The Elbe Radweg

When I asked the TI people at the Hamburg Hauptbahnhof if they had any bike maps for the city, they said no, but they did give me instead a substantial publication called "Offizielles
Elberadweg Handbuch 2013". It certainly is official. The Elbe
Cycle Route is
1000 km,going upstream and starting in Cuxhaven on the North Sea and ending in Prague. Along the way you pass through Hamburg and Dresden. It's an accommodation, restaurant and bike services guide, listing services in each town along the way that want your business. What's nice is that it organizes accommodation. including campgrounds, by price tier. That's always something I want to know about. Long term travel can be expensive and as I currently am between jobs, I have to pay attention to cost.
The Elbe route is divided thematically into 4
chunks between 160 to 320km in length . The last segment of 160km, wholly in Czechoslovakia, is subdivided into 3 presumably day rides of 65km, 45km and 60km respectively. Because of the flooding in Sachsen, despite a number of recommendations,
I won't be visiting Prague on this trip, but I might keep this piece of bike route in mind for the future.
It looks like the Germans are crazy about long distance bike touring in their homeland, and it's great to get this booklet completely free, simply by asking.
Everytime I'm at a Hauptbahnhof I see touring cyclists with their Ortlieb bike bags. People seem to tour on more heavy duty bikes here, or perhaps they're all rentals. They have full fenders, bag racks and if you hit a cow while on one of these monsters, you'd have steak for dinner.
I did find riding over Hamburg's cobbles today a bit jarring on my Brompton, so I understand the pragmatics of the upright Dutch bike style.
When I'm off my bikes I still think ahead about more riding. Can't help myself. It's my always look on the bright side of life brain wiring.I learn a great deal via trip planning and research, and enjoy the anticipation. Still, some days I just wish that bike travel was a tiny bit more carefree. Like in the brochures, smiling tanned cyclists, living the dream, wine at sunset at the intimate little cafe, followed by a good night's sleep in a feather down bed. For me it's more likely to be a beer and a mystery meat brat followed by a night of being serenaded by skinheads. Theory and reality just don't always seem to match up for me when I'm out living the dream.