April 27, 2015
Day 102 - Kaunas to Jurbarkas: Spring ride
I woke up to yet another warm, mostly sunny day, spring in full swing. The trees look and smell great. I had another long day ahead--they're all long days from now on--but it promised to be a pleasant one.
On my way out of Kaunas, I saw a bike path that took me away from the main road and followed the river. The many, many curbs were extremely steep, almost vertical, but I hoped that was temporary. And indeed it was: the path ended suddenly, leaving me standing there trying to piece my shattered life back together figure out where to go next.
While I was busy being indecisive, an older gentleman with snow white hair stopped his car and kindly informed me that I was on an island, that there wasn't much to see, that the only way off was back the way I came, and that doing a trip this long all alone was not good. That sounds mean, but he was quite friendly. He also mentioned this was only the third warm day of the year and before that it was just windy. Can't say I noticed any of that wind...
I found my way back to the main road. The next bike path I encountered was there to help me across a bridge. I had to go out of my way to access it, and like so many bike paths, it ended abruptly, in this case with a slightly perilous step over an abyss and then a squeeze through a gap in the guardrail to get back on the road. I decided i was finished with Lithuanian bike paths.
The road followed the river and gradually got quieter. I passed a few archaeological mounds, which were noted on all the info boards, and saw more rock monuments. No landscaping or commemoration is complete without a rock. Lithuanians are very proud of their rocks. Or possibly very sick of statues.
Despite the great weather, the day was a bit of a grind, as I was tired. It just so happened that I had a beer with me, purchased but not consumed in Kaunas, and after I stopped at a rest area in the trees to drink it, the next 20 km flew by unnoticed.
After passing and ignoring more patchy bike paths, i took a chance on one that ran by the river and promised to take me the last few kilometres to Jurbarkas. And it did. And just on the edge of town there was a guesthouse. It was a bit more than I wanted to pay, but when accommodation drops right in your lap in Lithuania, you take it. I took it, then found out there were other options in town, likely cheaper and probably just as quiet.
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Today's ride: 90 km (56 miles)
Total: 5,293 km (3,287 miles)
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