PART THREE
A MOTORCYCLE STORY BY ERIC AND GAIL HAWS
The following summer we returned to Finland as it was our
intention to travel in a clockwise trip into the Baltics,
through northern Europe up Norway to the North Cape.
It would be the
reverse of the trip we took in 1990 when we entered
Russia, including the
Baltics. Now, that the Russians were gone from the Baltic, at
least
officially, it would be interesting to see if any differences were
noticeable.
The trip started well. In Helsinki we took the ferry to
Tallin, Estonia, a ferry similar to the one that the
following
year was to sink with all lost. We arrived in Estonia
about 6 p.m., met an Estonian friend at a restaurant and
left town about 10 pm. In the States we were use to
riding our 9.3 gallon PD, and so about mid-night when we
ran
out of gas it took a few minutes to remember that our GS
only had a 5.4 gallon tank. No one has said that we were
real smart and it is not a good idea to run out of gas on a
dark night in rural Estonia. But we reached a very small
three
house village when to our surprise a Russian came along on
a bicycle.
We told him we were Americans and about our three trips to
Russia. He was amazed and was even further amazed that we had run out
of gas. Then an Estonian came along but was of no help.
But the Russian threw his bicycle ten feet into some bushes to
hide it and found another Russian, who was quite drunk, but
had an old auto. One of us stayed behind to guard the GS
while
the other went with the two Russians and one Estonian. We
drove 5 miles to an all-night gas station which amazed us
as
it was not something we expected to find in Estonia.
The Estonian guarding the pumps was surprised
when we didn't have Estonian money since we had
not vet changed. We couldn't believe that he didn't want
American dollars. So the Estonian paid for the gas and
we proceeded to the liquor store where they did want
American
money. Back at the GS we tanked up while our three
companions did likewise but from a different container.
(IMAGE OF STORK
NEST)
By morning we had reached the western coast and took the
ferry
to two superb Estonian Islands. These islands had changed
little in the last 50 years when the Russians arrived
during
WW II. At one time about 15,000 Swedes lived on these
island but they
all left when the Russians came. Very few Russian
actually
went to the Island, preferring to live in cities. After
the Russia troops had left, it now being 1994, things were
changed. Estonians receive Finnish TV programs ðand knew
that now they are supposed to be making money. But no one
told them to advertise. They even have bed and breakfast
but since they don't know about advertising signs finding them
is difficult. One night we knew there was one close but
could not find it. So we relied on a technique that we
had perfected. We found a Russian, who happened to be
quite drunk, and after stumbling down a path showed us
how
to get there.
We continued across Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland
until we reached the new Republic of Czechoslovakia where we
attended
the FIM rally, two of only eight Americas. We
were only sorry that we did not have more time to spend in
о
the Baltics since all the roads are not paved, the
countries
are basically unexplored and have many old castles,
monuments
and a scenic nature. In fact, on one of the Estonian islands,
we
found an old windmill in a special setting that is the best
we have every
seen.
RETURN TO SCANDINAVIAN HOMEPAGE
FOR THE FOURTH PARTY OF THE FOUR PART SERIES
10 Dec 96