Klaipeda, Lithuania 256 km

When we went out to check the bike first thing this morning there were three police cars and four guys with guns on their belts hovering around the bike. On, no! The administrative pass people were onto us. We casually sauntered over to the bike, looking as innocent as we could but they paid us no mind. Just security guys changing shift we think. Must say we were relieved when we rode past the sign saying end of fee area. No criminal charges. No 50 euro fine.

Yesterday we saw a bus load of young girls in gymnastic attire get off at the hotel, doing cart wheels and hand stands across the court yard. We asked about it this morning and apparently they are attending a prestigious gymnastics camp that they are only allowed to attend if they have won a championship of some sort. There are girls there from all over the world but mostly from Russia.

Welcome to Lithuania. See video for border crossing under construction. 

Doug wore his Toronto Raptors hat in honour of Jonas Valanciunas, the Lithuanian center for the team. Nobody has offered him any money for it yet. . .

We had a very varied ride today from 40 kph construction zones to 130 kph freeways. Spent most of the day in farmland with a few towns/cities thrown in. Saw many more heron nests along the way – even managed to grab a shot with the helmet cam. There seem to be nests around many farm houses. The platforms are man-made metal framing on the top of power poles. Maybe the birds are helpful to the farmers so the farmers help with the nest building to encourage them to stick around. Or by providing them with sites they don’t interfere with power transmission.

We also saw a Latvian fire extinguisher – sealed in a box painted red were two buckets and a cable. Figure that one out.

One of the rests stops, they were very infrequent today, had these cute little bathrooms --- until you opened the door to see the hole in the ground surrounded by cement foot prints. Gross – picture provided on request but not appropriate to post here. Norma is really glad she has learned how to pee in the bush sitting on a rock. No way was she going into this establishment, cute or not!

We are staying in the National Hotel. It was built in 1855. We treated ourselves to a luxury suite with air conditioning and our own private deck. It is very nice. It is 30C out there again today so we were glad to get settled in the cool. Looks like there is lots to explore within walking distance for us tomorrow, our day off.