Warsaw to Vilnius: Day # 2

Day # 2 was opposite of my first... no freeway and endless trucks, but Polish nature at it's finest. By mid-morning, I reached Biebrzanski Park Narodowy. This park, located in the Podlaskie region, was established in 1993 and is the largest national park in Poland. The famous Biebrza marshes, is the most valuable natural ecosystems, which protects a vast and almost unchanged peat bog with a unique diversity of plant species, birds and other animals and natural ecosystems. This park is a very important nesting, feeding and resting places for wetland birds. In 1995 this park has been a recognized by UNESCO.

Warsaw to Vilnius: Day # 1

My first day from Warsaw to Vilnius was full of cottony clouds and sunshine. The angry tires from the zillion trucks which passed by left me coated in exhaust fumes and with a sinus headache. After about 8 hours on the bike, I stopped at a truck stop for a shower and an excellent Polish beer. Soon after, I tucked into a forest near Szumowo, Poland. There I had a meal of Polish sausages, bread, with local forest mushrooms, blueberries, which I purchased from a roadside stand (picture). Forest moss made my bed comfortable and the sound of the evening rain coaxed me into a sound-full sleep.

Pepiak Family

I left the German-Czech Republic border soaked to the bone and my face swollen from mosquito bites. After 24 hours and 7 trains (yes 7). I am greeted in Warsaw by my dear friend Rafal, who I call brother. He shared his home, his food, his wisdom, and took me home to his mom's flat in Katowice, where Kristen fed me so much traditional Polish food that I could not move. Rafal even understood my mayonnaise addition and insured that I consumed only Poland's finest. I am honored to posses Polish genes and I am so grateful for all the the goodness and heart my peeps from Poland afforded me. Rafal, I'll be back!