Over breakfast we decided that we should do a 100km+ day as that would take us nicely to Ventspils, the next big town/city on our coastal tour to Riga.
Following the Eurovelo 10/13 we were hoping for a designated seperate cycle route that ran along the coast....we got a 85km A-road a few hundred meters away from the sea! Probably our longest, most repetitive road on the trip yet, but on the plus side navigation was easy and it rolled pretty well. Anything dry was an improvement on yesterday's rainy, wet sand experience!
There weren't any real villages directly on the road so our one and only lunch stop came fairly late and was much-needed just to break the monotony amd so we could actually talk to each other. Whilst sat outside the little shop we met a cycle touring couple from Switzerland, cycling their way back from Thailand. After a chat (and 2 ice creams for Peter) we got back on the road to put the final 30km to bed with a pizza stop as the incentive at the end. We found cracker bread for the first time in ages so were able to avoid eating a sandwhich which tasted like cheese in a sweet cake. Yay!
Ventspils makes a welcoming impression, very green, clean and tidy. Tree-lined avenues with well-networked cycle tracks run throughout the town. Tonight's campsite is directly in the town itself, its a bit like too commercial compared to what we are used to and like but that's the beauty of cycle touring- differnt locations every day!
Photos-
Today's drying effort after yesterday's rain
The first real building we see on the road today-Ventspils brewery. (We tried their beer today= not great!)
Pizza!Read more
LatviaVentspilsVenta River57°23’3” N 21°32’7” E
LatviaVentspilsVenta River57°23’3” N 21°32’7” E