Biking the Czech Republic

Today
we
explore...

the
Czech
countryside,

and
begin
getting
to
know....




our
fellow
bikers!

Starting
with
a
wonderful
breakfast...

in
our
elegant
dining
hall...

in
our
lovely
inn.

There's
the
morning
route
review...

we
take
extensive
notes...


this
is
serious
business...

then
ready
the
bikes....

and
out
to
the
cobblestones!

Good-bye
Cesky
Krumlov!

See
ya
later!!

We've
got
miles
to
go
today...

and
hills
to
climb!

And
here
comes
Mary!

79-years-old
and
she's
still
biking
strong!

She
and
Dick
met on a
biking
tour....

And
here
they are
20 years
later!

We
crest
the
hill...

and
head out
across
the
countryside...

watching
the
lady
hand-furrowing
her
hay...

and
a lady
tending
her
roses...

such
beautiful
roses!

We
enter
a
small
village...

where
Czechs
like
to
camp....

and
enjoy
the
river...

and
the
sun!

we
take
a
break...

before
tackling
The
Hill!

Some
bike up
the
whole
way...

Some
walk...

Luckily
us
walkers...

get
to
enjoy
the scenery
more!

Whew!

Back
out
in
the
sunshine....

waving
to
the
locals...

and
the
hillside
poppies!

A
short
bike
ride
farther....

and
we
come
to
Plav....

the
well-
kept
cemetery...

the
memorials...

remind
me
my
beloved
father...

fought here
for
their
freedom
in
World
War
II...

a
fact
appreciated
by our
Czech host,
Jan...

He
welcomes
us
with
a
sumptuous
picnic...

at
his
lovely
farm-home
in
Plav.

Won-der-ful
goulash...

Marvelous
apple
strudl...

Russian
bowling
in
the
backyard...

Jan
shows us
the
outdoor
bedroom
where his
parents
sleep...

the
washtub
by
the river...

and
the old
family
tractor.

Wouldn't
Tom
be
jealous!?

But
now it's
back-on-the-
bike
time...

back
through
the
villages...

D
O
W
N
the
hills....

Roses
still
blooming....

Lady
still
furrowing.

I'm
getting
tired.

This
will keep
you
going!
says
Jiri.

And
it's
back
to
Cesky
Krumlov...

Put
up
the
bikes...

and
where's
TJ?

Out
rafting
the
Vlatava
River!











I
tour
the
baroque
theater...

He
dares
the
rapids...

We
join
up
again...

for a
fine dinner
with
new
friends...

Keith....

and
his
daughter,
Mary.

And
it's
na zdravi´

to
biking....




and
to
the
Czech
Republic!