Europe 2025 – Back Behind Bars #3

On August 24, 2025August 24, 2025 By KBGearDaveIn Biking Stuff, On the Road5 Comments

Latvia, Lithuania

Day 8: Sunday (8/17/2025). Sounds of nature: Waves crashing on the beach. Wind whooshing through the trees. Raindrops pattering on the tent. THUMP THUMP THUMP THUMP THUMP of techno music from the party site rocking hard until the early morning hours. The really nice (free) Estonian Forestry campground came with one big downside – weekend warriors curating their playlist for everyone else to hear. If ever I were to find myself behind bars, people like that would be the cause.

We added a third country to our trip early this morning. Other than some unused border control infrastructure and an EU sign, there was little to mark the crossing.

*I don’t often enjoy an “Arizonas” burger, but when I do – I get mine in Latvia!*

After several miles though, the three foot wide shoulder shrank to eight inches. Heavy traffic on a narrow road equals stressful riding. Unfortunately, in Latvia, few options exist. Our only choice was to put our heads down and grind out twenty or so miles until the shoulder widened again, and eventually we were able to get off the main road.

Food and rest breaks are a regular part of every day. Bus stop shelters, beach picnic areas, or even a handy road sign works in a pinch.

After showers and dinner at our campsite, we shared a beer and stories with Walter. From northern Italy, he has literally traveled the world by bicycle. As so often happens when we hear stories from a fellow traveler, we are inspired to follow in his footsteps and explore new parts of the world.

Day 9: Monday (8/18/2025. Today we set Riga in our sights. In an effort to avoid busy highways, we may have overcorrected a wee bit.

The dirt track was actually the best part of getting into Riga. We arrived via an industrial portion of the city gridlocked with heavy traffic and made worse by endless road constructon. Once past that, though, we were immediately taken with the city. Calming parks. Street performers. An old town area begging to be explored. A funky bar serving up local brew and Boomer classic rock. Prieka!

Day 10: Tuesday (8/19/2025). Up until this morning, we had judged Latvia as consumers of experience. We judged and had found wanting an entire country based on our poor experience as privileged cycling tourists unhappy with the roads. Then we visited the Museum of the Occupation. It chronicled in chilling detail, the brutal reality of being caught between two megalomaniac dictators bent on world domination.

Before the war, Hitler and Stalin secretly agreed to divide up the world, and not play in each other’s sandbox. Per the plan, Stalin muscled his way into the Baltic states. But then Hitler reneged on his deal. Latvia paid the price as German troops rolled through in his ill-fated campaign against Russia. Near war’s end, Russia fought its way back into Latvia and the Baltic states – and then didn’t leave until 1991. Words cannot describe the horrors visited upon the Latvian people during those years. Stalin and his successors used every cruelty known to mankind to subjugate the nation. Yet, through all that, the hope and determination to be a free and independant nation never died. That day finally came in 1991 as the Soviet Union’s flawed system disintegrated.

The video of this act of defiance to Soviet rule brought us to tears.

Two takeaways from our visit. First is the realization that this country does not exist to provide us with a tourist “experience”. The Baltic countries are filled with real people, living real lives, doing their best to overcome a history more traumatic than any of us can possibly fathom. That knowledge has led to a deeper appreciation of this country and our time here.

The second takeaway is more disturbing. When Joseph Stalin took power, he systematically dismantled the institutions of government and assumed those powers for himself. Stalin demanded absolute loyalty by those around him and was surrounded by sycophants who heaped praise on his every word and action. During the war, and after, during the occupation, citizens were fed a daily helping of obvious lies and disinformation. “The shelves in the stores are all bare!” Stalin’s reply? “Fake news! Under my brilliant leadership, perhaps the best leadership ever, you live in a paradise!” Those who took exception to the fantasy being peddled by Soviet authorities were ‘disappeared’ to distant gulags by nameless, faceless minions in the KGB. “Due process” be damned!

It is impossible not to see the current U.S. president doing the same things. And even worse, to watch so many blindly following the presidential pied piper leading people to a dark place. A dark place that so many hundreds of thousands here fought and died trying to escape. I say this as I would to a friend who smokes. Please stop. I know it’s hard. I know it is an addiction – but it is ruining your life.

I thought these thoughts during a long, introspective solo stroll around Old Town. Appropriately, I ended my walk at the Freedom Memorial. Symbol of Latvian national unity, freedom and independence. It was a good day! It felt like an important day.

Day 11: Wednesday (8/20/2025). We bid adieu to Riga, and Komoot guided us safely beyond its borders. Perfect conditions today: cool, mostly sunny, and tailwindy. We stopped for lunch in the beautiful city of Jelgava, and stocked up on groceries for tonight and tomorrow. With no campgrounds along this stretch, we managed to find a hidden spot tucked away in the woods near Uzini. We felt certain we would go unnoticed. Naturally a woman wandered by shortly after we had crawled into the tent. She said nothing to us, but now we shall be pondering the possibility of follow-up visits. Hopefully not.

Day 12: Thursday (8/21/2026). We got an early start this morning. Seemed prudent given that our site wasn’t quite as hidden as we’d hoped. As we packed we were surprised to see our breath. This far north summer hasn’t quite left, but you get the sense it’s bags are packed and stacked by the door. Hats and gloves made their first appearance.

Along a lonely stretch of gravel road we crossed into Lithuania with only a small sign to mark our passage. Country number four in less than two weeks.

In Lithuania we again faced a difficult choice…highways or back roads. Secondary roads were rough gravel and had heavy farm activity kicking up rocks and dust.

The main roads were worse. Drivers from behind were generally considerate. Most pulled over gave us a little space. Although, like drivers all over the world, no one would think of slowing down if a safe pass wasn’t possible. The worst though, was when *@#$% oncoming drivers would cross into our lane to pass. Time and again we dove for the ditch to avoid the fate of bugs on a windshield. Our middle finger salutes and screamed profanities had no effect on those trying to kill us. In the end, we opted for the farm roads and pieced together a bumpy route south.

Two highlights today. During Soviet occupation, the practice of religion was heavily restricted. In defiance of Soviet oppressors, locals planted crosses on a small hill. The Soviets would burn, bulldoze and knock down the crosses. And every time, the crosses would reappear. The Lithuanians refused to let the Soviets take away this imporant part of their culture. The Hill of Crosses became a symbol of freedom, defiance, and national unity. The Hill we saw today was a pale touristy shadow of its former self, but the history behind it is inspiring.

The second highlight came during a walk around Siauliai. We met Andre, a fellow cyclist from Colombia. As one does, we shared a beer while sharing stories. After attending a cousin’s wedding in Tallinn, she decided (again, as one does) to ride her bike to Bonn, Germany – solo. We immediately fell in love with her zest for life and made plans to meet again tomorrow.

Day 13: Friday (8/22/2025). Yesterday will be remembered for the beating our bodies took on rough back roads, and the mental toll from riding the highway of death. Today will be remembered for the blossoming friendship with Andre, insightful conversation, sunshine, rainstorm pizza, and a the “exceeds expecations” campground at the end of a long day.

We met Andre on the outskirts of Siauliai and rode south together. As a solo traveler, I think Andre appreciated the company. For our part we enjoyed hearing stories about her life in Colombia. Her love for her country was infectious, and we appreciated her opening a window for us to see a slice of Colombian culture. Perhaps a trip to Bogota is in our future? Perhaps we will get to play Colorado tour guide to a delightful individual? One never knows.

Day 14: Saturday (8/23/2025). We are fully engaged in working our “No plan plan”. Within the space of hours we had decided to head southeast to Kaunas to take a bus or train into Poland. Looking ahead, time might be an issue and this would save a few days. Then we decided just to bike straight south towards Poland. Then we decided to bike to Kaunas with Andre, take a rest day, and celebrate our anniversary (40 years!!). We decided to decide later whether to continue via human power or public transport.

Today could have been a brutal day. We’ve left the flatlands behind and are now crossing an area of rolling hills. We expected a low gear struggle fest against headwinds. Pregnant clouds suggested the possibility of rain. Instead, the miles fairly flew by with the sun (mostly) on our faces and a breeze at our backs. We dodged one vicious rain squall in a dodgy abandoned building. We conquered La Autopiste de la Muerta, and Google Maps thinking we could ride down hundreds of steps. We made a good team, we three. Yay us.

The glamorous life of long distance cyclists

Thus ends our second week back behind (handle) bars. We are looking forward to a celebratory rest day. We have cycled nine of the last ten days and covered over 400 miles. We are ready for a break. We are also looking forward to new countries, new friends and new experiences ahead.Until next week – STC!

AK 2024 – #6

On September 1, 2024February 10, 2025 By KBGearDaveIn Biking Stuff, On the Road3 Comments

August 25-31

Sunday, August 25 (Day 23): Last night, when the rain arrived, there was no hesitation, no gentle pitter patter. It came like a SWAT team serving a warrant. It pummeled my tent, hour after hour. I put it off as long as possible, but with a ferry to catch, I finally had to face reality. I was going to have to pack in a downpour. I shoved the sodden mess of a tent into stuff sacks, then into a garbage bag to deal with later. A final farewell to Daniel and Hannah, and I was on my way to Skagway.

When we arrived in Skagway, our ferry was dwarfed by four massive floating cities docked in port. While repelled by the mass of humanity pouring forth from said vessels, I was impressed by the smooth logistics that whisked passengers away to be parted from their money in shops and excursions. Downtown Skagway resembled a make-believe Disney village. Historic buildings dating to the Klondike Gold Rush housed jewelry stores, faux historic saloons, and stores offering all manner of Alaska themed shlock. One gentleman volunteered that he was on his 19th cruise! This was his fourth time in Skagway. His biggest excitement? He saw the “Welcome to Skagway” sign he’d missed on his other cruises. His biggest disappointment was that dress standards on this Norwegian cruise were “a bit too casual” for his liking. Hmmm.

After a brief respite, the weather turned foul again. I picked up dinner from the market and had an overpriced beer at the Skagway Brewery. The historic building looked cool, but completely lacked character inside. I gave up and did laundry and dried gear in my room.

Monday, August 26 (Day 24): People seeking a fortune in the Klondike gold rush had two main routes. The White Pass from Skagway and the Chilkoot Pass starting from nearby Dyea. One prospector said, “There ain’t no choice. One’s Hell. The other’s damnation!” Fearing famine and chaos, Canadian officials required each prospector to have a year’s supply of food and equipment – typically 2,000 lbs – in order to enter the coutry. In retrospect, it was a wise policy. It also meant that each prospector had the daunting task of moving those supplies thirty-three miles over Chilkoot Pass, or forty-five miles over the White Pass. Most would carry a 50 lb. load one mile, leave it, then walk back a mile to get the next load. Do the math. That’s seventy-nine miles to move a ton of gear one mile. That ends up being lots of miles just to begin the much longer journey to the gold fields.

Anyone successfully entering Canada would then then have to build a boat or raft to float through a series of lakes and, eventually, the Yukon River for hundreds of miles. And here’s the cruel little secret. By the time they arrived in the spring of 1898, two years after the initial discovery, every square inch of land had been staked, claimed, and mined. Having endured unimaginable misery to get to that point, most simply sold their gear and bought a ticket home. Of the 100,000 stampeders, fourteen were verified to have made (and kept) a fortune. Hard to fathom.

The rain let up today, so I was able to take in some of the remarkable history of the area. Away from the tourist shops, Skagway is actually a well-kept and appealing community. Ten miles away, nothing remains of the one-time boom town of Dyea. Somehow, that was actually a more powerful memorial to the folly that was the Klondike gold rush.

Tuesday, August 27 (Day 25): It is underfunded, and according to locals, notoriously unreliable. Still, the Alaska ferry system is the only option for most people to get most places along the coast. It was still dark when I rolled aboard for my ride to Juneau. I moved to the empty aft lounge and planned to spend a few quiet hours reading or watching the scenery slide past. It was not to be! The lounge filled, and eventually, Barnaby and Linny took the seats next to me.

As usual, conversation ensued! Happily, it continued unabated until we arrived at Juneau. Until retirement, Linney was involved with the effort to find solutions to the affordable housing crisis facing many communities. It is a complicated issue with no easy solutions, but plenty of creativity being brought to bear. Barnaby currently works with emergency responses to large-scale problems (e.g. landslides like the one in Ketchikan). Although, according to Linny, Barnaby has apparently done every job at least once. He seems to know people in every community along the coast. His stories were entertaining and usually delivered with a mischievous smile and twinkle in his eye.

Five hours passed too soon. With hugs and promises to stay in touch, I donned my raingear yet again and rolled off the ferry. I was immediately greeted by my Warmshower host, Tom. He and his wife Eva had agreed to let me stay with them for two nights. We made quick work of five miles through the rain to their home on Auke Bay. Given the constant rain, their hospitality was very welcome. As a small token of appreciation, I contributed a hot apple pie to our dinner.

Wednesday, August 28 (Day 26): Wednesday is group hike day. I accepted their invite to tag along, although I couldn’t help notice the low clouds puking rain. They didnt seem to mind! I kept thinking they would come to their senses and call off this nonsense. Nope! The fact that locals wear high-end Arcteryx rain gear AND carry umbrellas pretty much tells you all you need to know about the people here and hiking in SE Alaska.

Tom is a regularly volunteer on trail building efforts in these parts. He was well versed in the historical aspects of our chosen hike along the Treadwill Ditch. The “ditch” was originally built to bring water fourteen miles to power a gold ore stamping mill in Douglas.

Back at the house, we traded stories and I learned more about my hosts. Eva’s business degree was put to use to help with economic development in Juneau, and now with a bookstore that supports the local library. Before retirement, Tom was a dentist with the Public Health service. He is particularly proud of helping to develop a program to train and equip locals in native villages to provide basic dental care. That program continues to bear fruit. While Tom is the cyclist, they both have a long history of outdoor pursuits. Notably, they’ve rafted a number of extremely remote Arctic rivers. No small feat.

Thursday, August 29 ( Day 27): I very much wanted to camp one last time and spend the day exploring the area around Mendenhall Glacier. Unfortunately, the clouds here seem to possess an inexhaustable supply of water. I reached out to another Warmshower couple, John and Steph. They graciously opened their home to this soggy biker.

With dry lodging for the night ensured, I felt better about splashing my way along the soggy Mendenhall Glacier overlook trail. It’s always a bit shocking to see how far all these glaciers have receded in the past century. While still impressive, the current version is a shadow of its former self.

Late afternoon, I squelched into John and Steph’s kitchen and received an enthusiastic, warm welcome. Clothes were hung to dry. I showered and changed into my least offensive clothes.

How to tell someone you’re from Juneau without telling them you’re from Juneau!

As with their friends Tom and Eva, I found myself in the company of kindred spirits. John and Steph have made their way on bicycles to remote corners of the globe. Africa. From their driveway to Inuvik (Google it – its impressive). Norway. Finland. Estonia. Europe in general. Just to name a few. Their life experiences could fill volumes. Carpentry. Woodworking. Bassist in an Orchestra (John). Geologist. Bush teacher. Musher. (Steph). Etc.

Friday, August 30 (Day 28): Last night, it was just John and I chatting. Steph had another engagement. This morning, John went for coffee with the guys. I stayed back to chat with Steph. Two hours later, when John returned, we hadn’t moved from the kitchen table. I certainly had not satisfied my curiosity about this interesting couple.

But alas, the time had come to say our good-byes…but only with the promise to meet later for dinner. I spent the afternoon getting ready for my flight. Dinner was lovely, as expected. I will see John one final time on Sunday. He has volunteered to ferry me and my bulky gear to the airport.

Saturday, August 31 ( Day 29): Another wet day was perfect for more organizing and packing. Also, for reading, writing, surfing, and other indoorsy pastimes. By afternoon, though, I’d been inside long enough. I joined the sodden, shuffling cruising masses as they made their way past countless jewelry stores, T-shirt, and trinket shops.

I.JUST.DON’T.GET IT! I understand coming to a town like Juneau and taking some excursion. There are opportunities to hike, or bike, or ride the tram up the mountain, or visit the Mendenhall Glacier in some manner or even go up to ride the zip line at the ski hill. But I am mystified that many (most?) simply walk around an area filled with what appears to be exactly the same shops found in every other port of call. And then to get back on a ship with thousands of other passengers? Hard pass! I’ll take my wet tent, headwinds, bears wandering through camp, and the kindness of random strangers any day.

This was to be my last night in Juneau. Tomorrow night, I begin the trip home. This then also marks the end of another memorable journey. I’ll have some final thoughts to share next week. But for now, I’m going to enjoy a last $9 beer and some world-renowned fish tacos. STC!

1987 East Coast Bike Trip

On December 31, 2019November 20, 2020 By KBGearDaveIn Biking StuffLeave a comment

“What a long, strange trip its been”

It was like a bizarre episode of the Twilight Zone – “The Train Ride from Hell“. We lumbered along at 5 mph, then slowly shuffled off onto a siding. Hours later we’d begin to lumber along again, until we shuffled off onto another siding. Repeat endlessly! Eventually we were running more than 24 HOURS behind schedule. This was no small feat, given the whole trip was supposed to take that long. Sleep deprived and trapped in the madness, we laughed hysterically at the thought that we’d make it to our destination faster if we unpacked our bikes and rode the rest of the way. We passed the time making up verses to the Grateful Dead song “Truckin.” Amtrak staff seemed not to care. On the rare occasion when an Amtrak employee came through our car, they seemed genuinely surprised, and somewhat annoyed to find the train full of people. One sensed they wished we would just go away. Things came to a head when Milo, a very large and intimidating man picked up the conductor and pinned him to the wall of our coach. I have this vivid memory of the conductor’s feet dangling a foot off the ground as Milo stood nose to nose and yelled, “You WILL get me and my family to Miami to meet our cruise ship! We are NOT going to miss our boat!” Staring death in the face apparently jolted some brain neurons into action, and sparked the novel thought that perhaps all these people hanging about were actually meant to be taken someplace. This led to a flurry of activity, and before long we were all herded off the train and placed on…buses…to take us to our destinations. You can’t make this stuff up. Strong work Amtrak! “What a long, strange trip its been!”

Free from the nightmare…and a happy conductor bidding us all “*good riddance*!”

In spite of Amtrak’s best efforts, we did arrive in Richmond, Virginia. Bikes came out of the shipping boxes, were re-assembled and loaded with camping gear. And just like that, our great adventure began. We had biked and toured before, so in general we knew what to expect. We’d never had the opportunity to travel in this part of the country for such an extended length of time. Looking back now, the objective facts of the trip are easy to recount. Trip length…49 days. Miles traveled…2,600. Total cost for two months of travel – $962. Route…Virginia along the Skyline drive portion of the Blue Ridge Parkway. To Berryville to visit old family friends the McCuans. Washington D.C. to visit the capitol and a distant relative of Sharon’s. From there it was north through Maryland, Pennsylvania, and New York. We turned right and wandered through, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine. We hopped a ferry from Bah Hahbah to Yarmouth, Novia Scotia. North through the land of Evangeline, around the land of Anne of Green Gables (Prince Edward Island), New Brunswick, and down the St. Lawrence Seaway in Quebec to Quebec City.

People

Bicycle travel is special, in that it makes you uniquely accessible to people. I can’t begin to count all the conversations we had with complete strangers. People would just begin talking to us. Most had questions. Many of the questions were similar “No – we’re not teachers” and “Tires actually last quite a long time – although we do bring a patch kit for blowouts.” Many of those interactions blend together, some were more memorable.

“The road ahead is so crooked and rough you’ll be shakin’ before you know yer shakin‘” Local sitting on his rocking chair, when asked about the route ahead.
“Where y’all from?” “Wisconsin.” “Is that over by Rochester?” Conversation with geographically challenged folks in upstate New York.
“If the fire’s hot enough – anything will burn” (fellow bike tourer Tom on his love for massive quantities of gummy bears, gummy worms, and all manner of penny candies).
Arthur in Novia Scotia. He had traveled by bicycle for five months, biking in cut off jeans and a flannel shirt, and living on $4.83 per day. He refused to leave us alone while at the same time extolling the virtues of traveling alone.
The McCuan’s. Neighbors from when I was a wee lad. We visited them in Berryville, VA. where they lived on a 162 year old farm. I had always thought Winnie and John were the coolest people – ever! Teachers who had traveled the world, they were the consummate hosts. They gave us a tour of the area and welcomed us to be part of daughter Laurie’s graduation from high school. (I was in 3rd grade when Winnie brought Laurie home for the first time).

The Mc Cuans – Winnie, Elizabeth, and John

“Do you have problems with sheet?” When we failed to comprehend the question, “You know – #2!) French-Canadian cyclists Suzie and Sophie quizzing Sharon on whether biking had given her “problems with sheet” as well. This was their first ever bike trip. While they didn’t mind camping, they had a unique method for securing lodging for the night. They would wait until early evening before stopping at small town convents. “Oh seester…we ‘ave been cycling all day and are hungry and tired. Would you have room for us???” Apparently this never failed. I recently connected with Suzie via Facebook. She currently runs what looks like a lively B & B/Cafe. http://gitechambrechaletstmathieuduparc.com/en/photo/
We met Tom and Ruth Stuwe at church in Barre, Vermont. They invited us to their home, fed us pizza, gave us a tour of the town, engaged us in fascinating conversation, and as we continued our journey, gave us some excellent route suggestions and told us where to buy the best apple fritter ever.

Places

While not quite as slow as Amtrak, cycling hits the sweet spot. It allows you to cover significant distances while also immersing you in your surroundings. There is no way to share everything we saw over the course of two months. So, perhaps, just a few highlights will suffice.

The Skyline drive portion of the Blue Ridge parkway is meant to be biked, with beautiful views of “blue” ridges stretching off into the distance. Several times we crossed the Appalachian trail, and one night camped next to a through hiker.
**Good times!**

**We’re not big city/museum kind of people. Yet we found Washington D.C. to be a fascinating place. In person, the monuments were quite powerful.**

**Some camp spots were more picturesque than others. Maryland was not very welcoming, so we ended up camping under a highway overpass. Hmmm**...where have I heard of that before?

*“Did you know PA was so hilly?”*
*“Nope!”*

A few more notable memories…

Prince Edward Island: A bluebird day biking along the deep blue Atlantic, with colorful fields of lupine in the foreground.
Adirondacks: Biking late into a warm evening and finding not only a perfect wild camp next to a lovely stream…but also a polaroid picture of some guy’s…”manhood”. He was obviously proud of it – Sharon thought it was no big thing!
Hantsport, Novia Scotia: Celebrating Canada Day in Hantsport with an awesome parade. Everyone in town was either in the parade, or sitting along the road cheering.
Panmure Campground, Prince Edward Island: Celebrating the 4th of July grilling burgers with fellow cyclist Kevin from Delaware.
Novia Scotia: Days of huge tailwinds and cruising easily at 20+ mph.
Quebec: Days of brutal headwinds and barely moving at 3 mph.
Spending the most romantic, memorable day ever in Vieux-Quebec (old Quebec) on Sharon’s Birthday. It was a magical day wandering the streets, sitting at sidewalk cafes, watching street performers. It was a magical day, right up to the point late at night when we realized someone had stolen our bikes…in spite of locking them for the first time on the trip.
Getting home several days later to have Sharon get horribly sick and bedridden…only to find out it was morning sickness. Hello Aaron…we’re your parents!

The objective facts of the trip are easy to recount and document with pictures and stats. The subjective effects are much more difficult – perhaps impossible – to convey. Safe to say that the experience had a profound and lasting impact on us. Only two years into our marriage, we learned that we could work and play together, all day, every day, for two months, often in difficult circumstances. We experienced the joys of seeing new places and meeting new people. This trip reinforced our wanderlust and desire for human powered travel. Over the years, we’ve often joked that this was just our first “trip of a lifetime!” It is also a big reason why we’ve continued to seize the carp so vigorously in the years since, and why we’re excited to dive back into the bike touring scene.

Seizing the Carp!

Tag: biking

Europe 2025 – Back Behind Bars #3

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AK 2024 – #6

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1987 East Coast Bike Trip

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