12. Riding to Riga with Rhythm

By Dennis

We have been riding every day for the past 6 days covering 456 km and starting to settle into the daily rhythm of the long distance cycling routine. I can now do the morning pack up in about 15 minutes instead of the hour on the first day. I have a better understanding of the nuances of our navigation app Komoot (not always correct!). I trust the drivers more (they are actually kinder to cyclists than in Canada). We go shopping the night before for breakfast goodies and snacks for the next day. I have learned how to effectively use Google Translate (did you know you can point it at a sign or label and it will translate? Very useful for shopping, as the language here has no semblance of English.) We have moderated our pace to let us ride 5-6 hours a day averaging around 18-19km/hour as compared to the 2-3 hour ride and 21-22km/hour we do with the RVYC group. And of course there is the daily routine of micronutrient replacement therapy!

It has been a fairly flat ride so far, but riding for 6 days straight in the first week has caused some aches and pains. We are both looking forward to 2 full rest days in Riga, the capital of Latvia, and with a population of approximately 600,000.

Salacgriva to Limbazi – 48km 18.1km/hr

A short day in kilometres, but it took us longer than expected as Komoot took us the wrong way, resulting in an unpaved road for 15km, before again joining up with the correct road. Oh well, we saw our first storks nest, lots of well manicured forests, and bucolic farmlands growing wheat and corn. Upon our arrival in Limbazi we met up with Miss Ingrida, our host for the AirBnB we rented. Miss Ingrida offered us an upgrade to our original booking but we were somewhat puzzled as she marched us off to a church hall and up some stairs to a large room with 2 beds and two bibles. It was good enough for two tired cyclists and better than the prison cell size room we had previously booked – so we took it!

Limbazi to Riga – 96km 18.2km/hr

An early start today, we were on the road just after 7 and the road almost immediately turned into soft sand. Oh no we thought, not another yesterday, but it was only for 5km before turning into pavement again. Lots of storks nests and more farmland growing wheat and corn. Getting closer to Riga the traffic increased and the last 10km was nerve wracking with many large trucks whizzing by on narrow roads, forcing us at times to get off the pavement and onto the gravel shoulder. Might is right, and who is going to argue with a truck? We are staying at an AirBnB about 3k (10 minute bike ride) from the city centre.

Pictures around Riga…