The Freedom of the Eastern Roads

Leysin, Switzerland, June 4 The school year has come to an end, and while I need to put up some pictures and stories from the spring term and the great cycling that I've enjoyed, it's time to talk briefly about this summer's upcoming travels. I'm flying to Tbilisi, Georgia tomorrow evening, with my trusty Rocky Mountain bicycle, ready for two and half months of travelling the eastern fringe of Europe. I love having a long, continuous block of time for travel, and the summer vacations here at Leysin American School are ideal for that. I also love filling in blanks on my personal map of the world, and the east of Europe, particularly the ex-Soviet fringe, is terra incognita for me for the most part. I should, if all goes well, visit eleven new countries (nine real countries, and two pseudostates--Abkhazia and Trans-Dniestria), bringing me over the 100-country mark in terms of my lifetime total. After this summer, the only European countries that I won't have visited at least once will be Ireland, Iceland, Sweden, Finland and (randomly) Slovenia. So the plan is to fly to Tbilisi tomorrow and ride up to Tallinn, the capital of Estonia, from where I will return to Leysin on August 18th. The projected itinerary is the following: Tbilisi Svaneti Abkhazia Sochi (Russia) Kerch (Ukraine) Crimea Ferry to Odessa Odessa Transdniestria Moldova N. Romania Hungary Slovakia Lvov (Ukraine) W. Belarus Lithuania Latvia Estonia It should be about 5500 km or so of cycling, depending on exact routes. I may also, if I have enough time, nip into the funny little Russian enclave of Kaliningrad (the former East Prussian city of Konigsberg) on the way out of Vilnius. I'm looking forward to the trip a lot. It has been a tiring school year here, and I need to clear out the mental and emotional cobwebs, and I find the road and the simplicity and discipline which it imposes is perfect for just that. I just finished reading a meticulously researched, compelling and somewhat depressing book called Bloodlands, by Timothy Snyder. It explores the mass killings perpetrated by Stalin and Hitler in the lands between Russia and Germany from 1932 to 1947. My route this summer basically rolls over and through the Bloodlands, making for a slightly grim theme tying together the various countries along the route. I hope to keep the blog updated at least weekly, although that may depend a bit on computer access and internet quality. I hope that the pictures, maps, stats and stories keep you entertained as you follow the blog. Peace and Tailwinds Graydon