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Conclusion
Re-reading this trip report, I'm struck by the many references
to rain and gloom, especially in the Czech Republic. Unfortunately, this
is pretty much how we remember much of the country. This was our most
rain-filled European trip ever (out of 12 or so trips over the past decade),
and the weather undoubtedly colored our perceptions of this country. The
Czech Republic does have a lot to offer the tourist, including well-preserved
cities and towns, and wide-open countryside unsullied by modern buildings.
However, we can honestly say that we've never experienced
such widespread unfriendliness from the locals. This is surprising, as
we've heard others say just the opposite. But, some guidebooks (Lonely
Planet, Rick Steves) caution that this reticence is left over from the
Communist era, when trust of strangers was often not a good survival technique.
Or, maybe the weather was just getting everyone down. This is not to say
that we did not run into some wonderful Czechs, including the two pension
owners in Hluboka and the B&B owner in Cesky Krumlov.
One of the joys of bike touring is traveling close to
the land and the people, and we always make a good effort to learn some
"survival phrase"” in the local language and to respect the
local customs. We prefer to eat where the locals eat, sleep in small B&Bs
(often we're told that we're the first Americans to have stayed at a place),
and shop in local grocery stores and markets.
Would we go again? Perhaps. Prague and Cesky Krumlov are certainly beautiful and should be on the must-see list of any visitor to Europe. From a biking perspective, the country is much less bike friendly than Germany, France or Austria. Despite having several marked national bike routes, I think its economy is just too new to worry about things like bike touring when they are still working to redevelop the basic infrastructure. Bike touring in the Czech Republic is probably not the best choice for the novice bike tourist in Europe. First try some of the more accommodating "classic"” rides like the Danube and Tauern paths in Austria, the Mosel River valley in Germany, areas of France, etc. For someone who wants a bit of adventure, is not afraid of not knowing the local language, and is looking for something "different" from the beaten tourist path of western Europe, the Czech Republic is likely to fit the bill.
Regarding Austria, this continues to be our favorite
place to bike, hands-down. The bike routes are well developed, the tourist
infrastructure is extremely friendly to bicycle tourists, and the range
of natural beauty and cultural sites is excellent. Also, Austrians tend
to be friendly and welcoming of travelers, taking their philosophy of
"gemutlicheit" (good living) to heart.