Saturday 02/06/2018
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Couldn't find a normal toilet in what was an otherwise perfect campsite - that and the 10's of teenagers who turned-up on scooters to party on the beach let the experience down a bit. Still, I would have made the most given the age, opportunity and small window of good weather.
Got up early as my tent was right in the sun so by 07:30 it was already unbearable. I was sweating buckets by the time I got all my stuff packed away. Just as I was doing up the last strap on my bike the side stand dug into the grass and the whole thing toppled-over..... I always put something under the side-stand to stop things like this happening, but the ground was just too soft. A guy was walking past and he helped me to pick the bike up. The front indicator was pushed-in, but after a pit of pulling, it popped back into it's correct position. No damage so all in all a lucky escape.
Rode back up the sandy track to the tarmac and joined the main road that hugs the Baltic coast. Lots of beaches and places to stop, but dense trees hugged the road creating a constant shade. That and the sea-breeze actually made it feel a tad cold (relatively) but it was a perfect riding temperature. Decided to go straight to Sareemma island today and not do anything more. Very quickly got to the Estoniain border and as before, it was straight through with not so much as a flash of the passport.
Estonia is obviously more affluent than its Baltic neighbours. The roads are in great shape (although there are graded gravel roads everywhere, just like Latvia and Finland). The main road was as before with dense forest on either side of the road. At one point the road was widened for several miles. This was obviously a provisional runway 'extension' left over from Communist times. I have seen a few similar roads in Poland. The Estonian language sounds just like Finnish to me - very different sound to what I have heard so far on the trip.
Got to the port quickly, paid my €6.40 fee and parked-up behind a load of Polish bikers on immaculate machines. My bike is filthy from dust, chain oil and millions of splatted bugs.... My rear tyre is shot. No wires coming out (yet), but the centre section is now totally bold.... I will probably go through Tallinn tomorrow, but being a Sunday any bike garages (if any exist) will be shut. I'll just have to limp the 1000 miles back to Poland very carefull!
Anyway, the ferry crossing was very quick and efficient - within 30 minutes I was on Saaremaa. It's not a small island and there are towns and villages all over. I headed straight to Kuressaare which is the main town. Stopped to stretch my legs but seem to have missed the castle so I may see if I can find that on my way back through. Ended-up riding on a bit past Kuressaare to find a quiet spot to rest and have a lazy afernoon. Now in a place called Salme (lovely scenic campsite - just €6) where I have spent my afternoon washing my stuff again and dozing in a hammock strung-up between two trees in a lovely shaded wood listeninig to music. Black Rebel Motorcycle Club are brilliant!
Took a quick spin to the bottom of the island in shorts and a T-shirt. Liberating and a natural speed deterent. Popped into a shop on the way back and bought a load of varied beers and some jumbo sized salted sticks (paluszki). Decided to dig-out my cooking gear seeing as I've dragged it 2500 miles with me. Two packs of super-noodles and a tin of meatballs - that'll do.
Needed a lazy day. Tomorrow could be another long one as after a flying visit to Tallinn, I plan to ride the scenic roads toward Tartu and hopefully end-up in Kallaste on the shores of the big lake bordering the Russian mainland. It's been an interesting trip, but these aren't really biking roads (no corners). Certainly a part of the world well worth doing in a car / caravan / motorhome. It's mostly like Scandinavia, but cheaper, yet there is nothing to match the beauty of the West coast of Norway here, but it's still really pretty.
Mileage: 2379
Country count: 9 (GB, F, B, NL, D, PL, LT, LV, EST)
Beers: 25
Fines: 0
Bribes: 0
Ass pain: 2/10
Mechanical issues: 0
Accidents: 0 (well 1 that didn't involve me)
Coldness: 1/10
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