Day 18 - Pilsen to Furth I'm Wald - 9 1/2 Weeks - Copenhagen to Lecce 2019

October 6, 2019

Day 18 - Pilsen to Furth I'm Wald

We Almost Caught The Sun ... Try again Tomorrow

It was very quiet in Pilsen this morning. It was Sunday, but I have a hunch that the little beer themed soiree at the Brewery last night also had an influence.

Even better than it being quiet, is was also dry with the odd patch of blue sky showing through. Redemption.

We were a little later getting off this morning as we had a shorter day planned, about 80 km's to Furth im Wald just across the German border.

A very easy ride out of Pilsen found us cruising along with a slight tailwind on deserted country roads (also the designated national bike route 3) with the sun trying to peek through. What did we do to deserve this? We're not sure but we'll try to do more.

After about 45 minutes we stopped to strip off some clothing . Yes that's right, take it off, not put more on, and we then cruised into the smallish town of Dobrany.

As we were winding down the narrow streets leading to the town center, Kirsten remarked that it looked like there was a market happening in the main square. We pulled up, had a quick look at some of the flower bedecked civic buildings and the discovered that ....

... the market was another 'show & shine'. Only this one was devoted to American iron. A few '60's & '70's rides, and a LOT of new Mustangs and Chargers. There were also a lot of full size pick-ups on display. Kirsten rightly remarked that it looked pretty much like a Canadian Tire parking lot back home!

Just like yesterday though, everyone was having a good time (in the sun ) and there was even an ax and chainsaw skills competition going on. What more could a man want.

This set our timeline back a little, but we were soon on our way again, riding on a combo of deserted country roads, paved bike paths and a few km's of forest road and single track.

All good, and before long we were approaching the Czech German boarder.

So nothing earth shattering or something to remember for the rest of our lives, but a very good day of cycling in pretty countryside with no rain and no wind! We wished all of the days here could have been like this as we were generally quite impressed with Czechia. The countryside is interesting, the cycling infrastructure is great, the people are friendly and the restaurants were surprisingly excellent. We'll have to come back earlier in the summer and check out more of the country.

For now though, we have to press on south!

Song of the Day, Thunder Road by Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band

Well now i'm no hero that's understood,

All the redemption I can offer, girl, is beneath this dirty hood ...

The Dobrany town square was full of American iron and a bunch of young Czech guys probably feeling the same impulses that inspired this song. . True to the moment and the day, this just has to be SOTD

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The view from our room this morning. No rain and high cloud ceiling. Yeah!!! Quite a pretty street from this level. On the ground Pilsen is an honest and a little gritty working town, Very quiet this morning, It is Sunday but I thin the beer festival yesterday may have had an impact too

Very easy getting out of Pilsen and in about 45 minutes we hit Dobrany. We stopped just before the town, took off our cycling tights, put our sunglasses on and rode into the very nice town center where this pic was taken ...

... once again, a 180 degree turn and we are in the middle of Dobrany's 'show & shine'. A completely different demographic, cars and people compared to Prague but the same 'innate' drivers

OMG! We had one of these back in the early 70's. You could land a 707 on the front hood (747's weren't built yet) and a DC3 on the trunk. Plus put a family of 6 inside comfortably. Who needs mini vans?

It wasn't only cars ... chainsaw and ax skills as well

close up of the ax action ... he was actually pretty good .... coming from someone who considers returning from cutting firewood with all his fingers a success!

... back to the Detroit iron. The 60's tail fins were so subtle compared to just a few years earlier

... hope he's got some bear spray in the cup holders ... oh yeah, 30 years before either of those came along!

Very good day of cycling ... no rain and on roads like this most of the day with virtually no traffic or else bike paths, mostly paved ...

... but a few sections of rough gravel and forest road. Enough to keep the ride interesting

some of the last few km's of riding in the Czech Republic. Really fun paved paths through forests to the German boarder.

Last few km’s of Czech both paths... they’ve been fun

.... you know the routine. End of the day sign off. Back in Germany for a few days, heading south over the Alps now

Today's ride: 82 km (51 miles)
Total: 1,129 km (701 miles)

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