DATE: Tuesday June 19, 2007
ROUTE: Tallinn Rest Day
DISTANCE: Lots of walking
TIME:
CEG: Up/Down/Up/Down
WEATHER: Sunny and Mild


Rest days are really important for recovery but even though we stay off the bikes, we are never inactive. Our hotel was located perfectly at the bottom of the hill to Old Town. This well-preserved medieval center is filled with towers, ramparts, facades, churches, shops, and restaurants.

But first things first: LAUNDRY! It’s always a relief to get your clothes really clean after nightly washings in the shower or sink. And laundry day, in my experience, always turns out to be full of surprises. The plan was to take the car and a few people to the laundry across town. We’d leave it there and pick it up after our 9:30 orientation walk. Well …. the laundry was swamped with a mountain unexpected of shirts. The women would not have time to do our loads, but we could leave them to be washed when a washer became available. They would put our clothes in the washer if they had time and if they remembered. While Toomas (our Russia/Baltic guide) made the arrangements, the pneumatic shirt presser kept me amused. Remember that some people had sent most of their wardrobe (me) and didn’t want to be riding in their pajamas or skivvies. It was with reluctance that Monica, Margie, and I left our bagged clothes leaning against busy washers. We met the rest of the group at the hotel for our tour. At the end of our tour we continued walking to the laundry --- but this time with the clothes owners tagging along. We were relieved to find that all our clothes had been washed and we just had to put them in the dryer and wait and wait and wait. Toomas showed up with the van at just the right time and we returned to the hotel with fresh, clean clothes.

Several people then went with Toomas to a “big” bicycle store. I had unfortunately left some clothes in a drawer in St Petersburg and needed a long sleeved jacket or jersey for the chilly morning temperatures. The shop had many bicycles but no clothes for women. I had hoped to find something with Tallinn or Estonia across the back but no such luck. There is still very little choices in this kind of clothing in Estonia. I was happy to find a jacket that has the colors of the Estonian flag: blue for sky, black for suffering, and white for hope.

I spent the rest of the day walking around Old Town and enjoying the hope and vitality of this beautiful city.

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