THANKS TO RAMUNAS MONTVILA, (see REGIONAL MOTORCYCLISTS) WE WERE SENT THE FOLLOWING LETTER FROM
BIKERS CLUB, "MAR'AS"
POB 6
LT-4270
VILKAVISKIS
LITHUANIA
WE HOPE THAT WE HAVE EDITED THE LETTER CORRECTLY WITHOUT LOSING THE TONE:
HI, RAMUNAS ASKED TO WRITE YOU ABOUT LITHUANIA, BIKER'S LIFE, ETC. IT IS TOO HARD TO WRITE EVERYTHING, BUT IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN ANYTHING CONCRETE, THEN LET US KNOW, I WILL WRITE.
SO, HERE I WRITE ABOUT SOME STUFF THAT ARE NEEDED FOR BIKERS WHO ARE ABLE TO COME HERE TO LITHUANIA.
IN LITHUANIA THERE IS LIVING ABOUT 3.7 MILLION PEOPLE, MOST OF WHOM DO NOT UNDERSTAND ENGLISH, BUT THEY TALK IN RUSSIAN LANGUAGE. BE SURE YOUTH PEOPLE WILL HELP YOU IN ANY WAY--THEY TALK IN ENGLISH.
IN OUR CONDITIONS THE ROADS ARE OK, PERHAPS THE BEST IN EAST EUROPE AND BALTIC STATES. HERE NOT SPECIAL, BUT GREAT NATURE. HERE IS POSSIBLE TO LIVE WEEK WITH $150-200 INCLUDE HOTEL (IN SMALL TOWN), FOOD, FUEL AND ETC. PATROL COSTS 10 LITRES 9.3. <EDITORS NOTE: COULD NOT READ THIS> IT IS CHEAP BUT FOR LITHUANIANS IS EXPENSIVE, BECAUSE MINIMAL LIVELIHOOD IS 300LT (~$75.00).
PEOPLE ARE FRIENDLY FOR FOREIGNERS (ESPECIALLY IN VILLAGES), BUT IF COME HERE BETTER INSURE YOURSELF AND MOTORBIKE. WHO KNOWS WHAT CAN HAPPEN.... POLICE SUCKS! BUT IT IS POSSIBLE TO BUY THEM. IF YOU GIVE THEM $ AND THEY'LL BE VERY LUCKY. OF COURSE, IF YOU'R GUILTY. THE SAME WITH CUSTOMS, JUST GO WITHOUT A STOP THROUGH CUSTOMS...HA....THE DO NOT UNDERSTAND ENGLISH....HA....JUST SHOW YOUR PASSPORT.
CURRENCY EXCHANGE RATE IS $1OO.00 ~400LT.
ENTERTAINMENT: IN LITHUANIA ARE NOT A LOT OF HOLIDAYS/FESTIVALS FOR BIKERS. IN FIRST WEEKEND OF MAY IN CAPITAL OF LITHUANIA IS OPENING SEASON OF BIKERS WHERE YOU WILL FIND A LOT OF BIKERS FROM ALL OVER LITHUANIA WITH MOTORCYCLES MADE IN USSR SUCH AS URAL 646, DNEPR 750, MZ2 750. AND ALL OF THEM ARE RESTORED, BECAUSE THEY WANT THAT BIKES BE SIMILAR TO HARLEY-DAVIDSON. SOME LOOK REALLY GREAT!! (IF I GET THE PHOTO TAPE OF LAST OPENING, I MAKE SOME PHOTOS, YOU WILL BE AMAZED! I PROMISE!!!) LATER THEY ARE DRIVING THROUGH THE CAPITAL AND THEN GOING TO NATURE WHERE THEY DRINK BEER/WINE, LISTEN TO LIVE MUSIC....IT IS VERY INTERESTING.
THE SEASON'S CLOSING IS IN THE FIRST WEEKEND OF OCTOBER.
BUT IN LITHUANIA NOT A LOT OF BIKERS AND IT'S WHY AREN'T A LOT OF HOLIDAYS FOR SUCH PEOPLE. IN JULY IS ONE VERY VERY GREAT FESTIVAL "BLUES NIGHTS" TWO NIGHTS AND DAYS LIVE BLUES MUSIC FROM LITHUANIAN AND LATVIAN BANDS, FULL OF WINE, BEER, AND BEAUTIFUL GIRLS, ETC. IN OUR WAY, "BLUES NIGHTS" REMEMBERED LIKE WOODSTOCK!!! HERE ALL PEOPLE ARE FRIENDS AND ITS THE BEST!!!!
OF COURSE, HERE IN LITH. ARE ENOUGH INTERESTING OCCUPATIONS WITHOUT THESE I WROTE. IN THE BIG CITIES ARE A LOT OF BARS, CLUBS, HERE ARE STUFF FROM 14TH AND 15TH CENTURIES--CATHEDRALS, CASTLES, AND ETC. BE SURE YOU WON'T BE DISAPPOINTED BY LITHUANIA!!!! THERE ARE THINGS THAT ARE CHEAP (FOR FOREIGNERS!).
FROM DETROIT WAS ANDY <SEE INTERNATIONAL MOTORCYCLE ADVENTURERS> WITH HIS HD AND HE LIKED IT HERE AND PROMISED TO COME BACK AGAIN.
PLEASE SEND US ANY ADDRESS OF BIKERS CLUB FROM USA SO WE WOULD BE ABLE TO GET IN TOUCH WITH THEM.
ENCLOSED IS SOME INFO OF LITH & VILKAVISKIS.
TAKE CARE!
FRIENDLY BIKERS OF MAR'AS.
HAPPY NEW YEARS!!! WE WISH YOU GOOD ROADWAYS FOR SUMMER.
EDITORS NOTE: HAVING TOURED THE BALTICS IN 1990 WHEN THE RUSSIANS WERE STILL THERE AND AGAIN IN 94 AFTER THEY HAD LEFT WE CAN ATTEST TO THE FRIENDLINESS OF THE PEOPLE AND THE INTERESTING COUNTRYSIDE. DON'T MISS IT.
We want to thank our motorcycle friends in Lithuania for the information they provided. They asked those who have read this web page to send them motorcycle postcards. Please do.
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24 Feb 97