Day 144: Kraków to Oświęcim
Yesterday morning, after getting some coffee and packing up, I waited for Wiktor to wake up so I can say goodbye to him. He ended up making me some oatmeal for breakfast, just what I needed for the ride. Wiktor was so kind that he gave me a cycling cap as a gift during our farewell. I will be sure to use it when it’s sunny weather.
When I started my ride it was cold and raining. I followed the Vistula River westward on a bike path. Soon the raindrops started to push random buttons on my phone, thus I had trouble following the route. I had this same issue in Germany during the rain before. My frustration led me to stop several times on the path.
Just as I was cleaning my phone on the bike path, I noticed two long distance cyclists coming up from behind me. They were two women cycling to the same town as me and following the same EuroVelo route. They told me I can just follow them since we are all going to the same place.
I was so lucky to have meet them! These two women were like guardian angels to me since I was feeling a bit anxious during the start of the ride, worrying about the terrain, the traffic, and the rain. Their names are Rebecca and Lena and they are Germans in their 30s. Lena has bicycled in Western Europe, Western Africa, and now is riding back home. Rebecca was riding with her in the beginning, but then had to go back home. Now she’s joining Lena to ride from Kraków back to Germany.
I rode behind them the entire time while both of them chatted since they haven’t seen each other in a long time. I didn’t take any photos along the route because I didn’t want to be a bother to the other cyclists. We mainly rode on the levee the entire time anyway so the scenery was similar to my photos from before.
One thing I learned from Rebecca and Lena is that they are not afraid of bad terrain. The route that Lena was following took us to a path that’s not made for cycling but for hiking. It was raining and wet so I was thinking of turning to another road, but both ladies wanted to go ahead so I had to follow. It turned out that the hiking part was only about 5 minutes with the bikes then we were on the paved road again. Clearly, Rebecca and Lena are experienced cyclists and not afraid of a little hike-and-bike. Sometimes, I’m too much of a wimp. I need to accept these challenges from time to time.
Around lunch time, we cooked our own meals on a picnic table by a grocery store since we didn’t see any restaurants along the way. I cooked a package of ramen after getting my stove started, which was difficult since it was very windy. At least the rain had died down by the time we had our lunch.
We rode the second half of the ride to Oświęcim in about two hours. The ladies wanted to wild camp for the night and take a shower by the river. I had already booked the Polin House hostel for two nights so we split up when we came into town. I had ridden 50.6 miles when I arrived at the hostel.
Polin House hostel turned out to be a very nice hostel. Everything was clean and tidy. I had the room to myself since I was the only one there. They even have free tea and coffee in the kitchen.
After taking a warm shower, I decided to get dinner. When I walked out of the hostel I saw Rebecca and Lena again. They just showered and had some coffee. Rebecca told me they plan on seeing Auschwitz the next morning. I will do that too. We might meet up again today, but I’m not sure since they will also leave after visiting Auschwitz.
For dinner, I had a huge pepperoni pizza at I Love Pizza. When I came back to the hostel I was so tired and went to bed around sunset, which is around 6:35 PM now that the day is shorter.
This morning, I woke up at 7:15. I plan to go to Auschwitz. I opt not to go for a guided tour because it might make me depressed or deeply sad. I remember the time I did a self guided audio tour at The Killing Field at Phnom Penh in Cambodia and I was feeling quite sad afterward. I don’t really like anything related to death, but I feel it’s important to visit the Auschwitz concentration camps because of the history.
Right now, the temperature is 47F, the coldest morning on my trip so far. I will have to dress warm for the day before I go out. I’m just glad that I spent the night in a hostel and didn’t endure the cold while wild camping. I hope the ladies stayed warm and safe last night.
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This cycling cap was gifted to me by Wiktor. |
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Riding on the levee again |
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Me, Lena, and Rebecca |
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Picking some plums on the roadside |
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The main square at Oświęcim |
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Love the different lights in the water fountain at Oświęcim main square |
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Pizza is served! |
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