We’ll actually start our trip in Ljubljana, where we’ll pick up guests for transport to the start of our first ride. Climbing hills to the west, the looming Triglav Mountains will beckon us, but we’ll stop short, leaving them to entice us with their magnetic pull. Our bikes will be waiting for us just short of the top of a ridge and we’ll just have to contain ourselves a bit more. We’ll do a bike fit, have some lunch, then—finally—be released to stomp our pedals and head over the top. The route from there takes us on a long, thrilling descent into the fairy land of Lake Bled and our home for the next two nights, the Hotel Triglav Bled, just above the western shore. We’ll gather our first night for a shared dinner, to get to know each other better, and dream of what will follow. Sleep may be difficult for us on this night, just as it is for a child on Christmas Eve.

The following day, we’ll set out on bikes towards the big mountains to our west, but only for a while. On the north shoulder of the Triglav Nathonal Park, we’ll turn away and make a loop back to our hotel, mostly following the Slava Dolinka River. We’ll be sure to return early, though, because we’ll want to leave plenty of time to explore the village or take a boat to the spectacular island site of the Assumption of Maria Church, the  rightful focus of a million photographs. You can hop a ride on a small ferry or rent a row boat if you’re adventurous. However you get there, it’s a stop not to be missed.

Dinner the second night will be on your own, or, you can join us at the “Nomads Table,” a place where the team will welcome any who wish to join.

Lake Bled is truly spectacular, but it is only one of the many gemstones in the crown of Slovenia. Today, we head west, towards the big Triglav Mountains that have teased us since we arrived. Our journey this day will take us as far as we can ride, ending at another lake setting of unbelievable beauty, Ribcev Laz, set hard against the mountain walls. Our ride is less than 25 miles, but we’ll be in no hurry, as the route takes us on a meandering route across the foothills, with the mountains always in view. Our home for the next two nights is Hotel Jezero, in the center of the village on the east end of the lake.

The following day, we’ll continue our journey west towards the Triglav Mountains, but our conveyance will be a bit different. We’ll ride to the west end of the lake, then climb to the base of a ski lift, where our bikes will have to await our return. A ride up the lift will swiftly take us high above the lake and village, to a network of trails that lead up, across, and back down the mountains. We’ll hike a bit, have some lunch, soak in the beauty, then return to our bikes later in the afternoon. Our ride will find us tracing the north side of the lake on a gravel path, eventually taking us back to our hotel, but not before stopping to search for the points on the mountain from which we had looked down just a short time before. And, more likely than not, you’ll be thinking about how soon you’ll be able to return to those spots, to remain longer the next time.

Dinner each night in Ribcev Laz will be on your own or you can join, as always, at the Nomads Table.

Today we’ll head south. As we ride, hills turn into mountains and our path begins to wind and become more vertical. We’ll crest and drop and crest and drop, pausing each time to take in the raw beauty at every turn. We’ll find a place so unspoiled that we’ll wonder if roads magically appeared.

Our route will take us towards the village of Spodnja Idrija and our home for the next two nights at the elegant Kendov Dvorac Hotel, a fabulous setting that dates to the 14th century.

The following day we’ll continue our mountain exploration by climbing to the west, eventually finding a small peak that offers a spectacular 360-degree uninterrupted view of western Slovenia. Our return backtracks a bit, then offers a blazing descent back to our village home.

Dinner each night will be on your own or you can join the Nomads Table.

Today we work our way out of the mountains, heading east towards the capital city of Ljubljana. Our ride will be anything but flat, as we stay in the mountains the entire way, cresting ridges and dropping and repeating until we near the eastern plains. Ljubljana is a bustling big city, so we’ll dismount bikes and finish the trek by van to our final night’s lodging at the Hotel Mak Superior, just off Ljubljana’s central square. We’ll arrive early enought to allow exploration of the  historic district, as it isn’t a place to be missed. On this final night together, we’ll share stories of awe and a final meal and give thanks for the opportunity to have spent time exploring this amazing place. And, most certainly, we’ll be planning our return.