Digital Wanderer

We live as long as we fly

Latvia - cycling trip to Laucesa

2008-09-12

отдых спорт друзья туризм байк

Last Saturday, I talked my colleagues into dragging their bikes out of the closet for a mega-botanical ride to Laucesa. Word has it there are Dižkoki there, meaning huge ancient trees, plus it’s close by, which is why I decided to head in  that exact direction. We rolled out at 13:30 and barely covered any distance - 44 km. We rode like pensioners - stopping every three kilometers. But on the bright side, it seems no one got completely exhausted, so they’ll come along next time too, which was my sneaky goal all along.

We didn't make it to the mega-trees, my comrades just didn't have enough juice left.

Two smiling young men with backpacks standing by their bicycles on the side of the road against a backdrop of green trees.
On the left is the great yuppie Jay Lee Twin Tze.
On the right is Seryoga, the shashlik champion, who went through special training in the capital of our former vast motherland aka default city.

Two young men standing by the roadside under the trees next to three bicycles. One of them is wearing a white t-shirt and light shorts, and the other is in a green shirt and shorts, holding a black bag on his shoulder. 
The bikes are all of decent brands  - my Scott, Jay Lee has a Rock Machine hardtail, and Seryoga has a borrowed chromoly Giant.

The bikes are fine, especially once the Giant got oiled. Seryoga is a hardcore dude - he was riding with barely working brakes. We tuned them later as best we could - the bike's wheels are out of true, because some spokes are missing. And Jay Lee has a hardcore Soviet spring seat. It looks terrifying, I won't say anything about how soft it is - I'm used to my sporty little perch, it suits me just fine.

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


Two men standing and sitting on a wooden bench near an old well, resting in the shade of a large tree. Two bicycles are parked next to them, and a brick house is visible behind them. 
Who was it that dreamed of seeing me in sportswear?

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 in a card game

Two men standing in a clearing against a backdrop of green trees and talking. 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 right here, a former brass band musician, told us. He also sold us some milk.

A man in glasses and a black sleeveless shirt standing with his arms crossed 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 coastal greenery. 
Right nearby flows the Lauceska river, jammed with beaver dams

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

Two bicycles standing on a narrow log bridge with wooden railings amidst 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 twines around the wall, and three wooden barrels stand in front of the entrance. 
This tavern "Ciemos pie veca kaleja" is even mentioned in guidebooks

When we rode there, it was closed. When we were heading back in the evening, they were throwing a wedding there. On the other side of the tavern is a shop, where we bought some buns.


In the foreground, two golden statues, a mermaid and a large cat with a chain on its paws, stand on stones. Behind them is a thick green oak tree and a piece of rural landscape. 
The tavern is decorated quite splendidly

Eventually, we made it to the bathhouse (pardon, recreation center) Ezerkalns, where we'll be chilling with the work squad next week. The secret codes and coordinates are on  a somewhat nightmarish website, which I had some connection to at my old job, hence why it's the only reason I visited it. Highly doubt anyone besides its creators suspects it even exists, or knows how to access it.

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

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

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

IMG_1710 
Something like this

View of a 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 are visible with trees, walking paths, and a recreation area with a straw umbrella and wooden benches under a cloudy sky.
And like this
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 Dervaniški from the other side

We got back before dark, swung by Seryoga's place, and ate some grapes. From there, we walked Jay Lee home. Then me, and we sat in the dark on a little 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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