Bamberg and Prague planning for the summer biking trip.

I’m beginning the process of tightening arrangements for the first two stops on our summer biking jaunt in Germany, the Czech Republic and Austria.

To reiterate:

Air arrangements have been completed for Graham Phillips and myself. Graham will be in Bamberg on the evening of Sunday, August 27, and I’ll arrive the following day. I’m not listing departures, at least yet; I must be in Vienna to meet Diana on Sept. 11, while I know Graham’s staying a few days past that and has indeterminate plans at present.

In Bamberg:

Accommodations at the Bamberger Weissbierhaus, which is located a couple blocks down the street from Spezial (which is closed during the period of our stay) in the direction of Mahrs. The plan is to stay in Bamberg on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday evenings (Aug. 28, 29 and 30). I made reservations through the tourist office, and can adjust if necessary. Currently, we have one single room (Craig’s preference) and two 3-bed rooms.

Thursday, August 31, is a transit day to Prague.

In general terms, the following conditions await us in Prague:

(1) Almost every account suggests that the Prague city center is not a good place to bike.
(2) The Prague-Vienna Greenway trailhead is somewhere in the southwestern suburbs of Prague.
(3) A Metro line extends from the center to somewhere near the trail.

All along, we’ve been operating under the assumption that it would be good to stay outside the center while in Prague, preferably in the vicinity of the trailhead, if not exactly atop it, as this would make the day of departure infinitely more pleasurable (and we can get back and forth by public transport, anyway).

Accordingly, I’m discussing group lodging possibilities with Mr. Stanek at Camp Drusus, a campground well out of the center but very close to a Metro line, which means that the center is only 20 minutes away. There are bungalows there, and the price is quite attractive. Please examine his web site.

We know we’ll be staying somewhere in Prague on Thursday, Friday and Saturday (Aug. 31, and September 1 & 2), and traveling by train to Zatec (an hour and a half ride) for the hop fest on Saturday, Sept. 2.

The questions:

1. Do you like the idea of staying at a place like the campground?
2. Do we want to begin the Greenway on Sunday or Monday? My personal preference is to begin on Sunday, which would give me eight days before having to be in Vienna. But, I’m willing to defer to the group.

Okay, group – What are your thoughts?