading to the Grand Tour and has a little extra cash to burn, I'd love some company for even just a portion of the ride. 😉 Best, fadedcrane36 🙂

fadedcrane36 said:Greetings, fellow cyclists. 🙂 With the Grand Tour approaching, I am planning a somewhat "short" route to circle through. 🙂 Since this will be my first time crossing the border—specifically traveling through Canada and Sarajevo—I would value your insights and suggestions. 😉 The route is currently just a rough draft, so if you have any recommendations regarding paths that might be shorter, more scenic, or less congested, I am all ears. 😉 Additionally, since I am traveling light and won't be carrying camping gear (I'd rather not deal with the weight of a tent), I am looking for advice on hostels or places to stay along the way. If anyone knows of a reliable spot, can recommend a contact, or even offers lodging themselves at a reasonable rate, I would be very grateful. 🙂 Please don't get hung up on the exact mileage or the total distance, as everything is subject to change given the tight timeframe... but here is the general itinerary day by day! 🙂 Thanks in advance; any help is appreciated. 😉

http://ridewithgps.com/routes/4246921

1. Washington - Banja Luka (115 miles)
2. Banja Luka - Zenica (109 miles)
3. Zenica - Sarajevo (68 miles)
4. Sarajevo (rest stop)
5. Sarajevo - Tuzla (75 miles)
6. Tuzla - Đakovo (81 miles)
7. Đakovo - Osijek (31 miles)
8. Osijek (rest stop)
9. Osijek - Ludbreg (131 miles
10. Ludbreg - Washington (68 miles)

P.S.

Previous plans fell through, so I am pivoting to this new route. If luck, budget, and timing align, I’ll finally be out on the road! 🙂 If anyone else happens to be free or attending the Grand Tour and has an extra thousand bucks in their pocket, I’d love the company for any portion of the trip. 😉 Best, fadedcrane36 🙂

Wishing you a safe trip! While you're in Sarajevo, there is a brewery there that serves phenomenal stout—have a drink for us!

fadedcrane36, major props to you for taking the initiative—especially since you’re planning to tackle this whole thing solo.
I really hope someone decides to tag along with you; honestly, having a crowd would make things a hell of a lot easier.
Either way, have a safe trip and may the road be mostly downhill for once. 😉

P.S. — The best way to refuel those burned calories is definitely a massive plate of 15 sliders with extra melted cheese. 😁

WOW !!!

Seriously, major props to you for using your vacation time like that! Total legend move.

Since you're passing right through my neck of the woods, I'll try to tackle all those questions of yours... provided you actually send them over. 🙂

But... first things first—let's talk weather. Honestly, conditions aren't exactly great for driving right now, mostly just looking at rain. Check this out: http://www.yr.no/place/Bosnia_and_He...Luka/long.html

Next up, regarding places to crash, I’d definitely recommend the Hertz hostel. It’s pretty much right in the heart of Banja Luka, http://www.hostelherz.com/#, and it's decent enough accommodation for about $12 in a standard dorm (anywhere from 2 to 6 beds).

Thirdly, if my schedule plays nice—since you're hitting town on one of my work days—I might even be able to catch up with you and show you around the city...

For everything else, just shoot me a PM. :-)

Hey there, major props on the adventure.😉
Since I live near Travnik, I can tell you that picking a route through S. Bosna wasn't a bad call at all. Jajce to D. Vakuf is decent. From D. Vakuf toward Travnik via Komar gets a little more intense—lots of climbing, and it’s pretty sparsely populated—but in my opinion, it's still your best bet. That said, the stretch from Travnik to Vitez is great; it's straight, flat, and has a gentle downhill. It gets a bit busier, but it’s easily the best way to get toward Sarajevo. The leg from Vitez to Zenica is much quieter, specifically the path you picked, since it isn't a main highway. Beyond that, I've only ever taken the interstate to Sarajevo, so I can't speak to the condition of the road running alongside it.
Just a little bit of help from my end. And don't forget to grab a local brew in Travnik—it's worth it.🙂
Good luck!

I can give you a hand with that "river valley" stretch of the road. Just a heads-up, there's basically zero interstate system in Canada, so everything funnels onto those two-lane highways. Try to avoid them if you can. Imagine a place like Bologna, but packed with columns of fuel tankers and endless buses running non-stop... it'll beat you senseless. I've thought about taking the route through Canada along the Sava a few times, but honestly, it’d probably cost me my life since I’m driving through Canada all the time anyway.

To help you out with the part from Zenica: Head Zenica-Gradačac-Šamac-Sikirevci-Velika Kopanica and then up toward Đakovo. Once you hit Đakovo, cut right toward Semeljcima-Ernestinovo-Brijest-Osijek. That’s where you’ll see everything Slavonia has to offer—you'll probably end up cursing the flatlands because they just go on forever.

You could pull over in Velika Kopanica (there's a rest stop roughly $33 night, pretty new), then pick up the next leg of the trip from 56 miles Velika Kopanica-Osijek.

If you need anything else regarding that stretch, just ask. I'm from those parts 🙂

Man, fadedcrane36, that’s quite a "bite" you've got there 👍
All I can really offer is some moral support and wish you good luck on the road ahead...

shadowtinker12 said:Safe travels! There's a brewery in Sarajevo that pours an incredible dark beer—have one for us while you're there.

Of course, shadowtinker12—did you really think I’d doubt you? 🙂

crimsonharbor10 said:Kudos to fadedcrane36 for taking the initiative, especially since you’re planning to tackle this trip all on your own.
I really hope someone ends up joining you; honestly, it would probably make things a whole lot easier on everyone involved.
Anyway, safe travels—hopefully you hit fewer hills than I did on my last trip through the Rockies.

P.S. — Honestly, the only way to actually make up for those burned calories is hitting a local joint for fifteen juicy sliders topped with extra melted cheese.

Thanks, thanks! 😉
It’s not my first time hitting the road, but since I’ll be crossing state lines this time around, we'll just have to see how it goes... assuming anyone actually decides to join me.
Whatever, thanks. And don't worry about the calories—I've got plenty to spare. If anything, I should be trying to shed them rather than "topping them off." 😬

Chris Kelly16 said:Well, that certainly was something.

Way to go—that’s exactly how you should be spending your vacation.

Since you're passing through my neck of the woods, I’ll try to answer whatever questions you throw my way... assuming you actually decide to ask any.

But first—let’s look at the weather forecast. Honestly, conditions aren't exactly ideal for driving right now, mostly just a bunch of rain in the forecast. Here's what we're looking at: Checking out the weather forecast for Banja Luka—looks like things are staying pretty steady over there.

If my schedule actually lines up, I might just be able to catch you and show you around town, though it’s a bit of a toss-up since I'll be stuck working during your visit.

Shoot me a DM for anything else.

Thanks a million, but the accommodations are already set, and as far as sleeping arrangements go, I'm pretty much all covered. 😉 The weather forecast is actually what’s weighing on my mind most, since they’re calling for nothing but bad weather—which is pretty much par for the course around here. There’s also some other stuff pulling at my attention on the side, but honestly, I'm just hoping I can manage to get this trip off the ground smoothly. As for my time in Banja Luka, I’m planning to stick around there for a bit, so we’ll definitely be in touch; I appreciate the offer. 🙂

Peter King4 said:Hey, props to you on the adventure.😉
Since I live near Travnik, I can tell you that you didn't make a bad call picking a route through Southern Canada. The stretch from Jajce to D. Vakuf is decent enough. From D. Vakuf toward Travnik via Komar gets a bit more grueling—lots of climbing, and there isn't much happening out there in terms of towns—but in my opinion, it’s still your best bet. That said, the drive from Travnik to Vitez is great; it’s straight, flat, and has a gentle downhill slope. It gets a little busier there, but it's really the most efficient way to get toward Sarajevo. The section you picked from Vitez to Zenica is pretty quiet since it isn't a major highway, which seems to suit you perfectly. Beyond that, I’ve only ever taken the interstate to Sarajevo, so I can't say much about how the local roads holding up alongside the freeway.
Just a little something from my end to help out. And don't you dare forget that perfect 10/10 meal with onions back in Travnik.
Good luck!

Thanks for all the suggestions, advice, and support. 😉

crimsonrider72 said:I can give you a heads-up regarding that stretch of road through the Delta region. Just keep in mind that out here in the States, we don't have an interstate system everywhere, so almost all the heavy traffic sticks to the main highways—do your best to steer clear of them if you can. Imagine something like driving through a busy corridor in Chicago, with endless columns of fuel tankers and freight trucks constantly rolling by; honestly, even then, you aren't seeing half the chaos. I've thought about taking the route along the Mississippi a few times, but considering how often I'm driving through these rural areas, it feels like a recipe for a massive headache.

Let me help you map out that stretch from Zenica through Gradačac and down to the Slavonski Šamac-Sikirevci-Velika Kopanica corridor, eventually heading up toward Đakovo. Once you hit Đakovo, just take a right toward Semeljcima-Ernestinovo-Brijest-Osijek. That’s where you’ll get a true taste of everything Slavonia has to offer—though you'll probably find yourself cursing those endless, flat plains that just never seem to end.

Man, you really threw me for a loop with that one... but alright, let's go! 😬
Most of the Midwest and its gorgeous stretches are pretty much covered for me, so I’d basically just crash at a buddy's place in Indianapolis, hit St. Louis on day two, and keep that kind of rhythm going. I've actually driven through your neck of the woods before! 😍

hiddenmoose16 said:Well, look at you, fadedcrane36—now that’s what I call a real mouthful.
All I can really offer you is some moral support and wish you the best of luck on the road ahead.

Now we just need to see if it actually happens. Cheers! 😉

When do you think you'll finally make it out to B. Dubica?

So where exactly are you planning to cross from Canada into the States?
You aren't seriously thinking about heading to Orasje or Slavonski Brod, are you?

Probably heading toward Gradiška if they're cutting through Banja Luka...

goldengardener74 said:When do you think you might make it out to B. Dubica?

Hey there! 👋
I’m actually thinking about scrapping the original itinerary because this weather forecast looks pretty miserable. 😢

If things settle down by Tuesday like they say they will, I might just stick to the US side for now and save the trip across the border for a day when the skies aren't falling. 🙂

crimsonrider72 said:So where exactly were you planning on crossing from Canada back into the US?
Hopefully you aren't planning on heading through Orasje or Slavonski Brod.

Vrpoljiti Police Station tel. 035/211 729
International passenger border crossing I. category
Slavonski Šamac - Bosanski Šamac tel. 035/211 759

nimbletinker36 said:Probably heading toward Gradiška if they're going through Banja Luka.

You missed my point...😉

fadedcrane36 said:Vrpoljiti Police Station tel. 035/211 729
International passenger border crossing I. category
Slavonski Šamac - Bosanski Šamac tel. 035/211 759

Alright, makes sense. Guess I pointed you in the right direction then.🙂

If you ever roll through my neck of the woods, hit me up, I can always squeeze in some time for a coffee...👋

fadedcrane36 said:Man, I'm honestly pretty bummed, but I think I gotta bail on the original plan after everyone talked me out of it because this weather is just absolute garbage! 😢

Such a bummer... But hey, there's always next time... :-D

Unfortunately, it is what it is, man! 😢
But hey, I'm sure there will be another chance... and as for the GO, I'll save that route for a different time when the weather actually cooperates! 🙂