Day 61: Varbla to Parnu

August 31, 2024

Waterproof Sock Kinda Day

“I think you have one of my socks and me one of yours,” Patrick says as we sit side by side looking at our feet. The storm came through later than predicted during the night and we’ve been listening to the rain fall on the roof and skylight window. We figure we can’t wait out the rain as the forecast declared rain until noon. So we have donned our waterproof socks and rain gear and start out later than usual, around 9am.

Our room is a flight up on an outside metal grating stairs that will be slippery wet. So Patrick uses our line and carbineer to hook our gear and lower to Rachel saving having to walk up and down the stairs. We head out in a light rain to back the four kilometer to the 101 highway. After about 6km, the rain stops. To not tempt Murphy’s Law, we keep our rain gear on most of the way to Parnu.

The road continues much of the same, light traffic and through forests and past farms and big fields with large round hay bales. There are also lots of old abandoned farm buildings. The signs for the Eurovelo 10 & 13 are much more frequent today and posted at potential junctions.

One of the few signs, confirming we are on the route

At Tostamaa the first larger town the café is closed so we continue on to a gas station on the other side of town. There we find a cup of coffee. A little further we stop at a grocery store, Patrick buys a large bottle of flavored black tea. We have finally taken off our rain gear having no rain since the beginning of the day and now nearing Parnu.

Lots of bikes as garden ornaments makes us think we are still on the Eurovelo Route

At the end of 101 we pick up a bike path all the way into Parnu. Parnu seems to be a fairly large city, we cross over the river onto a long stretched peninsula and the coast. We pass through downtown with a nice pedestrian street on our way to our lodgings. We are halfway between downtown and the beaches.

The wolf is selected as Estonia's national animal because they are seen as symbols of strength, pride, courage and, perhaps more importantly, unity.

Most tourists come here for the beaches it seems, and that season is closing. Our host says tonight is the last night he is open, the tourists are gone. We had booked a “cottage in the garden” but he has already started tearing out the garden paths and is planning to repave them with pavers. Instead of a cottage we are given the “apartment”; pretty much the downstairs of the main house. It has everything we need, including CNN on television. That’s a first this trip.

For dinner we walk to the beach and find a pizza place for pretty decent pizza and beer. The pizza crust rivals the pizza crust in Italy. There is a strong cold wind blowing off the gulf, but there are still a few brave people in the water, and even more kitesurfing.

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Today's ride: 76 km (47 miles)
Total: 3,009 km (1,869 miles)

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