Preparing for El Camino E-Bike Ride on Pag Island

This summer, after many years, we returned to Croatia for a family vacation. Instead of the more familiar coastal spots, we chose Pag Island, a place we had never visited before. The landscape immediately struck me: barren, rocky, and surreal. It’s no coincidence that one of the local hiking routes is nicknamed the Mars Trail—the scenery truly feels like another planet.

Since I’ll be setting off on the Camino in just a month, I decided Pag would be the perfect testing ground. I rented an e-bike and set off on my own, curious to see what I might learn.

The bike itself was a bit of a disappointment: rusty, poorly maintained, with squeaky brakes and no kickstand. But I didn’t let that stop me. I loaded the GPX route the rental place gave me into the Omsand app—though to my surprise, I couldn’t figure out how to make the navigation actually work. I had downloaded the Croatia map, the track was visible, but the app wasn’t guiding me the way I expected. Something as basic as this should have been clearer, so I’ll give it another try later, but I may need to switch apps before the Camino.

Still, I set off. Early on I encountered a flock of sheep blocking the road—charming, and for this city girl, not scary at all. As I pedaled further, I tested the e-bike’s assist modes. At first it felt strange: the gears seemed to shift roughly, with sudden jolts. After about half an hour, I got used to it. Then I turned onto a rocky dirt road, where the bike felt unstable. I had to reduce the power assist because the wheel kept slipping.

Just as I was settling in, I noticed heavy storm clouds forming behind me. Given the bike’s poor condition, I decided not to take chances and turned back.

What I Learned

The biggest lesson was this: I can set off alone. Even with the bumps and small frustrations, I managed fine. And I realized a few practical things I’ll take with me to the Camino:

• On the first day, I need to allow extra time. Getting used to an unfamiliar bike will take patience, even if I expect a better-maintained one on the Camino (after all, I paid enough for it!).
• I shouldn’t plan a very long route for day one, since navigation and understanding the Camino signs may take extra time as well.
• Clothing matters more than I thought. A long-sleeved top might be better on wilder stretches, both for protection from vegetation and bugs.
• Animals don’t scare me, but storms do. I need to prepare mentally for riding in rain, because on the Camino, I won’t always have the option to turn back.
• And finally, the joy of freedom. Riding alone brought me right back to childhood, when I would hop on my bike and ride through the city, carefree and independent. That feeling was worth everything.

This little test ride reminded me why I’m doing the Camino in the first place: to challenge myself, to rediscover freedom, and to feel fully alive.