Day #12 – Mountains, Forests, And Valleys….Oh My!

Today’s route ran along the amazing forested mountains that flank the Czech border and was like stepping into a fairy tale. Our destination was the town of Plauen, situated near the border of Bavaria and the Czech Republic. Another adventure in this blissfully rural corner of Saxony and the first of three long days to finish the first stage of our Napoleon Cycling Tour.

Schwabthal to Plauen

  DAY #12 of 35   Germany   679 miles total

Our ride continued to follow the valley floor before rolling up into the abundant hills. Once again, we got the chance to marvel at the orderliness of the mountain-sequestered villages, as we explored the Frankenwald forests – which no doubt provided inspiration for the many fables that originated from this area.


About to take off on the first of 3 big days to finish Stage 1. Our crew entertaining us …..perhaps to take our mind off of what is in front of us.

Yes, Richie is a ‘strong man’… but in all fairness, Colette is light as a feather!

Our ride starts out so gentle… following the valley floor before rolling up into the abundant hills.

First climb finished … the first of many. 7k feet and 75 mi ahead today… let the real climbing begin! Shauna and Noel have about the same climbing speed. Mark is … on his way.

We will climb about 7,000 feet in elevation on today’s ride. and some of them are … um, steep!

Up and down and up and down we went.

Getting into real mountains now.

And lots of forests.

Had to take advantage of stopping for photos at the top of the climbs.

We finally reach our highest elevation for the day before starting back down into the next valley. This particular windmill farm was comprised of about 30 windmills.

Loved these windmills extending right out of the trees.

From Bavaria into Saxony – Behind the Former Iron Curtain

A momentous event occurred on our ride today that wouldn’t have been possible before 1989: we crossed into Saxony which was formerly part of East Germany and behind the Iron Curtain until “The Wall” (not to be confused with the US/Mexican Wall) fell. No wall, no guards, no guns – whew!

Shortly after we crossed the Bavaria border into Saxony we began to glimpse our destination ahead in the distance. The peaceful and attractive town of Plauen, one of the most regularly destroyed and rebuilt towns in all of Europe.

The delightful setting of Plauen is a treat for those fascinated by history. The town became incorporated into the Kingdom of Saxony in 1806 during the Napoleonic Wars. Residents celebrated the Napoleonic Jubilee in May 2012 and the Vogtland museum boasts a kaleidoscope of historical artifacts from Napoleon to Saxon King Frederick Augustus. Museum director Dr. Silke Kral, spent two years setting up for the occasion.


We finally reach our destination in Plauen – a former mansion which has been turned into a 4-star hotel.

….with a soft bed….. somebody needs after 75 miles and 6700 feet of climbing… 50% more ascent than any day yet.

And tomorrow… 20% more of each… are you kidding me?!?!

Plauen Trivia:   One of Europe’s genuine historical hotspots, Plauen is famous for hosting the first chapter of the Nazi Party outside of Bavaria (1930) and known also for being the first town of the GDR (German Democratic Republic) to have a McDonald’s restaurant following the collapse of the Berlin Wall!

Old Town Hall in Plauen, Germany

Noteworthy sights and attractions in Plauen include the Old Town Hall (pictured above), Museum Plauener Spitze, and the Embroidery Machine Museum, where you can see all the historic embroidery machines that are still running despite being well over a century old. Plauen became known for its embroidery in the late 1800s and early 1900s, and its reputation was sealed with the emergence of the world-famous Plauen lace.

Some of Plauen’s famous lace.

Our group dinner was in the Altes Handelshause – an authentic German country experience. We were told that the ceiling beams were over 400 years old.

Our Route

Tomorrow we depart for the White Monk town, a popular tourist destination.

Next Stop:   Olbernhau

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