Midsummer Epic

DAY 1 (224 KM / 800 M UP)

We met at 6:00 AM by the Mermaid statue. The weather forecasts were all over the place until the very last minute (with a tendency toward the very bad)—for days, heavy rain was predicted for Saturday morning, though the exact timing was uncertain… At the gathering, the sun was shining—success! But as dark clouds gathered closer and closer, the sky was completely overcast just before we set off. The real storm hit exactly when the team arrived at the McDonald's in Nowy Dwór Mazowiecki (41 km)—only the leadership (Janek and Doma) got wet, having ridden 15 minutes behind the group due to a flat tire mishap.

(It rained three more times until the evening—every time, right when we were sitting under a store. We’ve mastered the art of avoiding rain to perfection.)

After crossing the Vistula and Narew rivers, things started to get more interesting. Finally, we left behind the areas that each of us knew like the back of our hand. The first part of the route was mostly on asphalt – up to the height of Żuromin (150 km), the asphalt/gravel ratio was about 80/20%. We wanted to get out of the dull Mazovia as quickly as possible and avoid digging through sand. Thanks to that, we rode as one cohesive group and covered the distance efficiently. So far, so good.

The second part of the day was marked by wind turbines, Leviathans, and the Górzno-Lidzbar Landscape Park. And finally, some elevation! An hour before the finish, we stopped at a restaurant for a late lunch/dinner, and we arrived at the hotel perfectly around sunset.

DAY 2 (220 KM / 1600 M UP)

The goal for the first day was to avoid exhausting ourselves, as the second day was definitely the more interesting and beautiful one. At the same time, it was more challenging due to numerous (though short) climbs. Everyone seems to have done a good job of pacing themselves, as morale was high at the start, despite the less-than-summery weather outside.

This stage could have easily been 150 km long, taking the shortest possible route (like the Green 7), but we wanted to do it better. We left the Brodnickie Landscape Park and headed toward Grudziądz, where we crossed to the other side of the Vistula. From there, we continued north—through the Tuchola Forest, Kociewie, and Kashubia. It was a fantastic idea.

From the start, we rode through slightly rolling terrain, and there was definitely much more off-road riding (roughly 50%). This made it difficult to ride as a single group – even before Grudziądz, a breakaway group and the main peloton had formed. We met up as a whole during the stops.

We passed through the vast Tuchola Forest easily and pleasantly. It got a bit tougher after lunch. The open spaces of Kociewie tested us with unpleasant winds and, in some places, horribly uneven cobblestones. However, all the struggles were rewarded with stunning views, although I would’ve given a lot for just a bit of sunshine over the golden fields during the golden hour...

We reached the finish line at 11:20 PM. The five guys from the breakaway group were waiting for us by Neptune statue. A quick group photo, and then we moved on to a well-deserved dinner. At this hour, everyone looked thoroughly exhausted. Exhausted, but happy. Despite the fatigue, spirits were high, and you could see the satisfaction on everyone's faces.

There were no major crises, we didn’t leave anyone behind in the forest, and we supported each other so no one would be left alone. It’s worth highlighting that some participants had never done 200 km in a single day before, so joining us was a big leap. This makes it even more amazing that we managed to complete the mission in such style. Once again, a huge thank you to all the participants – you were fantastic!