I'm in Nottingham and am planning a circumnavigation af the Baltic too...
Hello Everyone,
I'm only just renewing my membership in UKGSer (good to be back!) so I'm sorry I haven't joined this thread earlier.
I too am looking to do a Baltic Trip this summer, in July-August of 2009. Starting with the ferry crossing from Hull to Rotterdam, I'll hope to work my way up the Baltic Countries (Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Finland), maybe even to Nordcapp or close to the Arctic Circle before returning via Sweden/Norway to Hull. Also hoping to see St.Petersburg, but will probably opt to leave the bike parked in Tallinin, as it sounds like riding into Russia is a big hassle. My bloodline is part Lithuanian, so I'll hope to drag my heels once there and spend a bit of extra time seeing (for the first time) this "homeland."
Anyway, I'd love to join a tour if there's already one in progress to the Baltics. Or you are welcome to join me. Right now, I'm just trying to get a handle on logistics. How long will this trip take? How much ground can I expect to cover each day on the roads of the Baltic countries? I'm not a "hammerhead"; my style is not a blistering pace or rushing through a trip. If a place feels interesting, it's often worth an extra day's visit.
Any advice from riders who have already done this trip would be highly appreciated. If you can e-mail me directly (frankgresham@verizon.net) with your contact details, I'd love to ring you to chat directly on this subject if you don't mind. Or you can just offer ideas in this thread. Either way, your advice would be very much appreciated.
Presently, my main concern is how much time to allot for a trip like this? I no longer own a GS (I'm a US expat who will be returning home to the States in the fall), so I will be hiring one for the duration (expensive, I know, ...but what are my other choices?). Six weeks? Seven weeks? Less time? More? I hope I'll hear from you all on this subject, the sooner the better. And the more info the better!
Thanks!!!!
Platinum Pig
(Frank Gresham)