What a challenging day. I awoke early to gray and blustery skies and a strong wind coming in off of the Baltic, but no rain (yet). I headed out, south down the narrow coastal road, catching glimpses of the sandy shore and dark wavesthrough the pine trees.

  
The villages I passed through were beautiful in an honest and hard working way: large, well-tended vegetable gardens, weather-worn but well maintained structures, old stone and brick churches, and often a bakery, not yet open.  
Universal Baltic bakery sign.

 
  Much nicer than the name suggests.
 I crossed into Latvia over a small bridge and the small road I was enjoying turned into the main highway, which the EU is upgrading. Bottom line for me: muddy road construction and large trucks splashing past for miles and miles. Oh, and rain and a strong headwind! 

 
Time to put the head down and grind out some miles, which I did save for one rest stop in a cinder block Russian era bus shelter in the middle of nowhere. A few hours later the road conditions were much improved, with a pretty bike path along the sea and well marked Eurovelo route signs, but still rain and my invisible nemesis the headwind.  

 I wasn’t making very fast progress. Finally, by mid day I arrived in the small town of Saulkrasti, where I found a great little farmers market and a stand with freshly foraged wild blueberries and a cozy Latvian lunch counter with mushroom soup, cabbage salad, stuffed cabbage leaves with sour cream and pickles. Life had taken a turn for the better. 

  
These little guys were so tart and delicious, I couldn’t stop myself and ate a half kilo. 
 
 Fighting strong headwinds and intermittent rain the whole way, I arrived in Riga by mid afternoon via a nice bike path that ushered me right into town.  

 It’s a beautiful city with a well preserved historic core, known for its art nouveau architecture, and a large river and several canals running through.  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

 I also found the local market and bought some delicious tart cherries, though I wish I had room in my panniers for much more. By late afternoon, the skies darkened and it started to pour (wet again). 

  I checked into a small hotel in the center of town where they were happy to let me stash my dripping bike in the entryway and offered me a welcome drink of “reviving” Latvian herbal alcohol. Though I feel pretty good so far, apparently to others I must just look like a weary man in need of a stiff drink.