Saab meeting in Roudnice nad Labem or there and back again

My first big Saab meeting was in Czech Republic, in Roudnice nad Labem, 380km far away. I've considered a bit about go/no-go because of the distance but a combination of a possible largest Saab meeting around with a long convertible trip on the way back home through 2/3 of Czechia outside of the highways was a too strong temptation.

Meeting at 5:30 in the morning. The wake up one hour earlier was brutal but the drive through the sleeping city was somehow dreamy. 4 cars are coming from Bratislava, a 9-5 SC, 2x 9-3 convertible and a 9-3 hatchback. An hour later meeting with other four cars from the saabunderground squadron behind Brno. Next 9-5 combi, a wonderful 900, a 9000 and one more.

We continue 200km to Prague in an 8 cars convoy. A bit slow but nice. Without any incidents except one stupid tailgater. Another meet somewhere after Prague with around 30 cars. And a 40km drive to Roudnice nad Labem.

The meeting was at a grass field near a small airport. 190-200 Saabs, parking sorted out by types. The most crowded were 9-3s and 9-5s, but around 20 convertibles (all types except the latest 9-3 Griffin). Than wonderful real enthusiast pieces Sonetts, 96 and 99, all properly restored. I could not choose my personal top one, there were too many nice cars. Excellent weather, good mood, discussions with interesting peoples I would otherwise never meet. Some nice chats. The program was to go around and selecting top of each type. The "suprise from the sky" were 3 parchutists trying to land on a swedish flag. Two of them missed maybe a meter, one was exactly right. Than announcing the winners of each category and a short ride of all cars in the close countryside. That was hmm... emotional. The end was around 15:00. I've slept in Prague, the rest of the crew was driving back to Bratislava.

My pictures can be found here.

There are many more picture galleries on the internet : here, here and here, and another one, and more, more and more ...... and many more coming, they are collected here. My favorite galleries are from the saabunderground squadron - 1, 2, 3 and 4.

On the next day I've started around 11:00. In Prague was a city marathon which means a large part of the center closed but I found a way out. Than I took this road :


Larger map

The 420km were wonderful. The road to Tábor was ok. The river Nežárka reminded me on a historical science fiction comics Tvrz (Fort) from my childhood about an astronomer coming from a Paris conference back home to Czechia. At a drive to the weekend house at Nežárka he finds himself in the 15th century and later he helps "the good" in a wooden fort against the bad with gifts he brought for the family - a Polaroid camera, a casette recorder, electric lamps etc.

After Nežárka the countryside started to be full of small lakes, fish ponds and I was driving in a constant changing environment - through fields, woods, small hills, there were some castles and churches on the road. Telč is a wonderful town, protected by Unesco and than the already known Náměšť nad Oslavou and around, which was a place of the Saabunderground orientation "race" described before. Mikulov is a beautiful town, than another Unesco area Valtice - Lednice and than to Bratislava. Somewhere around was a meeting of historical military cars, I saw many around, unfortunately could not find where. The roads were in good condition and it took me about 6-7 hours, sometimes very chilled ride, sometimes more sporty. I was again very lucky about the buyers choice of my lovely 275 hp Saab cabrio. It was running fabulous. I absolutely recommend to try this road to everyone who does not has to hurry from Prague direction Bratislava.