It was a long ride in rather poor weather for the last day in fact 820k and I was well worn. It was worth the effort however.
Saint Malo is a very quaint seaside fort city on the french coast.
I had ridden 18,000 km.
We had riden from East to West, from Sea to Sea. The ride was complete.
From there we rode north to view Mont St Michael.
So our last night was spent in Poix de Picardy.
The next day I rode on to Belgium where I left nzl07 to start the North South journey on nzl04.
Motorcycle Traveller.
Showing posts with label East to West. Show all posts
Showing posts with label East to West. Show all posts
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Last day of tour to end in Munich
Left Passua and sadly TJ had a mechanical failure. He left on a tow truck never to be seen again. Our guide and escort never asked where he was and he has never heard from them. Does all this sound like I am pretty disappointed to have spent a great deal of money on an escorted and managed tour....you bet I am.
Sadly there were just too many failures to ever suggest that anyone should ride with Globe Riders.
However we were in Munich and then to the BMW days as they were called which were a total disappointment. That capped off a disappointing tour.
To that I must hastily add.
There was no way I could have done it alone.
I was able to ride to places not otherwise availabe, ie China.
Despite a bad itinerary there were some wonderful days riding.
I went to places I never believed I would ever see.
So I owe a huge thankyou to those who shared the road with me particularly Tom Reiter who now works in Russia, becausw without his part in the tour it would have indeed been a total disaster.
As it was it was memorable. So a big thanks to the rebel riders.
nzl07
Sadly there were just too many failures to ever suggest that anyone should ride with Globe Riders.
However we were in Munich and then to the BMW days as they were called which were a total disappointment. That capped off a disappointing tour.
To that I must hastily add.
There was no way I could have done it alone.
I was able to ride to places not otherwise availabe, ie China.
Despite a bad itinerary there were some wonderful days riding.
I went to places I never believed I would ever see.
So I owe a huge thankyou to those who shared the road with me particularly Tom Reiter who now works in Russia, becausw without his part in the tour it would have indeed been a total disaster.
As it was it was memorable. So a big thanks to the rebel riders.
nzl07
Tuesday to Passau
Tom and I went to the Austerlitz battlefield where Napoleon beat the Austrians and the Russians ( despite the Russians claim never to have lost- didn't know about this battle).
After seeing the hilltop battle site, it is amazing how much turned on such a small battle field. It almost compares to a rugby match. One place at one time, and one winner. Same thing at Waterloo and Hastings. and Bannochburn.....
The ride thereafter was long but what a ride through cornfields, sunflowers, vegetables, just a great ride.
As we neared the Austrian border it became hillier with more vinyards and prettier, until we reached the Danube. What a wonderful trip down the river. Castles, churches and to top it off sausages and sauerkraut for lunch.
So we ended up in Passau. Why Passau ? Still don't know.
nzl07
After seeing the hilltop battle site, it is amazing how much turned on such a small battle field. It almost compares to a rugby match. One place at one time, and one winner. Same thing at Waterloo and Hastings. and Bannochburn.....
The ride thereafter was long but what a ride through cornfields, sunflowers, vegetables, just a great ride.
As we neared the Austrian border it became hillier with more vinyards and prettier, until we reached the Danube. What a wonderful trip down the river. Castles, churches and to top it off sausages and sauerkraut for lunch.
So we ended up in Passau. Why Passau ? Still don't know.
nzl07
Monday 29 June Krakow to Brno
Away from Krakow looking for backroads. Sadly the GPS led us up a dead end with a river in our path so we backed out. The good part was that we were in very attractive countrside.
A lot of side roads later we found the motorway, which would you know was closed, so another route was found courtesy of a local on a motorbike. Once again, more stunning villages and countryside.
So we were late and missed the 7 pm meal time so we ate alone, again. The reservations I have about group riding as now becoming a problem. We paid for these meals and were told to make the most of the riding opportunities but now we seem to be getting punished for our actions. Goat Riders indeed !
nzl07
A lot of side roads later we found the motorway, which would you know was closed, so another route was found courtesy of a local on a motorbike. Once again, more stunning villages and countryside.
So we were late and missed the 7 pm meal time so we ate alone, again. The reservations I have about group riding as now becoming a problem. We paid for these meals and were told to make the most of the riding opportunities but now we seem to be getting punished for our actions. Goat Riders indeed !
nzl07
Friday Lviv to Krakow, Poland
Border days are allways difficult but this one passed smoothly if slowly. The difference was immediate. Poland was "landscaped". What a delightful ride through picturesque countryside. It was a main road ride but not a bad one as wel had a decent ride of 350k to do after the border that we got through at 1.30pm.
Krakow is an old royal city and we had two nights here.
Day two was a walking round the city which was fine except the group left two of us behind so we did a walk through the square which was full of activity and music. Great fun amongst some magnificent old buildings.
We went to Auschwitz that afternoon. Not my cup of tea as I know that man is really an animal with very few interests other than greed but I was shaken. The writings on the walls claimed this should not happen again, which made me even more disappointed because it still is happening......different methods different people but the same outcome. Of course we will never learn. The same reason there is a banking crisis is the same reason there was an Auschwitz. Greed. What I have seen round the world as I travel is the result of greed. A race of peoples in South America wiped out by the Spanish. All over Europe peoples are just obliterated. No wonder there are walls erected to keep the occupants safe, our present civilisation (ie the last 3000 odd years) have been spent fighting for territory. Now we have torn down the barriers. East has moved to the west and the south and everywhere else as well so what is "national interest" ? Who cares about what happens as long as the people with no welfare are moving to countries that have welfare the greater the risk of calamity because how can the few support the many. So me culture becomes dominant.
What to do ?
So we were in the city that had seen so much wrong doing, so much war, and so many people died in vein. The final footnote was the shock that so many people had been railroaded from round Europe to die here.
A very old and wonderful city yet with such a sobering record. There has been fighting here for many many years.
However after spending 3 nights here for what could have been done in two is disappointing having rushed through so much on the way.
nzl07
Krakow is an old royal city and we had two nights here.
Day two was a walking round the city which was fine except the group left two of us behind so we did a walk through the square which was full of activity and music. Great fun amongst some magnificent old buildings.
We went to Auschwitz that afternoon. Not my cup of tea as I know that man is really an animal with very few interests other than greed but I was shaken. The writings on the walls claimed this should not happen again, which made me even more disappointed because it still is happening......different methods different people but the same outcome. Of course we will never learn. The same reason there is a banking crisis is the same reason there was an Auschwitz. Greed. What I have seen round the world as I travel is the result of greed. A race of peoples in South America wiped out by the Spanish. All over Europe peoples are just obliterated. No wonder there are walls erected to keep the occupants safe, our present civilisation (ie the last 3000 odd years) have been spent fighting for territory. Now we have torn down the barriers. East has moved to the west and the south and everywhere else as well so what is "national interest" ? Who cares about what happens as long as the people with no welfare are moving to countries that have welfare the greater the risk of calamity because how can the few support the many. So me culture becomes dominant.
What to do ?
So we were in the city that had seen so much wrong doing, so much war, and so many people died in vein. The final footnote was the shock that so many people had been railroaded from round Europe to die here.
A very old and wonderful city yet with such a sobering record. There has been fighting here for many many years.
However after spending 3 nights here for what could have been done in two is disappointing having rushed through so much on the way.
nzl07
Wed 25th and 26th in Lviv
Our route was to Kiev but it involved a long ride, a night in a hotel, followed by another long ride to another Hotel. All that way to say I went to Kiev seemed not such a good idea so the rebels went direct to Lviv. A long ride but a good one. Unfortunately we had to do the morning leg on the motorway, which are all the same..... but after lunch of Borsch and Sashlika the road improved and until we got sunset strike it was a very good ride.
We were staying at the Hotel Opera, which was opposite the Opera House. This time I was lucky and was able to see the Mariage of Figaro. What fun.
Thursday was then a lay day and most enjoyable too. We were travelling at the time of the European Football Cup and Russia was playing again so the town stopped for the game. Russia lost to the delight of the Ukrainians.
Lviv is a pretty city.
nzl07
We were staying at the Hotel Opera, which was opposite the Opera House. This time I was lucky and was able to see the Mariage of Figaro. What fun.
Thursday was then a lay day and most enjoyable too. We were travelling at the time of the European Football Cup and Russia was playing again so the town stopped for the game. Russia lost to the delight of the Ukrainians.
Lviv is a pretty city.
nzl07
Tuesday Yalta to Odessa
Left the city on the Black Sea which is surrounded by a mountain range. It was a beautiful morning with wild cloud scenes over the mountains. On the ride out of the town it became apparent what an attractice city it was. Back along the picturesque road we entered on, then into the hills and over a spectacular range to a plateau. That was less interesting however we were soon in Odessa.
This is an "old town" with some magnificent buildings. We stayed at the Motzart Hotel which co-incidentally was across the road from a most elegant old Opera House, which our guide was unaware was there. So we did not go to the Opera. Nor did Motzart visit Odessa apparently.
The locals were friendly and the city was very pleasant. Old tree lined streets and an old cathedral.
nzl07
This is an "old town" with some magnificent buildings. We stayed at the Motzart Hotel which co-incidentally was across the road from a most elegant old Opera House, which our guide was unaware was there. So we did not go to the Opera. Nor did Motzart visit Odessa apparently.
The locals were friendly and the city was very pleasant. Old tree lined streets and an old cathedral.
nzl07
22 June Anape to Yalta in Ukraine
Another buggers muddle getting out of Anape. The usual instructions.......you must attend the briefings.......were less than helpful. You must fill up at any gas station you see as they will be hard to find. As it happenned they were everywhere and we were all over the place in different gas stations so riding "together" to the border was a goat rodeo. However we all made it and sat around in the sun for longer than I choose to recall. However we did all get through and on to the ferry. It left at 3.30 and took about half an hour. Fortunately Tom TJ and I got through fast and with insurance in place on the road.
What a great ride. Seaside, hills cliffs mountains, villages vinyards river gorges, what a great ride round the Black Sea. Lots of seaside villages, lots of people on holidays, what a great place to have stopped. But that was not to be. Our plan was Yalta so we pressed on, and on, and on into the night.......It got dark, our maps and directions were poor ( that flatters it) and on the run into town I lost Tom and TJ but using homing pigeon instincts followed my nose and some locals directions to end up outside the Hotel in the pitch black.
This should have been a highlite. Pity about the planning.
We did have a lay day next day so it was washing mailing relaxing......very nice.
There was I must record a bus tour available. I don't think so. I am still having trouble with bus tours after so many days so recently on a bus in China.
There are places in this vicinity however that are worth a visit so Yalta is a place to re-visit. Ukrainian people are pretty friendly as well. And it is warm, so how good can life be.
nzl07
What a great ride. Seaside, hills cliffs mountains, villages vinyards river gorges, what a great ride round the Black Sea. Lots of seaside villages, lots of people on holidays, what a great place to have stopped. But that was not to be. Our plan was Yalta so we pressed on, and on, and on into the night.......It got dark, our maps and directions were poor ( that flatters it) and on the run into town I lost Tom and TJ but using homing pigeon instincts followed my nose and some locals directions to end up outside the Hotel in the pitch black.
This should have been a highlite. Pity about the planning.
We did have a lay day next day so it was washing mailing relaxing......very nice.
There was I must record a bus tour available. I don't think so. I am still having trouble with bus tours after so many days so recently on a bus in China.
There are places in this vicinity however that are worth a visit so Yalta is a place to re-visit. Ukrainian people are pretty friendly as well. And it is warm, so how good can life be.
nzl07
Saturday 21 June Rostov to Anape
The rebels were off again with some of the problems caused by the BMW agents in Ekaterinberg, so we spent some long time again at a BMW agents in Anape. They got TJ back on the road by midday so it was now a designated tar seal ride for us because there was 450k or so to ride.
So we had lots of villages, and some very pretty churches. The Police were again active and got one of our group with a fine. The ride into Anape was pretty good as the city is on the Black Sea.
The a lack of directions and a very average GPS map was again the villain. The Hotel was actually in a park with no real signpostining. Never mind. We were directed the next day to follow the escourt vehicle and he got lost so it must be harder than it looks.
The Hotel as I said was on the Black Sea. This is a major tourist spot and our last city in Russia.
The usual waterfont attractions, itinerant musicians, people wlaking everywhere. A most pleasant place and probably a goood holiday spot.
I have not mentioned the food and as usual it was poorly organised and pretty average, which is why so often I have relied on my Russian speaking mate Tom to find alternative eating places.
Actually the lunches on the road have provided the best and most interesting food.
The planning and implementation of the Russian leg of the journey has been bad. Thank goodness for the local guide, but the trip itself can only be described as bewildering. Nothing planned, bad choice of routes and locations, no interaction with locals, in fact we have been to some wonderful and historic places and seen little of them. Arriving late so often and on short days nothing planned. Amazingly bad really. However thanks to Tom I have enjoyed the experience of Russia. It is old. Its is proud. It is recovering. It has a long way to go however.
nzl07
So we had lots of villages, and some very pretty churches. The Police were again active and got one of our group with a fine. The ride into Anape was pretty good as the city is on the Black Sea.
The a lack of directions and a very average GPS map was again the villain. The Hotel was actually in a park with no real signpostining. Never mind. We were directed the next day to follow the escourt vehicle and he got lost so it must be harder than it looks.
The Hotel as I said was on the Black Sea. This is a major tourist spot and our last city in Russia.
The usual waterfont attractions, itinerant musicians, people wlaking everywhere. A most pleasant place and probably a goood holiday spot.
I have not mentioned the food and as usual it was poorly organised and pretty average, which is why so often I have relied on my Russian speaking mate Tom to find alternative eating places.
Actually the lunches on the road have provided the best and most interesting food.
The planning and implementation of the Russian leg of the journey has been bad. Thank goodness for the local guide, but the trip itself can only be described as bewildering. Nothing planned, bad choice of routes and locations, no interaction with locals, in fact we have been to some wonderful and historic places and seen little of them. Arriving late so often and on short days nothing planned. Amazingly bad really. However thanks to Tom I have enjoyed the experience of Russia. It is old. Its is proud. It is recovering. It has a long way to go however.
nzl07
Friday 20th 480 km to Rostov.
Once again we managed to take the wrong way out of town. Missed the morning address but then again perhaps they didn't know either. It is a long time since the group has been together. However the other, as I understand we are called, set off again to find a way to Rostov that involved the least amount of M5 riding possible. We did need some today but 120k down the road we found the back road we were looking for. It looked like a shortcut but as usual it became a long cut ! But more fun that way we believed.
The road we took ended in a dead end at a lake. Good enough to stop for lunch and we were well rewarded with a great lunch. The lady owner was a charming character and served us borsch and salad.
Back to the back roads that got smaller and smaller until it ran out at a river. No ferry to save us this time so the scouts took to the paddocks and finally found a track through the fields and a very untidy dirty village that 2kms down the road had a new tar seal road ending at the same river.
So here we were at Rostov on the river Don.
nzl07
The road we took ended in a dead end at a lake. Good enough to stop for lunch and we were well rewarded with a great lunch. The lady owner was a charming character and served us borsch and salad.
Back to the back roads that got smaller and smaller until it ran out at a river. No ferry to save us this time so the scouts took to the paddocks and finally found a track through the fields and a very untidy dirty village that 2kms down the road had a new tar seal road ending at the same river.
So here we were at Rostov on the river Don.
nzl07
Wednesday 19th Saratov to Volograd
( Historical note : Volograd was Stalingrad where Russia managed to defeat Germany).
Today we had almost all of the crew riding with the rebels. Consequently lots of slow stops. As I have said before, in Russia you pay for fuel then pour. That means someone that overpays is suddenly looking for someone with some tank capacity. So we left the city on the hillside by the Volga with its Universities and numerous and spectacular monuments, and the Volga, and headed again for the plains. Crops, cattle, and villages.
We could not be contained however and soon found a side road, mainly gravel and sand to a village by the river. Had lunch from the local store to the amusement of the village kids, but soon a huge black cloud appeared and rather than be caught on a wet clay track we bolted.
We escaped the rain but not the consequences of our faulty map reading as we soon came on a large part of the river where the road stopped. We found that we could catch a ferry in two hours so sat around watching the locals.
The ferry ride duly came and soon we were deposited on the shore about 1 km away and back on some ordinary roads and a direct run into the city of Volograd.
We had a lay day on Thursday. So I had a day off.
This is the town with the biggest, tallest, moument (in the world they say ?) of "Mother Russia".
She was certainy big.
This town is almost sacred. This is victory over Germany city and the memorials are everywhere. Otherwise a pleasant city on the river.
The language remains a barrier to communication so we are left mostly to wander about and look. There are some locals that try their "english" which makes for some interesting exchanges.
Overall a pleasant safe city, in fact there have been no scary moments as far as I am aware. Russia seems a safe and hospitable pleace.
nzl07
Today we had almost all of the crew riding with the rebels. Consequently lots of slow stops. As I have said before, in Russia you pay for fuel then pour. That means someone that overpays is suddenly looking for someone with some tank capacity. So we left the city on the hillside by the Volga with its Universities and numerous and spectacular monuments, and the Volga, and headed again for the plains. Crops, cattle, and villages.
We could not be contained however and soon found a side road, mainly gravel and sand to a village by the river. Had lunch from the local store to the amusement of the village kids, but soon a huge black cloud appeared and rather than be caught on a wet clay track we bolted.
We escaped the rain but not the consequences of our faulty map reading as we soon came on a large part of the river where the road stopped. We found that we could catch a ferry in two hours so sat around watching the locals.
The ferry ride duly came and soon we were deposited on the shore about 1 km away and back on some ordinary roads and a direct run into the city of Volograd.
We had a lay day on Thursday. So I had a day off.
This is the town with the biggest, tallest, moument (in the world they say ?) of "Mother Russia".
She was certainy big.
This town is almost sacred. This is victory over Germany city and the memorials are everywhere. Otherwise a pleasant city on the river.
The language remains a barrier to communication so we are left mostly to wander about and look. There are some locals that try their "english" which makes for some interesting exchanges.
Overall a pleasant safe city, in fact there have been no scary moments as far as I am aware. Russia seems a safe and hospitable pleace.
nzl07
Tuesday 18th Samara to Saratov
Found our way out of the city with our group of rebels following along behind Tom who used a combination of dead reckoning and taliking to the locals to find our way to a rout we had found on a russian map Tom had procured.
So once ahain in pretty good weather we found a back road that ran down the Volga river. Lots of flat cultivated land and some fantastic tree lined avenues. We managed a few wrong turns, a combination of GPS, maps, closed roads, and plain wrong advice however we ended up in the town square. A rapidly decaying rural town as the younf people move to the cities. At one time this was a thriving settlement. A large church now dilapidated; war memorials, now overgrown; (the Russians are very proud that they have "never lost a war") and a town square, mostly overgrown. However the school was thriving and the kids were friendly and interested.
So we were back on the back road and after some more wandering found and crossed the Volga and found the main road to town.
A good day riding in rural Russia.
Had dinner with a local friend of Toms. He was very interesting on the Russian economy but was more interested in a crocodile skin coat and whether I could get him one. There was some confusion in his mind as to where New Zealand was, but he very proudly showed us the military collection of tanks and again proudly proclaimed we have never lost a war.
Military might runs deep in the Russians we met.
The Volga is an astonishingly large river. However the hotel did not yet have hot water. On the matter of hot water it is customary that hot water is heated at a council facility and distibuted by means of insulated pipes. Consequently hot water is available at certain times morning and night but not allways it seems.
The city could have been anywhere. Restaurants, kids in the streets, mobile phones, it is uncanny how the world has such an amazing similarity in its cities.
nzl07
So once ahain in pretty good weather we found a back road that ran down the Volga river. Lots of flat cultivated land and some fantastic tree lined avenues. We managed a few wrong turns, a combination of GPS, maps, closed roads, and plain wrong advice however we ended up in the town square. A rapidly decaying rural town as the younf people move to the cities. At one time this was a thriving settlement. A large church now dilapidated; war memorials, now overgrown; (the Russians are very proud that they have "never lost a war") and a town square, mostly overgrown. However the school was thriving and the kids were friendly and interested.
So we were back on the back road and after some more wandering found and crossed the Volga and found the main road to town.
A good day riding in rural Russia.
Had dinner with a local friend of Toms. He was very interesting on the Russian economy but was more interested in a crocodile skin coat and whether I could get him one. There was some confusion in his mind as to where New Zealand was, but he very proudly showed us the military collection of tanks and again proudly proclaimed we have never lost a war.
Military might runs deep in the Russians we met.
The Volga is an astonishingly large river. However the hotel did not yet have hot water. On the matter of hot water it is customary that hot water is heated at a council facility and distibuted by means of insulated pipes. Consequently hot water is available at certain times morning and night but not allways it seems.
The city could have been anywhere. Restaurants, kids in the streets, mobile phones, it is uncanny how the world has such an amazing similarity in its cities.
nzl07
Monday Ufa to Samara est 490km
Left our city hotel and into the fray, as we were soon on the main road the M5 again, but 1/2 an hour out were able thanfully to find a backroad.
Lots of flat land trees and crops for miles, as we ride slowly deteriorating roads and smaller and older villages ending in a ride through a paddock across a ford in the river and suddenly out of the cornfields we were back on the main road. Happily we soon found gravel again and a lunch stop to revisit, salad and caviar, borsch with garlic, splendid.
Shortly we were trapped again by the main road but as we entered town were intercepted by a motorbiker from a local bike club. They had extensive club premises with over 100 bikes. They were a very friendly and hospitable group of guys. This was not the first occasion where local bikers stopped us and wanted to communicate and offer hospitality.
nzl07
Lots of flat land trees and crops for miles, as we ride slowly deteriorating roads and smaller and older villages ending in a ride through a paddock across a ford in the river and suddenly out of the cornfields we were back on the main road. Happily we soon found gravel again and a lunch stop to revisit, salad and caviar, borsch with garlic, splendid.
Shortly we were trapped again by the main road but as we entered town were intercepted by a motorbiker from a local bike club. They had extensive club premises with over 100 bikes. They were a very friendly and hospitable group of guys. This was not the first occasion where local bikers stopped us and wanted to communicate and offer hospitality.
nzl07
Sunday 16 June to UFA
Today we pass a significant mark as we leave Asia and enter Europe. Our rebel group that looks for more interesting places than the main road had a good day. Cut off 100k so we only rode 520k but found some back roads, villages, wonderful rural views and lots of piles of wood as the villagers stock up for winter. It clearly gets very cold here. Sadly by lunch time we were back on the "main drag" and immediately found the heavy traffic some badly worn roads and the police. Lots of Police all looking to make their wages. I was stopped 3 times but avoided making a contribution, not all were so fortunate. The Police work traps mainly on speed and overtaking. So they change the signs or remove them and take photsgraphs, and recruit following traffic to "pot" you. Clearly anyone they stop will agree or get the same penalty themselves. Its an interesting system. One of the first signs of a corrupt system or a bankrupt society is speed fines. I have travelled in many places and the three worst places are those that seem to be in the most financial difficulty, ie California, Russia, New Zealand, ....
Ufa is a huge industrial city but again our plan allows for us to ride from city to city to eat and sleep.
nzl07
Ufa is a huge industrial city but again our plan allows for us to ride from city to city to eat and sleep.
nzl07
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Friday Irbit to Ekaterinberg
So today I find out why we are here, to visit the famous URAL factory. They make bikes and sidecars. Originally built for the war to transport troops, based on a BMW they are now the flagship Russian bike......however in planning the trip our organiser failed to note that as it was a holiday the factory was closed. Oh well lets go to Ekaterinberg about 200k down the road.
This is quite a city.
Finding the Hotel was the usual goat chase, but never mind we made it.
The town is actually pretty well serviced and has one of the most entertaining pubs I have ever visited.
If you are ever in that city then find the old Gordons Hotel (there are two) and brace yourself.
Lay day today (Saturday) where we were able to get bikes serviced. Some with mixed success, and the early afternoon completion turned into 7pm. We later discovered some pretty bad workmanship that our guides felt appropriate not to take any part in.
There are apparently many things to do and places to go but none of them had been organised for our group so we mostly spent the day walking about. The city was a pleasant place to be with a good central park, but it was a pity not to have something constructive organised without the availability of our bikes. Not that riding on a lay day has been popular.
nzl07
This is quite a city.
Finding the Hotel was the usual goat chase, but never mind we made it.
The town is actually pretty well serviced and has one of the most entertaining pubs I have ever visited.
If you are ever in that city then find the old Gordons Hotel (there are two) and brace yourself.
Lay day today (Saturday) where we were able to get bikes serviced. Some with mixed success, and the early afternoon completion turned into 7pm. We later discovered some pretty bad workmanship that our guides felt appropriate not to take any part in.
There are apparently many things to do and places to go but none of them had been organised for our group so we mostly spent the day walking about. The city was a pleasant place to be with a good central park, but it was a pity not to have something constructive organised without the availability of our bikes. Not that riding on a lay day has been popular.
nzl07
Thursday to Irbit about 300km
We had a short day so our group attempted to make it more interesting by finding some alternative routes, and we did.
The villages smell as if they house the cattle and I believe they do.
Rural Russia. Farming, cropping communal grazing of cows and returning at night to sleep inside.
Its all very quaint but you wouldn't want to live there I suspect.
So we arrived at Irbit.
Today is Independance Day and therev is a celebration in the square including a singing priest. I felt about as bemused and removed from what was happening as I am sure they did when a group of foreign bikers turned up on stage to be addressed by our guide.
Once again why are we here.
nzl07
The villages smell as if they house the cattle and I believe they do.
Rural Russia. Farming, cropping communal grazing of cows and returning at night to sleep inside.
Its all very quaint but you wouldn't want to live there I suspect.
So we arrived at Irbit.
Today is Independance Day and therev is a celebration in the square including a singing priest. I felt about as bemused and removed from what was happening as I am sure they did when a group of foreign bikers turned up on stage to be addressed by our guide.
Once again why are we here.
nzl07
Tuesday 10 June 679k to Omsk
Payback ! We had a day of lost opportunity to be followed by a monster ride to Omsk.
Then that was followed by another 600k odd to Tyumen.
This was a more interesting ride. Breakfast at a truck stop after an earky start. We seem not to make the daily briefings, whats the point.
"We are riding today. The map is unreadable and the GPS unreliable but have fun out there !"
The day was a constant mix of sun, cloud, rain, and repeat.....however the landscape was good and the roads average to better. Flat land, covered by birch trees.
Made the Hotel without mishap or getting lost.
This had been a sound town based on the buildings which had been expensively built it appears, but lots of large buildings.
Nothing else to remark on.
nzl07
Then that was followed by another 600k odd to Tyumen.
This was a more interesting ride. Breakfast at a truck stop after an earky start. We seem not to make the daily briefings, whats the point.
"We are riding today. The map is unreadable and the GPS unreliable but have fun out there !"
The day was a constant mix of sun, cloud, rain, and repeat.....however the landscape was good and the roads average to better. Flat land, covered by birch trees.
Made the Hotel without mishap or getting lost.
This had been a sound town based on the buildings which had been expensively built it appears, but lots of large buildings.
Nothing else to remark on.
nzl07
Sunday 8 June Kemerovo to Novosibirsk
One of those days when one asks what is this about. A short ride after breakfast at the local cafe and a very kind local escourted us out of town.
The countryside was great, the roads were better and all in all an easy day to a two night stop in a place that one can only ask why stop here ?
In fact the only reason the city is here is because of the Trans Siberian Railway.
Its the biggest city in Siberia at 1.6m .............
But why are we here ?
nzl07
The countryside was great, the roads were better and all in all an easy day to a two night stop in a place that one can only ask why stop here ?
In fact the only reason the city is here is because of the Trans Siberian Railway.
Its the biggest city in Siberia at 1.6m .............
But why are we here ?
nzl07
Sat 7 June 560 k to Kemerovo
Another 500k plus day to a city in the wilderness of Russia. It started wild and windy in overcast but not wet conditions. As the day improved so did the roads and the landscape and even the city was pretty decent by comparision.
The roads again lined by birch trees masses of them, were very pretty. The countryside and the villages are the better places to be. The cities, are like cities everywhere, boring dirty and the same.
Roadside lunches are pretty good thanks to our riding mate Tom. He spent some time in Moscow so has translation duties which he handles with good grace, because it must be a nuisance taking over as nanny to a bunch of riders essentially abandoned in Russia. (Abandoned is perhaps a little strong as they did book the hotels and provide a Russian guide in a van).
The city was good and the hotel fine. We were entertained by a wedding in the Hotel. The custom is to place money down the front of the brides dress ( and it would have held a lot) in exchange for a kiss. Interesting custom but our hosts were generous and gracious. Our guides took it as a chance to make a self promotional speech which I am sure the guests are still bewildered about. Who were those people ?
Our Russian guide showed his skill later as we discovered a nightclub. I am not an expert in these places but it did remind me of a visit I made to a similar place in Berlin in 1965. Huge, inceridbly noisy, lots of flashing lights, beer and the inevitable, what am I doing here ?
nzl07
The roads again lined by birch trees masses of them, were very pretty. The countryside and the villages are the better places to be. The cities, are like cities everywhere, boring dirty and the same.
Roadside lunches are pretty good thanks to our riding mate Tom. He spent some time in Moscow so has translation duties which he handles with good grace, because it must be a nuisance taking over as nanny to a bunch of riders essentially abandoned in Russia. (Abandoned is perhaps a little strong as they did book the hotels and provide a Russian guide in a van).
The city was good and the hotel fine. We were entertained by a wedding in the Hotel. The custom is to place money down the front of the brides dress ( and it would have held a lot) in exchange for a kiss. Interesting custom but our hosts were generous and gracious. Our guides took it as a chance to make a self promotional speech which I am sure the guests are still bewildered about. Who were those people ?
Our Russian guide showed his skill later as we discovered a nightclub. I am not an expert in these places but it did remind me of a visit I made to a similar place in Berlin in 1965. Huge, inceridbly noisy, lots of flashing lights, beer and the inevitable, what am I doing here ?
nzl07
Thurs 5 June Tulin to Krasnoyararsk
A cool but dry day. We seem to ride anywhere between 250km but not often to 650km fairly often. Today we had lots of villages, tree lined roads, some of it fantastic, huge and beautiful lanscapes however the roads did not give one a lot of gazing around time.
To be fair they are doing their best in awful conditions. The ground freezes in winter causing the water to swell and then as it thaws the traffic creates "moguls", so we have new tar seal, old tar seal, completely buggered tar seal, metal roads good metal roads bad, holes, lumps, ruts, some lamost impassable in a small car but it was dry, fortunately, but cold.
The good thing was the lanscape. It stayed, endless, flat, grass, trees, and then the villages, small with dilapidated houses all wood, some logs some sawn wood, all with seemingly corrugated fibrolite or asbestos, unpainted, with yards fenced again in wood, but the houses with their brightly coloured window frames, sadly not maintained, but they add a real splash of clolour and individuality.
We were on our own again finding the Hotel. Our directions were useless, so again we relied on our riding mate Tom who speaks Russian to bring us home.
We will stay here two night. This is not a very pleasant place to visit. Apparently it was a walled city (Gulag) used to incacerate politcal prisoners by Stalin but to which he and Lenin were later sent.
There are other closed cities that were built for "secret" purposes nearby. No one would seemingly want to come here unless they had to. We did experience some of the local grenn tourism by walking into the woods, with lots of mossies, but failed to see any other wildlife like a bear, perhaps just as well.
nzl07
To be fair they are doing their best in awful conditions. The ground freezes in winter causing the water to swell and then as it thaws the traffic creates "moguls", so we have new tar seal, old tar seal, completely buggered tar seal, metal roads good metal roads bad, holes, lumps, ruts, some lamost impassable in a small car but it was dry, fortunately, but cold.
The good thing was the lanscape. It stayed, endless, flat, grass, trees, and then the villages, small with dilapidated houses all wood, some logs some sawn wood, all with seemingly corrugated fibrolite or asbestos, unpainted, with yards fenced again in wood, but the houses with their brightly coloured window frames, sadly not maintained, but they add a real splash of clolour and individuality.
We were on our own again finding the Hotel. Our directions were useless, so again we relied on our riding mate Tom who speaks Russian to bring us home.
We will stay here two night. This is not a very pleasant place to visit. Apparently it was a walled city (Gulag) used to incacerate politcal prisoners by Stalin but to which he and Lenin were later sent.
There are other closed cities that were built for "secret" purposes nearby. No one would seemingly want to come here unless they had to. We did experience some of the local grenn tourism by walking into the woods, with lots of mossies, but failed to see any other wildlife like a bear, perhaps just as well.
nzl07
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