Garmin Activity: https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/962786249
266km, 10h05, elevation 1785. Trip rating: 80%
好瘋狂的日子，半夜四點起床，五點在黑漆漆的布拉格出發．頭兩個鐘頭只有我的前燈幫我照亮黑暗．在導航的陪伴下穿越了捷克的中原，１３０公里後抵達Hradec Kralove．我先稍微看看市區，再往西北邊的Mladc Boleslav遷移．捷克的地圖好詳細，導航都給我走最偏僻的小條，真是我喜歡的類型．慢慢地累積距離時間跟總升．第二個目的地到了之後，我立刻往離我８５公里的布拉格南下．沿途遇到毛毛雨．在這一段，爬坡路段比較多，莫名其妙累積了快要２０００公尺．這不是在騎平地嗎？可見捷克的地形有多適合騎車的．下午本來就很冷的溫度還給我降到零以下，導致全日的平均溫度才１．比下著雨起著霧的三月西進武嶺還要冷好幾度．就算我穿了五件衣服，身體照樣發抖著．這一年住台灣慢慢習慣了高溫度，沒想到，才兩個月我就住在與台灣溫度天壤之別的國家．回家時又天黑了．秋季的白天不夠長！不過導航的數字很不錯啦：距離２７０，總升１８００，時間十個多鐘頭．五點出門不到五點回家，代表說在不到十二個小時的時間就騎了十個多小時，休息時間非常短也非常少．這也是氣候的影響．整個水分的補給沒有台灣那麼緊要．整個騎乘只去了一家店．在台灣騎快要三百可能得逛７－１１十趟．在家裡我先洗澡洗很久，用最滾燙的熱水，還是覺得不夠熱．在捷克騎２７０比台灣的２７０累許多，沒辦法對比．今天我騎到撞牆，但只要繼續這樣子練車，返台的我就會更強，更有耐力，更不怕任何的氣候現象！現在吃個飯就睡覺了，明天還有一天可以騎車，儘管可能沒有要那麼遠的距離．今天辛苦了！
Yesterday I went to bed at 19:38. I wanted to get up early because I had a big ride planned today. I wanted to check out Hradec Kralove, located at some 130km east of Prague. I am systematically checking out the various cities of Prague. All of my riding is done by Garmin navigation, since I dont know the roads here . Anyway I got up at 4am and ate a good muesli breakfast. Then I hit the road.
It was really cold when I exited my house. The first hour was cycling at a somewhat lower speed because the roads are pitch black, no lanterns, just my own light to rely on. So I played safe and kept my speed around 25km[h
After 20km of night riding
Good thing I still enjoyed an eight hour night rest, otherwise this would have been crazy
I downloaded the Czech map for Garmin and I really like it. It may calculate roads a little longer in distance than indicated on the map, but almost every thing is navigated through special bike lanes. In the middle of the night, knowing there would be a car chasing you is a relaxing thought
So dark early in the morning, nothing compared to a Taiwanese 5:30am
Wearing five layers of cloths, anything to prevent me from freezing
Steadily darkness was fading away...
Already more than 30km accomplished, going good
Beautiful view early in the mornign, I really like the position of these two trees
Wasn't dressed like this in Taiwan, not even when I left at 2am
6:50am, I made a small video report here, which is on Facebook
Special bike lanes
Open fields in the Czech central plains. Don't be fooled by this picture, these plains are very hilly!
Cute bridge
Good thing my Czech classes start next week!
Daylight was finally here! This helped my motivation a lot!
A bicycle path next to a channel
Probably won't have to ask you what season this is?
Romantic autumn leafs
My gorgeous bike!
I had already been cycling for a good four hours and still not hungry. That muesli works like a charm
This is where I was coming from
These buildings make me feel like I returned to the 1800s
This particular building was indeed from the 1800s
My GPS send me through a sea of solitude, it was the best possible choice of roads
Even though the sun came out, it was still bloody cold
Some old building
These yellow signs are bicycle indications, there is quite a lof of them in the Czech republic. I heard someone saying over a 100,000km. Means I still have more cycling to do.
A small cemetery
I found a nice way of charging up my GPS while I could continue riding
The road ahead is empty...
A Czech railway station
After almost five hours of cycling, it was time for my first snack.
Open field where the winds can do as they please
The roads were all very wet, it had been raining a lot the previous two days. The potholes were all full of water.
A Jesus statue
Just as I arrived here, the gates closed, a train was coming
There it is! Every railway crossover has a sign that says: pozor vlak
My trip was basically going from village to village, with some more remote areas in between. I do not understand the Czech geography yet, so for names and places, please check my Garmin map.
A well wrapped up Bartman trying to hide from the cold. I failed...
Elevation gain was gradually rising... And check out the temperature: 0.8!
So cold... And yet we have to try to enjoy it
A Lada pick up monster truck. I gotta show this to my brothers!
Coble roads... Good thing my bike is a Roubaix
I had made it to Hradec Kralove and it was not even 10:30 yet. I decided that I would briefly check out the city and then try to navigate home but not using the exact same road. From my limited geographical knowledge of the Czech republic, I decided that I could navigate to Mladec Boleslav and go back to Prague from there. That would be a triangle on the map and it would get me some 260km+
Hradec Kralove is not a small town, it is a city with all bruising aspects related to it
The city was full of ancient buildings. Combined with the cobble roads, that was a charming sight!
First 126km were over! No let's go to part two of the ride
The city of Hradec Kralove
Little Paris...
Another picture I gotta show my brothers
The roads are not that good here, even worse than in Taiwan
The Czech republic has a lot of these antique buildings
I stopped here for a second video report.
Going downhill here
The tractor here was a New Holland
My first and only visit to a shop the entire day. I bought a big bottle of water and some snacks. I was hungry!
My bike got extremely dirty today
More open fields...
Entering some forest areas
How is it hanging Bartman, is that cold enough for ya?
For every Taiwanese temple there is a Czech church
When I indicated Mladec Boleslav in Hradec Kralove, my GPS indicated that it was 92km. Since I did not want to cycle in the dark for too long, I decided to navigate to Prague as soon as I had done 50 of those 90. That was here! From this position, the distance to my place was 85,9km. Fair enough. It was 13:02, so most of this could be completed in daylight. Those were good perspectives.
My face was getting red from the cold, I had already been outside for seven hours here
The brief moment of sunshine was over
Judging from the skies, things might get ugly
I collected a lot of elevation gain in this part. I even had a section with a 11% gradient
Another small village. I had to take a right here...
Before coming to the Czech republic, I read online that the percentage of atheist is very high among the population. However, I saw a great amount of Jesus and Maria statues during my first two rides here.
Skies getting darker...
The streets were already wet and so was my behind
I did my third and last video report here. I thought the skies were gonna burst, but I only encountered some drizzling rain en route to Prague. The streets were soaking wet however
I gained most of my elevation in the last 80km of the ride
I stopped here for a quick snack. It was 40km to home from here, but I would not make it without sugar.
A Can-Am quad, now there's something my two brothers would appreciate
Uh-oh, the temperature sunk below zero. It was officially freezing
After 15:30, the sun was setting rapidly
The holy cross of Jesus
I witnessed sunrise and sunset, that's how long I have been outside today
Wet roads, moreover this section was really rough, full of potholes.
From here it was less than 20km, I would soon be home! Honestly, my ride would have been better without the last 20km. I kinda overdid it today
This was within the greater region of Prague, beautiful buildings. We don't have them like this in Belgium
Close to home now. This is where I realized that my total elevation gain would be more than 1700. As I had hoped for 1500, I was very satisfied with that number. Only a tad less than last ride
This was only six km from home but i was in desperate need of a cookie! I did not have a proper lunch today. I have been eating power bars and cookies all day long.
Welcome to the city of Prague! Less than 2km from this very spot
And then it was officially dark. I had cycled from dark to dark, crazy stuff!
Finally home! Hell of a ride! Tomorrow's ride will definitely be shorter!
Actually that was 267km but that's fine Garmin. This is my second-longest ride ever. It surpasses my November 10, 2014 Shalu - Wuling - Shalu ride in Taiwan. But, it is still far below my greatest crusade ever of 340km
Elevation 1785m, that is very impressive for a ride that took place in the central plains of Czechia. From this you can see how hilly the country is.
When I got back home and I felt the heating in my room, I noticed how tired I was. I took a very long shower and then I worked on my blog and facebook group. No ideas yet for tomorrow's ride. Now I am having Chinese food and then I'm hitting the sack. I've had it for today :-)
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