Digital Wanderer

We live as long as we fly

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Laucesa bike trip

2008-09-12

отдых спорт друзья туризм байк

Last Saturday, I roped my colleagues into rolling their bikes out of the closet for a mega-botanical ride in Laucesa. Rumor has it there are Dižkoki, aka ancient massive trees, over there, plus it's close, which is why I decided to head in  that direction. We set off at 1:30 PM and covered very little ground - 44 km. We rode like retirees - stopping every three kilometers. But on the plus side, it seems no one got too tired and they'll go again next time, which was my cunning plan all along.

We didn't make it to the mega-trees, my comrades ran out of juice.

Two smiling young people with backpacks stand by their bicycles on the side of the road against a background of green trees.
On the left is the great yuppie J-Lee Twin Tze.
On the right is Seryoga, the barbecue champion, who underwent special training in the capital of our vast former homeland aka default city.

Two young men stand by the side of the road under the trees next to three bicycles. One of them is wearing a white t-shirt and light shorts, and the other — a green shirt and shorts, holding a black bag on his shoulder. 
The bikes are all of decent brands  - my Scott, J-Lee's Rock Machine hardtail, and Seryoga's borrowed chromoly Giant.

The bikes are alright, especially after the Giant was lubed up. Seryoga is a hardcore dude - he rode with barely working brakes. We tuned them as best we could later - the bike's got bent rims because it's missing spokes. And J-Lee has a hardcore Soviet spring saddle. It looks terrifying, I won't say anything about the softness - I'm used to my sporty perch, I feel good on it.

An ancient brick house with a round tower topped with a crenelated parapet, surrounded by lush greenery. On the left, a person in dark clothing walks along a path, and on the right, a bicycle stands by a large tree. 
Spotting a brown tourist attraction sign, we turned off and came out to the estate


Two men stand and sit on a wooden bench near an old well, resting in the shade of a large tree. Next to them are two parked bicycles, and a brick house is visible behind them. 
Who out there was dreaming of seeing me in sporty gear?

A long brick building with a gray wavy roof and a wooden extension on the left. On the right rises a round brick tower with a crenelated top, surrounded by trees under a blue sky. 
The baroness who owned the estate lost it playing cards

Two men stand in a clearing against a background of green trees and talk. The man on the left is bare-chested with dark curly hair and a beard, and the man on the right is wearing glasses and a loose green shirt.

Which is what this citizen here, a former brass band musician, told us about. He also sold us some milk.

A man in glasses and a black sleeveless shirt stands with folded arms on the bank of a river surrounded by dense green trees and grass. The calm surface of the water reflects the sky with clouds and the coastal greenery. 
Nearby flows the Lauceska river, jam-packed with beaver dams

Three goats graze in a green meadow against a background of a forest. In the foreground stands a dark gray goat with long horns, looking at the camera, and behind it are two other goats, one light gray and one white. 
We saw all sorts of things along the way

Two bicycles stand on a narrow log bridge with wooden railings among dense green bushes and tall grass. 
Various things

A stone wall of an old building with a massive dark wooden door decorated with a red brick arch. On the right, green ivy entwines the wall, and in front of the entrance stand three wooden barrels. 
This tavern "Ciemos pie veca kaleja" is even featured in guidebooks

It was closed when we rode out there. When we were heading back in the evening, they were throwing a wedding there. On the other side of the tavern is a shop, we bought some pastries.


In the foreground, two golden statues of a mermaid and a large cat with a chain on its paws stand on the rocks. Behind them is a thick green oak tree and part of a rural landscape. 
The tavern is decked out nicely

Eventually, we made it to the bathhouse (excuse me, recreation center) Ezerkalns, where we'll be chilling with the work team in a week. The safehouses and passwords are on a  nightmarish website, which I had something to do with at my old job, which is the only reason I even went on it. It's unlikely anyone besides the creators suspects it exists or knows how to get there.

A wooden two-story house with a green roof and a balcony stands against a background of grassy hills, next to a large weeping willow. In the foreground is a sandy area with a single lantern. 
But the rec center itself looks pleasant and well-kept, even if it greets visitors with an unfriendly "Private Property" sign

A large black-and-tan dog runs with its tongue hanging out along the sandy bank of a river. In the background is a green hillside with wooden picnic tables, trees, and parked bicycles. 
The owner was home with his sons and a dog named Graf. Very friendly, probably due to his youth.

The owner let us take a dip, even though according to the price list it costs 0.20 Ls. Apparently, he counted it towards our future booking.

IMG_1710 
Something like this

View of the sandy shore of a body of water with a wooden pier where catamarans are moored, and a boat pulled up onto the sand. In the background, green hills with trees, walking paths, and a recreation area with a straw umbrella and wooden benches are visible under a cloudy sky.
And like this
A rural landscape with a wide field of withered grass in the foreground, a winding lake surrounded by dense forests, and a house with a red roof under a bright sky.
View of Lake Dervanishki from the other side

We got back before dark, swung by Seryoga's place, and ate some grapes. From there, we walked J-Lee home. Then it was my turn, we sat in the dark on a bench with apple-vanilla cider in our hands, like a bunch of gopniks. Alas, yes, I'm drinking again. Hopefully, it won't be for long.

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