April 6th: Ostrava - Brno, Czech Republic

Snow and minus temperatures herald a train ride!

Yesterday’s mammoth effort did not end without some consequential damage – Julian’s mild hypothermia and two very cold, hungry and totally exhausted Crazybikeguys.

A hot bath at the Hotel in Ostrava after the interesting bike storage request in the maze in the hotel basement, was just what Grant and Julian needed – that and a huge meal, which they found within a few hundred meters of where they were staying.

The temperatures continued to drop, and they decided that if they woke up to the predicted snow conditions, no riding could actually take place.

In the morning when they woke, soft snow fell and brought with-it sub-zero temperatures and the train schedule to Brno was consulted. After missing the first train because the hotel staff had to navigate the basement maze once more, the second train stopped halfway as track maintenance was in progress and because the bikes couldn’t be transported in the upper deck of the bus with the other passengers, the train service organized what felt like a luxury liner to transport Julian and Grant to their destination. Two passengers on a sixty-seater bus that had an undercarriage store for their two lonely bikes - One certainly can’t complain about Czech service!

The rest of the day was spent in the town of Brno, which was mostly all closed up as it was a Sunday. After some provision shopping for tomorrow’s ride and wonderful warm soup and rich filling dinner, with both boys feeling more recovered, both turned in for some recuperative sleep!

Side note: Grant ran out of toothpaste, so found a travel size tube of what he thought was toothpaste – except was Corega Denture fixative. Sometimes one does need Google translate more than others. He only discovered that it may not have been toothpaste after attempting to brush his teeth with it!!

Our Whatsapp group was filled with much mirth and laughter at Grant’s expense!

Onwards to Mikulov…a short 50km ride away….