Prepared or not, it’s a new day on the bicycle, and I have to get some kilometers today…Let’s just hope the body responds to what I want. I’ve had a painful day in bed after some bad food.
Bad day, bad night….Perfect conditions for a new day?
I’ve tried to get as much sleep as possible this night, but it hasn’t been easy. I’ve been cold sweating all night, at one point, my bed was so wet that I had to change to the other one. Before I changed, I was so cold that I actually went to the bathroom to have a shower. I quickly went to bed again and tried to get some sleep.
I went to breakfast around 9:30 in the morning. I felt much better, but I know that even if I feel good now, this day on the bicycle will be hard because of the condition yesterday and this bad night.
The bicycle and bag is packed and ready at 12. I’m checking out and found the car wash to see if it’s possible to clean my bicycle. You had to preorder….WHAT?
Finally on the road
I’m on the road at 12:30. I’ve bought the food and water that I need for today’s ride. I haven’t got any big plans, I just want to get the amount of kilometers that I have to…
It’s not a problem to find the direction out of Narva, I’m quickly on the road towards the Gulf of Finland. I will follow the ocean all day. It doesn’t take long before I have to stop and take some pictures, there’s always so many facinating monuments, churches among other things to take pictures of.
Beautiful views by the coast
The road follows the coast as I knew it would. It’s a nice feeling when you can smell the sea, and that you can see it between the buildings. Today’s route will be really flat, now big hills or anything is expected.
I pass some minor communities and people are looking at me and my bicycle setup. I guess they’re not used to people coming on a bicycle with a trailer connected.
At one point I’m turning off the road to follow the bicycle route. This is not gravel, this is stones… I’m thinking… Mr. Cramer, why are you sending me out here on this road…. There must be better alternatives! But then I come out to the coast, beautiful flat landscape and a steep cliff down to the Gulf of Finland. I understand now, it’s totally worth it!
I’ve been running on half engine all day. My body is as expected, not responding as I hoped for. Hope this will be better tomorrow. With about 20Km left to my destination for today, I’m basically just cycling in a trance. I’m trying to enjoy what I see around me, but I just look at it, consider to stop…. But no, I have to continue.
Spending the night at an historical location
Finally I’m at my destination. This is a place called Saka Cliff Hotel & Spa. Sounds amazing doesn’t it? I’m spending the night in my 
amazing villa, my tent with the name: Stian’s Tent & Spa Hotel! To be honest…It’s gonna be great to spend a night in the tent. I paid around 3 Euros to be allowed on the location, including shower!
The buildings with the reception, the resturant and all this area was established in the 17th century. It’s been chosen as a national symbol of Estonia. After the last owner of the Saka estate, Lowis of Menar left to Germany in 1939, the manor house was mainly used for military purposes and stood in ruins for the last two decades. It’s amazing to be able to sit here and see how nicely they’ve completed the renovations.
Enjoying the evening with some good food
I’ve had some food at the restaurant and are still sitting here, writing the blogpost. Today’s menu was a fish soup as a appertizer, main course was salmon and a raspberry cake with ice cream as dessert! AMAZING!
Thank’s for following me. Hope you like the pictures and what I write. For me, it’s a great documentation to have later on, but it’s always nice to know that people are interested and that they enjoy reading the posts.
Picture album from today’s trip:
GPS Data from today’s trip:
Norwegian
Today is the first time your fotos show a cycle route sign (route 10, which is the Baltic Sea Cycle Route). None up to now or just no photos? Have there been any 13th for the Iron Curtain Trail yet – I know, the trail is still a project under construction to be finished in 2020.
This is the first time I’ve seen the cycle route signs. I haven’t seen any of nr 13 yet. I guess that most likely I will see it more often now in the Baltic countries and in Germany?
I’m not sure whether you’ll find the Eurovelo signs yet, but in general you’ll find a lot of cycle route signs in Germany, e.g. you will have the «Ostseeküsten-Radweg»-signs, when you enter Germany from Poland.
There are no signs from Kirkenes to Estonia. Estonia is the first country where we could find sings «Eurovelo 10», which is the same route as the «Eurovelo 13». Michael Cramer told us, that there will be signs at Czechia, other countries will follow. In Germany the route is markes as «Grünes Band Deutschland». Maybe the «Eurovelo 13» is following….
Stian, we hope you feel better! Have a good trip!
Good to know! 🙂 I have your gps tracks on my gps. This helps on the places where I’m not sure.
Thanks, I feel much better today, a good meal yesterday, good night sleep in the tent and a nice breakfast now.. I’m prepared for a beautiful ride along the coast today. I’m planning to reach a camping in Vosu, about 95Km from here.
Hope your preparations is going good! Looking forward to meet you sometime this summer! 🙂
Hi Stian,
I ´m lucky that Piet and Mary gave me your link, because your blog gives me a good impression and lots of information which will be usefull since I fly into Kirkenes the 21. of July, then heading south on the ICT.
Well, you lifted the level to the top in terms of fitness, endurance and daily distances!!
For me it was very hepful to read your unsparingly reports, the downs and highs you were going through until now, because now I can estimate what my physical and mental condition will allow me to do.
I have 17-18 days to cycle until Helsinki . And now I´m not sure if I will do that without cheating (train).
All my best wishes for your trip!
Wilfried
Hi Wilfried,
Thanks for sending the comment and the best wishes!
I hope that you can use my trip for inspiration and as information about your trip! Are you going to complete the full distance this year? I have about 4 months available to complete this trip. I looked at Finland as a transport stage from the beginning. A lot of Finland felt like it as well, but then something happened, some of the places, history and people I met changed my view. Finland has been good to me. It’s not flat as they say, it is not high mountains, but it’s up and down all the way. And prepare youself by having food and drinks available for at least 100Km everyday. I guess there will be more people at the camp sites when you travel in July. When I travelled most of it was closed.
My physical condition is quite good. I’m able to do long stages if necessary, we completed a competition last year called Styrkeprøven (strength test) from Trondheim to Oslo in one day, this is 542Km. Sometimes my reason can be the weather, maybe that I’m expecting visitors somewhere or that there’s nothing to see or no place to stay. I’m a fan of having a camp site to stay at when I’m sleeping in the tent. Not because I don’t want to live in the wild, but because of the documentation. I Like to update the website, since I know it’s a lot of people following back home, and from other countries, for me it’s a good documentation for later.
As you mentioned, I’ve had up’s and down’s. On a trip like this, there will always be like this. Some days you are full of energy, and another you are competely empty. Are you going to Helsinki? That should be possible. If you use the translation that google offers, then you can read about the other trips we’ve done as well.
Hope that you will continue to follow, and again… Thank you for the comment, I appreciate it! 🙂
Regards,
Stian