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Back in the USSR? First full day in Kaliningrad Oblast
Fascinating to have arrived in Kaliningrad Region – looks, feels, smells even so much like the Russia/Soviet Union Jutta and I knew so well. Our two-day slow route in mapped on the right, from Mauerwald with its crazy WWII bunkers, to Gusev/formerly Gumbinnen.
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Norovirus Rules – but, Kaliningrad here we come.
First, a couple of Garmin map links if you’re interested in our exact route, and speeds, and elevation and all the rest. https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/embed/1909929009 https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/embed/1909906242 If you check, you’ll note that the first one suddenly picks up speed dramatically after Rozogi. And yes, from that point we were no longer trundling sedately along on Daisy, but…
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One Day In, and Careful What You Eat
Jutta’s stomach – norovirus? something she ate? – forcing a one-day pause, rather early in the proceedings. But hoping to continue tomorrow.
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Chopin and Changing. Daisy’s here…
All’s well, British Airways finally delivered Daisy safely if 36 hours later to Warsaw’s Chopin airport (sorry for the terrible, and obvious, pun in the headline…) and we set off north tomorrow. First though, an open-air Chopin concert in Warsaw’s Lazienki Park. And this is how Daisy arrived, her plastic packing somewhat compromised from her…
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Tandem Warsaw to Tallinn
So, after a satisfying if brief dalliance with electric bikes in the south of France in May, it’s time again for some serious cycling, with Daisy our tandem some 1300km from Warsaw up through Russia’s Baltic enclave of Kaliningrad and Riga to Tallinn, the Estonian capital. I’ll see if I can embed here a rough…
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Mount Ventoux – with a little electro-help
Our two Kalkhoff BeatBikes, from 50cycles.com, took Mt Ventoux – the Mecca of serious global cycling and 5000 feet or so of uphill slog – in their stride. Mark got up on the Sport setting, and bottom gear, while Jutta used the full Monty, on Power all the way up. And even then, we each…
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Cycling The Medoc and Pyrenees – on electrics, for heaven’s sake!
The Braynes’ Tour de France Electrique continuing to go rather well, from Bordeaux and the Medoc down to the Pyrenees, where Mark spent a wonderful week this time of year in 1970 helping restore an old police station/young people’s holiday hostel in Saurat, near Tarascon-sur-Arriege (and Andorra). Alongside the weather’s perfect timing, and the sheer…
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Brexit and memories of divorces personal and political
Three thoughts – one positive, one neutral and one apocalyptic – as Jutta and I prepare for a month’s tandeming through Central Europe from the Baltics to Bavaria. To start with apocalypse (but please read on for two alternative views), listening to Farage and his kind I’m afraid I can’t help thinking of the late 1980s…
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Braynes’ Tandem Tour of Aotearoa New Zealand – Jutta’s final stoker view looking back
As we watch the South Island fade into the distance, swaying with the Bluebridge ferry’s wave-riding, my thoughts float back over our rich, smooth and eventful 2900-kilometre tandem journey the length of New Zealand from the very North to the very South, with thanks to the Weather Gods and what must be a chorus of…
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#TandemTA Tour of Aotearoa/New Zealand officially over, with 2900km on the clock
So this looks like being Mark’s last post (Jutta’s is still to come) from our Tandem Tour Aotearoa of New Zealand, with warm thanks to those who’ve followed our progress these past six and a bit weeks, a most rewarding 2900 kilometres from Cape Reinga in the far North to Bluff in the far South.…
The PsychloTherapists
Mark & Jutta Brayne's Blog
The PsychloTherapists 