August 2: Czech This Out

Stunning! Absolutely stunning. Today’s ride from Zilina, Slovakia through the Czech Republic to Austria treated me to one delightful view after another – rolling hills of multicolored crops, beautiful lakes with small islands lit up in the setting sun, clusters of little villages, and the most beautiful sunflower field I’ve ever seen.

I woke up to blue sky and sunshine. Wanting to get on the road as soon as possible, I quickly removed the toilet paper stuffed into my helmet, goggles, and boots and dried my clothes with the hairdryer, the rain from yesterday a distant memory.

Taking a few backroads and then heading west on E50, I reached the border in about an hour, enjoying the views of fields and farmlands along the way. Upon entering Czech Republic, I passed through several small villages. The terrain became hillier and the crops more varied and colorful, with sage green and forest green fields accenting honey and dark brown patches of earth. As I climbed up in elevation the vistas became wider sweeping and even more enthralling.

Reaching the top of the mountain pass into the outskirts of Brno, I passed through thick dark green forests before descending into the farmland again. Heading south from Brno on the A5, I passed over Lake Vestonicka Nadrz, enjoying views of the little islands with small clusters of buildings. The rays of the setting sun gave an amber glow to one little structure that appeared to be an old stone church.

Just before entering Austria, I looked to my right and saw the most spectacular sunflower field I have ever seen. Thousands of lush green stalks bunched tightly together with beaming bright yellow and orange halos surrounding dark brown centers, all gently dancing back and forth in the wind. I felt compelled to video the flowers, mesmerized by their natural glory.

Continuing south into Austria, I headed to Tulln to a little café off a cobblestone street to do my blog for the day, freeing up more of my evening for my Bunk a Biker hosts tonight. My time with them promises to be an adventure itself as the couple lives in a small hamlet of 250 people with houses numbered in the order they were built many years ago. As their little town does not have a formal restaurant, they are treating me to a dinner provided by a local farmer who serves homemade meat and cheese dishes. What a great day on the road