Bear prints on the beach

We were given a good send off by Poland before entering the Baltic states.

There must have been a heat wave, temperatures had been 20 plus for the past week. We were glad of the ride being a short one , only two hours, as we entered Suwalki on the edge of Poland it was warmer still.

Only once the tent was up in a site squeezed between the cemetery and the local football ground did we notice the large stage peering over the stadium wall. A quick search revealed a free concert and fireworks.

And the fireworks would be launched 50 meters from our tent.

We returned from a food shop to find my bike on its side , according to the German who helped us right it a mini whirlwind took it out. We could see a trail of debris from the arena. This bike has an unlucky streak, good job I have not paid Jean yet.

After the gig , a good female " pop rocker" (Ewa Fawn) , we settled down to await the fireworks. As they started the security guard who was stood between our tent and them quickly backed off behind us. We held our ground as debris fell around us.

Since then we have blasted across Lithuania to visit the beach in a tourist resort, Palanga.

Then Latvia for some more beach but in a remote spot  down some dirt roads. Where we had a play in the sand and pine tree lined tracks that connect all the small rural communities.

Some decent roads at last.

While out jogging one morning Jean grew concerned about prints in the sand that were definitely not dog. Some research showed there were at least 12 breeding pairs of bears in Latvia and she reckoned the googled print images matched the ones on the beach. This would explain how we were both spooked by a wild animal in the woods that night.

The following day we came across an information board, in English, that explain red foxes would scavenge dead fish washed up over night. Along with pictures of paw prints. That was that mystery solved.

We are just drifting and lazing around now. The bikes seem OK. Hopefully no more issues. Still a few days before we can enter Russia, just Estonia to see first, then it will be heads down and shoot for Mongolia.