Day: 17 (Prague, CZ to Tibor, CZ)
Average Speed: 14.8 (9 MPH... CHALLENGING DAY!)
Distance Cycled Today: 129 km (80 Miles)
Distance Cycled Total: 1606 km (997 Miles)
Mood: Accomplished
This is a well deserved ice cream bar.
Because that was one helluva challenge today.
It started off normal... you know, the usual: stairs on the cycle path, off road trails, and me jumping off my bike ever so gracefully when it veered into a Prague tram track and dramatically collapsed in the street (really, if there's such thing as falling gracefully I did it today with a full audience).
But the climbing started soon into the ride and it was relentless.
Aside from riding on ridiculously difficult road surfaces (and off-road surfaces), I'd say the trip so far has been relatively easy. Something that pretty much anyone can do with little training.
Those days are over.
We're not on the "Let's Go Have a Sunday Ride with the Family" path anymore. This is serious stuff, and it looks like it's going to stay serious.
Perhaps it's not a specific range we're in at the moment, but I assure you, these are mountains.
We did about eight of them today, most of which involved 5-10 mile steep climbs (very reminiscent of the Appalachians, but perhaps even steeper at times).
I have a Love/Hate relationship with mountains. I hate the idea of starting one, but once I'm on it, I love it, but
then I hate it if it's not
over when I think it should be over, but then I love getting to the top of it because it feels fantastic.
And the descents? They're a blast. Especially when the road is well paved and has a few curves in it. It's worth the price of admission.
Another thing that comes with intense climbing is a ravenous appetite. It hits you out of nowhere. One second, you're full from the last meal, and the next you are searching your luggage in the hopes of finding some orphaned Gummy Bears that fell out of the package when you ripped it open it like a fiend two days prior.
When we broke for lunch at about 1 P.M., I stopped in a grocery store and gathered what I thought was far too much perishable food for two. Prosciutto, salami, cheese, rolls, and dijon mustard.
There was nothing left over.
Except for the dijon mustard.
I didn't want to throw it... seemed wasteful.
Luckily, there were three little old ladies sitting on a park bench nearby, and I made a bet with Jamie that I could get one of them to take the used jar of mustard.
Now, imagine you're... I dunno... anyone... and a stranger who doesn't speak a word of your language accosts you and pantomimes that he would like you to enjoy his partially depleted jar of dijon. While the stranger is acting this out, he casually wipes away the couple of ants that found their way to the top of the lid.
Would you take it?
You would if I were the one putting on the show.
My mustard was in a little old lady's purse in about a minute and a half.
I think it was the puppy dog eyes that sold it. Puppy dog eyes are international.
I also bought a ten-pack of Kleenex tissues, but I only wanted three of them. They didn't even hesitate accepting the other seven when I approached a second time. Christmas came early for those sweethearts.
When we left, they all waved simultaneously from the bench with a chorus of "Bye Bye!"- clearly excited to use the only English phrase they knew. Then they giggled. I know love when I see it, and those three had clearly fallen for me.
Mustard and Kleenex.
If I knew it was that easy, grocery stores within a thirty mile radius from where I live wouldn't be able to keep the Grey Poupon on the shelves.
Once we were back on the road we also had a welcome change of scenery:
Four days along the river was wonderful, but mountaintop views are hard to beat.
The trees have started to change. They look more "mountainy" as Jamie (the world's worst botanist) pointed out.
The fields... well... they still look like fields.
And who doesn't love a sunset over a mountaintop lake?
Unfortunately, that sun set faster than we hoped. It was slow going today and briefly turned into a night ride.
Pedaling 40 miles in one day isn't such a big deal... it's the next 40 that you start to feel, especially with a fully loaded steel touring bike in the mountains. If you were training for something like this, and simply did 40 miles every day for a couple of weeks, I'm not so sure it would help. Do that second 40 in the same day, and make sure that second 40 is uphill and steep. And do it with a sack of bricks tied on to the back of your bike.
Or you could skip the training altogether. That works too.
I'm completely exhausted, and although this was far from a perfect day, it was one of my favorite yet. I feel like I did something. I feel like I did something that most people would not do. And we're going to do it again tomorrow, and the day after that, and the day after that.
The handful of cyclists we saw on the road today were the serious type.
And us.
We were there too.
But if I could pick one thing that I'm really proud of today- it's the satisfaction of knowing that I improved the flavor of a sandwich for one little old lady.
 |
| When a bicycle tells you to get a Magnum bar... |
 |
| ...you get a Magnum bar. |
This is a well deserved ice cream bar.
Because that was one helluva challenge today.
It started off normal... you know, the usual: stairs on the cycle path, off road trails, and me jumping off my bike ever so gracefully when it veered into a Prague tram track and dramatically collapsed in the street (really, if there's such thing as falling gracefully I did it today with a full audience).
 |
| National Forest that I can't pronounce just outside of Prague |
Aside from riding on ridiculously difficult road surfaces (and off-road surfaces), I'd say the trip so far has been relatively easy. Something that pretty much anyone can do with little training.
Those days are over.
We're not on the "Let's Go Have a Sunday Ride with the Family" path anymore. This is serious stuff, and it looks like it's going to stay serious.
 |
| If I had a choice between crossing a mountain, or crossing stairs... I'd go with the mountain. |
Perhaps it's not a specific range we're in at the moment, but I assure you, these are mountains.
We did about eight of them today, most of which involved 5-10 mile steep climbs (very reminiscent of the Appalachians, but perhaps even steeper at times).
 |
| Me- in the middle of Climb #3 |
I have a Love/Hate relationship with mountains. I hate the idea of starting one, but once I'm on it, I love it, but
then I hate it if it's not
over when I think it should be over, but then I love getting to the top of it because it feels fantastic.
And the descents? They're a blast. Especially when the road is well paved and has a few curves in it. It's worth the price of admission.
 |
| I don't speak Czech... but I didn't need the Microsoft Translate App to tell me what kind of terrain we were to expect. |
Another thing that comes with intense climbing is a ravenous appetite. It hits you out of nowhere. One second, you're full from the last meal, and the next you are searching your luggage in the hopes of finding some orphaned Gummy Bears that fell out of the package when you ripped it open it like a fiend two days prior.
 |
| Lunch... with a jar of mustard. |
When we broke for lunch at about 1 P.M., I stopped in a grocery store and gathered what I thought was far too much perishable food for two. Prosciutto, salami, cheese, rolls, and dijon mustard.
There was nothing left over.
Except for the dijon mustard.
I didn't want to throw it... seemed wasteful.
Luckily, there were three little old ladies sitting on a park bench nearby, and I made a bet with Jamie that I could get one of them to take the used jar of mustard.
Now, imagine you're... I dunno... anyone... and a stranger who doesn't speak a word of your language accosts you and pantomimes that he would like you to enjoy his partially depleted jar of dijon. While the stranger is acting this out, he casually wipes away the couple of ants that found their way to the top of the lid.
Would you take it?
You would if I were the one putting on the show.
 |
| See the lady with the yellow pants? My used jar of mustard is in her purse. And if you don't think that's funny, then we're probably not friends. |
My mustard was in a little old lady's purse in about a minute and a half.
I think it was the puppy dog eyes that sold it. Puppy dog eyes are international.
I also bought a ten-pack of Kleenex tissues, but I only wanted three of them. They didn't even hesitate accepting the other seven when I approached a second time. Christmas came early for those sweethearts.
When we left, they all waved simultaneously from the bench with a chorus of "Bye Bye!"- clearly excited to use the only English phrase they knew. Then they giggled. I know love when I see it, and those three had clearly fallen for me.
Mustard and Kleenex.
If I knew it was that easy, grocery stores within a thirty mile radius from where I live wouldn't be able to keep the Grey Poupon on the shelves.
 |
| The owner of the bike shop I use at home was very excited about the tarnished look my saddle has taken on. Oh, and the view is nice too. |
Four days along the river was wonderful, but mountaintop views are hard to beat.
The trees have started to change. They look more "mountainy" as Jamie (the world's worst botanist) pointed out.
The fields... well... they still look like fields.
And who doesn't love a sunset over a mountaintop lake?
Unfortunately, that sun set faster than we hoped. It was slow going today and briefly turned into a night ride.
 |
| All serious cyclists stop and pose for pictures with police dummies. It's in our code. |
Pedaling 40 miles in one day isn't such a big deal... it's the next 40 that you start to feel, especially with a fully loaded steel touring bike in the mountains. If you were training for something like this, and simply did 40 miles every day for a couple of weeks, I'm not so sure it would help. Do that second 40 in the same day, and make sure that second 40 is uphill and steep. And do it with a sack of bricks tied on to the back of your bike.
Or you could skip the training altogether. That works too.
 |
| CHEERS FOR THE BEER PHIL WHITBECK! PERFECT END TO A LONG RIDE. |
The handful of cyclists we saw on the road today were the serious type.
And us.
We were there too.
But if I could pick one thing that I'm really proud of today- it's the satisfaction of knowing that I improved the flavor of a sandwich for one little old lady.
P.S.
Whatever you do, don't get married in this town:
Otherwise you'll be hitting up an ATM in the town of Almony soon after.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5xomArI4aJ0
ReplyDelete