Day 18, May 15 - 80km from Borisoglebsk - Borisoglebsk

75km - 1273km, cool rainy with sunny breaks, 14C, 20km/h tailwind, 4 shots, 0 saunas, 0 lenin, Hotel

Set my alarm for 8.00h but lazed around in bed for another hour and a half. Got up and made a grueltastic breakfast (seasoned with candies from Ivan's mother). Headed out on the road and racked up 25km before stopping for a quick lunch break. Sadly, the wind started to turn southward, which cut down my average velocity by about 5km/h. Entered a wide river valley, with 15km of fantastic pine and beech tree forests that would have made a great camping location. Blazed down into, and climbed out of, a number of river valleys.

Around 15.00h, the rain started to fall and I sought refuge amoungst the pines. After 30mins or so, I decided to man up and go with the wet weather gear. Put on the rain coat and the hydroprotectors on the four bags and contined east in often soaking weather. Around 18.00h made it to another shashlik place and decided to stop for dinner. Had a delicious meal and then inquired about the cost of the upstairs hotel room. Given that it was only $13 for the evening (and they had hot showers!), I decided to stop for the day. Had a REALLY hot shower and then headed downstairs to the cafe to do some route planning and have a bit more to eat.

By that time the rumours had spread around that I was Canadian, and that set off a cavalcade of people wanting to have pictures and vodka shots with me. Eventually, a couple of superdrunk guys sat down with me (and a 26er of vodka) and started chatting in German (yay UBC classes!). After a few shots and a short multilingual interrogation , I was talking to one guy's daughter. Shortly thereafter it became obvious that the was trying to set up his 'over-the-hill' 25-year-old daughter with me. After a few vodka shots, the waitress decided to kick them out, and I headed upstairs for a fitful slumber enmeshed in soft blankety comfort. Before they left, though, they tried to get me to come and go for what I translated as prostitutes. Gently declining, I grabbed some needed shuteye (only to be woken up in a few hours by the drunks return + what I translated to be a prostitute....)