Freezing Rain Cycling 🧊 Cold, Wet, & Miserable Czech Republic Winter Bike Tour

Day 256. 72km (92,731kms 8yrs)

After an exceptionally early night thanks to the clocks’ change I was up and functioning a little after 4am. A coffee, breakfast, and a blogpost later the sky began to lighten. I was packed down and on my way by 07:30.

Initially sunny but very cold I arrived into Kyjov for my first break of the day, and an ATM visit. Though in the Schengen zone Czechia is not in the euro zone. So I’ve put my euros away for now, and withdrew 2 weeks worth of koruna. It remained bitterly cold out of the sun but I knew rain was coming so appreciated the cold and dry until the inevitable happened and it became cold and wet.

Initially a climb kept me warm enough but as I descended drown towards Slavkov U Brna the combination of headwind and the breeze from descent meant my now sodden feet felt like ice blocks. I was fortunate to find a bakery cafe with hot bowls of a very tasty and spicy meat and cabbage soup which warned my soul. But I didn’t pause long, heading back out into the rain to push on the final 20kms to my host in Brno. Even after the rain stopped my fingers were so numb I could barely manage to change my socks.

Jana would not be available until 6pm – long after dark – so I found a nice bar with wifi and got comfy in my dry off-the bike clothes and enjoyed one or two beers until it was time to arrive. Jana met me with hot tea, soup and omelette and a much appreciated bed for the night.

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Good morning. It’s 6:00 a.m. The sky is just beginning to lighten. I’m on to my second coffee. I’ve had my breakfast. I’m just waiting for a little bit more light. I’ll pack down the tent and be on my way bright and early. There’s rain coming today, but I have a warm showers host, so I really don’t mind the rain if I know I’m going to be staying somewhere warm and dry. 7 a.m. I’m on my way. It’s bitterly cold. I’m about to put my gloves on as soon as I put my phone away. Uh the wind now I’m out of the forest. The wind is quite powerful from it’s kind of a side wind. It’s not a headwind anyway. Apparently, you can withdraw €800 at a time from a check ATM. Two weeks of cash there hopefully in two notes. Been getting away with it so far. No rain. 25 km down, 50 to go. At least these climbs are keeping me warm. I’ve had a good run, but here comes the rain. This toe, I guess, because the trees have lost enough leaves that I can see it now. Keep in mind the GoPro flattens out the view. That’s a very unlucky. Am I at the top? Usually I’d be happy to be at the top, but now I’m going to get cold on the way down. Whatever that is, that’s exactly what I needed. I could have stayed in that lovely warm cafe all afternoon, but I still have 18 cold, wet, miserable kilometers to go. [Applause] I think it’s finished raining, so I’m going to treat myself to some dry socks. I’ve made it. I’m dry. I’ve got some warm socks on and I’ve got a pint is that a pint of check beer. Cheers. Whatever. Cheers. Check it. [Music] Time to get me my face. So, time to put my socks back on. Try and look like I have to spend half the afternoon with the boozer. Glad it’s not raining cuz I’m already changed into my one dry set of clothes. Not far to go.