Day 29
Brno to Sobesuky (still in Czech)
KM – 61
Avg – 13.7 (it was 12 for the day but that 7km downhill at the end of the day upped it a little)
Saddle Time – 4:26
KM to date – 1612.0
Well today was one of those days. I was beaten. Emotionally not physically. I think my mind wanted an easy day and I couldn’t switch that part off. There were MANNNNY hills though – I think I climbed well over 1500meters of hills today. The highest point was 650 but there were so many ups and downs. The ups kept going and the downs only lasted for 10 seconds teasing me for the next 10 minute climb. I was not in the mood at all today. It’s all part of the experience and I am living it and it was one of those days i will look back on and laugh at but not today my friend. The first climb was over an hour just to get out of Brno (see pic) that can bite me. I left many swear words in those hills of Czech Republic today let me tell you. I could feel my posture on the bike was all over the place and I had to keep telling myself – Elbows in, Abs in, heels down, shoulders relaxed…otherwise your pedal stroke loses so much power and I need all I can get. I get a lot sorer much quicker (especially in the shoulders and legs) if i don’t try to keep a good technique.
You know though – it’s the small things on days like this (and other days) but today especially that gives you boosts and memorable moments and I realise that. For instance – it’s funny how good a small piece of local salami and local cheese can taste after a really hard day, or like today – an old lady feeding her chickens and tending to her vegie patch offered me some water – I needed it so it was perfect timing – she brought me around to the back of her house (if you want to call it that) and I thought I was going to get lucky but she was bringing me to her well where she pumped my water bag full of fresh water from the ground. Good memories on hard days.
I wanted to follow a bicycle trail that goes from Vienna to Krakow – it’s 700km but do you think a tourist info centre, a bookshop, a map shop (all visited in the morning) could help me – NOPE! So it was left to my own devices – that’s ok – i’m getting good at winging it. I looked at the website of the trail and it was Polish so I am guessing that there were not too many cities in Czech that would be signed UNTIL the last 1 km of my day where I saw the first sign. I know I was going through all the right towns because I wrote them all down. So on my my last kilometre I found it so lets hope they stay on track and get better in Poland.
I did think of stealth camping and was keeping my eyes peeled off the side of the road – I had all my rations ready to burn on about the 55th km and then came a massive downhill (7km) so I thought I hadn’t had one all day so might as well ride this and then wild camp – then I saw that sign I was talking about and saw a penzion as well and thought – HELL YEAH – $30aud gave me a kitchen, two beds, a shower, tv and internet – SWEEET – and it had a bicycle sign out the front meaning they cater towards bikes (in Czech this means you can leave your bike in the shed right next to the logs i’m chopping up hahaha) – but anyway – Czech is a nice place to cycle through filled with culture, bad roads, lovely people, awesome sunsets on the countryside, beautiful forests, too much headwind, great little towns with a real family feel to it, SHIT coffee (i’d rather suck my sweat through my bicycle shorts after a hard days ride) but all in all it’s a really nice place. Still more to come and I heard the south of Moravia is really nice and i’ll cycle a bit of that
im in a local town of about 20 people, drinking a Czech beer, I cooked my dinner and eaten and I have a bed – happy days – tomorrow is another day and another mindset.
Today’s Route
Vanderpants Euro Bicycle Tour 2012 
Sorry to hear u had a crappy day, but put into context many, many people would have had a nervous breakdown by now! You’re doing such an incredible job, well done!
Likeness – had a crappy day myself but nothing in comparison. Keep going bud.
PS – I did grimace at the thought of you sucking your shorts YUK….. !!!!! xxxxx
For every bad day, there is always a good day – hope that happens for you tomorrow – small things often create the best memories – taste salami and cheese would do that for me on a bad day. chin up, it’s a new day tomorrow