Day Twenty Three - Kesterciems to Lauči

Packing up a wet camp is no fun, and creates challenges in keeping things dry that were safe in the tent. This was how the day started, and thankfully it was right by the sea. It was also Latvian summer holiday, which was super special to be a part of. A few miles into the ride I stopped in at the local Citro for a coffee and ice cream bar.

People were outside selling head crowns for the holiday, and were also buying beer early in the morning. Women make crowns with flowers, as they have only just started blooming after a long, dark winter. There were people scouring the roadside ditches for flowers to make their own crowns. You saw people from all around the Riga area doing this. Men wear crowns make with oak leaves. There are two days of holiday, associated with female and a male name day. The female day is Līgo, and the male name is Jāņi.

It took about 10 miles of riding and I was already in the outskirts of Riga, riding through Jūrmala. What stood out to me was just how green the city and surrounding suburbs are. It was a pleasure to ride through.

There were also major infrastructure works underway that made it tricky to navigate some specific areas. Cycling always was taken into consideration with this work. It’s so refreshing compared to how this is treated in the US. Cyclists are considered part of the traffic plan here, not an optional thing to fit in however you can. The below photo was an area of development for lanes under a bridge.

All throughout the city there was character.

It became immediately clear how disappointing it was that I would not be staying in the city longer, only passing through. So, I took my time and soaked in as much as I could. I was also on the search for camping gas, which involved locking the bike up outside shopping malls and rushing inside to look. In any case, I was able to spend some time in the city center and take in what I could.

Finding a spot for lunch was essential, and it was a holiday, so it made things a bit more challenging. I ended up finding a spot in the center of the city where I could keep an eye on my bike, while there were certainly other eyes on the bike too.

Immediately after lunch I visited the Freedom Memoral right around the corner. The statue is dedicated to Latvians who lost their lives fighting for independence in 1918. There were security guards on the back side of it, and lots of people taking photos. It took awhile for it to be clear of people to get this photo with my bike in it. It also made me a bit nervous to have to stand so far away from my bike to capture this shot.

Leaving the Riga area, I saw dark clouds on the horizon. Within moments it was raining. I rode in it for awhile, then took refuge under a restaurant umbrella. I started riding again, then took refuge in this bus shelter for about 45 minutes. It was already nearly 7pm and I had more than 40 miles to ride.

Eventually I just put my jacket on and started moving again. It took courage to ride in this crappy weather again. It’s been a long string of riding, and comfort really is valuable at this point. I’ve been wearing the same clothes for a month, pushing my body in the outdoor elements day after day, for more than 1500 miles. Just when that kind of thinking arrives, it’s time to focus on something else. Like, look at this amazing dirt trail I am riding through the lush Latvian forest. Holy shit! Is this for real?

This trail pushed me back out to a major highway, and soon after I saw a sign for a resort with camping. It was 10pm and I was on the highway with big trucks and people celebrating a holiday weekend. It was time to call it a day, even though I was 12 miles short of where I planned. I just went for it and rode into the resort.

It turns out they don’t really do tent camping, and they were closing up so they could celebrate their holiday. Despite all of this, they let me crash on their grass under a tree and brought me a beer, then invited me to their celebration. How amazing! I sat down on the deck outside, looked at the ground and discovered someone had sat in that exact place earlier in the day and made a wreath of flowers for the national celebration. The trimmings were sitting right under my feet!

They lit the celebratory fires, and passed food around. It was so nice to be welcomed here. Again, like the restaurant the previous night, the humanity in people comes out in the brightest ways.

The Baltic Sea is in the background through those trees. I perched my tent on some super soft moss in their grassy area and went to bed. It all just seemed like such a magical experience. My heart is warmed.