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Tuesday, July 31, 2001
Destination:
Hluboka nad Vltavou (pop, 4 538)
Daily Cycle Distance:
Bike 60.4km (36mi.)
We left Tabor a little after 9AM. Got our water at the
Potraviny next door
to the Pension Malina and followed E55 out of town. The traffic was thick
but not aggressive. After 8 km on E55 we were able to turn onto a smaller
country road in the village of Plana. The country road was quiet and often
tree lined. It was cool in the shade of the trees but very hot in the full
sun of the open highway. Eventually we turned onto Rt. 159, which after a
few kilometers was joined by another tertiary that was delineated in red
(indicating higher traffic volume) on our
Shell map. The highway traffic was moderate but constant. There usually
was a wide shoulder and the pavement was smooth so we decided to follow it
on to Ceske Budejovice. We crossed the Vltava (Moldau) at
Tyn nad Vltavou
(Tyn on the Moldau). In Tyn, we took a break at the Shell station. There
we refilled our water with ‘Dobra Voda/Good Water‘ and had a snack. As I
treated myself to a Good Humor (Algida brand in Europe) bar called the ‘Magnum Classic‘, I was
reminded of Bob and the little joys we discovered on our trip last summer.
At the Shell Station, we took our little snack break and watched the cute
attendants wash windshields.
We climbed out of Tyn nad Vltavou on what showed as a ‘one chevron‘ hill
on our map. Fortunately it was longer than it was steep.
Throughout the day, we encountered lots of cyklo tourist. Most appeared to
be out for the day but a few looked much as we do. About 10km north of
Hluboka nad Vltavou, the heat and hills got to us and we opted for a
shorter day and decided to try to find a pension in Hluboka nad Vltavou.
Daniel and I reached Hluboka nad Vltavou around 1PM and selected the first
Hotel we came to. It was the Park Hotel and cost only 673Kc (~$17.50)/night
.
There were separate garages for cars. We were given one for the bikes. The
key to each garage was a skeleton key and there was also a hasp for one of
our combo locks.
Hluboka nad Vltavou is about 10km from Ceske Budejovice. We should have an
easier ride tomorrow but fear that accommodations may be tight in this
city in Southern Bohemia.
As I was finishing my bath, Daniel came in with a nose bleed. His second
since we arrived in the Czech Republic. This one was most serious and we may seek medical advice
tomorrow in Ceske Budejovice if Daniel still is concerned.
Tuesday, July 31, 2001 18:33PM

When Daniel‘s nose settled down, baths were finished and naps were out of
the way, we set off on foot for the main part of town in search of a meal
and a tour of the castle. Lunch was ‘Devils steak‘ (a spicy thin steak
covered w/ a salsa), fries and a dark Budvar beer. By the time we climbed
the hill to the castle, it had closed for the day and we settled for a
stroll around the grounds and courtyard.
My bike, bent spokes and all, made the day OK, but I managed to lose a bolt
holding my SPDs on to my shoes. This seems to be one of the few spare bolts that I failed to include. I will try to find a replacement in Ceske Budejovice. This may not be an easy task since many things that we find common in US biking are rare in the Czech republic.
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