We Reach the Source of the Elbe

When the plans for this epic adventure were being formulated, the basic aim was to follow the Elbe upstream as far as possible, then continue upstream along the Vltava River to Prague.

As the plans took further shape I decided to continue our journey even further upstream, eventually reaching the Lipno Reservoir. At around 740 metres above sea level, there was no denying that this would be the literal high point of the entire ride.

Of course to reach the reservoir we would have to do some considerable climbing. On paper it looked like we would be facing a climb of around 650 vertical metres. This prospect was a little daunting for some.

As it turned out, I was reminded of seeing a threatening sign, warning "BEWARE DANGEROUS DOG:". You can hear some sort of maniacal barking coming from behind the fence, however when you look over the top, you see a tiny little toy poodle on the other side.

Although we were prepared for a challenging climb, I am pleased to say that all of our riders made it to the top with comparative ease. Even when the gradient reached 10%, our riders had little difficulty maintaining a good speed. Some of this can be put down to the fact that everyone is now much fitter than they were at the start. The daily cycling routine really does yield results.

We had been booked into a lakeside cafe for lunch at 1pm, and in an absolute stunning display of precision planning, we arrived exactly on time. This gave us time to savour our achievements and enjoy a lovely lunch.

The waters from this lake contribute to the Vltava River, and hence to the Elbe, thus it was a fitting end to this part of the ride.

After lunch the bikes were loaded back on the trailer and we climbed into three vans for the 2 hour drive to Ardagger. The next four days will be spent riding the Danube Bike Path to Vienna. Our challenges are not yet over, as we have just been informed that sections of the Danube bike path have been completely washed away by the recent floods. From now on, it will be a day-by-day proposition.

I will keep you posted.Read more