Start: Děčín, Czech Republic
End: Litoměřice, Czech Republic
Distance: 56.0km
Elevation Gain: 1062ft
Elevation Loss: 1121ft
Time: 5h08m
Reading Material: The Unbearable Lightness of Being – Milan Kundera
Audio Material: Off The Air Podcast (eps 41 w/ Maron); APM’s Marketplace
Description
Today’s bicycle goal was pretty easy. Travel 50km along the Elbe and reach the Terezin Concentration Camp with enough time to fully explore before the exhibits closed at 6pm. A full report on Terezin is forthcoming but I needed the full 3.5hrs and still couldn’t grasp the enormity (emotional & physical) of the place. I don’t really enjoy timeboxing the ride, since I get antsy and am more inclined to pedal head’s down instead of taking in the ride. The Elbe is very curvy in this section making the final approach feel asymptotic.
While well-signed, the Czech-side of the route is more variable with multiple unpaved sections and lots of short climbs off the riverbed to meet a nearby road only to plunge back to a new section of bike path several 100m ahead. Being a Sunday, many families were out enjoying the day and, at one point, I had to deal with a headwind of 5k race runners.
I reached Litoměřice (one of the oldest Czech cities) by 2pm. Stashed my gear in a hotel and then pedaled across the river to Terezin. Had to forgo lunch but touring a concentration camp on an empty stomach is probably preferred.
