Digital Wanderer

We live as long as we fly

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Bike trip to Daugavas Loki park

2007-09-10

отдых спорт природа креатифф


Yesterday at 14:00 I set off for the Daugavas Loki nature park. I can't translate the name — amnesia. Loki means when a river meanders, and the Daugava is the Daugava even in Africa (in Russia it's the Western Dvina, though,  Russians have a big ego, they're allowed to). The park is located about 25 km from Daugavpils, where I live. I took pictures of whatever was there, so don't judge me too harshly, this ain't Norway where absolutely every spot is a masterpiece of natural beauty.

A detailed map of the area around Daugavpils, Latvia, showing roads, settlements, and a winding river. A long route passing through fields and forests, past villages, and crossing the river several times is marked by a red line with arrows.
Trip map

 

A building materials store "BŪVNIECĪBAS NAMS" with a red sign, located past the road, with stacks of packaged building materials and parked cars visible in front of it under an overcast sky.
Turns out, they're moving hardware stores out of town here too now

A black stone monument in the forest with an engraving in Latvian and Russian and an image of two colliding airplanes. The inscription is dedicated to the first bomber ramming attack in the history of the Great Patriotic War, performed by the crew of Lieutenant P. S. Igashov.
No comment

 

A large Mi-24 military helicopter in green-spotted camouflage with an open side door stands on a green field under a partly cloudy sky. To the left of it stands a woman in a pink jacket, looking at the helicopter.
This is how our people entertain themselves. Dragging whatever they can find to their homes.

A white fluffy dog with its mouth wide open barking, standing behind a metal wire mesh against a wooden fence.
And they force animals to guard the giant junk, the monsters

A camouflage-colored helicopter landed on a clearing near country houses, where several cars and a group of people are also standing.
But if that's the dog's kennel (on the right), then it gets paid adequately for its work

 

A silver polygonal stele with a crest of a shield and crossed swords at the top. Below are a round bas-relief of a man and an empty rectangular plaque.
A police major died here in 1970 while in the line of duty

 

Curiously enough, the monument still stands just as it did, and even the inscription isn't in the state language. See, we don't have fascism here!

A two-story wooden house with a red roof stands on a green clearing next to a small pond reflecting the building. In the left foreground, a stone bridge with decorative lanterns is visible under a cloudy sky with clearings.
People live well in the countryside

A dirt road goes over a small bridge with stone railings and decorative lanterns across a narrow body of water. In the background, a green field under a cloudy sky and the edge of a wooden house with a red roof are visible.
If they can afford to build a decorative bridge across a pond they dug themselves

A large outdoor information stand with a detailed tourist map of the Latvian Naujene parish, showing routes, services, and sights of the region. Below the map are a legend and advertisement blocks.
Here are those very loki, I am currently in Naujene

A Catholic church made of multicolored rubble stone with two symmetrical towers and crosses, an asphalt path with flower beds on the sides leads to its entrance.
Just another baznīca, aka a church

A white memorial cross with a black memorial plaque, installed in high grass against the background of dense green trees. The inscription on the plaque in Latvian and Polish is dedicated to the memory of Polish soldiers who died for the independence of Latvia in 1919–1920.
The plaque says that the Poles gave their lives for the independence of Latvia in 1919-1920.

This little cross is clearly a modern replica - since there's no Russian translation.


Here is the loks itself. I apologize, but there will be almost  too many views of the Daugava ahead.

A wooden boat is moored in a quiet backwater near the river bank overgrown with high grass. On the opposite bank lies a dense green forest under an overcast sky.
The little boat is new, though

I was too lazy to go back the same way I came, so like a mega-biker, I plowed straight ahead along the bank, where there used to be trails — back in the prehistoric era. As a result, the grass in some places was like this:

Thick bright green grass in the foreground and dense thickets of bushes in the background.
Almost a POV shot

A bicycle stands in high green grass on the bank of a body of water with floating algae, a wooded bank is visible in the distance.
And the bike looked like this in it

 

Funnily enough, even through such savage grass (didn't know "common grass" could reach this height) you can more or less ride a bike.

A wide calm river with green grassy banks under a cloudy sky reflected in the water. In the distance, a dense green forest surrounding the riverbed is visible.
Here we go again

A bicycle is partially hidden in the thickets of high grass on the bank of a swampy area with trees on the horizon under a light sky.
Sometimes it was even like this

 

To start with, I decided to pay a visit to the ruins of Dinaburg Castle, where my city began, as well as the German colonization of the local lands. We were taught in school that it was 19 km away — and they didn't lie.

A wooden staircase with railings on the left goes up a slope densely overgrown with a green forest. Sunlight breaks through the foliage.
The hiking trail to the ruins

When I arrived, a girl ran up and offered to buy a ticket for 0.4 Ls, that is, $0.80. I didn't refuse such small change, to contribute to the development of tourism in my native land. Funnily enough, there was a tour bus and a couple of cars in the parking lot, meaning I wasn't the only maniac braving the freezing cold to look at sights of questionable interest. I must say, there isn't much to see on the trail, and it takes 15 minutes tops, but it'll do for local history purposes, it's a short ride there.

A dense green forest with a small stream flowing through thickets and fallen trees. Sunlight breaks through the foliage, illuminating the forest floor and vegetation.
Sigh, I really need a proper camera


Here they are, the ruins. It's almost embarrassing to call them ruins.

A stone miniature of a medieval castle with a high round tower and red tiled roofs, set on a hill by the river against a wooded landscape.
At least they made a reconstruction, good for them

A miniature stone castle with a red roof stands on an earthen hill near the river bank, surrounded by stones and chain fences. In the background — a wide river, dense forest, and hills under a cloudy sky.
Even put little posts around it for respectability

Wet muddy ground, dotted with rounded stones of various sizes, which are covered with green algae. Wet mud, rare dry blades of grass and twigs illuminated by bright sunlight are visible among the stones.
I, like a proper madman, started jumping on the coastal rocks 

A swampy river bank covered with bright green slime and reeds, with a wooded hill on the opposite side under an overcast sky.
The gorgeously swampy Daugava

A black sign with two white schematic figures in the foreground points right to a wide river, behind which stretches a gentle wooded bank under an overcast sky with patches of blue.
Someone made a joke

A close-up of a natural surface where light beige areas of dry, tangled plant fibers intermingle with dark, moist green-brown patches of moss or algae, illuminated by the sun with long shadows.
There were micro-frogs sitting on the rocks, and once even a micro-lizard, but no one wanted to pose

A close-up of the water surface dotted with bright green and yellowish algae. Thin plant stems stick out of the water, reflecting on the dark ripples.
My life is a tin can

A water surface with ripples and glare, through which sunken algae and dark objects show, illuminated by yellow-green streaks of light.
To the swamp with it

 

But there is a rest area there, complete with a bunch of benches and a grill.


A rock garden, Teutonic style

A round stone structure resembling a labyrinth or a hearth, laid out on the green grass by the river. In the distance, trees and hills are visible under a cloudy sky, and in the left foreground, the edge of a wooden bench is visible.
I don't know what this is. A fire pit, maybe?

Down by the river I picked up a plastic bottle and threw it in the trash can carefully placed at the rest area. By the way, that's where I first saw the mysterious Privatipašums sign, meaning Private Property. Why put up such signs in places specifically designed for public access is beyond my comprehension.

Three white wooden crosses stand on a green field, the central one taller than the side ones, against a dense forest. On the right, a person is seen walking towards a wooden observation deck.
Little crosses in honor of a former cemetery

There used to be a cemetery on this spot, but in preparation for the construction of a hydroelectric power plant, it was first "ravaged" (in the terminology of the info posters) and then reburied. These fanatics will soon cover the entire earth with crosses — people do keep dying for now, after all, and everyone needs a cross, even those who haven't done anything useful their entire lives.
Ironically, the HPP project was also buried — of course, we must protect nature. I'm all for it, only the green psychos now want to bury the new NPP project in Lithuania too. And where are we supposed to get electricity from? From the frogs, which we have an endless supply of?


Why are the ruins of a cowshed any worse than the ruins of a castle? Some things actually survived here

A high wall made of old concrete blocks with graffiti stands against the background of sand mounds, some greenery, and a forest under a cloudy sky.
Ended up in the middle of nowhere

There are Vlads everywhere now, my name has become mainstream. Things were different back in the day — how many people named Vladislav over the age of 25 do you know?
But then there was an interesting story. I rode off who knows where, because I despise paper maps, and buying a GPS is a hassle for rare bike rides. Therefore, an unpleasant surprise awaited me — I ran  into a boom barrier with the sign: Privatipašums, Trespassers W. But since I'm not capitalism's biggest fan, but rather somewhat of a fan of spontaneous and unreasonable actions, I didn't give a damn about the sign and boldly went around the barrier. Good thing the fir tree on the side  hasn't had time to grow yet. The decision turned out to be the right one —  the brazen capitalists grabbed one of the best chunks of the Daugava for themselves, and even landscaped it.

A landscape with a forest on the horizon, a green clearing dotted with large boulders, a dirt road, and a bush of bright orange flowers in the foreground spreads out under a cloudy sky.
Scattered stones and idols, though I somehow forgot to take pictures of the latter

A green field dotted with large boulders and young trees against a dense coniferous forest under a cloudy sky.
There are absolutely no buildings on the plot. I wish I lived like that!

A wide river under an overcast sky, with a dense forest on the opposite bank. Sun glare is visible on the water, and on the sides of the frame — green thickets and tree branches.
The view is very pleasant, there are even murmuring rapids, which is a rarity on the Daugava


Here is one, though not an idol, but a sailor

 

Then, true to form, I plowed along the bank from above through the forest, and a barely passable trail led me to this marvel.

The wooden frame of an open gazebo made of rough logs against a forest under an overcast sky.
A gazebo for meditating under the moon, for sure

A forest pond with small wooden bridges near the shore, surrounded by green grass and dense pine forest in the background under a light sky.
On the bank, as it should be

A forest lake surrounded by a dense coniferous-deciduous forest under a cloudy sky. The sky and trees are reflected in the calm surface of the water, partially covered with duckweed and aquatic vegetation.
Ooh, the bourgeoisie set themselves up nicely

A large gray boulder lies on the bank of a calm body of water. Beyond the green meadow, a strip of forest is visible under an overcast sky.
These people know what's what — there's even a weeping stone

I mean the painting of Alyonushka, yeah. And also O'Toole in "The Goblin Reservation" had a sitting stone, if that means anything to anyone. The novel is absolutely brilliant, by the way.

A red round "No Entry" sign with a crossed-out silhouette of a person is fixed on a pine trunk. Around it stretches a forest of pines and birches with lush green grass on the ground, a light sky shines through the crowns of the trees.
Rode past the sign - no longer have to expect a load of rock salt in the ass


And this is a picnic spot for everyone

A view of the river surface with ripples and reflections of a cloudy sky. A dense green forest stretches on the far bank, and several dark objects stick out of the water.
A perspective for frogs

Having barely made it back to the paved road, I decided that was enough for today. But after climbing back up the hill, where I set a new top speed record of 57 km/h, I saw another tourist sign, which we have plenty of thanks to the EU. The sign lured me in with some observation tower and a hiking trail taking a whole hour, and I couldn't resist, even though I was already pretty exhausted. The worst part was having to ride 9 kilometers on a washboard gravel road — the great enemy of the cyclist.

A view of the river surface with ripples and reflections of a cloudy sky. A dense green forest stretches on the far bank, and several dark objects stick out of the water.
A perspective from the frogs' point of view

A panoramic view from above of a wide river winding among dense forests and green hills. An overcast sky, light breaks through and reflects in the water surface.
And giants

As you can see, I made it to the tower, and halfway down the dirt road at that. There was another "Privatipašums" sign there, this time carrying at least some weight: it stood under a "Brick" sign, which I can confidently call it since I don't have a driver's license. Otherwise my traffic rules instructor would probably be rolling in his grave. By the way, ignoring the sign and  bundling up in jackets, young guys and chicks were drinking beer under the tower.

A close-up of two sheep standing on a grassy field and looking directly at the viewer. A dense forest borders the field under a cloudy sky.
These friends of man wouldn't eat the apples, but they weren't in a hurry to leave either

A very close-up shot of a sheep's face with light wool, looking directly at the viewer. The animal's nose takes up most of the center of the frame against a blurred field and blue sky.
They liked the camera more than the apples, apparently - sniffed it with pleasure

 

Eventually, I made it to the promised Markovs' trail, but the cashier's booth was closed, since it was past 6 o'clock.  Had to hike the trail as a stowaway.

A stone memorial sign with the inscription «MARKOVAS PILSKALNS» and a relief image, set in a clearing among a pine forest on a sunny day.
Deception again - the inscription says "Markovo hillfort". No hillfort to be seen

We are bad at throwing dust in people's eyes - the Japanese would have built a special hillfort for tourists  and written "Date of creation unknown". Given their diligence, they probably would have actually erased the date from all documents.

A narrow stream with dark water flows among large moss-covered stones in a dense forest. Intertwined tree branches, bushes, and green foliage are visible around.
In places the trail was rather gloomy, I started feeling a bit uneasy

A view from a hill onto a wide river valley illuminated by the sun. The forested banks of the river are dotted with a few houses, and a green grassy slope spreads out in the foreground.
The end point of the route, or not, it's unclear

 

Anyway, there was that "Privatipašums" sign again here, so I didn't go any further. I was out of time, my camera battery died, and most importantly — I could barely move my legs, and there were still 30 km ahead.

On the way back I rode like a seasoned sunday rider (in biker terminology), making stops every 5 km. The main problem was that the whole trip it was cold and very windy. On the highway, I can ride 30 km/h, including small hills, and on large ones the speed drops to 25-20 km/h. But here I could barely roll along at 15-20 km/h, and on hills even 10. Fortunately, I did make it home, snacking on apples from a free orchard along the way.
I got back home at 21:00. In total, I rode 75 km in 7 hours, and walked about 4 kilometers over heavily rugged terrain. Average speed according to the bike computer is 12 km/h, but you can't trust it - I kept forgetting to turn it off during halts and hiking trails.

Overall it was great, but next time I'll take the train to the destination, if possible - it got really cold and windy, and the highway is scary with cars, even though they give me a wide berth.

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