Day 6: Bad Elster to Cheb

Deutsch/Czech border
at Bad Elster

Today should be a short ride. That's an ominous start. After a later the usual breakfast it was off on today's ride, the memory lane section. Not long out of Bad Elster we were at the German/Czech border. In this part of the country, the border is always close by. We crossed just over a km out of the town. no much further on were the ruins of a castle from ~11th century so we had a look around it. The ground also had those intensely flavoured strawberries so we had a snack on those as well. Must have been a day for enjoying the bounty of the land. We also had a nibble on wide blueberries.

Wild Fruit

As usual we began the ride, following a river but this soon turned into hillier country. It was a bit of a shock to the body to have to do this so soon. Our first destination was Aš. This town is where Hank spent a few early years and Stan was born. After a quick look around, it was morning tea time.

Rooftop Ballerina

While there were some sights to see, the most interesting for me was watching the worker on top of a 5-6 story building installing lightning earth cables. No scaffolding, no roof barriers, no harness, no additional taxes in the form of compliance costs. Never in NZ. A ballerina of his trade. 

From Aš, it was on the Cheb. Our trail was to take us through old border roads through forests. That was nice but there were some nice hill climbs as well and welcome relief on the downhill. We didn't need to worry about food as there were enough flies around that you just had to keep your mouth open to catch one of the little buggers. We enjoyed the border trails so much that we did some twice. Today must have been a day for wildlife. On today's journey we saw a hare, a deer and a snake that nearly didn't get to cross the road.

Františkovy Lázně Promenade

Eventually, we left the forest and the road levelled out. We stopped for a lunch break and some shade in Liba before heading on to Františkovy Lázně. This is spa town and not that old in comparison to others. However, it was a lovely looking town, clean and well kept. For a weekday, there were people everywhere. Must be something in the water. We stopped to see František who is reputed to be a symbol of fertility. Folklore has it that if a woman rubs his left foot, she will get pregnant. Our question is, why are there other shiny parts. After a traditional wafer the size of a discus but very tasty, we headed to Cheb. 

František

As the remainder of the trip is flexible in terms of travel and stops, Cheb was to be our final destination of the day. On the way into town, we stopped at Hrad Cheb. This castle had a long history from the early ~10th century. It was a residence of Fredrich Barbarossa in the 12th century, parts destroyed in the 30 year war in the 17th century, parts of it were burnt down and it eventually feel into disrepair. However, some interesting parts have been preserved such as the chapel and the tower. Part of the tower housed implements of coercion and punishment. sure to say, some wouldn't have been a pleasant experience and the chopping block and guillotine would have been the most humane instruments displayed.

Looking over Cheb from
the tower at Hrad Cheb

Day 6 Marker

Off to find accommodation. That we did after the first option being rejected as it was run by Russian prostitutes and did look a bit seedy. Then it was time for the usual dinner, refreshments and games of cards, finishing up with a couple of slivovitz. Whilst enjoying these we placed today's marker.

After a wander around the centre of town, it was bedtime. 

Todays distance was ~55kms and a top speed of ~62kph down a slightly dodgy border track. Here's the map.

Day 5: Zwickau to Bad Elster

In Zwickau our safehouse was under the shadow of the old town church. It was an imposing structure and very pretty. So were the bells that tolled every hour, on the hour. Still, it was an imposing structure and very pretty.

We headed out of town at about 8am for a day that was to test our fortitude as we headed towards the border.

Height Profile

There's not too much to report on the ride. There were a number of villages we passed through but not a lot to write about. As we are leaving early a lot of places are closed. today's ride was shorter then yesterday but with a lot more hills. So, climb we did, Thighs burning, lungs heaving, sweat dripping, we ground our way skywards. The benefit of climbing is that there are nice downhill runs. The problem with downhill runs is that there's usually a climb. 

Slog

There was a stop in Rodewisch for food. It was supposed to be a snack to get us through but for Stan and I it turned into a full meal at a kebab/pizza joint. Refuelled on we rode.

Battle of Wounded Knee

The highest point of the ride was just north on Schoneck. However, it was also the location of "the incident". Feeling weak through loss of fluid and beginning to waiver in the heat of the heat, Hank's bike took on a mind of it's own and veered into the verge.  We were quite a way ahead and missed "the incident". A friendly local stopped and starting telling us in German and with sign language that we could find a place to sleep in the town. Only later did we realise that wasn't what he said. However, it was a minor scuff with no real damage to either Hank or the bike. Injury #2 in year #3.


Onward we soldiered making our own trail in the absence of anything else in this part of eastern Germany. The tracks were getting easier. We had a nice ride from to Adorf alongside the railway line. This had to be flatter as we'd hoped. Not long now ... Ah, the sign. Destination reached after a more challenging day's ride. Bad Elster is one of a number of spa towns around the German/Czech border region. IT was bigger than I thought and a very nice looking town. ~75kms travelled, top speed ~56kmph.

But wait ... there's more.

Bad Elster Town Square

After a refreshment and finding accommodation, it was time to have a look around and find somewhere to settle down for the evening bier, food and game of Marisias. Across the road is a nice park like area so we found a place to eat and sit outside for the evening. As usual the food was good and the Marisias competitive with no mercy shown by anyone and great delight in taking someone down. An entertaining aspect of the evening was that our waitron was proud to show us the menu in six languages from Google. It was interesting and caused some laughs.

Day 5 Marker -
Katja Gliem

As the evening drew to a close we had to place today's marker. In broken German, we asked our waitress if she'd like to be a celebrity and have her photo published. Finally, she agreed.  So, here, in full Day 5 marker glory is Katja Gliem. She was a good sport and even asked for the blog link. 

Note the eyes are a feature of women in this part of Germany. Local folklore is that in ancient times a sign of beauty was to replace the eyes with cherries, hence the natural red colour of the eyes. 

The day is over and time for snoozing. Here's todays map.

Day 4: Colditz to Zwichau

The fateful day has arrived. Today is the day we execute our plan to escape from Colditz. We've been planning it for several months and have everything in place.

Red Cross parcel

Our Red Cross parcels have arrived with the necessary items to aid our daring escape plan. These included items of uniform disguised as mementos from home and, most importantly, an escape manual with vital route information and contacts disguised as some light reading material.

Red Cross parcel contents

 Our escape bid was bold as we planned to escape via the front gates of the German guard quarters and nonchalantly ride off in full daylight. We are working on the theory that it will be totally unexpected and no-one will be looking for us under their noses. Our plan was to take back country roads, tracks and trails and head south.

We have assumed different identities to help in our escape. They are;

• Colonel 'Hank' Minnesota of the USAF
• Porucznik Pawel Dzuchajmczyokowski of the Free Polish AF
• Officer U/T 'Wheelbarrow' Kavale of the RNZAF

The Escape

Everything was set. There was to be a staged distraction so we could make our way to the bicycles and leave via the main gate. Hopefully, all would go to plan. The moment arrived. The ruckus began. We mounted up. Out we rode. There was no-one around. That in itself should have been suspicious. Were we being set up. We would soon find out.

Schloss Rochlitz 

Our first leg was to Rochlitz. Not far down the road but we were hoping to gain the surprise of an early morning escape. We arrived to a village still half asleep and after circling the town square to see if we were being tailed, headed out along the river. We took some photos along the way that might prove useful intel if we made it back to old Blighty. Pacing ourselves we took to riverside trails to avoid detection. Via small country roads we rode. Through forest tracks. Back streets. By mid morning we were feeling hungry and in need of some food. Thankfully, there was an abundance of food along the roadside so we gorged ourselves on fresh cherries. This provided enough fuel for us to push on. We pushed on ... and pushed on ... and pushed a bit more until it became late morning. 

Abundant German cherries

Feeling in need of food again to sustain the frantic pace of our getaway, we decided to stop in the small village of Penig and see if we could acquire food. Luckily for us, it being Sunday, there were very few people around but there was one backerei open. We fuelled up on delish chocolate raspberry cake and coffee. More than enough sugar and caffeine for a few more kilometres.

What did we do next. Yep, kept on riding. Through Waldenburg and Remse. We were powering through the kilometres and putting good distance between us and Colditz. 

For us?

A bit further along the journey we decided to stop at Glauchau to get a sense of the local 'temperature' and to see if we can find any good intel on our escape. As we arrived into the town we were greeted with flags and banners and people lining the street. It appeared the town had heard about us and were putting on a civic reception. How strange. We thought that they'd lay a trap for us. As we rode towards the town center we realised the reception wasn't for us but to celebrate the 775th anniversary of the town. That was a relief. We were able to hide by mingling amongst the throng of townsfolk. We played it calm and joined the locals for a bite to eat and something to drink while we watched the town brass band run through period favourites such as I Love Rock'n'Roll and Smoke On The Water. We decided not to push our luck and thought it best to push on. It was tense leaving town and having to cycle ~2kms along packed roads, past polizei and security officials and trying to remember not to let our guard down, especially when a flippant "Good luck" was tossed our way by a suspicious official.

They drinking my bier hier

We kept heading south by following the river along good roads and making good time. not far from our destination, we took the opportunity to stop for a quick ale at Schlunzig.

Day 4 Marker

Then it was off on the final short leg of the day. We entered Zwickau at ~3.30pm and made our way to the safe house. After exchanging passcodes we were shown our rooms. They were luxury compared to the previous conditions. We settled in and after a short walk around the town to orient ourselves and scope out the landscape, we blended in with the locals in the biergarten. This provided today's opportunity for the marker.


Approximately 82kms travelled and a top speed of ~57kph. Here's today's map.

Day 3: Colditz to Colditz

I’ll get the stats out of the way first. 0 kms travelled and a top speed of 0kph.

Not bad accommodation in the old castle. We are in a bunkroom in the old German guard quarters. It got better when we found out the price included all meals. Today is a rest day and a time to explore.

Colditz Zentrum below Schloss Colditz

After breakfast we headed into town and had a look around which really was just wandering around the streets looking for and at interesting things. Then it was off on our tour of the castle and a bit of a history lesson. Very interesting. The castle is officially 750 years old so there was a lot to hear and read about on the tour. As expected, the focus was on the escapades of those inventive and mischievous allied prisoners and the attics they got up to. Very interesting and very resourceful.  Do not believe everything you may have seen in any movies and TV series. We never saw Robert Wagner or David McCallum. However, the castle has been used as a hunting lodge, a lunatic asylum, a poor house and an old folks home as well as the prison so it's had a chequered history.

The afternoon was very relaxing. We scouted out the locale for a dinner location and came upon a biergarten close by. After sampling the bier we decided it was good enough to eat at. Then it was off to read and relax. I think I got hit by the book I was reading and eventually gave up trying to hold it upright.

Manuela

The evening was spent at the biergarten playing Marisias eating and joking around. There was much mirth over dinner including some provided by Manuela, the local hostess and our interpretation of overheard conversations and the stories we created from them. So much laughter that my sides hurt. I don’t think we will forget Manuela’s schwarzbier mit mutter’s milch. That shall, however, remain on tour.

Day 3 Marker

The biergarten was also the scene of today's marker.

Finally, it is time to retire for the night and ensure we are prepared for tomorrow’s trials and tribulations.

Day 2: Wurzen to < ... >

Main entrance of Dresden Altstadt

Day 2 and in Dresden. Following breakfast, it was time to do some exploring of the Dresden Alstadt. So that’s what we did. The Altstadt isn’t very big but it is clear to see the difference between old and new sections of town and the old and new in the rebuilt buildings. 

After the brief cultural experience it was time to pack up and head to the railway station. Yep, another train trip to today’s cycling starting point a couple of hours southwest at Wurzen. Again, the train trip was a case of gazing at the scenery along the way. 

Off at Wurzen, we headed out on today’s cycle leg. But first, it was just before noon and it could be time for a snack. 2kms out of Wurzen was a ferry crossing on the Mulde River so we stopped for a quick bier. A good way to start the day's cycling. Then it was across the river and on our way. The track took us into a forest which made for a nice cycle ride on shaded roads and tracks out of the hot summer sun. We left the forest at Trebsen, following the river through to Grimma. What an interesting name for a pleasant town. You couldn’t say the same about Eketahuna. Along this stretch, it was also time to stop to sample the local produce. Cherries galore, two types. One generally used to make kirsch. 

Day 2 Marker

Grimma was time for a late-ish lunch stop. There, 60% of my trip requirements came true. Of the foods I wanted to eat on this trip, there were three of them. I’d been saying I had to have bratwurst mit sauerkraut und kartoffel (spuds) mit knoblach (garlic). Here was a very reasonably priced lunch of bratwurst, sauerkraut and kartoffelpuree (you can work this one out). This stop became today’s marker. 



With our destination more in sight than yesterday, on we rode. The bike tracks were very good along the way. At Kleinbotham we had to make a slight navigational correction but nothing dramatic. A five road intersection without many markings. Then it was onto smaller country roads for a few kms. Finally, our destination was in sight. Standing atop a hill overlooking the river was ...

Our day’s ride was almost complete but first there were some bloody cobblestones.

Schloss Colditz

A light day of 45kms cycling and a top speed of ~50kph. Again, not a bad speed for a reasonably flat route. you will need to ignore the distance info in the map as it is proving wrong.

After settling into our accommodation in the castle, we headed into town to explore and have dinner at a local pub along with several beverages and play Marisias (a form of euchre). Tomorrow would be an interesting day.

Day 1: Dolní Žleb zastávka to Dresden

The first day of the trek. After a reasonable nights rest, waking at 5.30am and hearing movement it was up at 6.30am. After finishing packing, eating, etc., the intrepid trekkers were ready to go at approx. 7.40am.

Prasna brana
The Powder
Tower

To accommodate an easy day, it was off to catch the train to Dolní Žleb. This involved a slightly rushed ride out of the valley to the ferry to cross the Vltava. After the heart rates rocketed to get there, it was an easy ride to cover the 10-12kms before putting our feet up for about a two hour trip north. However, on the way, we stopped for our first cultural experience. A stop at Prašná brána for a couple of snaps. 

The trip north was uneventful, just looking out the window at the views and a train transfer from Decni to Dolní Žleb. We didn't even have the excitement of Sparky ... left front wheel, left front wheel (those of a certain age will understand).

S: Dad, you've got the stop the train!
D: Why, son?
S: There'll be a horrible accident. A wheel is loose.
D: Oh, Sparky, don't be silly. Who told you this?
S: The train told me. I talked to me.

We had none of that. Ok, we may have got off a station too early but we here to cycle so we did. As it was late morning we stopped for a snack which became lunch. It was here we left our first marker.

Somewhat historic
border post

Today's trip was essentially following the Labe/Elbe to Dresden. It wasn't long before we crossed into Germany, just long enough to stop and get a snap of a somewhat historic border marker from pre-country separation.

It was sometime on this leg that we made our first stop of the trek for roadside fruit.

Q: Vat do you zink of ze Deutsch cherries?
A: Bitte.

Mountin' Goat

We continued to follow the river, enjoying the scenery before crossing the river at Bad Schandau. Ah, another perspective, we could look left more. Onward we trekked, breaking new ground. Konigstein passed by on the opposite bank with it castle high above on the hill. Onward, onward. We passed a small farm with a variety of animals. Of particular note, we saw a mountin' goat and a couple of emus. After stopping for the photo we keep cycling until the cycle track ran out. It was only ~3kms to Rathen over a mountain bike type track so we headed on. Then we stopped. Then we headed down a track towards the river. Then we climbed back up. Then we headed back to the ferry to cross the river to Konigstein. Finally, we were on the right track. 

They're drinking our bier hier

Further up the river it was time to stop for an afternoon break and a beer. A pleasant open air spot alongside the river and time to take stock, imbibe and consider the final leg of the day. My aim this trip whilst in Germany is to taste as much wurst and possible and only drink weiss beir. So far the latter is off to a good start. About 8kms to Dresden so off we rode. Through Pirna and then the sign. 16kms to Dresden. Huh? Too late to turn back so I guess it was best to keep going even though I was starting to flag. However, we made Dresden at around 5.30pm and cycled through the altstadt (old town). It was interesting to see the contrast as we went through and got into the new areas. Shower, dinner, beir and it's off to bed after day one. A bit longer than expected. Approx 85km cycled and top speed a very approx. 50kph. Not bad for what was basically a flat ride along a river and a few extra kms cycled. An day with a few eventful moments and a jolly time being had.

Minor update for first day

Maree, look who I found

After the 3Ps (planning, prepping and packing), it was time for a fourth. It was off to the Black Cock for a beer and to walk the dog. There was a sense of deja vu about all this.

Pre-trip flight ramble

This is a pre-trip trip update as I sit in transit in Heathrow for a few hours.

There's not a lot to report because all I've really done is sit on three planes for a combined total of ~24 hours. As intrepid travellers will know, you watch a lot of movies and then you get into the crap ones, you read, maybe listen to music and try to get some sleep ... and probably wait around.

I will report on some trivia but I think are worth a mention.

• I should have checked in online for the flight from Auckland instead of standing in a queue for an hour behind a school trip. Note to self. Actually, I just forgot and it's not worth trying to do it via a mobile webpage when you're in the queue.
• It's worth carrying the odd strange item in your luggage. I only have carry on for the trip, travelling light. In my luggage is my bike seat. That's caused a couple of queries through the scanners and then a wry smile or raised eyebrow when all is revealed. Don't many people carry their own bike seats when travelling?
• Landing at Heathrow was kinda cool. Not for the view as we flew up the Thames over the CBD but for the ease of getting to a connecting flight. Going over Tehran was pretty spectacular though. It was big and sprawling. I did rationalise the flickering lights as both atmospheric and power related rather than explosions. No, the best bit was the time to get through everything at Heathrow. No inbound immigration. Veer off to the bus between terminals, quick bus ride and through customs control. I had checked in online this time and my bike seat was suspected to be a weapon of mass destruction again. I didn't think it wise to joke that it was what sat on it that was a WoMD (they were wearing latex gloves). Anyway, off the plane, 5 minutes to the bus, 5 minute wait, 8 minute ride, <5 minute check (sans bike seat delay) and probably 15 minutes of walking through endless corridors. So from off the plane at T4 to sitting in the T3 departure area in well under an hour. Wonderful ... it just makes the waiting around longer. 

For having said there's not a lot to report, that's not a bad effort.

One hop to go, next stop Prague. Tally-ho, tally-ho and what-oh, old chaps.

Prequel: -16 Days

It's close to the time of year for my pilgrimage north for a couple of weeks of cycling with friends through the back blocks of a part of Europe. The last of a trilogy of trips. You can catch up on previous trips here and here or re-read them if you enjoyed them so much.

The general area

This year it's north from Prague into eastern Germany where we'll perform a needle eye like loop back to the Czech Republic over 6-7 days. We have some exciting things planned this year so keep coming back for regular updates over the course of the trip. This year I head away on June 23 and begin cycling on June 25 (Crazy? Maybe.). There might even be time for the traditional titanic tennis match.

This year's long haul goes a bit like this. WLG-AKL-KUL-LHR-PRG-LHR-KUL-AKL-WLG with a short stopover in London on the return leg.