Day 9: Last day in Poland

The view from my window at my rest day hotel

After enjoying my rest day and getting my laptop fixed, it was time for me to hit the road again. Since I haven't pumped my tires in a few days, I checked the pressure and wanted to put a little more air in them before setting out.

I asked the man I think was the owner if he had a pump. This hotel had bikes for rent, so they must have a big floor pump, right? Nope - he brings out a hand pump that is worse that the one I have. He is trying to be helpful and pump it up for me and winds up actually decreasing the air pressure. 

So he then calls his maintenance guy, who brings this ancient, ineffective foot pump that he tries to pump up for me. Ultimately, I wind up spending 10 minutes pumping up the tire with my own pump. But doing that in the hotel lobby is way better than on the side of the road.

Now that I was all warmed up from excessive pumping, I set out to good roads and relative peace from traffic. It definitely helped that it was Sunday morning. 

The first part of the morning took me through the forests on the east side of the Masurian Lake district. I saw multiple signs warning to watch out for moose, but I did not see any. That would be bad news to run into a moose while riding a bike.

My first break was just before the city of Ełk, where I bought a Coke, water, and a Magnum ice cream bar. Since I was getting a bit cool, I pulled out my vest. Today I was wearing my kit from my old bike shop's racing team and I could see how I would not be very visible in it. But the super-bright Timex vest solved that problem!

Another funny thing I saw today involved a stork's nest. I have mentioned the storks before, but they are becoming more and more common. They build these giant nests in various high locations, like on top of buildings, telephone poles, or sometimes purpose-built poles.


(Not my picture. Thank you, random Flickr poster)

These poles are about 20 feet high and are usually in yards, or maybe in fields. I think they put them up to give the storks a better place to nest than hi-voltage power lines. 

But one I saw today was in the middle of a scrapyard. So take the above picture and imagine a five foot high pile of scrap metal at the bottom. And then, 30 seconds later, I saw another in a different part of the yard - I think it was plastic this time. Very strange.

Break #2 was as I got into the city of Suwałki.

I brought the bar with me - they don't sell things like that here.

For both breaks, I just wolfed down my food while standing in front of the store as people going in and out look at me strangely. They do not have many sport cyclists, much less a woman. 

Yet again, it was very windy for the last bit of the journey, but at least it was a cross wind and not a headwind. At one point when I turned toward the hotel, I had a tailwind and it was amazing!!!

This hotel is all by itself in the middle of nowhere. I am not staying in this building, but instead in a newer building next door.

Because the towel they gave me was tiny, like an oversized handtowel, I was going to have to improvise to help out the drying process. I took my big items outside and spun them around to get some of the water out, then hung them up old school while I went to dinner.

They also have a restaurant (more like a shack) and camping down at the lake, a two minute walk. 

Dinner was good and no one stole my clothes, so I was back in my room before 8. I need to do a bit more research on key words in Lithuanian before I cross the border tomorrow. It should be an interesting day tomorrow.

Today's ride info:

154km/92mi and 6:20, bringing my totals to 1163.5km/698mi and 54 hours.

Each evening, I only look at what I did for that day. Yesterday, I actually looked at how far I have gone. I was shocked...it seems crazy!!

The real adventure begins tomorrow when I cross into Lithuania!