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Heritage Tour
  • Roger Formanek

Heritage Tour

Bike tour visiting European roots. Read more
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  • Roger FormanekHeritage TourTraveler

    Big Day: Too Much For Six Pictures

    July 4, 2019 in Croatia ⋅ ⛅ 19 °C

    We left Dalmatia behind, following an 800 year old gravel road over the mountains that separate Dalmatia from the rest of Croatia. We saw dozens of markers honoring those who died in battle on the pass during the War of Independence. Signs beside the road warn of landmines that still exist. We dropped into a beautiful valley with farms and had goulash for lunch. We ran into Zora, who was selling her own honey and jam and local cheese beside the road, and she offered us her cute one bedroom cottage for the night, Zora was an engineer with the road department who became a refuge with two young daughters during the war. She treated us like family.Read more

  • Roger FormanekHeritage TourTraveler
    2

    Quiet Day - Logged Some Miles

    July 5, 2019 in Croatia ⋅ ⛅ 25 °C

    We worked our way north on a busy highway slowly dropping into the Carpathian Basin, a huge watershed in Central Europe that drains to the Danube. Along the way we passed a national park that is known for its waterfalls. This part of Croatia has close cultural ties to both Hungary and Austria. Tommorow we go to Karlovac and Zagreb. The third photo is a fortress built by the Hungarians to defend against the Ottomans. The first photo is a typical coffee bar, where we get our coffee in the morning.Read more

  • Roger FormanekHeritage TourTraveler
    11

    Out Of The Balkans Into Central Europe

    July 6, 2019 in Croatia ⋅ ⛅ 29 °C

    The Yugoslav Wars were only 25 years ago. The outskirts of Karlovac was a major battle front and remembrances are everywhere. Pushing through Karlovac, we crossed the Sava River at Zagreb, which separates the Balkan Peninsula from Central Europe. Zagreb is the largest city in Croatia with a regional population of over 1 million. We spent the afternoon touring the old city then moved to the outskirts for lodging. Susan scored again; we haven't camped out yet.Read more

  • Roger FormanekHeritage TourTraveler
    11

    "Where's Your Car?"

    July 7, 2019 in Hungary ⋅ 🌧 17 °C

    Everything was going so well. We started the day riding through rolling hills and prosperous villages, We had lunch at a "fancy" restaurant, then hopped on the bikes, riding onto flat land with large-scale farms.

    As we neared the Hungarian border, the rain hit. Not a drizzle; a dump. Wind, lightening, thunder, cold. Bravely, we pushed on to the old border crossing used before the toll expressway was built. The officer kindly told us that that crossing was closed and because we were on bicycles we had to detour 79 km to the crossing in Slovenia.

    So, we rode 3 km over to the toll road, went backwards up an off-ramp and headed for Hungary, passing 2 lanes of cars backed up for 2 km as they waited to enter the Schengen Zone. Still storming like crazy.

    The last border agent I saw winked, gave me a thumbs up, and said "Trump." These border agents greeted us differently. But, heck, what were they going to do, send us back into Croatia going the wrong direction on the toll road? So, we got into Hungary, headed for the nearest village, and it's really depressing. It' late and pouring, we checked around and found a decent hotel about 3 km away. No haggling tonight.    Read more

  • Roger FormanekHeritage TourTraveler

    The Toll Road, Our Day And Food

    July 8, 2019 in Hungary ⋅ ⛅ 19 °C

    Easy day today. Susan got her hair cut and colored and I got mine cut in Nagykanizsa. She bought new bike shorts and tights. Then we rode through mixed farmland and forest to Balaton, the largest lake in Central Europe. It's a big grape growing region and resort area. The people at our guesthouse snd the market were shocked that we are American. They see lots of Hungarians, Germans, maybe a Czech and once a Swede. But no Americans - they go to Budapest.

    Regarding food, regrettably, the quality of our grub has declined steadily as we've traveled north. In Turkey, Greece and Albania we lived well on bread, salads and grilled meat, including fresh fish Quality fruit and vegetables were abundant But the food got heavier as we went north. More starches, sauces, cheese, cured meat and sausage. Hungarian food is really hearty stuff. We're shopping in the markets more but the selection is limited    Read more

  • Roger FormanekHeritage TourTraveler
    1

    Lake Balaton

    July 9, 2019 in Hungary ⋅ ⛅ 21 °C

    Balaton is a big lake, 48 miles long and up to 9 miles wide. Historically, the lake has been a retreat for the aristocracy from Budapest, only 60 miles away. Hungary came under one-party rule after WWII. The People took title to the grand homes and hotels, which then became the go-to place for Hungary's Communist elites. In the 60s and 70s the shoreline was extensively developed for tourism and to provide state-supported vacations for labor unionists and their families. It was a popular place for East and West German families to reunite annually. The lake is still a major venue for Hungarian families on summer vacation.

    We rode the southern shoreline today at a leisurely pace. There is a dedicated bike route around the lake and it is really nice. The downside to the day is that we ended up in a dump. We should have kept looking. Take the good with the bad.    Read more

  • Roger FormanekHeritage TourTraveler

    Budapest

    July 10, 2019 in Hungary ⋅ ⛅ 23 °C

    We finished our day in Budapest on the Pest side of the Danube. We found a great hotel in the old city. Top ten lists of beautiful cities usually include Budapest and we're all in on that. Plus, it has a young, hip feeling with a global business presence that has the economy buzzing. We're going out now to walk the city at night. We will probably take a layover day here.

    Photo 2 is a traveling circus tent. Photo 3 is sunflowers and oil refinery.    Read more

  • Roger FormanekHeritage TourTraveler
    1

    Day Off In Budapest

    July 11, 2019 in Hungary ⋅ ⛅ 14 °C

    Budapest is a gorgeous city; it may be my favorite. The central market, built in 1896, is minutes from our hotel. The Eiffel influenced design of the building is beautiful. Inside are stalls and stalls of vendors selling fruit and vegetables, baked goods and butchered meat and sausages with urbane locals doing their daily shopping. We had morning coffee there before going to the Hungarian National Museum. Afterwards, we visited the largest synagogue in Europe and the most important church in Hungary, St. Stephen's Basilica. The design of both is incredible. We spent the rest of the day sightseeing on the Buda side of the river then wrapped up the day with a boat tour on the Danube.

    Tomorrow we are back on the bikes, working our way upstream to Bratislava and Vienna.    Read more

  • Roger FormanekHeritage TourTraveler

    On The EuroVelo 6 Highway

    July 12, 2019 in Hungary ⋅ ⛅ 17 °C

    Today we got on the EuroVelo 6, the most popular of the long distance cycling routes criss-crossing Europe. The route starts at the Atlantic in France and ends in Romania at the Black Sea, following the Danube for most of its length. It's a well developed network of bike paths. Flat, easy riding and very popular. We are seeing cycling tourists, literally, by the boatload. See the photos.

    We had to take cover a couple of times today to escape the rain and managed to stay mostly dry. Stumbled across a beautifully maintained old school hotel about 10 miles from Slovakia. The hotel is run by a charming older couple. He is serving and she is cooking.    Read more

  • Roger FormanekHeritage TourTraveler

    A Leisurely Day

    July 13, 2019 in Slovakia ⋅ 🌧 19 °C

    We got a slow start this morning, lingering over breakfast at the hotel. We rode a few miles, then stopped for espresso and waited for the ferry to take us across the river. Back on the bikes, we rode into Esztergom and were wowed by the basilica. Turns out Esztergom was the capitol of Hungary from the 10th to the mid-13th century, when it was moved to Buda. Esztergom has the largest church in Hungary, which we explored with a visit to the cupola. The city was also important beacause it marked the northwestern reach of the Ottomans.

    In the afternoon, we crossed over the river to Slovakia. We left the crowds behind and rode through flat farmland and modest rural villages to Komarno, a working port city on the Danube. The local grocery store is first class and the hotel we settled on is new, modern and very nice. It has been raining cats and dogs since we got into our room.    Read more

  • Roger FormanekHeritage TourTraveler

    In Bratislava

    July 14, 2019 in Slovakia ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C

    We rode through flat and sparsely populated farmlard into Bratislava. We left the tourists and spoken english behind on the Hungarian side of the river where, we discovered, the historic towns and sites are. And, for good reason. The Danube was the northern boundary of the Roman Empire in the Carpatian Basin and they built a network of castles, forts and outposts to defend the frontier and protect trade from the barbarians across the river. That network has grown through the centuries to what we see today. The farmland was good riding but looked a lot like Dixon, Davis and Woodland.

    We found the crowds again in Bratislava. We are staying in a Radisson and the place is packed. Lots of english speaking tourist and LOTS of bike tourists. See the photo of the bikes in the hotel lobby. Those are guests' bikes, not the hotel's. Most are organized tours. Our bikes are in our room, which is very nice with a river view. Now, we are going out to walk the town.

    The city is slammed with tourists. The US Embassy is 150 yards from our hotel's front entrance.    Read more

  • Roger FormanekHeritage TourTraveler
    1

    Crossing Borders Is A Breeze

    July 15, 2019 in Austria ⋅ ⛅ 24 °C

    We rolled into Austria and everything seemed to get a little nicer. The farms are prettier and the villages are well-kempt. Coming into Vienna, we went the length of a large urban park that took us into the city center. Vienna is grand by all measures. It was the center of power for the Habsburgs and Austro-Hungarians, and is consistently named as the most livable city in the world. The city is simply overwhelming. There is nothing I can say here.Read more

  • Roger FormanekHeritage TourTraveler
    1

    A Day Bike Riders Dream Of

    July 16, 2019 in Czech Republic ⋅ 🌙 20 °C

    The EuroVelo 9 route out of Vienna into the Czech Republic is a great ride. The landscape is beautiful, the trail is good and the weather was perfect. Austrian villages are right out of a storybook.

    We came into the Czech Republic late in the day. We got an adequate place for a great price. Schnitzel dinner for two with cake and ice cream and a beer came in under $16 USD. I think we are back on budget.

    Look closely at the 4th pic - there's something for everyone.    Read more

  • Roger FormanekHeritage TourTraveler

    Another Beautiful Day

    July 17, 2019 in Czech Republic ⋅ ⛅ 22 °C

    The first half of the day we followed the Czech/Austrian border before turning north towards Brno. The Czechs aren't as fastidious as the Austrians, so their side is a little less perfect, but it's storybook nonetheless. This is some of the nicest riding I've ever done. Also, the food has improved steadily since leaving Hungary so we are eating much better.

    The second photo is of a mom and her 5 year old, which proves that even a 5 year old can do this. The fifth photo is a grim reminder of the fence that was built to keep people in. It is a memorial to the 53 people that were killed trying to cross into Austria in this area from the Czechslovak Socialist Republic. The signage recognizes Ronald Reagan for his stand against that particular form of tyranny.    Read more

  • Roger FormanekHeritage TourTraveler
    1

    A Quiet Day With Surprises

    July 18, 2019 in Czech Republic ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C

    In the morning, we worked our way into Brno, the second largest city in the Czech Republic with a population of about 400,00. The city looks worn out and tired but it has a beautiful cathedral and castle, both dating back to the 14th century. The castle was used during the Austro-Hungarian period as a prison for the worst-of-the worst. In took us half the day to get through Brno.

    With Brno behind us we had a nice restaurant lunch, got back on the EuroVelo 9, and rolled into the Moravian Karst Nature Reserve, a rugged woodland with caves, Neanderthal carvings and scenic gorges. We come out into rolling farmland, behind on our miles and late in the day. We bucked up to pound out the remaining miles, slogged up a couple of 15% grades, then hit a 6 mile downhill run on perfect pavement, ending at the front door of our pension. The is a God and today He took care of us.    Read more

  • Roger FormanekHeritage TourTraveler

    Went Easy Today

    July 19, 2019 in Czech Republic ⋅ ☁️ 23 °C

    This morning we stumbled across a magnificent baroque castle in small village, then worked our way into Olomouc, a city of about 450,00. Getting into the city wasn't too bad because of the good network of bike paths. We found Olomouc to be nicer than Brno, but we didn't take many photos because it starting raining. There is a pic of the cathedral dating back to the 13th century.

    The rain let up and we moved on to a cute village, taking a room in the hotel on the town square. The hotel dining room turned out to be very good. As we we eating the rain came back; it's supposed to storm through the night.

    Tomorrow we go to the villages that my paternal grandparents came from.    Read more

  • Roger FormanekHeritage TourTraveler

    New Friends In The Czech Republic

    July 20, 2019 in Czech Republic ⋅ ⛅ 22 °C

    We had a big day. We started with a gentle 1000 ft climb to 1800 ft elevation where we crossed the European Divide, going from the Danube to the Elbe drainage basins. If I hadn't been looking for it I wouldn't have known. It seemed as if it was just another hill.

    Then we went into the town of Lanskroun, pop, 10,000, Lanskroun is identified as the place of origin of my paternal grandmother on the ship's manifest when she crossed to America. We had lunch and looked around then rode 5 miles to the village of Dolni Cermna, the birthplace of my paternal grandfather and found the property he grew up on.

    Late in the day we met Pavel Pinkas who was laying stone on his property. Pavel is an IT consultant who built a beautiful home with impeccably landscaping. Pavel and his wife, Renata, generously offered to put us up for the night. They have a daughter, Anna, who is 12 and a son, PavelI, who is 21 and studying IT at a university. We had dinner with the Pinkas family and had thoroughly enjoyed the evening. Much thanks to the Pinkas. Their generosity is greatly appreciated.    Read more

  • Roger FormanekHeritage TourTraveler

    Poppies

    July 21, 2019 in Czech Republic ⋅ ⛅ 18 °C

    We followed Pavel's suggestion and detoured off-route to visit two walled cities dating back to the 13th century: Litomysl and Policka. It was worth the detour and to our eyes the two cities were equally impressive. Only later did we learn that Litomysl's 16th century renaissance castle complex is a World Heritage site.

    Otherwise, we had great riding today through hilly farmland and national forest. Since entering the Czech Republic we've seen fields of a long-stemmed plant that has a bulb on top and a flower that looks like a poppy. We've jokingly called it opium. Susan decided to investigate and broke a bulb open. She found poppyseeds; the crop is a breadseed poppy. We did a little research and learned that opium poppies and breadseed poppies are the same species, but there are varietal differences. Who would of guessed?    Read more

  • Roger FormanekHeritage TourTraveler

    On The Approach To Prague

    July 22, 2019 in Czech Republic ⋅ ⛅ 26 °C

    Not much to say today. We spent most of the day on busy two lane highway on the approach to Prague. We stopped 15 miles short to avoid getting into the fourth most visited city in Europe late in the day.

    We've had wonderful riding across the Czech Republic. The countryside is gorgeous and each town has it's old center with a square and cathedral. The countryside is dotted with castles. The biggest difficulty we have is that we can't capture what we see on a phone camera. To do so properly requires a DSLR with multiple lenses, which just isn't practical bike touring.

    No reason to waste money on protein powder in the Czech Republic when you can get a roasted pork knee dinner for about $8.50 USD.    Read more

  • Roger FormanekHeritage TourTraveler

    Prague

    July 23, 2019 in Czech Republic ⋅ ☀️ 30 °C

    Oh Boy, was it a hassle getting into Prague. We had to slowly wind our way through the suburbs. The roads were unfriendly as were the drivers. Flustered and fatigued, we got to the old city and grabbed a room with a view of the Czech Republic National Museum. (Photo 1)

    Prague is another city that makes the top ten most beautiful cities in the world list. It is stunning but it is also a tourist trap - big league. Prague begs the question: Do you want old world charm with a Disneyland experience or can you settle for Disneyland's fantasy version of the old world?

    Call us country mice but we'll go with the beauty and charm of the countryside and villages away from the mob scene in Prague.

    It has been a nice change of pace to get a good hotel and take the better part of a day off.    Read more

  • Roger FormanekHeritage TourTraveler

    An Easy Day On The Bike Path

    July 24, 2019 in Czech Republic ⋅ ☀️ 29 °C

    We followed a really nice bike path that follows the Vltava River out of Prague. After a missed turn and a detour on a busy road we crossed the Elbe and got back on the bike path below the confluence of the Vltava and Elbe. There is another heatwave in Europe but we are handling it well. There is a lot of bicycle touring traffic now and we see riders that are visibly heat-stressed. We stopped 45 miles short of the German border at a town of 13,000. It too has a castle and palace but its heyday is past. It reminds me of the once-grand towns that I've ridden through in the Midwest and Northeast.

    Photos: 1) slalom course for kayakers with man-made rapids; 2) hops; 3-5) rowing complex that is venue for European and World championship events; 6) our hotel.    Read more

  • Roger FormanekHeritage TourTraveler

    Out Of Central Europe Into Germany

    July 25, 2019 in Germany ⋅ ⛅ 34 °C

    We continued following a well developed network of bike paths along the Elbe out of the Czech Republic. The terrain was mountainous but since we followed the river, our trail stayed flat. We went through a series of towns and villages similar to the town we stayed in last night - once prosperous but now gritty. We passed many abandoned factory buildings and the people seem worn out. We met a man who turned out to be an environmental scientist. I asked him what keeps the area going. He said nothing today. The region had been a hub from the mid-19th century on for German industrial chemical manufacturing of dyes following the discover of analine, but that industry has died. The area got a double whammy because it was largely German and was depopulated after WWII due to resettlement. You may be bored by all this but I found it fascinating. FYI, Dan Fagin's book Tom's River covers the analine side of this story and the book is a great read.

    We're in Germany and prices seem to have doubled. We opted for a site in a campground alongside the river. For the first time, after riding almost 2,500 miles, we broke out the tent and sleeping bags. But ... we packed up and moved on. There's more to this story but you will have to ask Susan. To keep it suspenseful I will tell you that a police report was filed. We found another place to camp and the day ended well.

    Photos: 1) automated bike parking structure at train station; 4) Czech/German border; 5) rock climbing structure next to bike path.    Read more

  • Roger FormanekHeritage TourTraveler

    "You Are In Saxony"

    July 26, 2019 in Germany ⋅ ☀️ 27 °C

    Yesterday, lathering up it the women's shower, Susan looked down and saw a hand holding a cell phone poked under the stall door taking pictures of her. A commotion ensued and the police were called. Two other campers came to me and apologetically explained per the statement in the caption. We pulled stakes and moved on to something much nicer.

    This morning we were happy to discover that we left the blight up river behind and we went through a charming resort area. We found a nice place for breakfast that overlook a quaint village where movie scenes are being filmed. Back on the trail we were passed by a couple of dozen buck-naked old men on bicycles coming from the opposite direction. Corpulent guys about to give birth to twins, skinny guys with saggy skin and pot bellies, it was revolting.

    We rode on to Dresden, the capitol of Saxony. Dresden was a jewel of a city before WWII that was leveled by Allied bombers. It has since been rebuilt and really is beautiful. But ... more people pulling luggage on wheels, tour groups, high priced bad food and shops selling the same luxury and not-so-luxury goods that you can find anywhere in the world. After Desden we've decided to skip Leipzig altogether, which would require a detour and cost us at least a day.

    We were happy to get back on the trail, leaving the tourist traffic behind. The terrain has become pancake-flat and we moved along quickly through farmland and past villages following the river trail. Tonight's lodging was quite reasonable and we had a decent sitdown dinner in a comfortable restaurant.

    As far a Saxony is concerned, I'm trying to keep an open mind. I don't want to form opinions on the country of my birth based on our encounters in one German state. But patience is not one of my virtues.    Read more

  • Roger FormanekHeritage TourTraveler
    1

    Germany Is Growing On Us

    July 27, 2019 in Germany ⋅ ⛅ 28 °C

    This morning we left behind the nondescript town of Riesa and continued our pancake-flat ride following the Elbe. The was a stiff 20 mph wind from the right but it wasn't troublesome and the miles ticked off. We could have been in the Delta.

    Then we came into an absolute gem of a town, Torgau. Torgau has a beautiful castle with the first Protestant church in Germany consecrated by the man himself, Martin Luther, in 1544. Torgau is also the place were US and Soviet forces first met during WWII. We spent several hours in Torgau and could have stayed longer. Truly a beautiful town without hordes of tourists. Keep the secret to yourself.

    After Torgau the riding got more interesting. We passed through mixed woodland and farmland in gentle hills. Then we crossed over the river by ferry and came upon a very nice pension. The rooms were taken but we were offered a beautiful spot to camp on a lawn area next to the clay tennis courts. We soon learned that one of the owner's daughters played tennis for the Dons at USF.

    Saxony was weird to the end. Leaving Saxony we saw the Canadian flag and the Stars and Bars flying side-by-side on someone's property. I can't imagine there is a rational explanation. Photo 5.

    The castle, which was built on a hill, has a moat. Bears were put in the moat instead of water. Photo 4. The bike trail along the Elbe has covered picnic tables that are a good place to stop for a break. Photo 6.    Read more

  • Roger FormanekHeritage TourTraveler

    Wittenberg

    July 28, 2019 in Germany ⋅ ☁️ 28 °C

    In 1517 Martin Luther posted his 95 Theses on the door of the cathedral in Wittenberg and sparked one of the greatest revolutions in human history - the Reformation. A Roman Catholic priest and theologian, he challenged the orthodoxy of his day.

    Moving down river we went into Dessau and visited Bauhaus. Bauhaus is a famous German art school that Susan studied in college. Apparently everybody knows about this place but me.

    Tiring of the bikeway along the Elbe, we broke off into the countryside to get over to EuroVelo 13 which follows the path of the Iron Curtain. For the night we found good lodging in a farmhouse with good food. Susan loves the place, I like the price - $30 euros.

    Photos: 1) the "new" cathedral door, the original burned; 2) cathedral; 4) Bauhaus; 5) in a village that didn't get the memo; 6) view from our digs for the night.    Read more

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