May 20, 2017: Cheb, the Western escapade out of Czechia


192 km, 9h05, 2457 hm


Early morning around five o clock I left Cakovice in Prague. I decided to take my road bike on the last moment because I was pretty sure I would manage all that distance in that short time frame.


Ready for a thousand kilometers by bike?


The weather was not particularly good,  but yellow fields were there; just like last year.


As has been the case to often lately; I was sent over the 608; until Velvary


I crossed the bridge over the Vltava and headed further west

In the early phase of the ride it was cold. Weather unworthy for end of May



A familiar little tunnel: I came by this tunnel when I came back from Belgium to Prague last year in May. It was exactly 30 km to home from here. Very confronting to think this is also a full year ago


District Kladno

Coping with cold here


Compared to last year, the yellow fields were full grown later


My GPS led me to Route 16, which would in the end bring me to Route 6. Exactly what I did in May last year


Again that number; 30! Still need to get used to it


Svaty Vaclav church


Around 60 km done here


Slany, I came here one year ago


Continue following 16


This direction was closed for cars and thus the road was very empty for me. Beautiful views this time of the year


The romantic feeling of a Spring ride from Prague to home


the hilly 16


This Apicura bag was a wrong buy at first, but during this right it comes quite in handy. Only downside is climbing out of the saddle


Climbing to 400 meters in Rakovnik


This road was closed down for traffic; but luckily I could walk past it


Karlovy Vary indicated already


Revnicov; here I had to go on the more populated Route 6


I had some yoghurts here. This fat dude bought five packs of sigarettes!


Along Route 6, there was the Krusovice brewery


Route 6 was no blessing: heavy traffic and not really a shoulder for cyclists. I felt kinda nervous


I had officially left the Central Bohemia region


To make things worse; this road served as the highway E48


Not the most relaxed cycling like this; but it was surely the most direct route


I passed a little town and I wanted to eat something. After all, I was well ahead of schedule. Nothing was open unfortunately


There was big traffic jam and there was a street procession going on. Last year; I came via the village Zlutice and connected to Route 6 on this very locaiton.


This church left a deep impression on me ever since


Finally I was sent through some smaller streets; but the price to pay for that were steep hills


More than a 100 km, well over the half. Going well


Nice views in West Bohemia


And then finally in the Karlovy Vary region.


At this point, I met a Czech cyclist. I chatted with him quite some time about my trip.


He was practising here for a cycling race on Sunday. 


It says in Czech: Cycling competition; be careful



Then there was another section along Route 6. I was getting sick of this heavy traffic route. I started looking for alternatives.


When I saw these cycling routes; I decided to abondon my normal route and follow them; even if it meant more miles. 


Then there was a lot more climbing. I entered a forest area called Slakovsky les


It was still cold


Some old timer convention was going on; I saw a lot of these guys



I have cycled in this forest area before but today I was given a different selection of roads. A nice change.


I climbed from 450 meters to 730 and dropped again to -500; Very challenging indeed


Over 2000 meters of climbing here



The Slakovsky forest


Satisfied with my progress so far


All this climbing makes me dizzy; so dizzy that I would swear that Sokolov is indicated both left and right


The fields of Western Czechia under a clouded sky. This has mythical proportions


Yet another lengthy climb with headwinds


After 3pm it was finally getting decent warm


It was mighty calm here on these lands


Very zen 


The Holy Cross in the Czech countryside 



Wow


Forest area Skavkovsky Les


A few km from Cheb


I was there well in time


Here I was, in Cheb. Nearly 200 km in the pocket. I stayed at the same pension as last time here.


The city fo Cheb. I had Asian food in a small bistro before going to the pension


A quick view of how I would enter Germany the next day


German style Church in Cheb

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