12 hours of May: Bikepacking in the Tatra Mountains

Words by Weronika Szalas. Photos by Tomek Milewski and Weronika Szalas.

At the beginning of May, my partner Tomek threw an idea out there to ride a loop around the Tatra Mountains. The route goes through Poland and Slovakia, a classic among cyclists over here but I’d never ridden it before. The first heatwave of the year and blue skies. If there was a perfect time for it, this was it - snow-capped mountains towering above already green fields. Normally, I’d always prefer to climb the mountains, but at this time of year it really makes sense to go around the massif and admire it in its full glory (don't get me wrong - the riding is still hilly). I also appreciated finally exploring landscapes closer to home - something I've missed out on in the last years seeking for the impressions all over the world but not in my home country.

Three and half days and three nights of riding and camping with views to the highest peaks of Poland and Slovakia. One brown bear spotted - definitely a highlight, as we’d never seen one before. Having cycled across the forests of the Balkans and the mountains of Asia, we were eventually given this opportunity in Slovakia, 500 meters from a village and a road, while brewing our morning coffee on the stove... The fluffy brown guy came out of the forest around 15 meters from where we were sitting in the meadow and ran away as soon as he heard us (he initially didn't because of the wind direction). It all happened so quickly - I wished I could pause that moment and look at him more closely... but for safety’s sake, it was probably better that he backed off as soon as he spotted us.

The trip was straightforward - no plan, slow mornings and taking time to stop whenever the views opened up. I fell in love with the idyllic spring landscapes and quiet Slovakian villages and made a note in my head that I should go more often to that region and to the Tatras itself.

We ended our loop with a meal at the bar Rumcajs in Nowy Targ in Poland, known for its famous portions and traditional Polish dishes. It was well worth it.

This was our 12 hours of May, times three. Peaceful, simple, stretching the time...