We find ourselves in Prague with just five days of riding left. We have spent our last week or so riding from Berlin south meeting up with the Elbe River, which runs from the Czech Republic to northwestern Germany. We had no intentions of going to the Czech but when Em informed us that with the amount of riding time and kilometers left we would have ample time to shoot over to Prague on the way to Munich, we thought why not. Riding along the Elbe, which is a famous and very popular bike route has had it's ups and downs. Downsides include what we have come to refer as "death cobble," which falls far out of the reaches of nice cobble (new age take on an old tradition, relatively smooth) and normal cobble ( small to medium rocks, smoothed from consist wear, bumpy but doable). Death cobble is large jagged not well designed, buried rocks placed in sketchy sections, at the bottom of a hill or a narrow drop of section. More intense than death cobble or long sections of pothole dirt roads scattered with mud puddles, due to recent t-storms are the stairs! That's right a popular famous bike trail has multiple sets of stairs one has to climb to continue on. Since it is a bicycle route many of the stairs have small ramps (a little bigger than thr width of a bicycle tire), the ramps do help but rampless stairs are a pain. Our last staircase was up over a small river via a massive pipeline system in the middle of no where. Up four flights of stairs, they weren't full but when carry a fully loaded touring bike up steep stairs it doesn't matter and down three we had made it to the other side. The alternative was 3km on a cobble dirt road to a ferry, we'll take the stairs.
But with all the epics of dirt roads and large obstacles riding along the Elbe was amazing. We knew nothing about it when we started and it's amazing bueaty, landscapes, nestled towns and grand cities blew our minds. We only road a three day section of it, and I want to believe it was the best section to ride. We started near Dresden in Germany and were ultimately blown away by it's grand buildings dating back hundreds of years. The Elbe is a twisting river with a large flat plain that buts up against steep cliffs and rolling hills. On the river side hills and cliffs we often spotted castles and mansions that put any Hampton summer home to shame. Another twist and turn we would find ourselves in a small town with perfect old houses. When we weren't battling un-paved maddness we were rolling along perfectly paved paths with bicycle tourers aplenty. What was most breath taking was the shear cliffs and magical rock formations scattered all along the rivers. There was a Jurrasic Park feel, mist rising from the green forrest surrounding colorful cliffs jutting hundreds of feet in the air.
After a stop off in Prague to take in one of the most grand cities in the world we are southern bound for our last bit of bicycle riding. How strange it will be to end. Even though we haven't left and living in the now is the way to ride we have started to think about the adventures of home. Dawn patrol ocean swims, Tate's coffee, clothes, more then one outfit, bagels fresh garden vegetables and much much more. But for now an open air train ride into Prague's main station.
Photos: a roller balding path; a castle on the Elbe; Lucy hits 4,000 miles; welcome to the Czech republic.
What a glorious time you have all had...it is exciting to know that you will be coming home soon!! Can't wait to see you...BE safe and well as this adventure comes to a close...Love to you all, Mom Maryxxxx
ReplyDeleteLUCY YOU HIT 4000??? THATS AWESOME and I am truly sad I wasnt there to help you with all those zeros. Truly sad. God I can't wait to see you guys!! And death cobble!!.?! That sounds BAD! Oh man I love you three tremendously. See you in ny in a week or two!!
ReplyDelete