Liking Biking

Bikes are a way of life here -- not nearly like Amsterdam or Copenhagen where it seems there are more bicycles than people -- but still the two-wheeled, self-propelled vehicles are a mainstay.  While most are for recreation you still often see a local rider to and from the store.  If fact, Aleš would ride his bike the six miles to work daily if it were not for the winter or the rain.  We have not ridden our borrowed bikes nearly as much as we would have liked but still do manage the quick 5 mile commute back and forth to Žamberk whenever we can.

Historical Tour of HK

However, sometime we get a chance to do it right and have an extended

The confluence of the
Elba and Orlici Rivers
(on the Tour!)

ride.  Recently we joined Aleš, Renata and Danny on a wonderful trip to Hradec Králové.  We (B.J., Aleš,  myself) initially took the train from Letohrad, via Žamberk to pick up Danny and Renata, and made the run to Hradec.  (Note:  I have lauded the public transportation system many times and will do again.  Nearly all the local trains have a rail car designed to store bikes; and the local busses, on weekends usually, have specially arranged trailers in tow filled with bicycles!)  In Hradec, Renata took us on a multi-hour historical bike tour of the city after which we set out for the run to Potštejn and the new beer pub just opened this season; a mere 26 miles.  We

HK ECCB Church
(ditto on Tour)

started a bit late -- almost 14:30 by the time we hit the bike path -- and we pushed pretty hard, but the path(s) were in very good shape and Danny's GPS kept us on track (except for that one little glitch.....).  (Note to self: buy a pair of padded biking shorts!!).  The new pub proved worth the sore butt and we all enjoyed the time.... except Aleš who was insistent on taking the bike back to Letohrad -- another 11.5 miles, some of them rather hilly.  Nope, not going to happen; us wimps bade Aleš a safe trip, had another beer, and took off for the local train station for the ride back to Letohrad. Aleš beat us back of course, but in fairness we did have to wait for a late train.






On another occasion, B.J. and I wanted to visit the labyrinth in the nearby town of Brandýs nad

NOW.... 

THEN...
2014 ETTC Crew at Stopping Point

Orlici. (Sorry, another set of parentheses, but need to let you know that in Czech there is no distinction between labyrinth and maze. Yes, there are different terms used but the concepts get confused... we actually were bound for a maze but it is labeled a labyrinth.)  We had been on this route before but only realized it after passing a very familiar beer stop on the trail.  It seems part of the 2014 English to the Church contingent made it this far on the way to visit the maze but pulled up short.  We did, however, continue on and were rewarded with the challenge of finding the center of the maze.

Selfie From Center of Maze

It's that way out!!