Rio Hills, Achaea 20131005

Route through hills above Rio.

0,0km at 0m - Start from Mpozaitika beach, up with local roads towards University and later continueing up in direction to Ano Kastritsi.

4,0km at 150m - Innovation Hub above University. Climb becomes steeper but views much better :-D, still with asphalt.

10,0km at 480m - Ano Kastritsi. Very nice village in footsteps of Panachaiko range. From time to time there is bridge view available. After passing the village, route leaves asphalt road and enters descent with dirt roads towards Platani.

12,5km at 450m - after some 2,5km with dirt roads, route enters the area destroyed by 2012's big fire. The aftermath is almost completely burbed forest and very damaged roads. I had to walk down with my bike for large part of this section, until almost Platani.

16,0 at 180m - Horse Club of Rio, actualy located in Platani :-D and later the village itself with beautiful church and spring next to it - time for refill of water supplies before next climb to Profiti Ilias Argiras, again with asphalt local road.

21,0 at 480m - right turn in direction to the church, leaving the local road.

22,0 at 520m - Profiti Ilias Argiras. Very nicely located church offering panoramic views to Patras gulf and bridge of course. Quick break and route continues first back to local road and very soon after right in direction to Agios Georgios Drepanou (there is a sign). After about one kilometer, the route again enters area burned in 2012's summer fire. One year from that, the forest starts to 'recover' to green again.

25,5km at 450m - missed turn! Originally I was planning to reach Ag Georgios church, but as I found out later, I have missed exactly this right turn and went straight instead :-/ ehh well, next time...
After the mistake I made another one (due to misleading map on my GPS) and went to blind spot. Fortunately, it was not much to go back and find the right route.
The descent down to Ag Vassileios was done again with very bad roads, where I had to walk down for most of the section.

31,0km at 10m - arrived in Ag Vassileios (with small shopping stop to Andrikopoulos supermarket).

Even though it's fairly short ride, without exeptional climbs, I mark it 'difficult' for both downhill sections in burned area, where the road was exetremly dangerous and impossible to ride.
Great views to Patras gulf, bridge, Patras city and Panachaiko mountains.