Chapter 3: An Icy, yet Warm Welcome(Görlitz, Germany to Moldova-Romania Border)
A photo which sums up my bad day cycling through mud, rain and snow from Wrocław to OpoleAnd a photo of the perfect road, blue skies and wonderful snow-draped landscape which made the following day of cycling so wonderfulThanks to Fearghal for this photo of me all layered up and ready to tackle the icy roads out of KatowiceTaking an evening stroll around the grounds of the Wawel Royal Castle in KrakowA snapshot of the icy conditions and heavy traffic I faced during my winter days in PolandArriving at a heated village hotel in the near dark after a long day spent battling snow and iceThe dangerous road between the Polish border and LvivAfter sneaking through the factory grounds and crawling through the rusted vent, this is the nuclear blast door we came face to face with as we dropped into the abandoned Cold War nuclear bunkerAn old gas mask sitting in the main classroom of the nuclear bunkerPosters explaining the dangers of landminesA finished crossword puzzle in an old Soviet propaganda magazine which was left sitting on a bedside lockerAn old communications device with the phrase “Remember, your enemy is listening!” emblazoned across the top of itOur view of the historical Lviv skyline from our perch on the ridge of the sloping roofBlizzard-like conditions as I attempt to cycle out of LvivPushing off the road to take a lunch break after the blizzard had passedPedalling though another passing blizzard south of LvivIt was times like this that I wondered if cycling Ukraine in winter wasn’t one of my brightest ideas…But then the blizzard would pass, the clouds would vanish…the sun would come out, and the hardship would be forgotten thanks to the raw, frozen beauty of the landscapeMy chainrings freezing over, leaving me stuck without the granny ring for the rest of the dayMy heartwarming encounter with the local monk, who blessed me for the journey aheadThe sun shining on the snow-draped fields of south-western UkraineGreen mould growing on the exterior of some of Balti’s apartment complexesMy cosy Valentine’s Day room in Balti, Moldova. Not pictured: Bathroom with pipe held together with barbed wire. Solemn man with battered metal bucket of cold water.Ascending a steep pass through the frozen landscape between Balti and ChisinauWaking up to the incredible sight of my tent and bicycle draped in snowMy bicycle ready to go after a long battle deconstructing and packing away my tent with numb, shaking handsThe surreal juxtaposition of colours I was met with as I pushed my bicycle out of the forestA stray dog sheltering from the cold wind at the town boundary sign for ComratOne of the many grey Soviet monuments which lined the Moldovan roadsidesA typical Moldovan country homeThe bleakness of southern Moldova in winter: grey skies, battered roads, brown torn up earth and monuments to LeninMoldovan health and safety at its finest
Thanks for buying it Bryan, and glad to hear you’re enjoying it so far. Agreed, it still saddens me to see it on the news every day. A friend of mine over there is out fighting on the front lines at the moment which makes it hit harder to home.
Irregular Adventures 
Your time in Ukraine is poignant given today’s situation .
I’m reading your book now and find it enjoyable .
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Thanks for buying it Bryan, and glad to hear you’re enjoying it so far. Agreed, it still saddens me to see it on the news every day. A friend of mine over there is out fighting on the front lines at the moment which makes it hit harder to home.
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