Barleycorn: Barabele to near Kupiskis

September 17, 2013

I CONTINUED ONWARDS From Barabele where I'd finished off the afternoon before, to a village which marked the border with Lithuania; a scattering of houses which were perhaps once smart, painted brightly in a shade somewhere between green and blue, but were now weatherworn and rustic. And the street through had a fork where I missed looking at the sign and consequently took the wrong fork, descending a little hill and came out of town sideways and confused as I couldn't see no sign for any place ahead; then the paved road ended to continue on rough and sandy. But I managed to see and photograph two goats in a field and an apple orchard before turning back into town; so, it wasn't all wasted time.

Goats wondering why their keeper is late. Actually, the two goats, being intelligent animals, have expressions which clearly shows they know why he's late. The question is, is he going to show-up anytime soon.

Back at the fork, I turned right and a few hundred metres on was back on track, crossing over a bridge and into Lithuania. The first thing I saw, at the side of a wide turning circle, was a bright yellow bus-shelter, elevated off the ground with steps up and with a pitched tiled roof. An inviting place to stop a few moments, so I stood the bike against the black and white striped curb and went and sat on the steps.

Colourful bus-shelter just into Lithuania.

The weather was looking optimistic; the grey start was lightning, a break in the clouds with a ray of sunshine and a fresh Autumn breeze.

Looking ahead, there was less forest and clusters of unsightly discoloured concrete farm buildings. I then rode on against a headwind across an agricultural plain with earthy tilled fields on either side; in which, here and there, tractors moved steadily across in clouds of brown dust. The wind was southerly, so threatening dark clouds were moving in again.

There was a few spots of rain at lunchtime when I reached the town of Rinkuski, but it was to remain dry, and the afternoon continued with that headwind.

Sign showing a trail to a place of historic interest.

Most of the houses are painted this colour.

River which spreads out into a marshy fringed lake on the edge of the town of Rimkuskiai, where I lunched.

I didn't ask what this was in honour of.

This machine both tills the soil and drills the seed barley into the soil in one pass of the tractor, reducing both soil-compaction and fuel use.

Today's ride: 79 km (49 miles)
Total: 6,048 km (3,756 miles)

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