Jul 4 2014

East to Russia

Our day started later than planned with a visit to BMW Riga, where the very helpful staff fixed the wheel alignment problem discovered the day before, checked the bike to make sure everything was ok, at no charge, while we enjoyed relaxing in their coffee lounge. Our route then took us on the E22 which is the European road designation to Moscow, so easy to follow. A pleasant ride took us to the Lithuanian border around 3:40pm where we joined a queue to enter Latvian customs and immigration of some 25 cars and 4 british guys on bikes heading to Vladivostok. They were about 20 cars ahead of us and had been there for two hours! Two hours later they were headed back to Latvia, with missing paperwork and we had progressed about 10 vehicles. At what is normally a fairly quick crossing point, the volume of tourists and the required paperwork to be completed had blown out the crossing times. Portable toilets provided along the roadside should have given us an indication of possible delays. Still, at 11:30 pm Russian time and after seven hours of chatting, Anne even had whole conversations in German, making new acquaintances, thinking about setting up the tent and other adventures, we finally rode into Russia. The crossing process and tips is covered in more detail in the visas and admin section.

Too late to buy our Russian third party insurance, but still dusk, and with the help of the local policeman and others, the only 24 hour motel was identified across the road from the first petrol station. While still light at 11:30 at night we did not wish to try to find a place to pitch the tent. Very basic motel, our room probably visited by the local cat, but after 7 hours on our feet queuing, sleep beckoned.

– Anthony

We saw so many stork nests, from Poland to Latvia

Little did we know when we arrived 25th in line in the Latvia/Russia border that it would take us 7 hours to get through

We are now in no-man’s-land, having just left Latvia after 5 hours queuing and waiting to get to the Russian border. Anthony is very good at getting 10′ snoozes and recharging his batteries.

Jul 4 2014

First week on the road

Today marks the end of the first week on the road. We have covered 2,500 kms and ridden in 8 countries. The week has been relatively easy apart from having to keep moving to make our Russian visa deadline. As we have travelled only within the European Union (EU), we have had no border crossings to slow us down. It was interesting to note that as we crossed borders further east and newer EU members the border post buildings still exist, except the grass is now growing up in the roads. In Western Europe only a sign indicates where the border is. We also saw in the east people at the side of the roads selling fruit and other foods from cars or just a small box next to a bicycle. No doubt we will see this more as we venture into Russia and beyond. We get used to our way of life and forget how most of the world lives

Apart from the boots, all equipment is working well, but with all the modern technology we seem to spend a great deal of time co-ordinating recharging at night. In 1982 in our trip through Africa, we had a short wave radio with two AA batteries. It would also be useful if electrical equipment manufacturers could produce standardised cables to reduce our rats nest of cabling!

Riga has turned out to be a beautiful city with a lovely old quarter and a number of art deco and art nouveau buildings that attracted Anne’s interest and camera. See some photos below. We had a relaxing lunch at a street cafe and then back to the room to prepare for tomorrow’s ride into Russia.

We had planned to leave early but a small problem with my bike was discovered while doing our daily checks The right hand lock nut had come loose and I now have a 1.5mm difference between each side of my wheel alignment. While I have a good toolkit, it lacks the a spanner large enough for the quick release nut, so off to BMW Riga this morning to fix and then look for a 17mm spanner for next time, which will probably never happen.

Russia and the open road are ahead of us…

– Anthony

Dedicated to the children who were deported to Siberia 1941-1949

Park and river running through Riga

The Freedom Monument honouring soldiers during the Latvian war of Independence 1919-20

Honour guards at the Freedom Monument

The Blackheads House

City Hall Square

Alberta Street

Building on Alberta Street

Jul 2 2014

Kaunas to Riga

We started the day in Kaunas with a walk through the town, having a very late breakfast at a coffee shop which turned out to be a pizza place, that had Illy coffee!! What a brilliant idea they had of providing live basil plants on every table!

We left Kaunas at noon and went through 3 police check points today including the one at the Lithunia/Latvia border, with the police letting us drive through each time, totally uninterested in us. That won’t last, we know…!

Today was the most enjoyable day’s ride so far. Weather was kinder than the last couple of days, the scenery was gorgeous and the drivers, both trucks and cars were the most courteous, pulling over to let us through, or thanking us when we pulled over for them. And they didn’t sit right up against our back tyre when they wanted to overtake (like in Germany), but waited patiently a safe distance behind us.

The temperature has been very pleasant too – from a low of 14.5 to a high of 21 degrees celcius.

Lots of walking around Riga tomorrow 😊

Kaunas monument to Vytautas Magnus

Monument to Vytautas Magnus

Kaunas restaurant with live basil plants

Our b&b in Kaunas - the owner got us to leave our bikes in patio area overnight

Our b&b in Kaunas – the owner got us to leave our bikes in the patio area overnight

Lituania/Latvia border

Riga train station – another storm coming

– Anne

Jul 2 2014

Lithuania

We’ve made good progress despite the heavy rain. We are now in Kaunas in Lithuania and have travelled 1375 miles – 2200 kms. The journey from Berlin to Warsaw was our longest day and had the worst weather. We’d been lucky so far, dodging the weather front sweeping across Europe, but we’ve now had our fair share.

The bikes have performed beautifully, the tyres too, and panniers and top box. Our bluetooth Sena S20 headsets are wonderful too – so clear and easy to use (more on those in a separate equipment post). We’ve had one major disappointment: our TCX boots leak like sieves!!! Changing up or down a gear, we could feel the water sloshing around in our boots. Horrible!!! Both of us, and in both boots… We’ve contacted the manufacturer – no satisfactory response yet so it is not looking good. So disappointing as we had been so happy with them. They were comfortable riding and in light rain and even walking in, but the amount of rain we’ve had has really tested them, and they have failed miserably…

Riding through Poland was long and hard work. So many trucks, single lanes, no overtaking lanes of course, and windy roads through endless forests. The scenery got really lovely towards the north, as we got closer to Lithuania.

We’ll be leaving Kaunas later today and get to Riga, Latvia where we’ll spend 2 nights. I am so looking forward to visiting Riga, culturally and architecturally – I know I will have a real feast with all their art nouveau!!!

– Anne