Cycletour "The New Europe"
21.10.-31.10.2004

Cycletour Dresden – Prague – Mähren - Sudeten - Riesengebirge – Zittau

"Won't you go for another cycle tour this year?" they ask me. This is caused by the fact, that my wife Heidi and our grandson Jonathan(5) want to go to Mallorca during November. And during this time our dog Otto (Beagle) and I will be lonesome grass widowers for two weeks. So this offer is a compensation for this matter and I only have to follow my brain which had worked out a nice tour some days before already. Since I was at the "Old Europe" during June I could visit two countries which are part of the "New Europe" as the countries are called, which are members of the European Union since the beginning of this year (The Baltic countries, Hungary, Slovenia, Slovakia, Poland and the Czech Republic). Let's have a look to the last two: one could ride from Dresden to Prague, then go east for a while to the Sudeten Mountains and back to Germany on the Silesian side of the mountains. May be there is an occasion to climb the legendary Schneekoppe? You ever heard of Rübezahl?

OK, I will give you a hint (copied from the internet):
The mountain kings, of which Rübezahl is the most prominent, are mighty fae or giants. They are dwelling under a mountain and often mankind gave them the names of the mountains (Rübezahl is a german nickname, his bohemian name is Krakanos, as the mountain where he is presumed to dwell). There are mountain kings in almost every greater mountains. Mountain kings are known to be wise and kind, but they get angry very quickly if they are not treated respectfully. Some mountain kings spend most of their time in their underground kingdoms, while others (like Rübezahl) are interested in the ways of man. All mountain kings have in common that they can grant mortal man gifts, if the man is worth the favor of the mountain kings. It is also said that mountain kings rule a kingdom of gnomes, goblins or krosnyates who are all skilled in crafting. The krosnyates of the Altvater should look like glass-blowers while the gnomes of Rübezahl resemble miners.

Thursday, 21.10. Dresden - Leitmeritz (Litomerice), 128 km

At this Thursday I sit in the train to Dresden, train change at Leipzig, and then the start at about 10.45 am. Bright sunshine outside and the colours of the trees are in full glory and we call it "Golden October" or "Indian Summer" in other countries. At first the main station at Dresden and the connected places are permanent construction sites and after some rough passages we at last reach the Elbflorenz along the "Prager Straße", may be we are just right here on the route towards Prague. The Frauenkirche is nearly rebuilt and looks very majestic with its high dome. I soon leave the Elbflorenz behind with the crowds of visitors. I do not know where I will be this evening. On my cockpit (frontbag) I have a detailled map until Decin (Tetschen) and thereafter a copy from a road atlas down to Prague.

Now there is one of the most beautiful cycle routes of Germany. I am so happy to absolve this section for the third time (Spree 1998, Saale - Erzgebirge 2000). But I never saw such a coloured world around as today. There are the castles on the opposite slope, the "Blaues Wunder" - one of the oldest steel bridges, Schloss Pillnitz. I can go pretty fast and soon leave the mockup of a paddle steamer behind. Soon after Pirna we have the famous rock walls of the Bastei. At the nicest view point there is a bench and this is even not occupied today. And I will not meet any cycle tourers on this tour and this is a pity. May be it is too late in the year?

At Königsstein the cyclist shoud cross the Elbe by the ferry. I want to save some time and head along on the main road to the bridge near Bad Schandau. Then we continue on the cycle path along the Elbe on the right side seen upstream. This path shall reach to Tetschen, and we see the busy ado of the many booths from afar at Hrensko. On this side there is nothing and we soon reach the green border of the Czech Republic. There are only some pillars and no checkups at all. Now we have entered the "New Europe".

As we come near to the town of Tetschen the cycle path gets uncertain with a bumpy surface. The way out is a steep uphill as they call it "killer hill" with a gradient of about 25%. So I push forward and some guys in the background sit around a barbecue and may wonder, what idiot gasps along on the other side of their garden fence. Thereafter we can brake down again and then come to Tetschen with much industry and traffic. On a hill there is a monastery or castle. Within all this confusion after some time I find out that I go up a tributary stream (Ploucnice) towards the mountains which is finally not my destination.So I have to go back and cross the town on a big ramp like on an Autobahn and then I use the first drive to get out of this nightmare. But there are signs to the next sites where I want to go and I come back to the river Elbe which is named Laba from now on. This is a road with little traffic and we pass villages with names that are unpronouncable for us (Křešice, Nebočady, Tĕchlovice, Hoštice etc.). At about 5 pm we reach the big town Ústí (Aussig). It is time to look for an accommodation for it will get dark at 6 pm.

I stroll around but don't see any sign of a hotel. But there is one, its name: EUROTEL. I enter the office but they are very busy and someone just declares the functions of a mobile telefone to a young woman. Before I disgrace myself with the question "Can I stay over night?" I realise: this is a bureau of a telephone company. Near the door there is a watchman who inspects everything what happens around. I ask him "Is there any hotel nearby?" but he understands nothing. Around the next corner there is one, Hotel Palace, and this seems to stem from the past socialistic era. I go up to the reception and ask a shortsighted woman for a room. And all my bad dreams come true: there is a box contest until the next weekend and so all accommodations of the town are booked. She is so kind and phones up some other pensions and I have to dictate the numbers for she is so shortsighted. But all without success and so there is only one solution: to continue to the next town Litomerice (Leitmeritz), and this is another portion of additional 20 km.

Meanwhile we have 6 pm and it gets more and more dark. At first I can use my storage battery for the light but since I used it this morning to ride to the railway station it is nearly exhausted. The backlight batteries are no problem, they work over one long winter. But the front light soon drops out and my only friend is the half moon which hangs at the sky like a lamp. In the villages along this road there is no hotel at all. All the time I am anxious that some police will pick me up while riding without light. May be they will throw me out of the country? So I better stop at every traffic coming up. Finally I need 2 hours for the 20 km and breathe a sigh of relief when I reach Leitmeritz. Near the centrum I ask some people for a hotel. They speak German and lead me to the market place. Yes, there it is, the hotel in the most famous house of the town. This is named Salva Guarda (Black Eagle) and is painted with Sgrafitti (Renaissance Painting).

The house SALVA GUARDA is an outstanding national cultural monument and was built in the 14th century for the family Dionysios Houska. It was rebuilt in 1564 by the Italian architect Ambrogio Balli in Renessaincestyle. The facade is decorated by rich Renaissance sgrafitti showing scenes from the bible.
Kaiser Ferdinand III. was here in the year 1650 and gave the right of a knight's estate to the house and the title "SALVA GUARDA" as a sign for an enduring protection and manorial privileges as well.

It all looks very exclusive and I wonder how much I will have to pay for a room. And this is no problem: 30 € after I have asked for the exchange rate for the Czech crowns. Now I am exhausted and somewhat frozen and enjoy the hot shower very much. For I have no Czech crowns yet I prefer to consume the rests of my food from at home. And I am releived for tomorrow because I have booked an accomodation at Prague in the internet for the next two days.

Friday 22.10., Litomerice - Prague, 75 km

My destination for today is the Pension Wurm at Prague near the Bila Hora (White Mountain). The room costs 20 € for the night. But now we start into a misty morning. There are difficulties to produce a photo of the Salva Guarda but after breakfast I succeed. Moreover I get the Czech crowns from a bankomat. At the shores of the Elbe the morning mist makes romantic scenes now and then. Behind the haze we sometimes see a castle or church. At Roudnice (Raudnitz) we cross the Elbe and the sun shines meanwhile. We now use the road number 240 which leads straight on to Prague. The landscape is not so interesting, mainly flat.

At the town Velvary (Welwarn) we have a rest at one of those typical great market places with a sculptured column in the middle. Later in the fields we see some hunters who bang into the air. I have only seen some crows before. But there are some rabbits on the meadow, may be they run for their life. Finally I see the first spires of Prague and those are the spires of the Hradschin, which we soon will learn. The other sign that we approach Prague are the lower gliding aeroplanes which prepare for the landing at the airport on the west side. Now I must find the Pension Wurm. The Bila Hora area is well known and the people can explain how to ride. As I reach the street named Belohorska I know that I soon will reach my destination. Meanwhile I have realised, that there are several hills here and the Bila Hora seems to be the highest. (It is said, that Prague is settled on 7 hills like Rome).

At Bila Hora (White Mountain) near Prague was the first deciding battle of the Thirty Years War at the 8.11.1620. The Bohemian army was smashed by the troops of Kaiser Ferdinand II and the Catholic League (1500 were killed at the imperial part, 3000 at the Bohemian part). At the place of the battle in 1704-14 was built a baroque Marienkapelle (Church of Our Lady).

When I have reached the pension at first I cannot find the button of the bell. But then I get my room, unfortunately the owner of the pension does not speak German or English. But then he stammers a German statement: "Frau Direktor ist krank" (Mrs. Director is ill). Now I wonder what this means, may be his wife is absent? After I have arranged my things I soon start for an investigation tour. And this is a 10 km downhill ride to the shores of the Vitava (Moldau). I cross the Cechov Most (bridge) and straight ahead hit on the Altstädter Ring. The tourist information is just around the corner in the town hall. Outside and inside it is crowded. There was just a full hour and at this time the Astronomic Clock presents some sensations.

World-famous is the Astronomic Clock which presents the clock and moreover the current date and zodiac sign in a nice decorated calendar. At the full hour there is a carillon and the apostles come up. At this hourly presentations numerous visitors come to see this spectacle.

At the tourist information I finally get my city map to be a full accepted human being. Then I start for the return, cross the Cechov Most again and get caught in the endless steps up to the Letenske Sady (Park or Garden). From there I soon get back to the Belohorska and absolve the 10 km to the pension. In the evening I get my dinner at a restaurant named Pampa with a steak and boletus (Steinpilz) sauce. Above the battle field of the Bila Hora are the fire red flames of the clouds after sunset and this is a real battle-atmosphere.

Saturday, 23.10. Prague

At first I see that there is a petrol station nearby whre I could have bought my city map yesterday. But today the sightseeing visit of the center of Prague is obligatory. On the way down we just hit on the puzzled places and passages of the Hradschin. We pass archways from one place to the next if there is room enough among the leaded tourist groups. The members of the tourist groups devotionally listen to their leaders and out of those pour the dates and historic events. Some tourist are "plugged in", this means they have earplugs or headphones and get their informations from anywhere.

The Hradschin is called the Bohemian Acropolis. I see the changing of the guard and the crowds get closer. So finaly I take my bike under the arms and hobble down some stairs to some small streets near the Karl's Bridge. The Karl's Bridge is the most famous bridge in Prague and this is proved by the crowds again.

The Karl's Bridge is like the Hradschin somewhat as an emblem of Prague. There are few visitors who miss to stroll along on this bridge. So it will be more quiet in the evening. 1357 the foundation stone was laid, after the predecessor bridge was destroyd by high waters. Over centuries ist was the only bridging across the Vitava and was an important bottleneck of central trade routes. The architect engaged by Karl IV. was Peter Parler again, the master of the Veitsdome. The meanwhile 30 bridge figures come from the 17./18. century and represent an unique open air gallery of baroque sculpture art, though many original figures meanwhile are replaced by copies.

Because the autumn sun is so warm today one should look out for a bench. This is found on the island Strelecky Ostrov. There is another individual sitting in the stump of a tree and enjoying the view over the waters. Thereafter I stroll to the next bridge and so have crossed 4 of the 6 bridges here. A last ramble in the Altstadt - it is full everywhere. There are musicians, pantomimes and other selfmade works of art. Others sell souvernirs or simply rubbish. I pass the Jewish Quarter and then I go back and up the hill. A last stroll through the Hradschin and a view into the cathedral.

But at last I find a place where one can be alone. This is the monastery Brevno(Breunau). There is a baroque church with a painted ceiling. Here you see nobody, may be all the other sensations of Prague are more interesting. As I come back to my pension I am tired and do not know what to do an additional day at this town. There would be some advantages to go off tomorrow: we win a day for riding, the weather is pretty and the wind from behind and the traffic on a Sunday not so busy. I ask at the end of the tramline 22 if they take bikes with them but this is declined. So I must find my own way and I need some time to find it out. Then I go for another dinner at the Pampa, two trouts from the grill this time.

Sunday, 24.10. Königgrätz (Hradec Kralova), 120 km

I say farewell to the landlord and he is alert to get the money for the third night that I have cancelled. I will go east. So down to the Vitava again and meanwhile I know some side routes. In the eastern direction there is an arterial road named Podebradska. The next town where I want to go is named Podebrady. So it is easy to combine, that this road will be the right one. This is true, but it is a very long street and after 28 km I finally reach the outskirts of Prague.

The road with number 611 runs parallel to an Autobahn so we have few traffic. This road leads straight ahead, there is no bend until the horizon. But the wind comes from behind and so I sometimes reach 30 km/h. The landscape is flat but the trees are so colourful that it never will be boring. The brightest brownish yellow has the maple tree. So we dream of the Indian summer in Canada with the leaf of the maple in its national emblem. Thoughts in central Tschechien.

At Podebrady I have my first rest and have made 75 km already. There is such a pretty big square place again. Aside is somewhat like a castle but I resign to have a look. We have to go another 50 km and don't want to come into the dark again. The Autobahn ends at this town and the road is now named E67. This means more traffic. When there is no appropiate shoulder aside the carriageway it sometimes gets perilous. Meanwhile I think about Königgrätz, a famous name, was there any war event or battle during Napoleon or Frederic the Great?

At Königgrätz (Hradec Kralove) was the final battle of the Prussian - Austrian war at the 3. 7. 1866. The Prussian army led by H. Moltke defeated the Austrian-Saxionian national army led by L. von Benedek and thereafter attacked towards Vienna.

But now I pass the town Chlumec and there it is busy because they have a fair or festival. For a rest I only find a bus cabin with much trash - not all places of the world a fine. I fight my way on this busy road but finally facing another endless section straight ahead I look for a side road on the map. Of course there would have been variants before but I did not know, if I woul reach my destination in time. Now I do know it and turn to the villages Libčany, Hvozdnice, Hřibsko, Plačice. Nice to pronounce. But we see a church ahead, vineyards and orchard meadows, avenues within hedgerows: always something to look around. And now I enter the suburbs of Königgrätz and finally end at the market place.

I must rub my eyes - I am in paradise. No tourists, no traffic, pretty fassades and two noble cathedrals. And among all this at the corner the Pension Pod Vezi, at another corner a Chinese Restaurant. The Hotel was recently renovated so it is a feeling as if one were the first guest in here. Of course you find me tonight in the restaurant mentioned above. I consume a heap of "Knusprig gebackenes Ente" (duck), two big beers and then pay 8 €. This is like cockaigne (Schlaraffenland). The final walk around is romantic - it is a very nice town indeed and in advance I choose this place for the golden palm award of this tour.

In the TV they delight me with related pop songs like "You win again" (Bee Gees) or "Distant Lands are not so far away" (The Other Ones).

Monday, 25.10. Sumperk (Mährisch Schönberg), 122 km

After this nice stay at Königgrätz we will approach the western parts of the Sudety mountains. From now on we will avoid any main roads. The side roads are not only nearly traffic-free but moreover there are the nicer landscapes and villages. In spite of all this at first we must leave the town on a main road on the road number 11 until Tyniste. From there we will use the side roads 305, 317, 315, via Chocen, Usti, Lanskroun and Zabreh to Sumperk. Until Usti we ride along the river Ticha Orlice which flows into the Elbe (don't forget - this is named Labe hereabout). There is not so much sun today so we don't get so many photos. At the end of the section of this day we have the first remarkable hills, there are heights up to 600 m around. This is between Landskroun and Zabreh, and once we pass a beautiful valley with meadows along the creek Moravska Sazawa which finally is named Morave and flows to the Danube. So we must have passed the watershed between the Elbe and the Danube.

After these hills it is enough for today at Sumperk. The tourist information is in an old building with the museum named Paulinenhof (Pavlinův dvůr). As accommodation they recommend Villa Ancora at the next street. This house is first class again, but the price is always 30 €. This time they have a high-tech shower cabin with various high pressure stream facilities. So we must perform a learning by doing course until the right armatures are found. But the sweety on the pillow is only soap, alas.

At the tourist information they have drawn a P on the city map and this P stands for Pizzeria. This is named Farao and somewhat dimly lit, but the pizza finds its way... On the way back I stroll around some time, but if it is completely dark you cannot see so much. There sits a somewhat cricked woman at a bench. You may talk to her whatever you want - she will not bother because she is made of bronze.

Back in my room I look some TV - one of the the favoured quiz programme but the candidates don't know nothing today.
Then I cut up my road map which is as large as a table cloth. There are areas that I never will reach and those parts of the map are needless. Then I find a tiny zigzag road on the map, nearly not to be seen. It leads just along the border of the Nature- or National Park CHKO Jeseniky. If the weather will be fine tomorrow, may be we have a try.

Tuesday, 26.10. Jesenik, 85 km

It is hazy in the morning but dry. So let us enter the zigzag road between Sumperk.and Rymarov. Soon after Sumperk we turn left and climb up all along a village named Novy Malin until the edge of the woods. At crossways there are signposts for the hikers and one can read the height of those places. At first we have about 400 m, then 600 m and at last 770 m. And all this climbing is traffic free because no one will stray around in this area except some people who search for mushrooms. As usual we have to brake down parts of this valuable height to reach Rymarov which is at 590 m. The tourist information is in union with a shop for magazines, books and maps. I have no plans how to continue and ask for the best area for an accommodation. They say that the best would be Jesenik, a big town on the other side of the Hruby Jesenik mountains which were named Altvatergebirge in former times. So let us cross the mountains this afternoon, this is just where I wanted to go.

Not exactly - my primarily aim was the Moravska Brana (Mährische Pforte) at Ostrawa. But one can suppose that there is more industry and traffic and I would need one more day to go all the way south-east.

From Rymarov to Jesenik there are 40 km of some roads with few traffic with the numbers 445 and 450. This is the valley of the Moravice, slightly leading uphill. This is a touristic area with pensions, hotels and super hotels, all awaiting the wintersport guests. Then the route gets steeper and after the plca Karlova Studanka we have reached more than 1000 m height. We then have to run down some 100 m height to the 4 houses of Vidly. There you can have a rest if you do not bother the yapping of some dachshunds (Dackel). Thereafter we must climb up to 930 m again and at a big parking place for the busses or so have got over this "twin pass".

The next 20 km to Jesenik are downhill without pealling ore braking. At Jesenik the tourist information is as usual in the townhall in the middle of the market place. They give me a city map and a list with accomodation offers. But at the next corner I detect the Hotel Staric and get a room there. It doesn't look as elegant as my former accommodation facilities, but in the internet one can read, that this is one of the oldest and most traditional buildings of the town. So my bicycle disappears in the arcs of a basement vaults (Kellergewölbe). There is a remarkable price list: bicycle support: 15 Kr., breakfast: 50 Kr., a dog overnight: 100 Kr. To calculate this in EURo you must devide the amount by 30. I finally pay 470 Kr.

For dinner we find a nice restaurant at the market place and have pork ribs with bacon. I sit behind a pillar and so are not disturbed by the omnipresent TV. In turn I flirt with the mobile or the Dackel Dori, who apparently likes the smell of pork ribs. And I get in contact with at home with the mobile (EUROTEL - you know?).

Wednesday, 27.10. Glatz (Klodzko), 75 km

We now will go north to the border of Poland and then will reach Silesia, the former Schlesien. We must use a main road with the number 60 but there is not so much traffic in the morning. The worse thing is the fog and the drizzle and I need gloves and the forefinger as windscreen wiper for the spectacles.The first town is Zulova (Friedeberg).If we want to sit on a bench this is only possible with the rain coat beneath. At Javornik (Jauernig) - the last Czech town, there is a pretty castle up upon a mountain. It is difficult to take a photo in the mist. We then reach the border and now are at Poland. The next town would be Paczkow (Patschkau). But I turn left before into a side street and see the first village which is stretched along a runnel or river. The name is Goscice (Gostal). I am so curious to ride this road until its end because there is the border again with the village Bila Voda, and this is easy to translate and means Weißwasser (White Water). There is a monastery or something like that. But we cannot cross the green border here, there is a gate and this is closed.

So I end at the main road towards Glatz. This is not so enjoyable with the big trucks and tank waggons and the spray that they produce. At the town Zloty Stok (Reichenstein) I have another rest in a bus cabin. As I sit and stare into the rain an old man comes along. "English, Niemetzky?" he says. "I am from Germany" I say, and then he shakes hands with me. Other means for communication do not work and soon he toddles off again. From earlier experiences I was awaiting that people usually try to get or beg anything, so this time this is not true.

Around the corner is a bank and I get 200 Zloty from the bancomat. On the other side they are unwilling to change the rest of Czech crowns, I don't know why. If the weather would be fine we now would have turned to a nice road towards Ladek Zdroj (Bad Landeck) at the Reichensteiner Gebirge (Gory Zlote). From there there is a long valley (Biala Ladecka) to Glatz. But today we have rain down here and up in the mountains there are the clouds and even more rain. So once again we have to use the main street number 46 and fight for our life against the trucks and many tank waggons. Moreover there are some hills which are extra nasty if there is no shoulder aside the carriage way and the other vehicles overtake in a short distance bringing clouds of spume with them. No pleasure today - really.

As I know to have reached the highest point there is a rest place with a hut. I sit down and read the map. And there is really a side road down to a valley with a long drawn village named Jaskowa (Hannsdorf). And this is really a stroke of luck. Down there is no traffic and we detect an original old village along a river again. These villages are typical for this region and I think we will see more of them in the following days. The atmosphere around here is like in former times and at first I produce a panorama photo though the weather is not so good. The left side of the valley is higher and there are some estates which have seen better days - as we say.

So we could enjoy the last section to Glatz. We find the center of the town on the other side of the river Neisse over the bridge Most Gotycki. There is the market place with the tourist information. Above all there is a mighty fortification.We have early afternoon yet and some minutes later I enter the Hotel Marhaba.

About the fortification we can read:
The fortivication was built in XVII century by the Dutch engeneer Cornelius Vallrawe The bastion, courtyards and casemate can be visited. From the viewing platforms there are beautiful views to the town and the southern regions of Glatz.

So there would be much more to report about this town than we can do after a short walk around. For the top regions of the fort it is too cold, windy and hazy. But I see a mysterious "Touristengang", this is an underground channel from the lower town to the castell. But this is locked by a great padlock (Vorhängeschloss).

But there is some information:
The channel was restaurated after the World War II and opened for observation. The entrance to this gangway is beneath the Pfarrkirche (parish church). The path is lighted and in some niches there are figures and archeologic objects.

The pedestrian area is very busy. I worry that this soon will look like each other at home with the same multiple shops (Schlecker, Tchibo, C&A ...). In the evening I once again end in a pizzeria and it will not be the last time. Today I enjoy the pizza with the giggle of shool girls and rap-music because the pizzeria is aside of a gymnasium.

In the evening I flag the route of today in my map with blue points that I will remember the tricky passages.

Thursday, 28.10. Waldenburg (Walbrzych), 70 (80) km

In the morning mist there are some difficulties to find out of the town. I don't want to go to Wroclaw, Ostrawa or Gliwice as the signposts recommend. I must ask for the village Bierkowice (Birgwitz) and finally find it and now - guess - start to ride along the next long drawn river village. This is Gologlowy (Hollenau) at the river Scinawka. Later the village is named Scinawka Dolna and this was in German Niedersteine or Neusteine b. Niedersteine. You have recognized that we are in the drainage area of Oder/Neisse since the Polish border.

I find another side road all along the Czech border which is very scenic with the coloured trees and forests. We have to climb up to 700 m again and then hit on the road 381 in a nice valley. I make another detour to have the nicer roads and this is more strenuous because it is up and down sometimes. So I reach Waldenburg from its "backside" and that are endless roads towards the centrum.

This is another story:
My hometown where I went to school is the Westphalian town Espelkamp. During WorldWar II this region in deep pine woods was a production area for ammunition. After the end of the war the allied forces immediately started to destroy this adversial institution. For there was a totally intact infrastructure (factory halls, houses, roads, railway, electricity, water support etc.) the Swedish priest Birger Forell had the idea to conserve this are as a new hometown for the masses of homecomers and displaced people from the east. This worked and the thankful new settlers choosed the names for roads and pubs (e.g. "Pommerscher Hof", "Sudetenland") from their lost eastern towns and rivers. So I meditate about a "Waldenburger Hof" - was this a pub or a place in Espelkamp? Finally I remember, this was the address of the second flat of my mother. Must have been a blackout in my head...

So it happens to me to be in Waldenburg! There is a busy traffic and I do hard to find the centrum. There is a signpost for the tourist information, but I cannot find the bureau. And I don't see any hotel. On the second loop I ask a woman for the tourist bureau. She doesn't understand, but I should follow her, her father speaks German. So suddenly some minutes later I stand inside of the domicile of a family in Waldenburg. And they are very kind and try to help. They phone for the next hotel but there is no connection. So finally I am instructed to ride to the Hotel Sudety nearby. Many thanks to you, my family in Waldenburg.

The Hotel Sudety is an old leftover from the Socialism, a big block and they do hard to offer a moderate modern standard. But it is interesting to see such institution from inside. They will have difficulties to preserve this building corresponding to modern standards.

After I have checked in I am restless and start with my bike for another time to search any scenic part of this town. I do not success. There is no central place and I stroll around all churches that I can find. May be I am blind today and I will not say that this is an ugly town - may be I am totally wrong.

So let us read in the internet again:
Waldenburg (poln. Walbrzych) is a district town amidst the Waldenburger highlands, 400 - 500 m high.... Marienkirche (Mary's church) from 1714, evangelic church 1785-1788 based on plans of Carl Gotthard Langhans, town hall 1855, baroque middle class houses. Center of the Waldenburger coal-mining area and corresponding industry. North of Waldenburg there is the castle of Fürstenstein.

...and they write:
Concerning historical buildings Walbrzych is one of the top towns of Poland. Aside the buildings, palaces and parks one can find many sacral buildings, ruins and relicts of knight castles and younger but not less interesting memorials of technical architecture.

The evening ends in the restaurant of the hotel with a passable meal and thereafter I can plan the rest of the tour.

Friday, 29.10. Karpacz (Krummhübel), 70 km

At breakfast I get known to a waiter who is willing to speak out what he thinks about the new membership of Poland to the European Union. All of his declarations are accompanied by declining gestures. The main problem is, that the western corporate groups (Lidl, Media Markt, Aldi Schlecker...) will replace the smaller local companies and establishments. So to be seen with the breweries which are pressed by Danish or Dutch competitors (Tuborg, Carlsberg). And so the fees drop and the unemployment is in advance. He gets more and more excited and I am glad as I have finished my breakfast because I am not responsible for this and cannot change it.

The end of this cycle tour is now in sight. You will know what I will do? The only thing is, to find out the location of the Schneekoppe (Snietzka) and a village nearby. And this is no problem, after just a day's ride I should find what I want.

We start at Waldenburg on a main road to the town Boguszow-Gorce (Gottesberg). We see the relicts of the coal-mining activities, big heaps of colliery excavations and winding towers now and then. We wonder if the excavations beneath still exist and if the surface will not break down one day.

I reach the fork of the side road where I want to enter the next long drawn village. But there I see some people on their knees on the road and a tank car across the street. I am glad that I have not to pass this place and some minutes later hear the sirens of the ambulance, as I stroll along the long drawn village which is named Witkow and then Jaczkow, and the creek is named Lesk. This flows to the river Bobr. And there is a valley which is one of the highlights of this tour. Of course the weather with sunshine makes things bright and colourful.

What's about the river Bobr? We will learn:
The Bober (polish Bobr) has its source at the Czech mountains and flows parallel to the Neisse towards the north of Silesia. It finally meets the Oder. Its length is 268 km. After the war the allied forces and the Russians disputed where to locate the new borders they discussed about the Oder-Bobr-Line as well as about the Oder-Neisse-Line and everybody knows which river got the award and by that is well known all over the world.

After some time I detect the signs of a long distance cycle path. This is named ER-6 and we will learn about it some time later. We come to the village Janowice Wielkie (Jannowitz). There comes a cyclist on a mountain bike and asks where I will go. And it turns out that we have the same aim and that is Karpacz. But he will choose the shorter route via Karpniki (Fischbach) while I prefer to stay to the rriver Bobr. I do very hard to convince him that it is not obligatory to choose the shortest route all the time. And there is so much time because it is not far away.

So I admire the castle of Lomnica (Lomnitz) where they restaurate and rebuild until finally they have an exclusive hotel. At Myslakowitze (Erdmannsdorf) I at last loose my orientation and find myself to ride in a larger circle around the church. I pass a man in wheelchair twice and he may wonder if I have a doubleganger.

The end for today is a long uphill until we reach the spatown Karpacz at 600-800 m height. The former name of this place was Krummhübel and no one knows how to translate Krummhübel to Karpacz. At the tourist information they will not prefer any accommodation but there is a long list of pensions and hotels. I should just ring at the next door they say. Moreover I grasp an interesting brochure from the desk with the title „Turystika rowerowa w Euroregionie Nysa“. And this is a description of the cycle routes ER-1 to ER-7. The route ER-6 from this morning is named "Dolny Bobru", is 100 km long and leads from Lubawka (Liebau) via Kamienna Gora (Landeshut) and Jelenia Gora (Hirschberg) to Boloeslawice (Bunzlau). There is another Cycleroute from Karpacz to Zittau named ER-2 and this is just the rest of my tour. Let us see if we can use this path.

As they told me I ring the bell at the next corner, the house is named Pension Jaskier. A lady looks down from the balcony if there is someone trustable at the front door. I say that I am a cyclist, want to stay two nights and to climb the Schneekoppe tomorrow. This works and some minutes later I stand at the window of my room and produce a panorama of the park outside. Then a walk around in the sunshine and let us hope that the weather keeps fine tomorrow. The spatown Karpacz is fully touristically developped as the guests come mainly in wintertime for skiing and wintersport activities. Let us hope that in consideration of the New Europe they will not build any monster hotels.

In the evening we meet at the Pizzeria Verde. If you go early enough (6 pm) you are the only guest. At about 8 pm the crowds come in, so then we get off and go "home" to mark the route of today, write down this and that, think about tomorrow and then watch some TV. It is a pity that we can have our brekafast not earlier than 8 am, so an early morning attempt will not happen.

Saturday 30. 10., Schneekoppe 1602 m

After breakfast you see me climbing up the main street with my bike. I want to ride as far as possible. I have choosen the route named "Dr. M. Orlowicza". Just at the beginning there is an extremely bumpy section, may be a historic paved path. The looming stones are as large as a fist and it is impossible to ride. The camera jumps up and down in the handle bar bag. After about 15 minutes we reach something big green - may be it was a water tank. There is a tarmac road again (Olimpijskaja) and we could have had an easier way to this place. Near the Hotel Orlinek with the ski jump the actual ascent starts with a slight uphill forest path which is properly ridable. It leads in a wide bend around the valleys with the springs of the creeks Bystrzyk and Wilczy Potok. On this side of the Schneekoppe there are two other springs, one is named Lomnica and the other Lomniczka and what does this mean? (The first is the Lomnica and the second the pet name "Small Lomnica").

At the last creek there is the Schr. Nad Lomniczka and the German name was Melzergrundbaude, 1000 m high. We must leave the bicycle behind now because the path gets too bumpy. The path is thoroughly built and at some sections one could ride a baby carriage. So it is not so adventurous but I have goosebumps and I will tell you why.

From the early fourties there exists a Calligraphy booklet entitled "Wie wir uns fanden" (How we found each other). The story tells about the days as my mother and my father eventually fell in love to each other during a one-week vacancy at Petzer, Pec today. This was on the other (Czech) side of the Schneekoppe. The booklet is today part of my collection of ancestry documents. And today I am in this area where - if you want to see it like this - my origin or roots come from. May be you understand my goosebumps now?

The ascent gets more and more wild and romantic as we reach the treeline.To the left there is a big slope with the ridge of the Schneekoppe on the top. We cannot imagine that we will get up there today. Then there is a creek and no bridge. But today there are few waters, may be this will be a problem at another day. We then zigzag up the slope. At a group of rocks they have clipped memorial plates to the rocks to remember former accidents with mortal result. Some are even from the Himalaya (Annapurna). At the top we reach the Schr. Pod Sniezka, 1394 m. Suddenly crowds of people are around here.

A sportsman runs to and fro, may be this is some kind of height training with public attendance. The other people seem to have come up here by a cablecar, there are even a lot of small children. All these masses now press to the hedged zizag course up to the summit. It looks like an ant's trail. At the summit there is an ultramodern meteorological station and even more crowds which could have come up from the other side. I do some calculations: if there are 5 people around you within one minute these would be 300 in one hour and 3000 all over the day. May be the goosebumps have gone meanwhile.

Another information concerning the crowds:
The Karkonoski National Park and the Schneekoppe are visited by 1,5 million tourists the year. The touristic structure is built by 112 km hike trails, 10 liftsystems and 12 mountain cottages. The best period to hike in the Karkonoski is from May to October.

I cannot enjoy the famous view, ragged clouds chase over the plateau. Sometimes we can look down and see a lake, woods or a village. But then the picture disappears again and thereafter may be some sunshine. I sit on the ground to make a photo for a good friend. She had knitted a cap or bonnet for me as a gift for my last birthday. She was in doubt that I would really be willing to wear this cap. So I think it would be the best proof to have a photo from the Schneekoppe with the cap on my head. But as I sit there, the camera turned to my face and as I try to grin to the camera I feel pretty foolish and imagine what the observers may think of that vain (eitel) guy. But the bonnet - that is pretty warm.

We start for the descent along the busy zizag path. There is another path named Jubiläumsweg. This leads along the slope and is not so interesting. As we have left the Pod Sniezka behind and enter the Melzergrund we can feel more individual again. I come back to my bike which has waited patiently. The downhill to Karpacz is done in some minutes and I am back in the early afternoon. So there is an occasion for an unusual action and this is a nap in the afternoon.

In the evening you find me at the pizzeria next of that of yesterday. There is a strange song from the music box: "We're all living in America, Coca Cola wunderbar“ – there one can only gnash one's teeth and if the result of the elections for the next president next week had been known already one would have gnashed even more.

Sunday, 31.10. Zittau, 112 km

Today we will have the last section. And today they have changed from summer- to winter-time and that means the clock is one hour earlier. And it means, that if you had your breakfast at 9 am it really would be 10 am. And that would be too late for a 100 km stage. So I paid yesterday and for today I get a lunch package instead of the breakfast. It hangs at the handle bar as I start in the grey of the morning.

If you will not go to the main street you can only leave Karpacz if you climb another 200 m up to 800 m height. Moreover there is this mysterious ER-2 cycle path for all the way to Zittau. At the downhill on the other side of the summit in full speed I miss the junction where the ER-2 may lead into the woods. But as we pass some dozy villages we soon meet the sign again. At a poster site in the botany I find a poster with the offer to ride by bus to Cologne and other German towns.

It is enjoyable to ride here But then the ER-2 gets its victim. The path is so bumpy that one only can push the bike. Then there are endless uphills in the forests and on bumpy surface down again. I need nearly 1 hour for 10 km and that is too slow. At last we meet civilised regions at Szklarska Poreba (Schreiberhau), another touristic town. I turn back to the road, the cycle path is too uncertain.

Now we must overcome the last serious uphill, but than we have a beautiful slight downhill road. Once I ride 5 km without pedalling with a speed of 45 km/h. This is rather funny and suddenly we are at Swieradow Zdroj (Bad Flinsberg), the last town near the Czech border. We have some last views to the mountains, which are named Isergebirge now. At the border to the Czech Republic they will have a look at my passport and put it into a scanner. But my attempt to ride without light in their country at the first day is not recorded - so they let me in.

We then reach Nove Mesto, there is a fine square market but nothing else to be seen. One should go for a detour now and visit the town Hejnice (Heinichen) with a baroque cloister cathedral. But I had seen so much so better enter the road to Frydlant, which is not so interesting. But then I find another detour and go right on a side street to the last long village named Krasny Les (Schönwald). So I reach Frydlant and have a nice rest on the market place. This is very nice with the restaurated fassades of the houses. And I get quite individually a carillon concert from the tower of the market hall. We just have 1 pm.

We soon hit the next border, this time back to Poland. There are the wide areas of the brown coal surface mining. It is too hazy now to get a photo document of this matter. Then the road is marked green which means scenic. May be this is true. I have a rest in a village name Opolno Zdroj (Bad Oppelsdorf). I sit at the ground at the church and look to my map, 10 km still to go. Then a man comes up and stops to have a chat. If I would be OK, or if I would need something, water or so? Very kind of him, but I am definitely OK and have no problems. May be it does not look so after about a 100 km. He then tells me this and that about his village. It is hard to understand because his German is so lousy.

I have found:
Bad Oppelsdorf (Opolno Zdroj) was an established spa village. After the discovery of brimstone springs (Schwefelquellen) during the 19th century a modern spa village was founded and busy cure activities started. Taday Oppelsdorf is a shadow of itself compared to earlier times. Moreover the village and its region around may be used by future brown coal surface mining...

We roll the last km to the border. There is the obligatory Polish cheap-market and we can "paint the town red" (phrase from the dictionary) with our last Zloties. At the border control to Germany the adventure "New Europe" finds its end. So in consequence I totally miss the town of Zittau because the dam of the Neisse is so inviting. As I start to get uncertain about the direction I really have reached the Dreiländereck (Border Triangle). There is a rest station for cyclists and some signs about cycle paths of the region, some lead across borders or say multilateral.

Let us roll out, back to Zittau, to the railway station for the ticket for tomorrow and then to the Hotel Dreiländereck where I was twice until now and will enjoy to come again this time. Of course we pay more now than in the New Europe regions. The restaurant Klosterstübl where we have been in 2001 is closed. But there is another traditional pub: the Historisches Wirtshaus. There I have smoked pork chop and curly kale (Grünkohl). In the background we hear some music like „All I need is the air that I breathe“ (Hollies) or „I did it my way“ (Sinatra). That's just what I think.

On the way back I see the pizzeria at the other side of the street and this is crowded. But I think we had really enough pizzas on this tour.

So let us think about it. The best of all was the weather and the colours of the autumnal landscape. So we had a real "Golden October". The accommodations were all OK and the more elegant hotels were first class. Riding on side roads is enjoyable and the main routes are not so good. But this is the case in all countries. The fact that I didn't meet any other tourers shows, that cycling in Czech and Poland is not so common yet. What a pity! May be next time we meet us on the road?