Kostrzyn to Poznan
Day 14 May 12th Kostrzyn
Nad Odra to Miedzyrzecz
We left the hotel and
headed off down the main road looking forward to our first ride in Poland. The
road was on a dyke and on both sides as far as the eye could see were marshes -
lakes in the river flood plane.
The road was quite
busy but no alternative route exists for the first 10km. At this point we were
disappointed because the turn off on the planned route was just a grassy track.
We decided to go on
rather than risk the track across the marsh. This was a good move because much
to our surprise at the next turnoff the Radweg 1
cycle route was signed. We were pleased to be on minor roads.
The first large
village we came to in Poland was Osno Lubuskie. Compared to East Germany it was clearly much less
prosperous. But compared to the Soviet era it was changed beyond recognition.
The shops had stock and there are many cars now. The horses seem to be
completely gone. I was disappointed to see a group of loafers in the village
square. An indication perhaps that there is a high level of
unemployment.
We cycled on minor
roads to Sulecin, our first town. It consisted mainly
of four to five storey concrete tenement buildings put up in the Soviet era for
the workers. It seemed a rather depressing place to us but was bustling with
lots of people around who seemed happy enough.
Rather oddly, in a
town square we came across a fountain with several almost pornographic female
figures playing in the water. It would certainly not have been acceptable to
the Weymouth rathouse. It was also not an appropriate
sculpture to put before two cyclists who have been away from the pleasures of
home for a good while.
By lunchtime the day
had brightened up nicely and for the first time this trip I did not need a
fleece. By now we were off the cycle route and we decided to do a short diversion north on minor roads.
The minor road was
lovely to start with, undulating through fields and woods. Unfortunately it
degenerated into cobbles for about 10kms. Unlike some cobbled streets we had no
alternative but to ride on them as there was no smooth area at the side.
It was half way along
the cobbles that John got his sixth puncture of the trip and his third while I
was with him. Unfortunately this area is plagued with biting flies. We changed
the tube and were pleased to be bumping along again, going fast enough that the
flies could not catch us.
We made the Duet Hotel at around six o'clock
after an excellent ride on mainly undulating roads. The hotel was in a sports
complex adjacent to concrete workers' tenement buildings. The hospitality was
fine as was the room. The bar was busy most of the time with locals coming in
to eat, drink and chat. It may well date from the Soviet era but if so had had
a make over. I felt more at home here at a place used by locals than I would
have done in a traditional hotel in the town centre.
Days 15 and 16 May 13th and 14th
Miedzyrzecz to Poznan
Sometimes on a long
journey one has to make transit rides to get from one place to another. This
was just such a day though not without its interest and an opportunity to get
insights into the contrasts within Poland.
This was a long ride
and we could not do the distance on cobbles or dirt roads. On the computer maps
it is difficult to judge which minor roads are tarmaced.
We had to do a longish detour south to be sure and this further increased the
distance.
We left Miedzyrzecz and were soon on a lightly trafficked smooth
road through pine woods. After we had been cycling for about an hour there was an
ominous crack from my back wheel. I had broken a spoke and surprisingly it was
on the none drive side of the back wheel.
Tyre off and I was
able to thread the new spoke through without removing the block. This was an
unexpected bonus when changing a rear wheel spoke. I managed to true the wheel
ok and we were back on the road having lost only about half an hour.
We were soon cycling
into Zbaszynek and John spotted a cycle shop. He has
been worried about one of his tyres for some days and took the opportunity to
buy and fit a new one. He was also able to borrow a track pump. We think having
hard tyres may have given him a couple of extra kms
an hour.
From Zbaszynek we were onto the E302, a main road. It was not
that busy to start with but got progressively worse. The Poles seem to drive
much as we did in the UK in the 1960s. They still have a love affair with cars.
Unfortunately most Poles are driving the overpowered vehicles which Germany
inflicted upon us in the 1990s, whereas in 1960s UK we had underpowered and
unreliable cars from the 1950s. I would expect the road crash rate here to be
very high.
We sped on with
occasional stops and trying to ignore the traffic. The towns we passed through
were busy but with few large stores. The ordinary shops look pretty down at
heel by our standards.
We passed through Opalencia and pulled off the road into a clearing in the
forest for a break. We noticed a young woman wearing very high stiletto heals
and lots of red. At first we thought she was soliciting passing traffic. It was
also possible that her clients came here by appointment. She approached one car
which came in but she did not go with him. The next driver she left with. It
was sad to think that she was reduced to this but even sadder if she had been
trafficked from another country.
Soon after the little
town of Buk the traffic became so heavy it was not
only unpleasant but felt dangerous. We diverted north and had a good road
surface for a little, until it crossed a motorway. After this we were on a dirt
road and once we found tarmac again careful navigation was needed to ensure we
did not lose it.
I do find it odd that
the Polish are investing in more motorways when there are many villages which
are only connected to towns by dirt or cobbled roads. I suppose it is no worse
than us building the Weymouth "relief road" when we can't afford to
maintain the roads we have properly. Even so I would have thought a modern rail
system in Poland should be a first priority.
We emerged onto main
roads again near to Poznan Airport. From here into town was truly awful and
very dangerous. There was little alternative but to go on into the centre where
the hostel is located.
After a welcome rest
we went out for a very nice meal in a Pizza/Spaghetti house which was really
bustling. What a change this has been since the Soviets left. The streets in
central Poznan were full of night life and vitality. I sure some of it was not
very nice but at least better than the sheer drudgery of the Soviet era.
We decided to declare
Friday a day off. In the original plan we were going to spend the morning in
Poznan and move on a little way in the afternoon. We are now going to do two
longer days.
First job in the
morning was to true my wheel and make sure it was ok. Then we had to move rooms
in the hostel and finally do the washing. I also had a very nice Skype call to Anne.
In the afternoon John
and I explored Poznan on foot. The old town is very beautiful, rather like, but
much larger than, some of the German towns we had visited. We visited a museum
in the rathouse which again showed how appalling the
Soviet era was. The evening was again spent eating in a restaurant and planning
our routes.