The crew at Tara Grab really are a great bunch. I don’t usually pick up easily on that kind of stuff, but on this occasion the time we spent at the bar with them enjoying Slivas and beers made it difficult to miss. The cook was very interested in our bikes as he used to own one himself. Now he is working on a wooden cruiser model to put at the entrance of the camp site. He proudly shows us his progress.
Dinner last night was a very tasty local dish. As quite common in places like this, you simply eat whatever the cook is able to whip out with in-season ingredients. It is always a risk, not knowing what you’ll be getting, but more often than not it turns out great.
After a good night’s rest we take inventory of our situation. It is still raining. Some of our stuff hasn’t fully dried yet, and Sofie’s Tech 3 boots are still soaking. Despite wearing Sealskinz socks that’s still not a very pleasant prospect. On top of that the weather forecast for today is far from promising. So we both agree that it would be good to take a rest day, chill and enjoy the comforts of this place. After a hearty breakfast we install ourselves in the little cabin near the bar, where the crew kindly lit the wood stove for us.
The boots and gloves can dry out further near the fire and we can sort the pics we have taken so far. I also get the chance to have a look at the point-and-shoot camera which has been suffering from a spot in the center of all the pictures I was taking with it for the last 2 days.
I can’t really find the exact cause, but after dismantling the camera, blowing it out and putting it back together the problem is solved. All pictures are clear again. It is not the only camera we’re carrying, but it was still an annoying problem. This is a simple Nikon Coolpix camera, great for a quick shot without even bothering to get off the bike or take off the helmet. Works well while wearing gloves as well. For when there’s a little more time to play with aperture and shutter speed we also carry a compact Canon Powershot G15. Action shots are mostly taken with a drift 720. For panorama shots, none of those beat our smartphones in ease of use. Sorting the pics is done on a small ultrabook that I carry in a pelicase to keep it safe from impact and moisture. Just in case anyone was wondering.
The rest of the day is spent chilling, reading, sorting pictures and watching kayaks and rafts go by on the river. Where yesterday the river was still a bright blue color, today has turned a brown greyish color. Undoubtedly the result of the rain melting the remaining snow up in the Durmitor mountains, flushing all kinds of grit down into the Tara river.
According to our new friend the cook this was the first time in the 8 years he has been working here he ever saw it change color this extreme.
On the rare occasion it stops raining we take a walk around the camp site.
Our room:
The reception:
Some cool toys:
By late afternoon it starts to look like we’ve seen the last of the rain for today. Judging from the color of the river it looks like it has stopped raining up in the mountains as well.
