Day 68 - July 17th: Lost & Found
Korlat to Šibenik: 33.4 miles / 1,895 total
We spent another delightful evening in the small town of Gornji Karin, perched on a bluff above the Novigrad Sea. Our little two-bedroom apartment with a veranda overlooking the lake was simple and perfect. There was only one restaurant in town—Bistro Ivan—so choosing where to eat was easy.
I felt surprisingly strong after yesterday’s 51K. Christina picked me up on the Via Magna, and we drove 25 minutes back to our apartment to knock out the usual post-run routine. Later, we strolled a few hundred meters to dinner, while other folks were heading home from the water. After a tasty, simple meal, we returned to a lively village: kids playing in the street, adults in swimwear or cleaned up, all walking to Bistro Ivan. Small town living continues to impress.
The rest of the night was logistics. Christina had booked us an apartment in the center of Dubrovnik for July 24–25, but at the pace we’re moving, we’ll likely arrive two days early—and there are no vacancies. Each day takes work to find lodging, and the further out we can book, the better. We were also planning to meet Josie and Dave in Split on July 21, but now we’ll be there three days ahead of schedule.
This morning, under a heavy gray sky and light rain in the forecast, Christina dropped me 53 km from our next apartment, back on the Via Magna—a quiet country road that threads across the plateau at about 500 feet.
Olive groves and vineyards lined the way. The more I travel through Europe, the more I’m awed by the enduring genius of the Romans. After 2,000 years, we’re still using the networks they laid down. It’s hard not to wonder if the same olive trees and vines once stood just off this very path.
It was a quiet and serene start as I ran the first 9K to the town of Benkovac, where for the first time in Croatia I felt like I was in a proper inland European village—an old town center, a church with a bell tower and clock, a few cafés and bakeries. Until now, most towns I passed were coastal or scattered along the main highway. I grabbed two large coffees and a pretzel, then returned to the route—gravel farm tracks and rural backroads.
Sidenote: I’m not big on smoking, and since arriving in Europe I’ve avoided outdoor seating because smoking is allowed there and there is nothing worse than taking a bite of food while the person next to you is smoking. But Croatia is the first country where smoking is allowed both indoors and out, which turns every meal into a strategic search for the least smoky corner. At the café, I found myself standing in the rain sipping coffee while the locals smoked comfortably inside.
Out on the road again, I saw a lot of women working the fields—some alone, others with partners. Christina and I agree: Croatian women are not only the most beautiful we’ve seen on this trip, but the hardiest!
By early afternoon the rain gave way to sun and humidity. I felt a blister forming on the lower arch of my left foot. Then, when I reached for my sunglasses, I realized they were gone—my third and final pair. The first were lost bushwhacking in Spain, the second were Goodrs that fell apart, and these were my brand-new Oakleys. Frustration followed—always a sign I need calories. Christina and Jax met me at 1:30 PM after 36K, and I refueled, swapping in my last pair of casual sunglasses.
After that, I hit Route 27, which instantly reminded me of Italy’s SS roads and Croatia’s E65—hot, loud, stressful. Thankfully, just 5K in, I veered left onto a narrow road that dropped into a green valley and then led to the prettiest seaside town I’ve seen on this trip - Zaton. The harbor was full of boats, shops lined the shore, restaurants wrapped around the water. Picture-perfect.
Climbing again, I took a cliffside road back up to the plateau and crossed a bridge into Šibenik, where we rented an apartment for the night. Šibenik is one of Croatia’s oldest native cities, founded by Croats in the 11th century and later fortified by Venice. It’s home to the Cathedral of St. James, a UNESCO World Heritage Site made entirely of stone without mortar—an architectural marvel of the 15th century.
My day wasn’t perfect, but Christina’s was worse. As I arrived, she and Jax were walking through the old town toward me. First thing she told me: there was a car accident. No one was hurt—just cosmetic damage—but the engine maintenance light is on now too. The game goes on. Things arise. Priorities shift. But we manage, and we keep going.
It’s really time for a beer.
As always, thank you for following along and your support.
Cheers,
David.
P.S. More congrats to Bob Becker on his finish at Badwater and the well-earned national attention in The Los Angeles Times and NPR’s All Things Considered. There is a reason we call you The Immortal!
