{"id":179,"date":"2019-05-27T00:38:37","date_gmt":"2019-05-26T21:38:37","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.fred-hart.gr\/greece2019\/?p=179"},"modified":"2019-05-27T00:54:32","modified_gmt":"2019-05-26T21:54:32","slug":"500-miles","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.fred-hart.gr\/greece2019\/500-miles\/","title":{"rendered":"500 Miles :: 805 \u03a7\u03b9\u03bb\u03b9\u03cc\u03bc\u03b5\u03c4\u03c1\u03b1"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Today has been a long day on the road &#8211; my car&#8217;s GPS records show it was 9hrs 31mins of driving time, plus stops with added 1hr 50min to that. I&#8217;ve covered nearly 500 miles in a single day!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I left Potos after breakfast and getting some rolls in the bakery to make my packed lunch with &#8211; Then it was straight on to the road to get the ferry back to the mainland.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Today that was easy &#8211; No reversing on, No reversing off; Straight on to the ferry when I got to Thassos Town. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\" data-imagelightbox=\"g\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1440\" height=\"1080\" src=\"http:\/\/www.fred-hart.gr\/greece2019\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/05\/DSCN6354-1440x1080.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-181\" srcset=\"http:\/\/www.fred-hart.gr\/greece2019\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/05\/DSCN6354-1440x1080.jpg 1440w, http:\/\/www.fred-hart.gr\/greece2019\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/05\/DSCN6354-300x225.jpg 300w, http:\/\/www.fred-hart.gr\/greece2019\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/05\/DSCN6354-800x600.jpg 800w, http:\/\/www.fred-hart.gr\/greece2019\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/05\/DSCN6354.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1440px) 100vw, 1440px\" \/><figcaption>An easier ferry to drive on to today!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\" data-imagelightbox=\"g\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1440\" height=\"1080\" src=\"http:\/\/www.fred-hart.gr\/greece2019\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/05\/DSCN6357-1440x1080.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-182\" srcset=\"http:\/\/www.fred-hart.gr\/greece2019\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/05\/DSCN6357-1440x1080.jpg 1440w, http:\/\/www.fred-hart.gr\/greece2019\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/05\/DSCN6357-300x225.jpg 300w, http:\/\/www.fred-hart.gr\/greece2019\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/05\/DSCN6357-800x600.jpg 800w, http:\/\/www.fred-hart.gr\/greece2019\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/05\/DSCN6357.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1440px) 100vw, 1440px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-media-text alignwide\"><figure class=\"wp-block-media-text__media\" data-imagelightbox=\"g\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"480\" height=\"800\" src=\"http:\/\/www.fred-hart.gr\/greece2019\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/05\/wp_ss_20190526_00011.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-184\" srcset=\"http:\/\/www.fred-hart.gr\/greece2019\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/05\/wp_ss_20190526_00011.png 480w, http:\/\/www.fred-hart.gr\/greece2019\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/05\/wp_ss_20190526_00011-300x500.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 480px) 100vw, 480px\" \/><\/figure><div class=\"wp-block-media-text__content\">\n<p>Today was changeover-day for the British tour operators; the ferry was  full of Brits and when I checked the Kavala Airport departures board  (see left) I saw there was a flight due to leave for Manchester a little  over 2 hours later, so I guess they must have been heading for that. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>(Sidenote: A German car on a D\u00fcsseldorf number plate drove in to the Airport as I was driving past the turning &#8211; I assume it was meeting someone flying in from there).<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>For me though a day on the road lay ahead &#8211; When I got off the ferry at Keramoti an estimated journey time of 7 and a half hours was showing on the sat nav (not counting stops). <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>An easy enough journey: Take th A2 to Thessaloniki, the A1 (previously known as the \u03a0.\u0391.\u0398.\u0395) to Athens, then the A6 (Athens&#8217; version of the M25) until I see a sign for Porto Rafti.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I was surprised at how clear the traffic was &#8211; None the whole way, a little bit busy going round Thessaloniki and coming in to Athens, but otherwise the motorway was &#8211; if not empty &#8211; certainly virtually clear &#8211; for most of the journey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Perhaps the highlight of the journey was when I came out of a service station on to the motorway, and then overtook a police car with its blue lights on &#8211; He was only doing about 80km\/h in lane 1, in a 120km\/h zone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/HqC9Qc3cR88\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n\n\n\n<p>There was one small problem I had along the way: Zipping a long at 120km\/h suddenly I started losing power and the Engine Management Light came on. The car had gone in to its &#8216;Limp Home&#8217; mode. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I made it off the motorway and found a petrol station where I thought it might be an idea to ask for help (if nothing else to find out where on earth I was if I was going to have to call someone out &#8211; I have European wide breakdown cover but saying &#8220;I&#8217;m on a Greek Motorway somewhere between Thessaloniki and Athens&#8221; to Green Flag won&#8217;t really help them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But of course, the minute I took the key out of the ignition it seemed to reset itself&#8230;Typical! Without the light on, no mechanic&#8217;s diagnostic computer will detect any problems. As a precaution we checked the oil level (all good), plenty of fuel, water, etc. and it drove fine with the light off. So I &#8211; cautiously I might add &#8211; set off again. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>According to my GPS records I believe this small breakdown happened not far from Lamia, still a 3 hour drive from tonight&#8217;s destination. In the end I made it to Porto Rafti without any further incidents.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Perhaps some dirt got in to the system &#8211; My windscreen was collecting a lot of dirt (seems like quite a few squashed insects too) so it would be possible for some dirt to get in to the engine system; when I stopped for fuel at the services, the forecourt attendants cleaned everyone&#8217;s windscreens too. Or perhaps it was a faulty sensor. Whatever it was, it can&#8217;t have been too serious for the car to drive as normal as though nothing had happened for the remainder of the journey &#8211; but perhaps something to get looked at before too long. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Eventually, after first setting off at 09:45 this morning, I arrived in tonight&#8217;s accomodation in Porto Rafti at 20:52. It has been the longest day of driving so far this holiday and I think possible the longest day in the entire 3 weeks. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\" data-imagelightbox=\"g\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1440\" height=\"1080\" src=\"http:\/\/www.fred-hart.gr\/greece2019\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/05\/DSCN6374-1440x1080.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-183\" srcset=\"http:\/\/www.fred-hart.gr\/greece2019\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/05\/DSCN6374-1440x1080.jpg 1440w, http:\/\/www.fred-hart.gr\/greece2019\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/05\/DSCN6374-300x225.jpg 300w, http:\/\/www.fred-hart.gr\/greece2019\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/05\/DSCN6374-800x600.jpg 800w, http:\/\/www.fred-hart.gr\/greece2019\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/05\/DSCN6374.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1440px) 100vw, 1440px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>A good meal and a drink was needed after all that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Got to be up early tomorrow to get the ferry to Tinos, so I&#8217;m off to bed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u039a\u03b1\u03bb\u03b7\u03bd\u03cd\u03c7\u03c4\u03b1,<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>FH<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"text-align:right\">Today&#8217;s Mileage: 493.8<br>Accumulative Mileage: 2121.7<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Journey Map<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\" data-imagelightbox=\"g\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1366\" height=\"768\" src=\"http:\/\/www.fred-hart.gr\/greece2019\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/05\/Screenshot-2019-05-26-21.01.50.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-180\" srcset=\"http:\/\/www.fred-hart.gr\/greece2019\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/05\/Screenshot-2019-05-26-21.01.50.png 1366w, http:\/\/www.fred-hart.gr\/greece2019\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/05\/Screenshot-2019-05-26-21.01.50-300x169.png 300w, http:\/\/www.fred-hart.gr\/greece2019\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/05\/Screenshot-2019-05-26-21.01.50-800x450.png 800w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1366px) 100vw, 1366px\" \/><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Today has been a long day on the road &#8211; my car&#8217;s GPS records show it was 9hrs 31mins of driving time, plus stops with added 1hr 50min to that. I&#8217;ve covered nearly 500 miles in a single day!&hellip; <a href=\"http:\/\/www.fred-hart.gr\/greece2019\/500-miles\/\" class=\"more-link\">View Post<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":182,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[11,8],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-179","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-attiki","category-thassos"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.fred-hart.gr\/greece2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/179","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.fred-hart.gr\/greece2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.fred-hart.gr\/greece2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.fred-hart.gr\/greece2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.fred-hart.gr\/greece2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=179"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"http:\/\/www.fred-hart.gr\/greece2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/179\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":186,"href":"http:\/\/www.fred-hart.gr\/greece2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/179\/revisions\/186"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.fred-hart.gr\/greece2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/182"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.fred-hart.gr\/greece2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=179"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.fred-hart.gr\/greece2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=179"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.fred-hart.gr\/greece2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=179"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}