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2024 Epic Elbe Adventure

augustus - oktober 2024
Our plan for this ride is simple - ride from Hamburg to Vienna, following the Elbe, Vltava and Danube Rivers. The 1400 km ride will take us across Germany, Czechia and Austria. Will our team of 20 geriatric riders make the distance ? Time will tell. Meer informatie

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  • Singapore
  • Denemarken
  • Oostenrijk
  • Tsjechië
  • Duitsland
  • Australië
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Fiets, Cultuur, Groepsreizen, Bezienswaardigheden bekijken, Excursies, Trein
  • 34,4kafgelegde kilometers
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  • 52Footprints
  • 43dagen
  • 595foto’s
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Nieuwste eerst
  • The World on Two Wheels2024 Epic Elbe Adventure

    The Dismal Disaster of the Dormero

    11 september 2024, Duitsland ⋅ ☁️ 14 °C

    After the ridiculous farce at the Dormero Hotel last night, I was actually looking forward to meeting the hotel manager and explaining our shocking experience. Now I can fully understand why this dreadful hotel is in such a shambles.

    To my amazement the inept manager refused to believe that we did not get any dinner. He insisted that there was "plenty of food" on the buffet and that it was "topped up every five minutes". He obviously has no idea at all what is actually happening under the roof of the hotel he is supposedly managing.

    When John and I showed him the photos of the empty buffet, he pointed to the remnants of salad and pronounced "look there is food". He justified his position by saying that, because the hotel was only allowed 20 Euro per person for a dinner, we should have been thankful for any morsels we got.

    In all my travels, and after staying in hundreds of hotels around the world, I had never witnessed such a display of complete denial. It is obvious that the lack of leadership at the top is responsible for the deplorable situation at the hotel.

    The problem is that we are booked here for another night, and I am worried that the whole sad scenario will be played out again tonight. We have been told that this time we will at least have seating in the restaurant. As to whether we will get any food, well that is the 64 Euro question.

    All I can say is that, if you ever plan to visit Dessau, do NOT stay at the Hotel Dormero.    Meer informatie

    Zie vertaling
  • The World on Two Wheels2024 Epic Elbe Adventure

    A Happy Ending in Dessau

    12 september 2024, Duitsland ⋅ 🌙 7 °C

    After the previous evening's famine at the Dormero Hotel and our abortive discussions with the hotel manager, I have to admit that my expectations for dinner on the second night were very low.

    The only message I received during the day was that we should turn up at 7pm and that we would be able to sit in the restaurant section. There was still no apology from the boss.

    A few of us started to gather in the lobby at 6.30 pm to see if the place was going to be as crowded as the previous night. Although it was rapidly filling, there were still some empty tables and, even more remarkably, there was still some hot food on the buffet.

    Rather than risk going hungry for another night , we decided to grab something while there was still something to be grabbed. I ended up with a modest collection of meatballs and something else (origin unknown) on my plate. At least it was a lot better than I had feared.

    The rest of the group arrived and proceeded to follow our example. It was only after most of us had eaten that the young barman mentioned something about a "special meal" for us. To our shock and amazement, the kitchen started bringing out loaded plates with genuine food on them. It looked like someone had finally acted behind the scenes to make atonement for some of the previous mistakes.

    Smiles returned to the faces of our riders as they faced the pleasant challenge of emptying the stacked plates. After dinner, we were happy to chat into the night. It was a happy ending to our experience in Dessau.    Meer informatie

    Zie vertaling
  • The World on Two Wheels2024 Epic Elbe Adventure

    Oh What a Beautiful Day!

    12 september 2024, Duitsland ⋅ ☁️ 15 °C

    On any long distance ride such as our Epic Elbe, there are always some days that stand out in your memories, long after the ride is over. Sometimes this is for all the wrong reasons - terrible weather, bike crashes, punctures, rough trails, etc. Every once in a while you experience a day where all the stars allign to give you the very best cycling experience possible. That day was today.

    Although our impressions of Dessau were rather poor, the bike path out of the city was absolutely delightful in every way. We found ourselves riding through silent forests along quiet trails that are the real essence of what we all came so far to experience. The early morning air was cool and clean and there was absolutely no wind to hamper our progress.

    About 18 km from the start we arrived at the picture postcard village of Worlitz, complete with medieval half timbered houses, a palatial mansion and a lake. Although we arrived too early for the numerous cafes to be open, we did find a little coffee caravan. The coffee was OK and the poppy seed cake I purchased was excellent.

    It was while we were exploring the town that our attention was grabbed by a loud siren warning. At the same time, every phone started sounding an alarm with a red flashing warning on the screen. This would normally have been enough to induce pure panic, however exactly the same thing happened during our ride last year. Fortunately, it was only a practice drill and not a message of an impending nuclear holocaust.

    After exploring the town, and after being thoroughly castigated for riding our bikes where such a thing is "absoluten verboten", we continued on our way to the highly historic city of Wittenberg, actually this is the second town of that name we have ridden through, but this one is the real deal.

    It was in this city that Martin Luther questioned the authority of the Roman Catholic Church by writing his 95 theses. These relied on the authority of the scriptures, and not the authority of the church. This did not go down well with the existing power structure and Luther was immediately excommunicated from the church.

    Luther was then declared an outlaw at the so-called "Diet of Worms" and his excommunication was still in place when he died almost thirty years later. What Luther's stand did initiate was the start of the Protestant Reformation, one of the most significant events in the history of civilization.

    After we arrived in this beautiful city, I had some time to wander back down the main street to the cathedral where all this took place, just over 500 years ago. The original door where Luther nailed his 95 theses has now been replaced by an impressive bronze one, but groups of people still gather here to reflect on this pivotal point in history.

    I also learned this afternoon, that not only are we walking (and riding) through history, but we are also making history ourselves. While chatting to our contact person at Ruckenwind, I learned that we are the first group of cyclists to attempt such an epic ride. Apparently, most of their trips are from 4 to 7 days. In both the length of the ride and the number of participants, we are boldly going where no cyclist has gone before.

    It is little wonder that the logistical challenge of putting together such a trip almost meant that it was abandoned at several stages along the planning pathway. But, in spite of the challenge, we are actually doing it, and enjoying (almost) every second of it.    Meer informatie

    Zie vertaling
  • The World on Two Wheels2024 Epic Elbe Adventure

    Some More Images of Wittenberge

    12 september 2024, Duitsland ⋅ ☁️ 14 °C
  • The World on Two Wheels2024 Epic Elbe Adventure

    Cool Riding to Torgau

    13 september 2024, Duitsland ⋅ 🌧 13 °C

    When we landed in Hamburg, just two and a half weeks ago, we found ourselves in the middle of a late summer heatwave. I well remember walking the streets of Hamburg under a sweltering sun, and eagerly looking forward to returning to the air conditioned sanctuary of my hotel room at the Marriott.

    Although the high temperatures persisted for the first few days of our ride, they were soon replaced with much more moderate weather. Fortunately for us the early head winds were also replaced with either still weather or (on some rare occasions) a tail wind.

    When I checked the forecast for today, it was evident that we would be facing a cold temperature challenge for the first time on this trip. I advised the team that it would be wise to look for some warm layers to add to their regular cycling gear. It turned out to be wise advice.

    Today we knew that it would be a reasonably long ride of something around 70km. There was also the possibility of some afternoon showers. In cycling there is an old saying, that "there is no such thing as bad weather, just inappropriate clothing". For that reason I presented at the start of the ride with an extra layer, in the form of my thermal undershirt.

    Although the initial temperature was quite cold (probably around 11C), I must admit that I was quite comfortable. I have always preferred cold weather to hot weather, and was looking forward to completely a full day's ride in cool conditions.

    The country in this region is completely flat, and the combination of smooth bike paths, flat terrain and a (sometimes) tail wind, meant that we made excellent progress. We had been told to expect to see the Pretzsche Castle somewhere near the half way mark. While the promised castle was there, it was not quite what we were expecting. After enjoying a cup of coffee and cake at the café, we did the obvious thing and walked in the front door of the “castle”, only to find that it was actually a functioning school, complete with kids and classrooms. It was a bit embarrassing as we felt that we should not have been there (and maybe we shouldn’t).
    After a brief wander, we returned to our bikes and continued on our wind assisted way to the next town of Dommitzsch. We had been informed that there was food there, and there was. It came in the form of a quaint little café run by an Indian couple. Since it was unlikely that there would be any other opportunity for lunch, we stopped for 45 minutes to fill our stomachs, before the final 20 km to Torgau.
    It was somewhere along the way in this final section that we realized that rain was on its way. It would have been a real travesty of justice to get soaked so close to our destination. I made an announcement “These bikes have a TURBO setting, let’s use it”. And we did.
    If it had not been for the 25 kph speed restriction, we would have made it to the hotel even quicker. As it was, we arrived in Torgau just as the rain was starting. We had ridden over 70 km, and everyone was feeling fresh and strong. That is what riding over 500 km in 8 days can do for you.    Meer informatie

    Zie vertaling
  • The World on Two Wheels2024 Epic Elbe Adventure
    1

    No Room in Riesa

    14 september 2024, Duitsland ⋅ 🌬 16 °C

    The weather bureau promised us another cold day, albeit slightly warmer than yesterday. We were also assured that rain would not affect our ride, even though it had obviously rained steadily throughout the night.

    The day began with yet another severe reprimand from the German staff at our hotel. Our group seems to have perfected to skill of doing absolutely everything that is verboten. This morning it was my turn to be publicly castigated for having the temerity to sit at the "wrong" table for breakfast. I felt like a naughty schoolboy as I bundled up my plate of scrambled eggs and my little glass of orange juice and trundled all the way to the far end of the building. I found out later that I had also taken the wrong orange juice. I do not think we made a good impression, especially as the Iron Lady found herself having to abuse just about everyone in our team for one transgression or another.

    At least the ride got underway on time, and we were pleased to find that the tailwind was even stronger than yesterday. At times we almost had to ride with the brakes on to stop us going too fast. (I did say "almost").

    Although the ride was great fun, the lack of coffee stops constituted a serious challenge to our will power. Time and time again we approached a town with high hopes that there would be at least some sort of coffee shop. Unfortunately, on every occasion we were left with nothing but disappointment. There was no coffee, there was no cake, there was nothing at all - all day.

    The biggest challenge of the ride came when we calmly rode around a fallen detour sign and continued along a levee bank. About 500 m later we found ourselves blocked by a security fence and some sort of construction site. We could have turned back and admitted defeat, but we are the Ghostriders and are a mischievous and resourceful bunch.

    It did not take much force to dismantle the security fence and venture into the construction zone. Fortunately, it was a Saturday, and no one was on duty. The biggest problem was that the overnight rain had converted the place into a quagmire. We skidded and sloshed through the mud, and generally acted like silly kids.

    Eventually we emerged on the far side and proceeded to try to remove the caked mud that was all over our shoes and bikes. It might have been quicker to retrace our steps, but it certainly would not have been as much fun.

    We had one final chance to find some coffee at the Penny Supermarket on the outskirts of Riesa. Although the sign clearly said that the Bakery section would be open till 4 pm, that obviously did not apply today. The place was locked up tight.

    Thus, we continued to Riesa in a somewhat forlorn state. Our hotel for tonight is the impressive Mercure Hotel, however when I arrived at the reception desk, everyone else had a room reserved for them, except me. My name was not even on the list.

    For a while it looked like I was going to have to sleep outside with the bikes, but a couple of calls to Ruckenwind sorted out the confusion and I ended up with a nice room on the fourth floor. I even have a nice view down to the Elbe River.

    Tomorrow, we complete Stage 11 of our mammoth ride and reach the major pitstop of Dresden. This officially denotes the half way point of our ride, and we are to be rewarded with not just one rest day, but two. Everyone is eagerly looking forward to that.    Meer informatie

    Zie vertaling
  • The World on Two Wheels2024 Epic Elbe Adventure

    Who Opened the Elbe Floodgates ?

    16 september 2024, Duitsland ⋅ 🌧 12 °C

    One criticism that can never be levelled against a Ghostrider Overseas Adventure is that they are "too boring". To the absolute contrary, our Epic Elbe Ride looks like being the most eventful yet. Every day so far, we have had some unique challenge or other. The last twenty-four hours have been the most exciting so far.

    We had already been warned that our arrival into Dresden would be impacted by the running of a huge international Biathlon Event. Actually it would be more accurate to say the "skating" of a huge Biathlon, since the participants do not run at all, they ski along on roller blades and stop every so often to shoot at targets.

    We knew how to accommodate the likely disruption of the Biathlon. All we had to do was leave Riesa early and arrive in Dresden by around noon. That part was simple. What was not so simple was the growing challenge posed by the threat of widespread flooding all over central Europe.

    The past two days had been filled with news about the devastating flooding caused by torrential rain over the Czech Republic, Austria and Romania. When we went to bed on Saturday night, the Elbe looked pretty benign, however we were surprised and alarmed to see that it had risen dramatically during the night.

    The normally well behaved river had probably doubled in flow and was now lapping right at the edge of the bike path. We had no idea how much of the route would be impacted by this development. At least the wind was still blowing at our backs, so the 56 km ride would not be much of a physical challenge. The floods however could be an entirely different matter.

    As soon as we left Riesa we were riding with the Elbe close on our left hand side. At times the bike path was almost under water, and then we turned a corner and saw our way apparently blocked by a large mass of water. We stopped at the edge and considered our options. We could turn back and possibly find another way through, or we could risk our bikes and our lives by going ahead.

    "What do you think ?" I asked Ken for his advice. He replied that it "did not look too deep" and that we could ride through it. He was wrong on the first point, but right on the second. It actually was quite deep, probably up to our axles. Certainly, enough to saturate our shoes. In such situations, you cannot stop or hesitate, you just have to keep riding. And that is what we did. After a few minutes the entire peloton emerged relatively unscathed on the other side. Well, that was another challenge faced and overcome. I just hoped that our ebikes would not suffer mortal damage as a result.

    As if the Biathlon and the floods were not enough newsworthy events, we had also just heard word that one of the major bridges in Dresden had collapsed during the night, I am not joking. The entire bridge had fallen down at 3 am in the morning. Wherever we go the Ghostriders seem to be right in the middle of the action.

    We also encountered another serious flood over the bike path a little further on, and this time common sense prevailed and we took a detour along the road. The rest of the morning was spent with brisk riding and meant that we arrived in Dresden before the predicted rain.

    The second half of the ride was also notable for the change in the terrain along the way. Gone are the huge flat flood plains, and we now started to see the first towering cliffs that will become a feature of the next part of the ride.
     
    When we rode into Dresden, the entire town was obviously out in force to watch the Biathlon, but we were more interested in checking into our luxurious Maritim Hotel and staying dry. This hotel was easily the fanciest place we have stayed in so far and will probably set the high mark for the entire trip. I had stayed here previously back in 2012, so I did have an idea what to expect.

    About 6 pm I was sitting in my room, struggling to keep my eyes open, when my attention was grabbed by a loud warning that was piped into every room through the PA system. Since it was all in German, I had no idea whether I should be panicking or not. Fortunately it was followed up by an English translation, instructing everyone to remove their vehicles immediately from the garage. Apparently they were about to activate the emergency flood barriers to stop the Elbe flooding the garage. This gets more and more exciting with every minute.

    What followed was a massive exodus of people from every room. The lifts were jammed, The staff at the desk were overwhelmed by a line of people asking questions. I wondered if ebikes would float or sink if the garage filled with water.

    Eventually we were assured that our bikes will be safe. It turned our to be a miracle of planning that we now have two rest days here. Hopefully that might give some time for the flood waters to recede a little before we resume riding on Wednesday.    Meer informatie

    Zie vertaling
  • The World on Two Wheels2024 Epic Elbe Adventure

    A Drizzly Day in Dresden

    16 september 2024, Duitsland ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C

    Before the Second World War, the city of Dresden was regarded as one of the most beautiful cities in Europe. It's combination of medieval buildings and priceless works of art and historical items was hard to match anywhere.

    That all came to a tragic and abrupt end in mid February 1945. The war was approaching the final end game. Russian troops were rapidly advancing from the east and massive allied bombing raids were progressively reducing entire cities to rubble.

    Up till then Dresden had been largely spared large scale bombing, but over a period of 2 days, over 1000 bombers dropped thousands of tons of incendiary and explosive bombs on the city. All pretense of only attacking military targets was long forgotten. The main aim now was to destroy the morale of the German people.

    The old timbered buildings in the centre of the city created a firestorm so intense that it resembled a nuclear explosion. Almost every building in the city was converted to ruins. No one knows exactly how many perished, but it was in the tens of thousands. The exact total was difficult to estimate because of the large number of refugees from the east that had flooded the city.

    In the morning after the bombing, charred bodies were piled high in the streets and had to be buried in mass graves. Although the people of the city initially thought that their beloved Frauenkirche (Lady's Church) had survived the onslaught, it collapsed a few hours later. It was not rebuilt until 2005.

    I spent the morning walking around the city in light drizzle, watching the spectacle of the floodwaters. Although the water is well over the banks of the Elbe, apparently it looks like it has peaked, and the authorities are hoping it may start to recede. We hope so too.    Meer informatie

    Zie vertaling
  • The World on Two Wheels2024 Epic Elbe Adventure

    Oh Dear, Dresden Bridge has Fallen Down

    16 september 2024, Duitsland ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C

    I know that damage and drama seem to follow the Ghostriders wherever they go, but here is something that definitely wasn't our fault.

    A couple of days ago, one of the major bridges over the Elbe at Dresden fell down in the middle of the night. I am not sure who or what was responsible, but it certainly makes for a forlorn sight, especially in the middle of a flood.Meer informatie

    Zie vertaling
  • The World on Two Wheels2024 Epic Elbe Adventure

    Thwarted in Dresden

    17 september 2024, Duitsland ⋅ ☀️ 22 °C

    It is never pleasant to be thwarted. During the first two weeks of our Epic Ride we had faced all sorts of challenges, and somehow managed to overcome every one. That is, until now.

    The inspiration for this ride was the Elbe River, one of the major rivers of Europe. So far the Elbe has been our constant companion for over 630 km of cycling. Now it has changed dramatically from being a friend to a foe.

    Central Europe has been battered by torrential rains for the past several days, and all that water had to go somewhere. That somewhere was the Elbe.

    I had never had personal experience with a major flood before, and I would have to say that it is both impressive and frightening in equal measure. I think that we were all surprised how quickly nature can turn a placid waterway into a swollen torrent of water.

    Although we thought that the peak might have been reached yesterday, it was clear to see when we awoke this morning that the river had risen at least another 50 cm, swallowing up more of the surrounding paths and roads.

    The Elbe Radweg (bike path) has now been officially closed. That puts a temporary full stop to our plans to continue along the Elbe and Vltava Rivers to Prague. Plans were hastily redrafted and our new plan is to stay in Dresden until Saturday, after which we will be bussed to Prague to continue our ride from there.

    Although this is rather disappointing, there are certainly worse places to be trapped for a few days, and our hotel is positively sumptuous. Oh well, that happens sometimes. We will certainly all have something to talk about for years to come.

    At least the sunshine returned today, making Dresden an entirely different city. With the sunshine and higher temperatures, the humidity soared. The outdoor cafes were filled, and the spirit of gloom that permeated the place for the past couple of days seems to have lifted.

    I went out on another long walk today, but discovered that my phone battery was flat. That meant I could not take many pictures. That was not entirely a bad thing as it meant that I could practice one of my favourite pastimes - people watching.

    I found a nice chair in the shade by the riverside, got out my kindle and enjoyed a lovely time. A nearby accordionist with a lovely white dog sitting at his feet added some enjoyable audio atmosphere to my sojourn.

    It's a tough life, but someone's got to do it.    Meer informatie

    Zie vertaling
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