Setting out on a remarkable two-day journey that would soon weave tales of camaraderie and perseverance, the team embarked from Klaipeda, Lithuania, destined for the serene landscapes of Kuldīga.
Spires of Liepāja's Holy Trinity Cathedral
Klaipeda to Sventāja. Easy pedaling forest roads. Like a ride in the park. Bliss.
Next day onwards to Liepāja. Main roads this time. Everything changed, priorities changed.
Road to Liepāja.
The team had to work differently. Think differently. Ride differently. Guard Samuel's flank and rear, as he was down low against the tarmac on his hand-cycle. Low visibility to traffic, meant cars where a menace, but it was the trucks that were dangerous. Their size and velocity shook the ground as they swept by, their slip stream sucking up all the air, making the riders gasp. Samuel, the indomitable soul pedaling on a hand-cycle, found himself needing a new kind of guardianship.
But it didn't matter really because for all the team, the scenery was so damned gorgeous, it kept their mind off the intermittent harassment from the vehicles.
At the Latvian border, they all had time for a little celebration. Sharing the mutual joy of crossing into a new land.
Talking to film maker and friend Rimantas Navickas, Ajmal reflected on how the undulating tilled land, punctuated by forests of silver birch, the old farmsteads, hints of archetypal European landscapes, reminded him of old Russian films, classics like Dr Shivago kept playing on his mind.
Film maker Rimantas Navickas preparing his drone to the film Ajmal's arrival into Liepāja.
Arriving in Liepāja.
Downtown Liepāja.
Navigating the steps into the hotel at Liepāja.
Planning logistics over breakfast.
Liepāja's Holy Trinity Cathedral
Ajmal Samuel on the road to Kuldīga
As he pedaled his way into Kuldiga, the final stretch of a beautiful day up and down the undulating dales, those that were not just ordinary landscapes; but seemed to echo the artistic essence of Constable's masterpieces, Ajmal had one final thought for the day;
That he was embarking on a journey that defies both physical boundaries and conventional expectations. That as the wheels of their journey turn, they paint a vivid picture of camaraderie, adventure, and the unyielding pursuit of exploration.
Remnants of the WW2 pillbox German Coastal defense.
This chapter of their saga from Liepaja, to Kuldiga—a path that is part of a vital thread in a broader tale of a disabled traveler's odyssey from Lithuania to the captivating landscapes of Norway."
Distance Covered
Day 1 - Klaipeda to Sventāja 42.89Km
Day 2 - Sventājato Liepāja 62.11Km
Day 3 - Liepāja to Kuldīga 97.34Km
TOTAL DISTANCE COVERED: 202.34Km
Join the expedition, follow updates, and tag along on this inspiring adventure."
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