Garmin Activity: https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/1551735402
https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/1551735707
139km, 7h, 2000 hm. Trip rating 60%
Hluboka nad Vltavou was the destination for this weekend. I had read something about a big castle there and Yulya, a friend mentioned the place. So I booked a room and off I went
Exactly one year ago, the last weekend of January, I cycled the exact same direction to Cesky Krumlov. I cycled from Cakovice to Cestlice.
I left very early, I was pedaling at 05.30. Since it was 190km, I wanted to make sure I had the time for it.
When sunrise came, I already did 50 km. Progress was good
Contrary to the weather forecast, the temperature dropped to minus ten. They promised me only minus one.
Good thing I still dressed up.
I had a little situation near Tynec nad Sazavou. The road I usually take was closed and it was full of snow. Because of that I had to take a 5 km detour.
It also meant the calculation of my trip was different, I had different roads etc.
More bad news, this cold temperature had a double negative impact on my GPS. The battery was decreasing so fast and it was not possible to charge it up. I noticed it a few times and it always happens when it gets cold.
The roads were calm and full of elevation gain.
Somehow I arrived at this familiar spot, the route 105.
It will always remember me my first Tabor ride ever, November 28, 2015. Ages ago already
And then I found myself locked up in snowy roads. Impossible to cycle here
I already understood that at this pace I would not make it to Hluboka in one day.
I walked down that slope and luckily it stopped there. I could cycle again, for a while
Kosova Hora, one of the waypoints on my route. I had a short break here as it marked exactly four hours of cycling.
The temperature would never come near to the promised -1. It would be harsh as usual.
More snowy roads followed and my bike was getting jammed by snow everywhere: derailleurs, chains, rim brake parts, wheels etc.
What can I do?
I quickly studied my surroundings. I had already mentally prepared myself to going to Tabor
I took this bike because good weather was promised to me. I should have stuck to the flatbar
Winter in Bohemia
The second part of fully snowed in roads made my choice of Tabor via train inevitable. Again, this part I knew from my 2015 ride. It goes up to 650 meters. Today however, I was walking...
Fully snowed in. I walked all the way to the top. Even cars were having issues
Tabor was 28 km away, so that was my goal
Still beautiful though
Still remembered that this leads into South Bohemia
When I came here 15 months ago, there was a little snow near the sides. This year it was a lot worse
Kinda interesting. I saw a guy coming downhill on a semi MTB road bike. I'm sure he was having more fun than I was.
I made it to the top
Grey skies, this weather is never gonna shift today
I stayed on this 600+ platform for quite a few miles. Luckily I could least cycle carefully here.
Many people were doing wintersports here: langlaufing, ice skating etc.
I still had the mental capacity to enjoy this
Alenina Lhota, that is a name I remembered
I could cycle here, great!
It was even colder than -10 here, due to the height
Frozen lake
Apparently the freezing cold also impacted the quality of my lens a little
Somehow I arrived at this point and I saw this fairly looking route to Tabor. I went for it, ditching all the alternatives Garmin provided. Staying on the bigger road was the better option
13 km to Tabor and more than two hours before the train. No stress a tall.
I arrived neatly in Tabor, which is my Central Bohemia HUB
Now I needed to find the station
In Tabor city... Many memories at this spot, the first time I came, that time Narmin and I came by train in the summer, my December visit with night over here and now today.
I bought my ticket to Ceske Budejovice for 174 CZK and went outside for some food.
It took less than one hour to get to Ceske Budejovice. It was a good pick.
I arrived at 16.00. Still had one full hour of daylight for the last 14 km.
The weather was a lot better here. What a change!
After leaving the city center, I found myself following the Vltava river.
Sunset along the Vltava
which was still frozen
Cycling bridge
Hluboka indicated on the cycling signs. Almost there
If the weather would have been like this all day and everywhere, I could have easily done without the train connection.
Sun was setting
The biggest shock came when I arrived: I had been here already and exactly one year ago. Hluboka was on my route when I went to Kaplice. How could I have forgotten that name? I recognized the entire area.
The street where our room was. It was a mighty steep climb up here, but I was happy to see Narin's car.
Later that night, we had a nice diner and even went bowling. It was a very pleasant evening.
