Autumn Tactics - Poland to Vilnus

This is one of those trips that started when a friend asked: “Would you like to join me for a Dance Festival?""

The days were already getting shorter and this year I did not have the chance yet to make the next stage of my Cycling Through Europe dream.

So…what if I do two things at once?

I can just get to Vilnus by bicycle from Poland.

Stages of the Trip

• Waw to Treblinka - Which I completed this summer

Exploring North East From Warsaw

Exploring Treblinka from Warsaw by Bicycle.

Poland-by-Bike 07-08-2024

And the fun starts now:

You need to go North East, to a region in Europe where there are many lakes.

They are well known in Poland and I was blind enough to believe that they would not be at the other side of the border.

Blind and lucky that they were.

As you will see.

• Treblinka (Małkinia Górna) to Suwałki
• Suwałki to Veisiejai
  • Wigierski Park Narodowy
  • Lakes in LT - My Favourite and a great surprise
• Veisiejai to Varena
• Varena to Trakai (Vilnus)

BikePacking in Podlasie

I said that there were lakes. But its not Mazury this time, but Podlasie Region in Poland.

it is the one that has border with Lithuania (and also Belarus).

And along the way, you can find such calm country side roads:

Polish country side contrasts with the main cities, particularly with Warsaw:

Still in Podlasie, I had a very interesting moment:

And found one of the most colorful places of the trip:

In the last town before the border, I made sure to take some smalec to have good calories for the next days.

And this is what there is at the border with Lithuania, the open road:

Exploring Veisiejų Region

Who could have Imagined that lakes dont care about borders.

Good news. The awsome landscapes you could see in Poland, continue in Lithuania.

I arrived to Veisiejai just in time to admire this sunset

That was one of the best moments of the trip.

I had to stay there and see all the magic happen.

Next day, I continue my ride towards Vilna:

And along the way, the rural areas are a somehow different than in Poland:

Arriving to Vilnus

After four days being lucky with the sun light, I made it to Vilnus.

This time, with another bike.

Discovering Vilnius by Bike

Discovering Vilnius with bycicle. The start of my summer journey through the Baltics.

Baltics-by-Bike 30-07-2023

These kind of buildings sounded familiar!

Yes, its Vilnus already. But I want to end it in the center.

I cant describe the feeling of accomplishment with words.

But I was some time contemplating this.

Enough bike pictures, here is a clean shot of Vilnus Center:

if you pay attention, in Vilna there is very interesting street art

There are cool designs patterns, also in the interiors:

More Shots during a rainny afternoon in Vilnius.

The Trakai Castle in Autumn

I mentioned that I made this trip for two reasons:

• Making one more stage to have all Europe joined by bike
• To go to a dance Festival

But actually there is another important one:

I wanted to see the Trakai Castle, this time, during autumn.

Trakai Castle from Vilna by Bike

A journey to Trakai Castle - A Biking Adventure from Vilnius.

Baltics-by-Bike 29-07-2023

And this is how it went.

Despite sleeping just like 4hours, it was totally worth it.

See by yourself.

A boat just passed by.

And I could capture that moment. Only to see it banish shortly after.

I decided to continue walking and enjoying the last part of the way to Trakai.

Just enjoying the Lake Galve. Each second.

Last year I took a very similar shot:

And…I made it to the Trakai Castle.

It seams that outside the summer season, you can just enter without a long queue.

I just want to have a look to the inside of Trakai…

…and went back to enjoy how lucky I was to see such Autumn colors next to the Trakai Castle

Conclusions

I met a Lithuanian old man during my way to Vilnus.

I just asked him few directions to check if I was on the right way and we were chatting for a bit.

This one happened in English, as this man was living and working in the UK. Now he is retired and living in LT.

He told me to “tell the people back home how good Lithuania and its people are”.

And I could not agree more with that.

1. Things cant be taken from you if you understand that you cant have them forever.

Does it really matter to let go something now, or in ten years?

Zoom out.

This time, I had the chance to practice what I just read few days back!

2. It does not really matter how fast you are going, if you go in the wrong direction

The Mindset for Adventure

Looking Back to all the Learning and Stories.

This, cant be taken away:

3. Autumn seems to be a perfect balance between nice and colorful landscapes, not excesive summer heat, nor cold temperatures, yet.

Probably worth to give it a try one more time, when doing the Budapest to Athens side of Europe.

Cycling Through Europe - 2023 Update

Poland to Budapest completed. Baltics Completed.

If you are just passing by Vilnus and dont have a bicycle with you, dont forget that you can visit Trakai by train, and there is a cool website in LT to check schedules - https://ltg.lt/

Doing Lately

I have learnt recently couple of interesting ideas.

1. Discovering the meaning of bike shedding.

And I cant be believe I was so blind not to realize that I fall into it many times.

Because of that, Im targeting to do just one personal task/project per day.

And dont switch to others until its done.

Every night, I review from the endless list of “why not ideas”, whats gonna be the one to be executed tomorrow.

Just.One.Thing.

2. I also came across another interesting concept - Converging logic

And it could somehow be related to the first concept.

For this one: why should we bother in optimizing/doing something that should not exist in the first place?

3. Silogism are actually usefull to avoid falling into cognitive dissonances.

But first, What is a Syllogism?

A syllogism is a type of logical argument that consists of three parts:

Two premises: These are statements or assumptions that are considered to be true. A conclusion: This is the logical outcome that follows from the two premises.

Here’s a simple example:

• Premise 1: All men are mortal.
• Premise 2: Socrates is a man.
• Conclusion: Therefore, Socrates is mortal.

Why are Syllogisms Important?

Syllogisms play a crucial role in logical reasoning and critical thinking.

• Foundation of Deductive Reasoning: Syllogisms exemplify deductive reasoning, where a specific conclusion is drawn from general principles. This type of reasoning is fundamental to various fields, including mathematics, philosophy, and law.

• Evaluating Arguments: By understanding the structure of a syllogism, we can analyze arguments to determine if they are valid or invalid. This helps us identify logical fallacies and assess the strength of evidence.

• Improving Critical Thinking Skills: Engaging with syllogisms can enhance our ability to think critically, analyze information, and construct sound arguments. It encourages us to break down complex ideas into simpler components and evaluate their logical relationships.

• Building Blocks of Complex Reasoning: While simple syllogisms might seem straightforward, they serve as building blocks for more complex arguments and reasoning processes. By mastering the basics of syllogistic reasoning, we can tackle more intricate logical challenges.

In essence, syllogisms provide a framework for understanding and evaluating arguments, fostering clear and logical thinking.

4. And lastly, the Hedonic Threadmil

The hedonic treadmill, also known as hedonic adaptation, is a psychological theory that suggests that humans have a tendency to return to a relatively stable level of happiness or subjective well-being, despite changes in their circumstances or external conditions.

Here’s a breakdown:

• Core Idea: Positive or negative life events, while initially impactful, often have a temporary effect on our happiness. We tend to adapt to new situations, and our baseline happiness level eventually returns to where it was before the change.
• Analogy: The term “hedonic treadmill” comes from the idea that we’re constantly “running” to achieve happiness, but we never seem to get ahead. We adapt to new circumstances, and our desires and expectations adjust accordingly, leaving us always seeking more to maintain the same level of happiness.
• Examples:
  • Winning the lottery: While initially euphoric, the intense joy may subside over time as the winner adapts to their new wealth and seeks new ways to achieve happiness.
  • Experiencing a tragedy: The initial grief and sadness may lessen over time as the individual adapts to the loss and finds new ways to cope.

Important Considerations:

• Not a universal experience: The extent to which individuals experience the hedonic treadmill can vary. Some people may be more prone to adaptation than others.
• Focus on well-being: While the hedonic treadmill might suggest that external factors have limited impact on long-term happiness, it doesn’t negate the importance of pursuing meaningful experiences and striving for a good life.
• Alternative approaches: Some researchers suggest that focusing on eudaimonic well-being (finding meaning and purpose in life) may lead to more lasting happiness than solely pursuing hedonic pleasures.

That Eudaimonia thing…

… is a Greek word that translates to “happiness” or “flourishing.”

It’s a central concept in ancient Greek philosophy, particularly in the works of Aristotle.

• Beyond Pleasure: Eudaimonia isn’t just about feeling good; it’s about living a good, meaningful, and fulfilling life. It’s about achieving human excellence and living in accordance with virtue.
• A Holistic View: Eudaimonia encompasses various aspects of human flourishing, including intellectual, emotional, social, and physical well-being.
• Living in Accordance with Virtue: For Aristotle, eudaimonia is achieved through cultivating virtues like wisdom, courage, justice, and temperance. These virtues enable us to live a good life and fulfill our potential as human beings.

Eudaimonia and Stoicism…here we go.

Stoicism is a school of philosophy that emphasizes living in accordance with reason and virtue. While the Stoics also valued eudaimonia, they defined it slightly differently.

• Virtue as the Only Good: For the Stoics, virtue is the only true good, and it’s both necessary and sufficient for achieving eudaimonia. External factors like wealth, health, or social status are considered “indifferents.”
• Living in Accordance with Nature: Stoics believed that true happiness comes from living in accordance with nature and reason, which involves accepting what we cannot control and focusing on what we can.

In essence, both Aristotle and the Stoics recognized the importance of eudaimonia, but they differed in their specific interpretations and emphasis.

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How I prepared for this Autumn Trip

A BikePacking Trips is always a Challenge.

Specially when weather conditions might not be the best.

What do I bring for Bike Packing Trips?

My Checklist before going to any adventure. ''To do's and to bring's''.

Before going out, I made sure to have with me:

Tech

This is what I brought for this bikepacking trip:

• 2 Chargers
  • 2 usbc-usbc cables
  • 1 usbc-usb cable
  • 1 usb-micro usb cable (kindle)
• 1 power bank
• 1 tablet, 1 phone, 1 headset, 1 Action Camera (testing!)

Weather Check

I made this notes before going to the trip and now im complementing with what actually happened.

• Temperatures from 0C in the night to 15C max
  • Lucky me I had no rain at all when cycling
• Wind speed from 5 to 20km/h
  • And this time it was head wind! an anomaly? typical direction changes per month?
  • Definitely something to have a look for future trips

What do I mean with this time?

In case you havent read it yet, this is not my first time in the baltics with a bicycle!

Discovering Tallin by Bike

Tallin and its surroundings. The end of my Baltic Bike Packing Trip.

Baltics-by-Bike 13-08-2023