Sedlec-Prčice to Tabor

 Ride day 2: 21 miles, 1575 ‘ elevation

Lodging:  Hotel Palcat,Tabor

It rained overnight, a steady drizzle that we could hear from the dormer window in our room. We knew we had a short day of riding, and breakfast wasn’t until 8am, so we had a lazy morning. The rain stopped before we left at 9am, and roads dried off quickly.

We pedaled out of town on small roads, spotting some deer out in a harvested field. While gardens in towns are fenced, most fields where crops are grown are not. They look similar to meadows and are interspersed with patches of forest, giving the countryside a very open look. There are few fences compared to the western US. Our route rolled through hills and small towns, all of the towns appearing well kept, unlike the poverty in smaller US towns. The countryside has been very beautiful so far.

Just as we crossed a railroad track, the lights started blinking and a warning sounded. Within a minute or two, a modern looking train rolled up and dropped passengers off. We wondered if people commute to the city from these tiny towns.

We arrived in Tabor early and walked our bikes through the historic old town where a book fair was being held. The cobblestone streets were full of people perusing the books among the cafes and shops. The old town square is bordered by buildings with distinctive architecture and a church with a tower, very charming. In the center is a fountain. A maze of small streets leads to views of a river on one side, a valley and reservoir on another.

Our hotel was a plain concrete building with glass, chrome, and faux wood decor, distinctly different from the adjacent historic architecture. There was a freestanding bathtub adjacent to the bed, complete with a hand held shower (no curtain or tile, a flood hazard!) all on a platform with LED lighting. It cost around $10 extra to request air conditioning on this warm day, but then management turned it off anyways because they decided it was cool enough outside to not need it. There was a four lane bowling alley in the basement, and we spent a fun hour down there before walking down to the river Luznice and then back up to old town for dinner.