Many people said that although it was their hardest day’s cycling through the mountains, up up up up … the free wheeling down again made it all worth it, and was for many their best day’s cycling. The next day was mainly down hill all the way to the Elbe river, that we followed al the way into Usti Nad Labem.
On the way one group visited Terezin, a former military forttress where Jews of high status were kept for information during the second world war.
Along the Elbe there was still evidence from the recent floodings, and tide marks and debris along the bank. During our lunch spot in Decin, someone from the group held a bike safety check workshop whilst others prepared lunch.
We finally entered Usti nad Labem and were led to our wild camp spot on the top of the hill that overlooked one of the most deprived areas of Usti, and where we would be meeting some of the local activisits and residents the next day. We were surprised to find at the top of the hill, and quite a hill, a small lake, the sun setting and a bar! The owners were really friendly once we explained what we were doing and offered us full use of their toilets, and provided us with water. On the last night they even joined us for an amazing polenta-based dinner cooked on our rocket stoves.