Yep I know I missed day five and said yesterday was six and I called the hills north of Veles XYZ plus observant ones noting I was wearing the same cycle gear. Personally I blame the heat and exhaustion of the day making me delirious. Knowing this won’t cut it I checked and found the hills were part of the Sar Mountain range. As for the wardrobe, travelling lite has its drawbacks though reduces carbon footprint and the need for mosi spray, since even they avoid you. Had a great start today set off and not a puncture in site. The road was good, recently refurbished – courtesy of the EU as the Greeks wanted a route through to Western Europe and it was properly Tarmaced. The road was wide and plenty of room for both bikes and trucks.

We managed 42 miles by 12 midday, had a real peloton going and didn’t even stop. We saw a police car parked up and was about to ask a for nearest cafe or shop when, with a bemused look he asked where we’d come from – given the last 40 miles was motorway. I only knew this since I recognised the phrase autobahn. Fortunately whilst his German was good his English was poor and he’d stopped a car for speeding so wanted to sort that. We asked what we should do – his reply translated to ‘just go.’ Anyway he caught us up, not difficult I suppose though only wanted to and guide us through a rather long tunnel. We left him happy as he’d pulled over a lorry for some reason. The heat hurt today and we found ourselves after 65 miles cycling in 38c – mad dogs and english men spring to mind, since we didn’t meet another cyclist today – though that could have been to do with it being an aвтопат, which I learnt today is Macedonian for motorway. Perhaps it’s just as well we cross over to Greece first thing tomorrow.