from Toila to Narva-Jõesuu

It rains in the night. I should have brought the bike in shelter.
It is strangely warm outside. Smells of buds and fresh grass. I put on rain gear and take it off again in Voka. No rain here.
Before and after Konju are enemy positions. Another Cimic car drives by and stops. They want to warn me that a battle is going on in front? A man named Peetsalu steps out. They have a gift for me. Estonian flag. Sweet PR of the defense forces. Asks where I’m going and wishes luck.
I find some more gravel roads, some with RMK hiking way signs but have to move to highway before Sillamäe. So I drive into Sillamäe, a city that was closed for a long time, with an Estonian flag attached. At first there are ugly houses but then I find a park that continues until the sea and has big stylish houses around it. That’s impressing. Active sandcastle building going on at the beach. An elderly lady comes to ask where I’m going and if I really have tent and food with me and if I’m not afraid and wishes me all the best the long way that Russian-speaking people are in a habit to do.
I spot no eating places. There has to be a small road by the sea turning off from Gagarin street. It is indeed a lovely road lined with benches and bright forest. I make a stop by a bench with some sports installations and do five pull-ups for a change. And picnic. Sun tries to come out. Later I put rain gear on again and remove it again soon. The Norwegians predicted heavy rain for the whole day. But what do they know.
Gravel roads along the sea continue, sometimes with more grass, sometimes with more gravel. In the end of one especially grassy part lies a big dog on the way with his back towards me. I call to it, trying to sound friendly. First the dog does not move but then looks at me, says „wuf“ and escapes over the stone fence. Sorry. It’s position was completely logical, facing the drive-way from where the owner is supposed to arrive and my appearance from the pasture wasn’t in the script. At next house is an old man kneeling and tending flowers.
Narva-Jõesuu seems to be downhill which is nice. For Narva-Jõesuu I have a gift card from my aunt so I stay in a spa. Fancy hotels are carelessly unsuspicious towards hikers not knowing that a hiker takes little space only on trail and in campsite. In a room a hiker goes to shower with all clothes, hangs wet stuff everywhere and puts a tent up in the bathroom.
Kalle arrives with supplies. We visit hot tubes where it is possible to observe screaming Russian kids, and watch sunset from sauna. Service in the restaurant is is ... very direct.
45 km today.
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