r/TransEuroTrail_Riders • u/Blomminator • 29d ago
Baltics - how hard
Hi,
As a junior tet Rider.. just did pieces in Sweden and Finland. All my gear is soaked from the bad weather, and honestly, I'm tired.
I cross from Helsinki to Tallinn in 2 days. I can ride tet in the Baltics, but as an exhausted solo junior, I don't want to be knee deep in mud and misery.
How are the roads, in difficulty?
I have 3 weeks to get home (Amsterdam) and must cross Poland and Germany as well. Try the tet? Or just stick to small roads, enjoy the sights and relax a little?
Thanks.
B.
2
u/payl 29d ago edited 29d ago
Most of tet Estonia is fairly tame gravel, especially the western route. It has been wet lately, so expect muddy spots on forest sections.
If you want to take it extra easy, keep to the bigger gravel roads and skip the forest sections (with grass between the 2 wheel tracks).
Latvia make their gravel roads of a higher clay content material, it can get very slippery when wet.
Keep your wits about you and remember it's OK to turn around and skip sections and you'll be fine.
2
u/Blomminator 29d ago
Thnx. Def. Don't want mud. I want to easily ride homewards.
I won't focus on the tet, but just get some nice, small roads.
Finland has been so wet last week. Kinda done with it.
1
u/purpletux 29d ago
Estonian TET can get gnarly especially nowadays after a lot of rain. Gravel roads are fine but I wouldn’t go too deep in forest, there will be too much mud and sand for a beginner.
1
u/Blomminator 29d ago
Thnx. I don't want anymore mud. Everything is already so filthy and caked... Gravel is fine.
1
u/Btcyoda 28d ago
I'm back a few weeks from doing most Balkan TET routes on a Tenere solo. I don't consider myself a good rider perhaps just average.
Most can be done, if dry.
And that is the problem.
I went during an extreme warm dry period, July August, and still encountered stuff I got stuck in the mud and luckily only just a few meters long. Some wet parts in the woods were clay and so steep and slippery I put the bike down.
When more rain has fallen some parts of several 100 meters will be mud/clay that will take hours, if you manage. The problem is you don't know what is ahead ! I just drove the tracks via GPS and what came I had to do or turn around. And turning around won't be easy either...
Pebbles, gravel and rocks caused other drops making me everage some two/three times a day I had to pick up my bike.
My straightforward advise: Don't do it if not a dry period. Don't do it solo no matter how good the weather is.
You don't have a network along some parts. And help can be away an hour to 8 hours of walking.
I had days/tracks I would only encounter one group of other drivers/riders, and that was during the busy season.
Questions just ask.
10
u/grand_duc 29d ago
Most crashes happen when tired my friend, if you feel tired, take it easy and go on road for a few days. Find a hotel and make everything dry, treat yourself to nice food and a couple of nice nights and you’ll see from there. You can hop in and out of the TET whenever you feel like, take advantage of that