He spent just € 400 on a dream vacation – he revolutionized the entire country in 11 days

Tell us about you. Has cycling played an important role in your life even before this trip?

I rode my bike my entire childhood. Until now, I remember driving this vehicle to the store, to my grandparents, and a little later, even to appointments. At 18 I got my driver’s license. Then the bicycle was put aside. Everything changed last summer: thanks to colleagues and friends, I remembered my favorite bike from childhood. Since then, riding it has become a way to spend active free time.

How did the idea of ​​cycling in Lithuania come about? Tell us about this memorable trip.

The idea came from seeing cyclists upload more and more photos from around the world on social media. I thought I would prove myself too. It is true that I did not decide to go abroad in search of adventure, so I chose my country for my first trip.

I started preparing for this trip in March, as soon as the snow melted. Before the start of the trip, he was actively training and had covered about 1000 kilometers. My journey started on the morning of May 22, I started thinking from Klaipeda towards the border with Latvia. After 6 days of mentioning it, I stopped to rest in Vilnius. I spent two days resting my legs, and after the rest days I spent another 5 days. Then I went back to Klaipeda. It took me 11 days in total, I covered 1,397 kilometers. I did it in 82 hours and 10 minutes. I finished the trip on June 3, during my birthday.

What images did you remember during the trip?

I saw a lot of Lithuanian nature, cultivated fields, meadows, forests, mountains and slopes. I drove through many beautiful and cozy cities where I wanted to stay longer, but I only had a vacation for two weeks. It’s a shame, but everything had to be done in a hurry. I have traveled very little in Lithuania so far, so after this trip I already have a list of cities and towns that I would like to visit sooner or later and stay longer in them. I was fascinated by Žagarė, Biržai, Zarasai and many other places. While trying to drive as close to the border as possible, he often had to change the paved road surface for gravel roads and sometimes even hard-to-pass or non-passable open air roads.

So what is our Lithuania like when we see it by bike?

Away from the bigger cities, I noticed a lot of abandoned farms, individual farms. From time to time people still lived in them. Remains of clay walls of the house, the foundations remain in the middle of cultivated fields. There are many monuments to the towns that no longer exist.

When I started my journey along the border with Latvia, I kept thinking that, seen from above, it should be all yellow, because that is when rape was in bloom.

It was only while cycling that I realized that the Klaipėda region has very flat terrain, and the mountains on the other side of Lithuania are not always so easily overcome.

Is this the first trip of this kind in your life? Are you committed to her alone, or perhaps to the company?

This was my first bike ride. I decided to travel alone because that trip requires not only physical preparation, but also having the right equipment. Of course, it is not so easy to find someone who will accept such a challenge. Even before the trip, from time to time I felt indecisive. I kept wondering if I had set a goal for myself too much.

How was your schedule during the trip? Where did you eat, sleep, wash?

Each of my mornings began with breakfast, which I prepared with the help of a gas can. Usually it was a quick oatmeal flavored with smoked or dried meat, cheese. For lunch, I tried to go into town with a coffee and have a hearty meal. Of course, after the quarantine, it was very difficult to find catering establishments that were still operating in smaller cities, so when I couldn’t find anything, I would often stop at the store or at the gas station. For dinner, as well as for breakfast, oatmeal, occasionally pasta, or quick soups in jars.

After breakfast, I packed all my belongings, tent, carpet, sleeping bag. I did a warm-up and sat in my vehicle. During the whole trip, I only slept in a tent. I built it mostly near bodies of water, in free picnic areas, or in places that fishermen love. Several times I had to pitch a tent in the bushes, in very uncomfortable places, because many bodies of water are inaccessible. The paid campsites were very surprised by their high prices, since they ask from 10 euros per night. For this reason, I mainly sat on the bike and just looked for a place where it was possible to spend the night for free.

Since the trip started in May, the water was still cold, so I didn’t want to bathe and cool off in rivers or lakes. Since serving in the Dragon Battalion three years ago, I have learned to maintain hygiene and wash using only wet wipes.

How much did this trip cost you?

I would call my travel budget. I bought a used bike, all the camping equipment, tent, mat, sleeping bag, bike bags were economy class. Preparing for this trip cost me around 400 euros (this price includes the bike). It was definitely not a luxury trip, but my goal was not to organize anything.

What did this trip teach you? What skills did you acquire?

This trip taught me to cross the limits of my possibilities. I realized that it is quite possible to do the impossible, not to think about bad weather, strong wind. This trip only reinforced my opinion that the bicycle helps me “blow” my head off bad thoughts and emotions. I remember looking at other cyclists a year ago and not even daring to think that I too would cover such a long distance.

On this trip, I gained more courage by interacting with strangers, realizing that there are many nice people who just stopped next to me and asked where I was going. When I explained everything to them, they usually released me crazy with a smile on my face.

During the trip, I learned to choose elements that are really important. I noticed that at the end of the trip, some of the items were completely unnecessary and remained unused for the entire trip.

I remember that during the trip I stopped at Kudirka Naujamiestis, near the cafe. Several people flocked. When they asked me if there was a coffee, I got a negative answer, but it became very interesting for everyone where I was going. After a few minutes of conversation, a grandmother asked me if I wanted coffee and offered me a piece of fork, even though I only had one. I reluctantly refused, but that generosity and kindness gave me the strength to think hard about the bike for the rest of the day.

What kind of people would you recommend this type of trip to?

I would recommend it to people who are not afraid to step out of their comfort zone, they love nature, quiet and cozy nights. Such a trip should attract people who want to see the sights with different eyes. When you ride a bike, things look completely different, you notice and appreciate things that you had not noticed before.

Are there people you are grateful to for embarking on this adventure?

Many thanks to the people who supported me both in preparing for the trip and during it. Thanks to colleagues and friends for the motivation that pushed me forward, prevented me from giving up and motivated me in difficult times.

Thanks to the parents who told me to call every night and let me know where I would sleep. I thank the grandparents who saw every photo I took on social media during the trip and called me to say that I would not dare to give up. They said that the most important thing was to make their dreams come true.

Thanks to everyone who found time to talk to me on the phone, because there was a time when that real communication began to be lacking and I felt a bit removed from civilization.