09-10 - 08 - 2006
Amur Trassa = Birobidzian – Habarovsk – Vladivostok 09-10 – 08 – 2006
Just for having the luxury of a shower, I take another one in the morning. Living on the road you get used to not being very clean most of the time. You have your basic hygiene, but the cold river water is not always that appealing for a good bath. Anyway, we westerners are just used to the luxury of a nice hot shower I guess.
Between Birobidzian and Habarovsk there is one last bad spot. If I recall correctly it is about 50 to 100 km of construction zone as bad as the part between Chita and Skovorodino. After the construction zone it is asphalt all the way to Vladivostok and Nahodka. Of course this was a joyous moment for myself, my Ural and … the bikers from Chita. I finished the same time as these guys and they had a head start. They are faster on good road, but on bad roads my Ural is apparently faster. Anyway, we shook hands and talked a bit.
I was glad to have this bad, bad road behind me. Doug taught me that the difference between ordeal and adventure is attitude. In all honesty I must admit that the first days on the bad road were an ordeal at some stages because I was not in the right mental mindset. Problems with the motorcycle; not advancing as good as I had wanted; fatigue; solitude … I can sum up more excuses, but the bottom line is that ‘problems’ do not exist, one should perceive them as ‘challenges’. Like my very good friend Johan always says: face the music and dance. Being a rookie motorcycle traveller, it is probably OK to make these mistakes. Nevertheless, I am glad to have taken this route: I have been there and made it through. It is an experience I will never forget.
Even though Russian asphalt isn’t all that great I loved it. It was a welcome change. I met some more bikers along the way from Habarovsk to Vladivostok and even helped one of them out with a couple of liters of gas. A lot of people will be at the bike show. I want to be in Vladivostok as soon as possible. It is not that far and decide to drive as long as possible. Most cafes and gas stations are open round the clock. At gas stations you might have to tap on the window to wake the attendant, but this is normal practice in Russia. Cafes will have customers all night long, especially the drivers of the Japanese car convoys. I fill up my motorcycle with gas and me with coffee. As long as I don’t start confusing this procedure I will be OK. I drive all night. The vast majority of the cars in this region are Japanese and thus relatively new. Chances are very high that all their lights will be working, so it should be safe. Russian cars can travel down the highway at night with just one headlight and no rear lights … no problem … this is Russia.
Anyway, about 150 kms from Vladivostok, I cannot go any further because I am starting to doze off. It is already daylight again. I pull off to the shoulder, yawn and rest my head in my arms on top of my tank bag. No, I did not take my helmet off, but I did shut down the engine. I wake up an hour later. Now that is what I call a power nap. I feel better and it was even slightly comfortable. I continue on the road.
Around noon I reach the Vladivostok city sign: another joyous moment. I take some pictures and have lunch in the adjacent café. I call Doug and find out he is staying at the Iron Tigers club house. The club house is actually just a room in the VladMoto motorcycle shop. It appears easy enough to find in this huge city and after asking for some directions I am pretty confident I should be able to find it. Traffic is bustling, but nothing I can’t handle and eventually I find the motorcycle shop. There are some other bikers here, they are from Tynda a town on the road from Skovorodino to Yakutsk. We talk a bit, they are great guys. I need an oil and filter change: one of the reasons I wanted to make it to Vladivostok a bit early. I do so with the help from the people of VladMoto. Shortly after finishing this, Doug shows up. He was downtown shopping. It was good to see him again, of course. He has been here already a couple of days and was settled in. I take my stuff in to the clubhouse to join him for the night. The people from VladMoto, Max (aka Mad Max), Sasha, Sergey and Felix have no problem leaving us in the shop for the night. We sleep among the large collection of Japanese motorcycles. There is a toilet and running water, so the basic necessities are met. I hit the sack early for a good night’s sleep.
Just for having the luxury of a shower, I take another one in the morning. Living on the road you get used to not being very clean most of the time. You have your basic hygiene, but the cold river water is not always that appealing for a good bath. Anyway, we westerners are just used to the luxury of a nice hot shower I guess.
Between Birobidzian and Habarovsk there is one last bad spot. If I recall correctly it is about 50 to 100 km of construction zone as bad as the part between Chita and Skovorodino. After the construction zone it is asphalt all the way to Vladivostok and Nahodka. Of course this was a joyous moment for myself, my Ural and … the bikers from Chita. I finished the same time as these guys and they had a head start. They are faster on good road, but on bad roads my Ural is apparently faster. Anyway, we shook hands and talked a bit.
I was glad to have this bad, bad road behind me. Doug taught me that the difference between ordeal and adventure is attitude. In all honesty I must admit that the first days on the bad road were an ordeal at some stages because I was not in the right mental mindset. Problems with the motorcycle; not advancing as good as I had wanted; fatigue; solitude … I can sum up more excuses, but the bottom line is that ‘problems’ do not exist, one should perceive them as ‘challenges’. Like my very good friend Johan always says: face the music and dance. Being a rookie motorcycle traveller, it is probably OK to make these mistakes. Nevertheless, I am glad to have taken this route: I have been there and made it through. It is an experience I will never forget.
Even though Russian asphalt isn’t all that great I loved it. It was a welcome change. I met some more bikers along the way from Habarovsk to Vladivostok and even helped one of them out with a couple of liters of gas. A lot of people will be at the bike show. I want to be in Vladivostok as soon as possible. It is not that far and decide to drive as long as possible. Most cafes and gas stations are open round the clock. At gas stations you might have to tap on the window to wake the attendant, but this is normal practice in Russia. Cafes will have customers all night long, especially the drivers of the Japanese car convoys. I fill up my motorcycle with gas and me with coffee. As long as I don’t start confusing this procedure I will be OK. I drive all night. The vast majority of the cars in this region are Japanese and thus relatively new. Chances are very high that all their lights will be working, so it should be safe. Russian cars can travel down the highway at night with just one headlight and no rear lights … no problem … this is Russia.
Anyway, about 150 kms from Vladivostok, I cannot go any further because I am starting to doze off. It is already daylight again. I pull off to the shoulder, yawn and rest my head in my arms on top of my tank bag. No, I did not take my helmet off, but I did shut down the engine. I wake up an hour later. Now that is what I call a power nap. I feel better and it was even slightly comfortable. I continue on the road.
Around noon I reach the Vladivostok city sign: another joyous moment. I take some pictures and have lunch in the adjacent café. I call Doug and find out he is staying at the Iron Tigers club house. The club house is actually just a room in the VladMoto motorcycle shop. It appears easy enough to find in this huge city and after asking for some directions I am pretty confident I should be able to find it. Traffic is bustling, but nothing I can’t handle and eventually I find the motorcycle shop. There are some other bikers here, they are from Tynda a town on the road from Skovorodino to Yakutsk. We talk a bit, they are great guys. I need an oil and filter change: one of the reasons I wanted to make it to Vladivostok a bit early. I do so with the help from the people of VladMoto. Shortly after finishing this, Doug shows up. He was downtown shopping. It was good to see him again, of course. He has been here already a couple of days and was settled in. I take my stuff in to the clubhouse to join him for the night. The people from VladMoto, Max (aka Mad Max), Sasha, Sergey and Felix have no problem leaving us in the shop for the night. We sleep among the large collection of Japanese motorcycles. There is a toilet and running water, so the basic necessities are met. I hit the sack early for a good night’s sleep.
posted by Anonymous | 9:33 am
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