Morning Prep and Trail Start
Crashing early last night meant an early start today. Still, I lingered until seven, finally dragging myself up for a shower and some much-needed blister care on the sole of my right foot. After breakfast, I hit the trail. Today, I decided to stick to the officially marked paths. The forest trails the Czech Trail often points me to tend to lead me astray. I chatted with my brother for a bit this morning, but bad signal cut us off.
Through Jetřichovice and Lunch Break
The trail led me deep into the stunning landscapes of Bohemian Switzerland.
Rolling into Jetřichovice, I took a much-needed break: a beer and some fried cauliflower with potatoes and tartar sauce. Mapy.cz showed another 26 km to Luž Hut, my planned stop for the night. I’d already logged 14.49 km, and honestly, I wasn’t sure I had another 26 in me. I tried to go easy on the beer and stopped at a shop for supplies. They were pretty bare, but I managed to grab two granola bars.
The Kilometers Grind
The trail was brutal. I was dragging myself, making zero progress. Eventually, I stumbled into Jiřetín pod Jedlovou, but it was a real fight. At Jedlová train station, I treated myself to a Kofola for 40 CZK – even if it was from the bottom of the barrel, it was worth every crown.
From there, I shuffled into Jiřetín, where I practically collapsed from exhaustion.
Dinner and Digs
My right foot blister had spread, and my left ankle started acting up. Forty kilometers was definitely too much. For dinner, I went for fried cheese with potatoes, tartar sauce, and another Kofola. I snagged a nice apartment, but of course, it was on the top floor. Climbing those stairs felt like another mountain!
