tales of wander

And the rides continue…

EuroVelo 10 (Lithuania) – 26 mi Sventoji to Klaipeda. The EuroVelo 10 is an internationally known bike route that circles the Baltic Sea and spans nine countries. For this portion of the bike tour, I ride a portion of this route starting in Sventoji, a seaside town in Lithuania. The day starts with a shuttle ride into Lithuania. We have several hours before we reach Sventoji, so break up the monotony with a detour to see the Hill of Crosses, which is a major Catholic pilgrimage site (and also a stop on the new El Camino route I mentioned earlier). It’s a little hill in the countryside upon which locals began the practice of setting crosses for lost loved ones. Though some stories indicate the practice started as early as the 14th century, more recent accounts suggest that it began after failed uprisings against the Russians beginning in 1831. Now, the crosses on the hill are estimated to be about 55,000 in number. I usually have reverence for places that are considered holy, but…it kinda looks like someone dumped a box of crosses here. There, I said it.

After the Hill of Crosses, the shuttle finally reaches the start of the ride. Sadly, all that gushing about the fantastic weather has come back to haunt me because for the first day since I arrived, it’s raining. As I don my jacket, I think to myself what I really want is to hole up in a cafe…but I suppose the ride must go on. Though it’s raining and I’m yearning for a hot coffee, as I start pedaling my crankiness softens, as is often the case. The amount of rain is tolerable and I’m still able to appreciate how lovely the route is, which offers views of beaches and forests alike, and which makes a stop in Palanga where I marvel at how truly spectacular the parks are in these countries. Today’s ride is blessedly short, but by the time I get to my hotel in Klaipeda (a city on the central coast), I’m quite wet and ready for a hot shower. I’m delighted to discover my room overlooks the river…a happy surprise. 

Curonian Spit (Lithuania) – 41 miles to Nida. I continue my ride on the EuroVelo 10 down the Curonian Spit, which is a sand-dune spit—a thin 61-mile long geological formation formed by wind and waves—that lies between the Curonian Lagoon and the Baltic Sea. Though it’s a sand dune, it isn’t just sand—it’s also home to a number of villages, dense forest, and a strict natural reserve that contains rare plant species. The spit is a delicate ecological system that is in constant danger of erosion, so the government has to work hard to keep up with restoration efforts; in fact, it’s partly due to their efforts that it’s earned a designation as a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Interestingly, the border of Kaliningrad separates the spit about halfway through, which means the southern part is Russia. This was of particular interest to me because I was completely unaware of the existence of Kaliningrad until this trip. If it weren’t for travel, I’d be a geography dunce!

But I digress, I loved cycling the spit—the landscape offers immense variety and the villages are small and quaint. I made a stop at one of these, Juodkrante, to visit the Hill of Witches, which is a wooden sculpture “garden” set in a forested landscape on one of the spit’s oldest parabolic dunes. The local legend is that the hill is an ancient site of celebration for pagan spirits and demons. Local artists carved sculptures to represent some of these mythical creatures and set them on the hill, creating a delightful experience that is both hike and art gallery at the same time. 

I completed my ride in a lovely town called Nida, which is the last Lithuanian town before the border to Kaliningrad. Kite surfers were playing out in the waves, which may give you an idea of the kind of wind that pummels the spit (and which I rode against the entire 41 miles). Exhausted, I sat at a beachside cafe and enjoyed a late lunch.

Curonian Spit (Take 2) –  52 miles to Pervalka and back. The Curonian Spit was officially the grand finale of the bike tour, but I enjoyed it so much that I decided to do a second version specifically to visit the Dead Dunes, which I missed the first time around when I rode past the entrance thinking it was “just another beach.” The Dead Dunes are the tallest migrating sand dunes in Europe, reaching almost 200 feet in height. They are misnamed because they are not dead at all, being a part of the Nigliu Natural Reserve and home to some rare and fragile plant species. Because they are migrating (sometimes shifting as much as 50 feet a year), they covered several villages several centuries ago, which are commemorated here by wooden markers. 

I have to say, my body didn’t need this extra ride, but my mind stubbornly refused to let go of something I missed seeing. As I left the Dead Dunes and reversed my route to head back to Klaipeda, I rode in a headwind all the way back and felt every gust in my joints, slowly grinding my way back for 26 miles. Regardless, I’m now satisfied that I saw everything I wanted to see on the spit, even if I’m now paying more than the price of entrance.

Well, there you have it. I’m happy to report that my very first bike tour was a success, with over 285 miles ridden in Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. The green machine (aka The Buick) was a heavy beast and my hips and quadriceps are relieved to see the back of it, but it did the job of a touring bike splendidly, carrying me reliably through rain, road, gravel—even sand—without a single mechanical malfunction or flat tire. I guess there’s a little something to be said for reinforced tires.

Next stop: Finally, a well-deserved rest. Heading to Vilnius, Lithuania’s capital…