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.