Tailwind to Pirita: A Bike Rental Day in Tallinn

Laupäeva hommikul ärkasin vara, sest päike paistis ja merelõhn tuli juba akna vahelt tuppa.

On Saturday morning I woke up early, because the sun was shining and the smell of the sea was already coming in through the window.

Otsustasin hommikuse kohvi asemel ratta võtta, nii et läksin Rannamäe tänava rattarenti.

Instead of my morning coffee I decided to take a bike, so I went to the rental on Rannamäe Street.

Teenindaja naeratas ja ütles, et täna on tuul tagant, mis tähendab, et Pirita suund on eriti mõnus.

The clerk smiled and said that today the wind is at our backs, which means the direction to Pirita is especially pleasant.

Valisin sinise linnaratta, sain kiivri ja luku ning allkirjastasin telefonis lühikese lepingu.

I chose a blue city bike, got a helmet and a lock, and signed a short contract on the phone.

Küsisin, kas peab sõitma ainult kergliiklusteel, ja teenindaja noogutas, lisades, et vanalinnas on munakivi libe.

I asked if I had to ride only on the bike path, and the clerk nodded, adding that the cobblestones in the Old Town are slippery.

Esimesed kilomeetrid veeresid kergelt, sest meri sillerdas ja inimesed tervitasid nagu oleksime kõik ühel piknikul.

The first kilometers rolled by easily, because the sea was shimmering and people greeted me as if we were all at the same picnic.

Kui jõudsin Russalka mälestusmärgini, tegin pausi, panin ratta vastu posti ja sõin taskust leitud kohukese.

When I reached the Russalka monument, I took a break, leaned the bike against a post, and ate a curd snack bar I found in my pocket.

Siis tuli mõte, et keeraks korraks metsa alla, kuid kruus oli pehme ja ratas hakkas ujuma.

Then I thought I’d turn briefly into the woods, but the gravel was soft and the bike started to slip.

Tagasi teele jõudes nägin, kuidas must pilv ronis üle linna, ning kiirendasin, et enne vihma renti tagasi jõuda.

Back on the path I saw a black cloud crawling over the city, and I sped up to get back to the rental before the rain.

Rattakett tegi korraks klõbinat ja ehmatas, kuid jõudsin ikkagi vanalinna serva kuivana.

The bike chain rattled for a moment and startled me, but I still reached the edge of the Old Town dry.

Andsin ratta tagasi, ütlesin, et kõik toimis hästi, ja teenindaja naeris, sest vihm peksis juba vastu akent.

I returned the bike, said everything worked well, and the clerk laughed, because the rain was already beating against the window.

Lahkusin sooja tunde ja niiske tänava lõhna saatel, mõeldes, et sama ratta võiks järgmisel nädalal võtta ja sõita juba Kadriorgu.

I left with a warm feeling and the smell of wet streets, thinking that next week I could take the same bike and ride to Kadriorg instead.