Baskets full of mushrooms, chilly Jizera highlands, and sapphire reflections

With the cold weather and non-stop rain expected in advance, this past October’s event in the Jizera Mountains promised to provide a real cottage atmosphere. Despite the fountains of water spraying from the rotating wheels, the murmur of the peloton did not calm during the rides. The prospect of returning to the stove for a communal dinner of freshly picked mushrooms provided great motivation. In the end, the Sunday sun shined to reveal the distinct meanders of the Jizera River. Was that where they found the renowned sapphires that turn blue?