Autumn in Serbia on magical mountain Golija

Colors and scents of autumn are special. I remembering that huge pile of golden leaves in our yard and me and my dog jumping into it. I remember scent of fruit and fresh jam from mother kitchen. Long walks with my father through woods, sound of our steps on leafy grass. First rains and pure joy of testing new boots in fresh puddles. Oh, boy, I really like autumn.

Few years ago, on one autumn evening I stumbled on web page for cyclists. It was local, and I already know couple of guys from there. There was a tons of reports from ridings, gps tracks, pictures, invitations for future rides. And name was kinda cool - Freebiking, so I found myself spending hours looking through descriptions of rides and pictures. And then one invitation catch my attention - Golija: fireworks of autumn colors.

I was once on mountain Golija on short hiking trail. It was summer, and the mountain left a big impression on me. I never sow it in autumn, and I was free for that weekend, so... Few calls later, I had transportation to the mountain for me and my bike and place in mountain hut reserved. I was ready to go.

Mountain Golija is in southwestern Serbia. Highest peak is 1833 m, named Jankov Kamen (eng: Janko's Rock). Some new friends picked me up on one beautiful Friday, we pack my stuff and went for ride. I didn't know those guys before, but first impression was more than positive. They were open, sincere guys and it took us only few minutes to bond.

We arrived at mountain late at evening, just in time to meet all other riders. To my surprise, group was huge - more than 50 people was there. Young, older, guys and girls... group was larger and more diverse than any other group I was riding with before. But, few beers later, I felt like I know them for years. If you ever been in mountain hut with bunch of strangers but feeling like you are in home, then you know what I am talking about. Mountain attracts similar people with similar desires and wishes. People connect and bound on mountains.

Ride was two days long. In those two days we pass somewhere near 150 km of mountain, climb highest peak and went from one side of mountain to another and back. It was beautiful, mountain Golija is pure beauty in Autumn. Those colors are amazing. Ride was really hard but again enjoyable. Weather was perfect. But most of all, people I meet on that ride was excellent persons, full of joy and happiness. From that ride I went home properly tired, but renewed and fresh. Most of all, I found some new friends, and in years after that ride, we have become inseparable. That's why I was riding Golija many years after that first ride, always with happiness and pure joy.

This year, for first time in six years, I could not go to the ride. I am not in the country, and I could not organize to come back to Serbia for weekend. While I am typing this, my friends sends me pictures of well known sights of that beautiful mountain. That's why I decided, in last minute, to change subject of today's blog. I really miss that mountain today, and I would really like that I am there now.

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Pictures taken with Canon PowerShot S2IS

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!steemitworldmap 43.333333 lat 20.281944 long Golija D3SCR