One of the best christmas presents this (last) year was a 75 EUR Rapha gift voucher. 

Voucher itself is nicely done, quality paper, embossed logo, nice broom wagon stamp. I also like that amount is stamped, it is nice combination with very light graphic of voucher itself. But Euro sign written with a marker? I could send you one Euro sign stamp if you wish Rapha. :-)

Anyway, after in-depht tour of Rapha shop, I have decided to buy another cycling book.

The Peloton is book by photographer Timm Kölln. It is full of high quality and unique portraits of the pro cyclists. Portraits are taken just after race. Black and white, and background is always white. Because of that the pictures are full of emotions and you can concentrate just on the riders expression. You can see pain, happines, exhaustion even dust and sweat.

Every photo of cyclist have a short bio of the rider, and writing what cycling mean for each rider. Sylvian Chavanel - last year Tour hero for me.

Printing quality and overall look and feel of the book is excellent. Paper is heavyweight, pictures very detailed, typography is minimalist and format is quite big (325mm × 255mm).

Last note: they are all skinny, and even they look in TV all the same (helmet and sunglasses) they are not the same :-)

Last day. 70km to go.
When I woke up, the sun was shining but was -12°C.
The hardest part of this challenge is not outside. When you are out you just somehow handle it. The hardest part is at home before ride. Everything is telling you that is not a weather for a riding a bike. That is time for skiing, swimming or just watching movies. But then you read all that wonderful stories from cyclists around the globe how they deal with the Festive and you know that you have to finish this challenge.

View from my window after I woke up. Cold but sun :).

So I start my preparation, first - breakfast.

Than time of the rituals - chamois, embrocation, road id and filling pockets of my jersey.

And than, riding. Feel really good today. Sun makes miracles with a mood in the winter :)

Rime in my jacket :).

Data from Garmin: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/61129694

23. - 30.12 2010 - 501 km, 23:21:50 h:m:s

Now I feel really happy with myself, thank's Rapha and all riders for motivation!

On the road bike again. Today's weather was quite tricky, not so cold -6°C but high humidity makes this temperature very unpleasant. I felt cold almost whole ride. So I was looking forward to every climb :).
Since the first day I didn't met or even see any cyclist on the roads. That gives me an extra motivation that I will be better prepared for a season than others. Another option is that all cyclist are on the Majorca and rides three times more then me here. And in the sunny weather :). 

Today's conditions, roads were mostly dry. 

Tomorrow last 70km, looking forward to finish this challenge. After the last ride I will spend whole day in sauna I guess :). It was more difficult than I expected. Combination of ice roads with headwind and long time spent outside was quite exhaustive :). Really looking forward to spring :).

Today's garmin data: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/61029888

Exhausted.

Roads were covered with snow, so I have to ride my winter mountain bike. It's heavy and tires are wide. Well I think 4 hours for 75km speaks for itself. I hope that tomorrow I can go on a road bike :).

Today for the first time, sun was shining. What a change.

It was dark outside, when I was approaching home.

Data from garmin: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/60905768

140 km to go!

Sorry I'm so tired today to write more.

Today was the coldest day so far. But compared with Henrik Öijer it was not so cold :). When I set off it was -8°C, cloudy, light snow but no wind.

Roads are covered with snow and frozen wet snow. So very slippery. Because of that I rode fathers winter bike with wide tires today. Even that I fall down today. Nothing serious but I was a bit scared than :).

Ice, snow, frozen fingers, toes. Pure winter riding.

Garmin data: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/60782087 temperature is higher because garmin was in my pocket.

216 km to go! :-)

Today was a day off. I was visiting parents of my girlfriend on the north of our country and there were really lot of snow. Unfortunaly I had only my road bike.

But as you can see I already have Festive badge :-). My girlfriend made it for me. I love gingerbread and I'm going to eat it after the last ride.

As I promised here is photo of a Carp prepared for christmas dinner. It was delicious :-).

Anyway the third day was so far hardest day in saddle. Weather was really, really bad. Not so cold - 0°C but wet snow and wind. First few kilometres was OK than in just few minutes was everything covered with wet snow. And wet snow on the road bike is very slippery.

I managed to persuade my dad to ride with me. He was riding his winter bike.

Dad in the Rapha Jacket. Rapha Jacket love this type of a weather :).

After few minutes of snowing all road were covered with wet and slippery snow. Than it was not possible to take pictures, because I was quite busy with balancing :).

My bike was very happy about weather too :). Campagnolo, although is from sunny italy was shifting nicely.

Unfortunately I must admit that I'm behind my schedule. As you can see: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/60691490 we rode only 63 km.

When I woke up today I found up that is 9°C. Later it came up it rains lightly and wind is blowing like hell. Ideal weather for spring classic race :). Today's goal was a hill with a church on the top. It is a important pilgrimage of our region. Church/hill is called Hostýn.

Hardly to belive that just a three days before was there 50 cm of snow everywhere.

Full of energy around 20 km. Today it was really great, no traffic at all, and nice landscape.

Climb to the Hostýn - 5 km and 400 m of elevation. In winter time is this climb quite challenge.

But every climb has top. Church Hostýn is very nice and whole place has a very nice atmosphere.

On the way back starts strong head wind and I was a bit hungry. So every kilometer was like three :).On this picture is my landscape near parents house. I really love to ride there, lot of climbs and beautiful nature.

After the wet ride is fair to wash your bike even before your shower. Now is bike ready to ride tomorrow.

Data from Garmin: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/60497430

Great celebration of winter road cycling started today. Based on schedule I set off at 7:00 in the morning. It was quite warm - around 2°C and foggy.

Here you can "see" my bike this morning :), well it was dark. Of course I could used flash, but flash usually spoils feeling of the picture :). So bike in the dark.

Sometimes when I start ride, I have a strange feeling. It is like that my body is pedalling properly, but mind is elsewhere and all movements are automatic. I event doesn't feel like on the bike. Weird. Same this morning, first 20 - 30 minutes only mindless pedaling body :).

But after that I woke up and start enjoying ride.

Weather was good with mysterious fog.

This was a great part of my ride, no cars, only quiet sound of my bike, alone.

I tried to do some pictures in stefan rohner style but it doesn't came out ;-)

Today's goal was to visit one village from whitch is great view of the countryside. For great view you usually should climb, but what will be cycling without climbing.

On the top. When is a good visibility you can see even Alps. Not today :).

When I was not so far from my home I joined one older guy on the winter bike. He was around 60 - 65 years old, and it was the best part of my ride. We talked about (well obviously) cycling, winter riding, this year tour de france, communting and so on. I was quite happy and it is great that based on same hobby we could talk like old friends. Unfortunaly I forgot to take a picture of this guy. But I hope I will met him on the road soon.

Last think, I would like show you some of Czech chrismas traditions.

First will be our christmas meal. It contains fish called Carp. In our country we don't eat fish much and for lot of people is this fish only one per year.

This is how it looks like. Fish are in the big conteiners and you can buy them alive or prepared to cook.

Sorry guys, but you are so tasty and is Chrismas time. Tomorrow I will show you how they look like prepared.

Today in the evening I will post my data from garmin, I'm not finished with riding yet :-).

Data from my garmin: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/60445983

68km, mixed ride in the countryside and in the city. Traffic was today like hell, so my average speed is quite low.

Combination of christmas family responsibilities and riding serious kilometers needs a plan. Plan based on presumption that weather will be acceptable, I will stay healthy and legs will be OK. Quite naive.

23rd December
Half day holiday at work. Morning ride, plan is to set off at 7:00 and ride at least 50 km. Then ride to the work, and after work ride to the train station. By train move to the city Zlín where my parents live.
At the evening write some notes from ride :).

24th December
This day is the most important day of christmas in our country. After breakfast, I want to ride at least 100 km. Than have a lunch and enjoy traditional fairytales, cookies and in the evening giving presents.

25th December
Day of visiting rest of the family. In the morning ride at least 100 km. This ride will finish at grandfathers house to meet rest of the family. After shower and answering some questions about my mental health (ride in the winter?!). I will put my bike in the car and drive to the city where my girlfriend and her parents live. This day I wont be able to write notes from my ride.

26th December
Ride at least 60 km in unknown terrain (really looking forward) around ancient city Štramberk. Than dinner with parents of my girlfriend and again answering questions about my mental health. 
In the evening ride back to the parents house. 

27th December
Again morning ride 100 km. After ride and lunch going back to the my flat in Brno. 

28th December
Ride the rest of kilometers (90 km).

So if everything goes well I will finish my task two days earlier :)

How it will be in the reality we will see.

I wish everyone luck and be strong!