Blago to Chita

Off to Chita, a city 1600Kms. west of "Blago", but first a little information on the motorcycles we are riding. Above is Monica on her 2010 BMW 650 GS. So far she has been problem free.

Cain rides a 2008 KTM Dakar 990 Adventure S. He is very happy with the way it handles in the rougher going [dirt], although it has had some fuel pump and gas overheating issues.

Simon, on the right has a 2009 Honda Transalp 750, a great running bike for the trip. The only problem has been leaking fork seals, a minor thing that has been fixed.

Frank has a 1992 BMW R100GS PD. Happy with it so far, no problems.

Lunch break on the road to Chita at a shashlyk [shishkabob] stand. A great meal of pork, khleb [bread], salat [salad] and chai [tea] for under U.S. $7.00.

The road was about 20% gravel and the temperature a humid 35 degrees plus Centigrade. Another irritant was the Russian car drivers. A large minority love to overtake and pass very close. It's the might makes right syndrome. And of course, the other thing is drinking and driving, a serious problem here. The gas stations often have a better alcohol selection here than the liquor stores back home, and it is very cheap.

Very pretty country, lots of insects...mosquitoes, horseflies and butterflies.

The route we followed often parallelled the Trans Siberian railroad.

We took three days to get to Chita camping out two nights. Bugs were bad, like the Canadian north. We had a great swimming hole here to cool off in.

Zavtrak [breakfast] in the local roadside cafe. Breakfast often included bliny[pancakes], kasha [buckwheat porridge], syrniki [cottage cheese fritters] and bread. The cost was $3-4.00 U.S..

We are now entering into the eastern edge of Siberia, above the Mongolian steppe and the land was more clear of trees, horse country. The road here was great. The mix of the people was changing as well, with more ethnic Mongolians [Buryat people], and Tibetan Buddhism. The Buryat are about 30% of the population in this area.

Roadside cafe truck stop.

We were having driving break when a truck coming the other way stopped for a big hello and welcome to Russia.

Welcoming Russian ladies. I may be wrong, but I think Simon's already fluent Russian improved considerably when they dropped by.

Typical village in this part of the country with wooden buildings, bumpy dirt streets and big gardens behind each house.

Village house and garden.

Lonely roadside outhouse looking south towards Mongolia.
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Lenin Square, Chita. Chita is a city of 372,000 in eastern Siberia founded in 1653 and has very few non Chinese tourists. It is a prosperous city flooded with Chinese traders.

Souped up Lada, obviously owned by a proud Russian.

One of a few beautiful old wooden Russian buildings left in downtown Chita.

Icons in front of the main Russian Orthodox Church in Chita.

Domes of the cathedral, Chita.





















A-Blagovenshensk, B-Chita, 1990 kms.. Lake Baikal is on the left.

Khavarovsk to Blagoveshchensk

Left Khavarovsk for the 700Km. trip to Blagoveshchensk, a city of 210,000 on the Amur river, which forms the border with China. The road was 70-80 % paved, and where paved was excellent. The countryside, very unpopulated, is mostly heavily forested with Larch and Birch. We saw no wildlife. Lots of mosquitoes and horseflies. The temperature during the day was a very humid 35-40 degrees centigrade. Good to be on the bike.

At a stop at a village near Blagveshchensk. Anytime we stopped near a populated area, we were soon surrounded by friendly curious people.

Near "Blago" and the Amur River border with China. Rich soil and agriculture.

Johny on the spot on "Blago" waterfront and the always present washroom attendant.

Chinese city of Heihe, across the Amur from "Blago".

Above, Valadya Boldygin, husband of Vera Petrovna. We stayed 6 days with them and their family in "Blago". Dimitri, one of their sons, lives in Australia, and is a friend of Simon and Monica. We were treated like kings and ate way too much. Incredible hospitality

Heihe, across the river from Blago .

Above, from left to right, Vera Petrovna, Anastasia (Alexi's girlfriend), Alexi, Vera and Valadya's youngest son. We are at a Chinese restaurant on our last night in "Blago".

Goodbyes on leaving.

A Russian hug coming from V.P..

We were all able to do an oil change. Simon, Monica and Cain picked up new tires sent to this address in "Blago"

We left to cover the 1700 Kms. west to Chita.

A- Khavarovsk, B-Blagoveshchensk. 686 kms..

Russia

Leaving Wakkanai, Hokkaido for the trip to Sakhalin Island

Entering the port of Korsakan on Sakhalin. Entry was slow due to red tape and much paperwork. The customs computer was down so we had to leave our bikes on the boat over night. The customs broker was very helpful, and the cost about U.S. $ 200.00. It would be much more challenging if we didn`t have a Russian speaker with us.

Had a home stay in Korsakaon in a old Stalinist apartment building. The people are curious and very friendly. It`s quite a change re; neatness from Japan

Met a member of a bike club from the capital of Sakhalin in Korsakov and he invited us to visit them . They were called the `Orphans` and above is their clubhouse. They were incredibly hospitable, and offered us free accomodation

We camped 80 Kms. outside of Yuzhno-Sahalinsk on a lake by the Sea of Okholsk, suggested by the bikers.

Collecting wood for the camping.

Left campsite accompanied by bikers for Kolmsk on the other side of the island to catch the ferry for Vanino and the mainland.

Took about 4 hours of paperwork to get on the ferry, a carry over from Soviet times.

Once on the ferry, we met up with an　analy challanged ferry worker who decided we should lay the bikes on their sides for the crossing and hurry up about it because the ferry was running late. After much firmness on our part we were able to secure the bikes. The first jerk we ran into in Russia.

On the boat, Sophia and her family on their way to Spain for a vacation befriended Simon and Monica. She was teary when we left.

Simon showing some pictures from home.

Port of Vanino. Very busy, shipping out resources

Truckers we met on the ferry invited us to stay at their trucker hostel in the port area for free. The night meal and many toasts of Vodka to the famous Aussie toast of `Up your bum` in heavily accented english. Nice guys!!

The trucker digs.

Gasing up, U.S.$1.00/liter. You have to tell them how many liters you want beforehand.

The road to Khabarovsk started off well. We had about 300 kms. of paved road and 250kms. of some of the roughest road I have ever been on.

Weather is nice. No rain today. Like a fine summer day in Alberta.

Monica on the gravel, dodging the potholes.

Tea break by a river

The worst bridge. You don't want to be driving this road at night, or after a heavy rain!

Simon crossing.

Cain at a break.

Monica`s second wind.

Camping on the Amur River, north of Khabarovsk. Lots of mosquitoes

Stopped for a break north of Khabarovsk, when Sasha, one of the truckers from Vanino came by and stopped for a chat.

Khabarovsk, voted as one of the best places to live in Russia.

New Cathedral. There's been a revival of the Orthordox religion in Russia.

Beautiful people.

Amur river waterfront park.

Lenin Square.

Four Russian eggs