Life is not a Practice

Left Hradoc Kralove and cycled up in to the mountains on the border between the Czech Republic and Poland. Crossed the border in a forest and then down in to the Silesian plains. Ran out of sunlight and spent the night sleeping at the football club house in Korfantow.



We actually crossed in to Poland twice. At about 662kms we crossed back in to the Czech republic for about 500 meters. before returning back in to Poland.

Track at http://www.gpsies.com/map.do?fileId=cltzwwnhditkgqye (is for all five and a half days)

Now in Hradek Kralove. Only 111km today across the cobbles of Prague, between the tram lines and then hours down route 11 being overtaken by juggernauts.
It is less fun when you have to ride behind each other and can not talk.



Track at http://www.gpsies.com/map.do?fileId=cltzwwnhditkgqye (is for all five and a half days)

Left our hotel and then cycled to the Czech border. Spent the first hours cycling through tiny villages with no banks or shops or restaurants or anything. Eventually persuaded a vietnamese shop owner to change Euros to sell us rolls, apples and water. Later found civilization, a bank and a cake shop. Finally reached Prague after 169km and 1566 meters of climbing.



Track at http://www.gpsies.com/map.do?fileId=cltzwwnhditkgqye (is for all five and a half days)

Off by 08:20. 30kms heading east against the wind. Past a nuclear power station. Coffee in Straubing and then in to the hills. Followed some old railway lines through the mountains. Now in a hotel in Höllhöhe about 10km before the Czech border (http://www.hotel-waldschloessl.de/). The owner can not believe that you can cycle from Allgäu to here in 2 days. Only 136 km today but over 1500 meters of climbing.



Track at http://www.gpsies.com/map.do?fileId=cltzwwnhditkgqye (is for all five and a half days)

Left Nesselwang at 08:00 with Heidi. A sandwich in Landkreis Landsberg at 11:00. Lunch in Fürstenfeldbrück. Iced coffee in Freising. Sleeping in Bruckbergerau at the Gaststätte Hutzenthaler where we have been fed some amazing food as they have a big family party and food over. 188 km and no rain.



Track at http://www.gpsies.com/map.do?fileId=cltzwwnhditkgqye (is for all five and a half days)

Heidi can not go out road biking tomorrow so the two of us went out for a road bike trip this evening once things had cooled down a bit from highest temperatures of 35°C in the shade.



We cycled out to Durach and then on to Wildpoldsried and then back via unterthingau and Görisried.

67 kms and 790 meters of climbing.
Track is at http://www.gpsies.com/map.do?fileId=qujcxsdjdxzaitye

Got a bit "carried away" on my race bike this morning.
Cycled to Kempten and then to Sonthofen and then home through Tannheimertal- 110 kms with 1300 meters of climbing. Good training for next weeks trip to Poland



Stopped in Immenstadt for breakfast and took a video of the empty market place with the background of church bells. http://youtu.be/JGb_Rb2q3ps

The route is at http://www.gpsies.com/map.do?fileId=ekfjceqashxlasio

And then in the evening swimming with Rhiannon at the Attlesee

After a week of feeling ill I was back on the road bike today. And I was on a new road bike! For my fiftieth birthday many people gave me money towards a new bike and this week it came. It is bright orange (of course) and the twin of my mountain bike. Jon put it all together the last few days and today we took it out for a test ride. I must have enormous faith in Jon. He screws everything together and then I sit on it and ride 80kmh down a road on it.


Photo by Jon (thanks)

You can't fool the "personal trainer" built in to my Polar watch and it said "you still are not fully fit so don't go over a 144 heart beat". The result was a slow but fun ride up in to Austria, through the high Tannheim Valley and then back home. Jon nicely stayed with me all the way.



As Jon said - we really have a great life.

57 kms with 716 meters of climbing
http://www.gpsies.com/map.do?fileId=kwziuzlumygnzwds

Up to the Roßbergalp with my race bike. And then on once round the Grünten. Lots of zone 2 and 3 for my "personal trainer" and lots of fantastic views for me. Unfortunately I was too early in the summer so Gabi and Richard weren't up at the Alm yet but I had something in my rucsac to eat.

Back via Burgberg and the Kranzegger Steig so a few more meters of climbing.



54 kms and 1020 meters of climbing.
Route at http://www.gpsies.com/map.do?fileId=gigavirfztdgoxxk

An amazing tour along some paths I didn't even know existed. Guided by Wera.



32km and 600 meters of climbing
Track at http://www.gpsies.com/map.do?fileId=inazvugipaptgtgv

Pictures at https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/103827427036815679772/albums/6008547758484876929?authkey=CK_H6OKh2s3T4gE