Where is one of the best places to be during a rainstorm? Twice today we had the good fortune of being in a cafй during the rain. This is now being written in my tent with “thousands of biting insects” outside.

Today was a nice day of cycling with smooth roads. My tent was dry early so I got an early start. This area continues to have fallen in churches in the villages – a contrast with western Europe where they would have been restored. At Мыт was a small store. It seemed to be both a social center and place for goods with enough for 4 or 5 customers inside. Mickey caught up with me here.

From here some more quiet cycling with intermittent trees and intermittent bad roads until we came to Пестяки at 60km. We cycled through most of the town before finding a cafй at the other end. Several Russians were interested in joining us at the table and recommended the kefir as better and less expensive than soft drinks. As we were eating, a big storm came through but fortunately we were able to bring the bicycles inside to wait out the storm. There also weren’t hot dishes once the power went out. The Russian table mates did tell us of several potential hotels including one by МамаЛена cafй.

We cycled our third segment past Новинки and then south along the river. We were on the lookout for МамаЛена and passed it the first time through. However, we had enough time to eat here and also wait out another storm. A little while later, the local mayor invited us to the town museum and also explained the hotel was in the town 4km away. We passed and found a place in the woods nearby.

109km today, 3643km across Eurasia [Photo: 593, 596]