Friday 29 October 2010

2010-10-28 Cottbus (DE) - Berlin (DE), Die Ankuft

And for the last part of this tour (ended here due to new job functions, so not getting too much tired before another new first day at work), weather speaking, had mostly opposite wind, no rain, started to be clear while getting closer to Berlin on which arrived on sunset times.
This trip was also passed by swamp area and rivers, on which according to my host in Cottbus (thanks for the night in the art cafe), there is a city on which some houses are only reachable by boat (if I'm not mistaken it is located in Lübbenau), and a bit after that I got into a trail road full of Autumn leafs, yup, the Winter is arriving!
Despite this trip had more 15km than what was planned (was always like that), it really felt so great cycling in the middle of the forest and see some sun says sneaking between the trees. No rush, just enjoy and breathe!

Enjoy and breathe...




And just did it!



The last path: 2010-10-28 Cottbus (DE) - Berlin (DE)


145,96 km in 07h45m Moving time: 07h04m Max speed: 30,0 km/h Average: 20,7km/h Radfest total: 1983,33 km Bike total: 17314,9 km

And the sound of the arrival (I still love You people!): Crystal Castles - Not In Love (ft. Robert Smith)

Soon all the statistics and the combined route.

Wednesday 27 October 2010

2010-10-27 Dresden (DE) - Cottbus (DE)

In short words, very simple, easy, mostly flat, lovely Autumn leafs, only done on the B97 on in half of the trip has no shoulders or bike lanes, but still very doable. Also this time the wind was a great friend of mine. Which made me have plenty of time to hangout with my host who brought me to an art gallery/bar.
And tomorrow... Berlin!




Love the Polish name of Mr Albert Einstein!


The route: 2010-10-27 Dresden (DE) - Cottbus (DE)


108,84km in 05h04m Moving time: 04h52m Max Speed: 42,0km/h Average: 22,4 km/h Radfest total: 1837,37 km Bike total: 17168,9 km

And the song: The c90s – Shine a Light

Tuesday 26 October 2010

2010-10-26 Praha (CZ) - Dresden (DE)

After explore and rest in the city of Prague on which I was invited many times and had no chance so far. I saw that the city is really more into tourists, however there are other places not so touristic that's worth to see or try. Just ask locals for that!
About the biking day, started with a nice sunny day, then after leaving Prague had only opposite wind until I arrive to the Elbe/Elmo river with landscapes very similar to the Rhine between Koblenz and Mainz, but in Czech version, when the sunset began, the wind was neutral, but had to climb mountains until near the German border. The last 30km were very easy to do and allowed to regain some time, however when inside Dresden, my GPS was guiding me in not so correct directions (was audio guided). The temperature was very near the Zero degrees. So not convenient to pedal without gloves. But at lest I had reached to my destination: Dresden

The Photos are still in Czech Republic and not in the Rhine! But very very similar! Even the train lines! There are in both sides as well









Route: 2010-10-26 Prague (CZ) - Dresden (DE)


159,85 km in 09h54m Moving time:08h15m Max Speed: 53,0 km/h Average: 19,4 km/h Radfest Total: 1728,53 km Bike Total: 17060,0 km

And to enjoy, a nice funny parody! Duck Sauce - Barbra Streisand

Sunday 24 October 2010

2010-10-23 Plsen (CZ) - Praha (CZ)

As this trip was the shortest one, I decided to have GPS all the time on. Despite it has the option to avoid non asphalt roads, it brought me to some 5km in the real wild. actually I loved it! Saw a group of deers crossing by, brown leafs and some rays of sun between trees.
Arriving to Prague was interesting how the GPS was taking me into a 360 degrees tour. For that choose a road on my own (I was only being audio guided). The important is that arrived safe to Prague. Now time for a little city tour.
I saw deers...

An old house...

A sign...




My path: 2010-10-23 Pilsen (CZ) - Prague (CZ)


112,17 km in 06h15m Moving Time: 05h55m Max Speed: 51,0 km/h Average: 18,9 km/h Radfest Total: 1568,68 km Bike Total: 16900,2 km

And for Groove: Maximum Balloon - Groove Me (ft. Theophilus London)

2010-10-22 Regensburg (DE) - Plzeň (CZ)

After being hosted by a great friend of mine who I hadn't seen in almost 2 years on the couchsurfing meeting and also we had been chatting almost all morning on, the departure was quite late.
Talking about the trip, the hills had just started, low way ups, quick way down, but the weather was very helpful! Clear sky, a bit cold but once moving on, you forget what cold is :)
About roads, was better to have GPS on on some places as it was not allowed to pedal on the B16 and B85 to Cham. On the Czech side started going up for a while. Plenty of casinos and then nice calm area and enjoy the sunset and full moon. Was a good help as the light of my bike failed. I had bought some LED and will adapt it to the bike. Let's see how long it lasts.
And so, this was my first time in Czech Republic:


Route: 2010-10-22 Regensburg (DE) - Pilsen (CZ)


161,66 km in 08h28m Moving Time: 07h21m Max Speed: 65,0 km/h Average: 22,0 km Radfest Total: 1456,51 km Bike Total: 16788,0 km

And for listen: Detachments – Holiday Romance

Thursday 21 October 2010

2010-10-21 Munich (DE) - Regensburg (DE)

After 2 days of rest sightseeing and hanging out with some friends I have there, had to continue the journey. This one a short one on which departed a bit after lunch time and the weather friendly, cold but once start to pedal, the body temperature and the windproof jacket make things warm.
Just had a little farming area as I was going on the wrong way and as I don't turn back if there is a road available, just got delayed like half hour. Got to be more accurate with the main points for changing direction.
Had a nice sunset, together with a full moon. Was a nice arrival to Regensburg. However a note on which part of the road B16 is not allowed for bikes and when starts to be allowed and biking there, don't forget to pay attention to the heavy traffic. There were no bike roads beside and the shoulders are very narrow. So pay attention to that.

I really do love sunsets!



Route: 2010-10-21 Munich (DE) - Regensburg (DE)
And the stats: 161,66 km in 08h28m Moving Time: 07h21m Max Speed: 65,0 km/h Average: 22,0 km/h Radfest Total: 1456,51 km Bike Total: 16788,0 km

And the sound: Aeroplane – Caramellas

2010-10-18 Innsbruck (AT) - Munich (DE)

And so, the last day of biking in the Alps. Got an early start, cloudy all day and chilly, and still always wonderful! Climbing from Jenbach to Achensee was quite a big challenge, but was only 3km uphill, and from thee only peace and tranquility in the lake on which was able to ride calmly for 14km.
Then on the arrival to Munich, I was following all the directions to Munich, till I found a forest and non asphalt road, when turned on the GPS, it seems that was making a circle. So, just more 30 minutes of delay.

And this is a simple and cheap way to make the bike waterpfoof, no need to purchase expensive cases.


More reasons to love Tirol!



And this was the route of the day: 2010-10-18 Innsbruck (AT) - Munich (DE)



157,47 km in 10h36m, Moving Time: 08h40m Max Speed: 48,0 km/h Average: 18,2 km
Radfest Total: 1151,36 km, Bike Total: 16482,8 km

Had listened this song in the Canadian mountains but marked more when leaving Innsbruck on the foggy morning and snow on the top of the mountains! Priceless and unique: James Yuill - Taller Song

Sunday 17 October 2010

2010-10-16 Feldkirch (AT) - Innsbruck (AT)

Now this was the day I soo wanted to remake! First of all since my first visit to Austria in Innsbruck and Bludenz where I have good friends there which we met almost 10 years ago. Then for one new year eve spent in the Tyrolean mountains, one interrail made in 2004 on which I made a self promise to visit Austria next year on bike (promise fulfilled), but the extra that in the Summer 2005 damaging floods happened there right on the day of my arrival to Zürich. So in 2005 there were damaged roads, railway line, and some closed tunnels.
Now in 2010, started with light rain.
















This was a day with the lowest average, because this day was really to enjoy the most, it's impossible to not like the mountains, even if You have to go up.
Don't forget that what's goes up, must go down!

174,97 km in 12h11m Moving Time: 09h15m Max Speed: 61,0 km/h (I was faster riding down inside the Albergpass tunnel, but was not recorded on the GPS) Average: 18,9 km/h Radfest Total: 993,89 km Bike Total: 16325,3 km
Route: 2010-10-17 Feldkirch (AT) - Innsbruck (AT)



And this song was all day in my head: Groove Armada - Paper Romance

And a note... It really looks like that there nothing happened, like the floods never happened! Great job! Also that if it wasn't my other night arrival I would continue the trip between Landeck and Innsbruck on the bike roads. However any road in Austria (Except freeways and S roads) is cyclable.

(And I will upload the photo with the records of the altitude, for better view of this path)

Friday 15 October 2010

2010-10-15 Zurich (CH) - Feldkirch (AT)

Now this is one of the reasons why I love mountains, trains, green, and chocolate!
(This little extra is located in the Zurich main train station. On the meeting point You can make some 3D drawings, very few people know about this)











Right a few kilometers after Zurich on the road 3, started to smell chocolate, once got closer to a big building the "perfume" was stronger, and then it was nothing more, nothing less but the Lindt chocolate factory. I got hypnotized and bought some for the trip and share with my hosts and friends.


Cycling around lake Zurich was ok, big traffic but very cyclable, then when reaching Naefels, the road started to climb the mountain from altitude around 500 meters until the near 900 meters according to the GPS, even with some foggy weather the view was still outstanding! I just simply stopped and enjoyed all the possible views! (I was biking with the Canon 1000d all the time, on this day made more than 100 photos, so the best is click on any of these photos and then just browse in the Facebook)
Mülehorn and lake Walen (Walensee):

Then arriving to Sargans, followed by the bike signs and actually was a good road, and passing Liechtenstein in the night.


But at least passed by the capital, Vaduz. Even at night it is possible to see many lights up in the mountains. Arriving to Feldkirch and crossing the border, there were still some border control who just randomly asked for passports, didn't happened to me. Go ahead, moving on.

Route: 2010-10-15 Zurich (CH) - Feldkirch (AT)


140,12 km in 09h36m Moving time:07h59m Max Speed: 58,0 km/h Average: 17,5 km/h Radfest Total: 818,92 km Bike Total: 16150,4 km

This is also good to listen in the mountains: Kisses - Kisses