Day 393 16th August
51 miles (Krucemberk to Hartvikovice) Average speed 10.7 mph Top speed 35 mph
A wonderful day cycling with good speed and a good tail wind but with a few challenges along the way.
I was up at 9 when the rain stopped and had brekkie of last night’s sausages and a cheese and tomato roll with tea. I packed up and washed my frying pan and fork after a fire dinner. Then I washed my filthy feet and left over the hill and onto the 37. It was fairly busy and the occasional lorry came close and fast and I was making good time. Some of the downhills were pretty good and the climbs were hard work in the heat. I stopped and had a doughnut and a coke. It was great with lots of ups and downs into and out of villages with lots of farmland and sometimes it felt like I was on top of the world with great views.
Then the road came to an end, as they were building a new bypass. I ignored the detour sign and was lucky that the workers didn’t seem to mind when I asked if I could go through. There were a few big lorries kicking up a lot of dust but I got through OK and was then rewarded with an empty 37 for quite a few miles.
It was great having the road to myself. I was originally heading for Brno but decided to head south instead and turned off at Zablati, as I’m not that interested in big cities, even though I’d found some hostels there. I prefer lakes and good campsites. Then I carried on until a late lunch in Cikov, but not until 3.30 by a children’s park. After lunch it was downhill all the way to Naloucany and then up and back down to Namest Nad Oslavou, where there were some great statues on a bridge and a lovely river.
I stopped to use the facilities at a garage and checked maps.me to discover a path that led to my campsite. It was tricky at first, going across a railway track without signals and then going down a very steep unmade path and pushing up the other side. I had to push the bike up and found it hard work, but eventually I managed to get back on and went past an airbase with choppers taking off. Then it was downhill all the way to the campsite. It looks like I will have to climb all the way back up tomorrow as it’s the only way back out. I had a couple of beers by the lake and had a paddle to soothe my feet before a good dinner of garlic chicken, chips and salad.
As I was heading back to my tent I was offered a beer and some vodka by some of the workers at the site. I met one who I’d heard earlier playing guitar, who is trying to make it in music, and Anezka, who I talked to for ages about all sorts of stuff including stars and camping and my trip and her ambition to walk the Camino de Santiago. I didn’t get to bed until two. These Czech people are just so welcoming.
Camping wisdom 155+ 25 kc for shower.