Bicycle tour in der North-West Slovakia with a short section in Polish Orawa from July 2th  to 5th, 2010. I. day I drove with my cycling mate dr. Oláh Tamás  by car to Sväty Anton Friday afternoon. Then we climbed by bicycle from 398 m up to  1009 m  7,2 km   average gradient of  8,5%, max.15,0%  .                                      climbing up to Sitno                                 refuge at the top           preparation before taking a photo                on the way to the top                                         Here we could find the  sign board. After by car to Zdiar nad Hronom . By bicycle up to the pass  sedlo Handlova,  official name  perhaps : sedlo pod Vysokou 902 m ? By car to Klacno . Above  the village we stayed overnight in a tent  on a meadow with marvellous view. II. day                                                our camp site in the morning                                                 Klacno                                                          view to the village                                             From the village we climbed up to the pass  Vrícke sedlo (Sedlo Vricko) 550 m, wich is between Kľačno and Kláštor pod Znievom. We kept on cycling to Martin, then up to Martinské Hole. From  380 m up  1460 m 15,0 km long, average gradient of  7%, max. 14,0% .                                                   Panorama from Martinske Hole down to Martin                      Martinske Hole cottages        from here excellent view up to the done challenge BIG                 After Martin we cycled via following settlements Ratkovo, Párnica, Dolny Kubin ,Oravsky Podzámok..,                                                                                    castle of Orava                               Tamás is climbing to pass Prislop                               Pass sign picture saved                                           Sedlo Prislop (780 m) between Oravsky Podzámok and Hruštín. Happy at the pass top. View  from pass down to Hruštín In Namestovo we finally found our accommodation in a cottage camp near the water reservoir  of Orava. III. day Cycling to Tvrdošín, then on the main transit road  via  Trstená acros the Polish border, Chyżne to Jablonka. From there we climbed up to pass Lipnicka/ Krowiarki  (1018 m)                           memorials to 70th jubilee to Jan Wojtylas contribution to road construction in 1938 and 30th jubelee to his pope election      Tamas at the pass top                                                              my first pass in Poland: przelecz Krowiarki/Lipnicka (980 m)  memorial board to Jan Wojtyla's last mountain holiday/  tail of John Paul II  / creak  in High Tatra High Tatra  in a remote distance. We rolled downhill to Jablonka back, then cycled on the transit road to Podbiel. From there to Zuberec, uphill to  Ťatliakovo jazero (1375 m) were our destination.                                                                                             Tatliakovo jazero                    refuge,where the dishes were saled "by auction" with loud shouts                         Tamás is absolving a Challenge BIG                                            Mountain climber Tatliak's   momorial stone, after whom the tarn were named.                                                                               photos of the tarn                                                    Ťatliakovo jazero                                       tarn overwieving by Rohac                                         Looking back to  the landscape  from the border of Zuberec.                    Back to Zuberec From Zuberec we cycled to Liptovské Matiašovce, but first we climbed the pass sedlo Huty.                              on the pass road                              where is the pass top?           rolling race in direction of water reservoir of Liptov       peaks of High Tatra                                          Excellent accommodation in a new  cottage for 5 €/pers.!! in the village Liptovske Matiasovce under number 58, where we also got  food to supper including bottle of beer. IV. day                                        St.Ladislav  church in Liptovské Matiašovce           View from the pass  Vyšehradské sedlo (579 m)       Tamás reaching our last pass :Fackovske sedlo                  We went through a scenic landscape also passing by the water reservoir of Liptov  to  Ružomberok. From the town we went on in the valley of Vah river under threatening dark clouds to Martin. Then on the same route back as we arrived on  Saturday. I missed the branch off to pass Vricko, so we climbed a new lower pass: Vyšehradské sedlo (579 m.), then we rolled downhill with a repected speed to Nitrianske Pravno. Back to the car, refreshing and up to our last pass Fačkovské Sedlo 806 m *792 m * max.13 % .     Board of our last pass     792 m Fačkovské sedlo. Good roads, splendid weather, many cyclists, tasty beers, tolerant car drivers.... Wo else would not have fun cycling here   ?? back home