Kiev Lavra Monastery over the Dnieper
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Day 34: Popil’yna, Ukraine to Kiev, Ukraine
Start: Popil’yna, Ukraine
End: Kiev, Ukraine
Distance: 128.0km
Elevation Gain: 2210ft
Elevation Loss: 2396ft
Time: 8h58m
Reading Material:Ukraine: A History, 4th Edition – Orest Subtelny
Audio Material: Diane Rehm Friday News Roundup; On The Media; Channel Orange – Frank Ocean
Description
Super long day but the promise of Kiev and a warm shower lay ahead. Breakfast from my reserve stash of chocolate porridge and an early start. Roads began in good condition but then a long stretch of half-pavement. And, then out of nowhere, 5km of cobblestones in the middle of nowhere through farms fields. I felt like I was in the Paris–Roubaix race.
Cobblestone is a funny surface. In the 15th century, cobblestones were a mark of well-constructed roads as it prevented both mud and dust from forming. And, cobbles had the advantage of making a lot of noise to warn pedestrians of oncoming “fast” moving vehicles (horses, carriages, bicycles and eventually cars). Of course, this is the sound of wheels being jarred. Bicyclists actually played a large role in advocating to replace cobbles with paved surface in the late 19th and early 20th century. The money quote is “Bicycling was an extremely popular recreation among the middle and upper classes in the late 19th century and was more fun on paved roads.”
The cobbled classic bicycle races (e.g. Tour of Flanders and Paris–Roubaix) are famous not because cobbles make for good cycling but instead add an element of danger and surprise. During today’s cobbled classic, I mostly stuck to dirt single-tracks alongside the main road which showed a good amount of bicycle wear from other weary travelers.
The approach to Kiev was on a major artery. The Kiev metro area is probably the largest I’ve seen since Berlin and it took a good 1.5hr to reach the city center. I’ll be holing up in an apartment here for the next 10 days, getting some rest and plotting my route to Moscow and Saint Petersburg. Expect posting to be light for a bit.
Lazy Dogs in Kiev
Puzata Hata FTW!
@ Puzata Hata, Kiev after a hard day’s ride
Day 33: Berdychiv, Ukraine to Popil’yna, Ukraine
Start: Berdychiv, Ukraine
End: Popil’yna, Ukraine
Distance: 74.6km
Elevation Gain: 974ft
Elevation Loss: 1068ft
Time: 6h24m
Reading Material: The Good Soldier Švejk – Jaroslav Hašek; Ukraine: A History, 4th Edition – Orest Subtelny
Audio Material: Transom; Nerdist (interview w/ Jesse Thorn who is everywhere suddenly, our generation’s Terry Gross??); WTF podcast; NPR’s All Songs Considered
Description
Ran into fellow bicycle tourers for the first time since the Czech Republic. A couple and their super cute 3 year-old daughter Marta (patiently riding in a child’s seat and rocking some awesome pink shades). Originally from Poland, they were returning from China via Kyrgyzstan. Unable to secure a Russian visa, they took a train for a bit and were now transiting Ukraine towards home.
We compared notes for about an hour while somewhat angry drivers dodged our roadside meeting. They bought bikes while in China and were pretty amazed they were still holding up. I was amazed at their ability to minimize gear: about 30kg from all three! For some reason, they hadn’t yet had my hospitality luck with Ukrainians. They surmised it might be my beard. I think maybe Ukrainians just don’t find Poles as interesting since they meet them all the time…they can even understand each other! They were looking for a nice lake for a swim/clean and I recommended my spot, hopefully they get a similar welcome. I had read many online accounts of bike touring with kids, but great to see it in action and with such a happy little girl. And, just nice to run into fellow travelers — maybe biking across Ukraine isn’t that crazy.
The rest of the day was mostly uneventful. Long stretches without tree cover meant strong crosswinds which seriously slowed my pace. I had gotten a late start (~10am) and with the mini-summit, I decided to find shelter around 5pm. I’m within striking distance of Kiev (~120km) and will aim to hit the city tomorrow evening.
