The European heat wave caught up with me today. By 9:30 in the morning, it was 85 F, and felt too hot to be riding. I drank lots of water, stopped inthe shady spots, and worked hard at not over-heating. Word has it that it hit 36 C, which is about 96F.

I took the A14 to Moletai as planned. In Moletai, I stopped in the Tourist Information office to inquire about accommodation options along the route. People keep telling me that wild camping is dangerous in Lithuania, so it's really just a last resort. The woman in the information office was helpful, and called a couple of places that were within a couple km of the route, and they were all closed! Then she said she had received notice from a new resort that was opening, and called them, and that's where I am as I write this.

It's not really a resort. It's a place on a lake with an open field for camping. There is a latrine, and a big tent set up for eating. But there is no running water, just the lake, and very little shade. The eating tent is closed in and is like an oven. It's a beautiful spot, and I'll have it to myself tonight. But there is a lot of activity on the lake, and someone's music is giving me a bit of a headache.

The A14 was actually a pretty good road for bicycles. Getting out of Utena was challenging, with 3 roundabouts, but then a shoulder opened up. A real shoulder! The driving lanes were cement and the shoulder was tarmac. There were recent repairs to the shoulder that seemed like chip seal from home, so there was some loose gravel. The traffic was light enough that I could ride in the traffic lane when the gravel was annoying.

The road after Molekai was lightly used and scenic. It rolled up and down with bends around lakes, and was just generally variable so it was fun to ride. Except for the heat. When I reached Giedraiciai, I stopped at a shop and bought some cold water and ice cream, and downed that before going back in to get some supplies for tonight.

Heart

0

Comment

0

Link

Log in to comment or reply