September 3: Happy anniversary, Sweetie! in Melnik

 OK, I'm just not going to sugar coat this: our posteriors are killing us. (Well, maybe already that is sugar coated.)

We rode some distance, but one reckoning, 62 km but there are a few doubts on that score. That was eight hours, includeing time for lunch. 

We left the hotel at 8:30 am. on our way to Melnik. We have a mitt full of printed maps provided to us by the agency who have designed the self-guided tour. The maps were printed on a colour printer but don't have the greatest resolution so at times, they are difficult to interpret. However, they have also created the route in in an app that we download onto our phones, so that is also available to us. But at times, even that is challenging; Kevin and I each having roaming so we both can access the map in real time but Kevin's map sometimes differs from what mine says. Also, I am using an old phone for roaming and it doesn't have a strong battery and the app uses a lot of power, so I try to use the app judiciously. Thirdly, the bicycle route runs along the river other than occasional spots where the trail for one reason or another deviates from the bottom of the river bank so generally, a lot of navigation is not required. Ostensibly, the trail goes all the way to The North Sea so our primary motivation is to not miss a turn and end up there. We would all miss our flights home. There are markers along the way identifying which bicycle route we are on and 95% of the time turns are well marked and signage, like highway numbering shows which was to turn then there may be a confirmation sign after to prove that have navigated correctly.

5% of the time, it is not so good and we did loose our way off the route at one point. Fortunately, we did not end up on our way to the North Sea but it did require us to spend an hour trying to figure where we were and how to get back on track.....

The Czechs are quite progressive with their recreational infrastructure. In addition to their outstanding bicycle trails, there is this kayak set up in the river, that creates artifical rapids. We saw people getting lessons and other practicing. It was quite interesting to see and looked like a lot of fun. 

Along the bike trail, we encountered this representation of our solar system, with the above example being Jupiter. We had seen all the planets up to this point over the course of a few km, starting with Mercury.  The gaps got larger the further we went so I am presuming that some kind of scale was involved. Several other moons of Jupiter and as well of Saturn were represented.

Those dang beavers again! Didn't know Canada's emblem rodent had made its way over to Europe.

There was more than what's shown.

It was amazing to me to see all of the little cafes, bistros and "pubs" along the trail, most usually not that accessibe by car i.e catering specifically to tourists on bicycles. However, none are open, though it looks like they are still operational but probably just on weekends and weekdays before the end of summer holidays, on Septmeber 1st.

We rode may roads like this, stretching out through fields with little around except open fields.

While we were off course, we came across this "old concentration camp" or at least, that is how it looked. There was a row of old building down the road and Soviet era lighting on the road. When we got to the hotel, I looked up the translation. Turns out it is "Sludge Management Drasty"

In contrast to the open fields, we also passed through little hamlets sometimes with roads so small I wondered if there were any other way into the village.

And yet the other extreme was through narrow and twisting forest paths. In this case, less than a metre wide and down a long 15% unpaved slope.

The Vltava River is an important waterway for the transportation of goods. We passed by several locks that would allow barges to navigate the shallows waters of the river.

Every lock seems to have a nice house associated with it.

I climbed higher up the river bank to get a closer look at how in ancient times the river had been much higher (see photo below) and discovered this tunnel access to a rail line that was passing through the mountain. The rail bed entered the mountain another half kilometre or so up the path and I caught glimpses of other small access portals to the rail line.  These were likely made during construction and debris was likely moved out through places like these.

Old bridge, no longer accessible to vehicular traffic, though the bridge was being repaired as we rode over it, so there were two vehicles on the deck. 

 We have passed through several "tunnels" of trees.

Pipeline passing over some water obstacle.

This is the Prohlidkove Okruhy Chateau. We were not allowded in but did learn later that tours are available. However, the signage was all in Czech. The chateau is the former residence of the princes of Liechtenstein: one of the three richest families in the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy.

Shortly after the chateau, I saw these two fellows taking a break from riding while they had their afternoon snack. I stopped and asked permission to take their picture for the blog. What was special to me about this scene is that it demonstrates what is available for users of the trail system. In many places, along the river, or through the forest there are benches and picnic tables for people to stop and have a rest.  Once I have finished this page, I'll send them the link to the blog.

This is the Czech town made famous by Alice Cooper. The line through the town name indicates leaving that town.

Great example of the bike path going "through town".

Around the middle of August I mailed an anniversary card to Nan c/o the hotel where we happen to be staying on the night of our anniversary. I emailed the owner and asked her if it would be ok to do this and if she could arrange for two bottles of champagne to be left in the room (two bottles for five people). The stickers were her adornments! They were on the back as well. Not only did she pick up the champagne and place it in the mini bar, she put the card in the room along with five glasses and upgraded our room for free. The owner actually works in Prague, which, if you are driving a car, is not that far away. However, after riding over 60 kilomitres in mid 30s temperatures, we were dog tired and I was actually worried that my plans would fall apart. In fact, before we arrived, Nan said she wanted to get to the nearest pub and drink the coldest beer before we did anything in the hotel, I had visions of going to the bar and one drink would turn into two or three and the night would be lost.  When we were being shown the room by the staff member, she showed us the mini bar and said to Nan that she should see what was availabe inside. Nan opened the door and saw two bottles of champagne in the fridge door... along with some beer, water and some soft drinks. Nan was oblivious that the bottles of champagne were for her! Anyway, I quickly explained that the champagne was special for her. I later dropped off a card made by an artist friend of ours and a very modest gift (moose key chain) for the owner. Still, Nan was determined go get a beer first despite everybody being quite hot and sticky.

This is Nan testing out the one litre passionfruit flavoured lemonade that I drank before ordering a beer - half litre.

Not sure what was happening in Melnik that would warrant a movie in the town square, aside from our anniversary I mean. It would have been fun to sit down with people outside and take in a movie but we had another agenda for this night.

These are other buildings around the square. 

This is where we ended up for beer, then returned later for dinner after we had finished the wine, as by that time it was the only restaurant in town that was still open at 8:30.

 

Hot, sweaty and tired.

 

Drinking champagne in the hotel courtyard.

Big screen with hundreds of folding chairs set up in the square. It was really quite quaint.

There was even concession stands set up at the back of the audience where drinks and snacks of all manner were sold.