#58 The Vitava and the Upper Elbe

The 190 km from Melnik in Czechia to Dresden in Germany is by far the best the Elbe has to offer for cyclists.  Add in the 110 km along the Vitava River from Prague and you have 300 km of truly idyllic cycling.  Just do it!

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The Elbe-rad-weg (Elbe Cycle Trail) is by far the most popular cycling route in Germany, and I can see why, especially the upper section as far as Dresden.

Saturday 11 May, 2019.  Litomerice to Dresden |128 km|

The day, like the scenery, started off picture-perfect.

The weather deteriorated, but the scenery just got better.

There are proper barriers in some places….

One of the highlights would have to be stopping at the Koffeehaus in Königstein, where I sat waiting for my bike batteries to recharge while eating their lovely pastries.  That’s where I met Frank from Minnesota, who posted a comment on one of my recent posts after we had a nice chat all about e-biking around Europe.

I got a flat rear tyre just out of Königstein – my first this entire trip – but even that didn’t faze me too much.  I changed out the tube in a matter of about 20 minutes and kept on going.  Never did find out what caused the puncture, but I got 3 more in the next 4 days, so I presume there was a sharp object embedded in the tyre tread somewhere.

I also came across a bike accident.  One of a group of 5 German cyclists in their 30s had taken a fall.  His mates were just standing around doing nothing and looking confused, though they did say they’d called for an ambulance at least.  He looked a mess (head wound and a couple of broken knuckles on his right hand at least), but he knew who and where he was and what had happened, so I thought he maybe wasn’t too badly concussed, though he did look dazed.  I suggested they at least clear their bikes off the path, lay him down and make him comfortable and put him in the recovery position, keep him warm and keep the rain off him.  They seemed to understand, and the ambulance was on its way, so I left it at that and departed, feeling very guilty, though, that I should have stayed because his mates were so useless.  Later, I came up behind 3 older German guys going my way, and we worked out that the accident happened at least ½ an hour before I came along, so I definitely should have stayed and looked after him.  I mention this merely to imprint into my brain to be more proactive in such situations in the future.

And an hour or so further on, I found a comatose guy on a bench.  I thought he wasn’t breathing at first, but he came to after a bit and understood my English, telling me he’s OK, just had a hard night (it was 4pm in the afternoon).  Anyway, I asked a passing pram-pushing mum to call for an ambulance, and another cyclist who came along said he’d wait for it, so I left that incident as well.

For the last 12 or so km into Dresden the river on my side was lined with imposing mansions – a great vista to enter the city with.  After several rebuffs, I managed to get a good last-minute half-price deal on a room in an apartment hotel located right in the heart of the Old Town.  It was, would you believe, directly above the Ayres Rock Australian restaurant.  I got to do some clothes washing in a real washing machine and look around the city.  There was a food fair on and I got some nice cheeses, wursts and bread to make a meal.

The only thing wrong with Dresden were the church bells:  I was heralded into town at 6pm on Saturday by their incessant mad cacophony and sent off at quarter to 10 on Sunday with the same.  It would drive me crazy if I lived there.

-ends-

Europe 2019.  #58  Litomerice to Dresden.  128 km

Europe 2019.  The trip so far:  Maastricht to Dresden |2,360 km|

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