Sibirsky Extreme 2012 - The Toughest Ride of Them All

So shame on the Aussies also

All.
This seems like an opportune time to step back from the thread and let the guys actually participating in Chapter 3 tell the story without the distraction of posts from my ride across Russia.

Once they get to ...wherever they get to () I'll put put up the story of the ride across and onward to the UK via Moscow and Tony P.
If anyone's interested, the bike was faultless all the way and I ran the same tyres all the way home. 9000 miles in all.

Thanks everyone for your kind comments, questions and PMs. If you have any more Qs either stick 'em up on the thread or PM me. Cheers.


Now. WTF happened next ??RC

So true, but unfortunately, as English speakers, we don't see it that way which leads to our ignorance that Rod has alluded to.:huh

This thread has gone beyond the realms of epic. I love the cast of thousands.

There is another reason for learning english, too: Hollywood
Due to economics most movies get not translated to czech, greek, and even svensk, whereas every movie is synchronized to german, spanish,... So if you live in a small country (exactly: small population) you will see every blockbuster in english. When you are just 4 years old, you cannot read your own language, but you can follow to english movies.
so there is no wondering that people from eastern Europe a often speaking english much better then Germans or Austrians, like me: Although I learned it in school, I was not forced to speak or understand it in real life, apart from holidays in other countries. but this forum is my best training now

The reason some countryes do NOT DUB movies... is not economics. Dubbing is soooo uncool. I would hate to watch a Hollywood movie with Finnish dubbing, no way. To hear the original actors voice, is part of the experience, that's why we use subtitles.

Hey FB.
Just reading your Scotland for the Brave report.

I'm trying not to guffaw out loud (did but told wifey I was sneezing) as wifey is sitting behind me and thinks I'm doing her Mum's birthday card on Moonpig...

sshhhh...

This is a terrific piece of gear. I've owned one for 5 years and it has always performed flawlessly.

Rod,

Sure going to miss you and your great writing and photography. Glad to know you made it home without any mishaps. Stay in touch and looking forward to your ride home report. THANKS! for your great contribution to this amazing report!!
Cheers,
Bob

I wish my school had taught us two or three other languages right alongside english when we were first starting school. Studies seem to say that little kids learn languages much easier than do teens, say, and for sure easier than adults. But you can't really become fluent in another language here in America, I don't think. We don't have France, Germany, Italy or Spain nearby. The best we can do probably is French Canada and Chinatown in NYC or San Francisco, or the zone just north of the southern border! So even if we had years and years of language schooling, we'd only be fluent in the schoolbook version, not the way people actually speak on their home turf because we don't have the opportunity to practice speaking with native speakers. Also I suspect that here in America foreign languages are taught as an academic discipline but in Europe they might be taught more for everyday use because Europe is a place of many native languages? I was discussing this with a young woman who teaches French in high school here. She was very knowledgeable about how "street French" is actually spoken but I'll bet she doesn't get to teach it to her students. When I see her again I'll ask her.

I ran into Jacob (given name Doron) in Whitehorse in September. As y'all say, he's very much the loquacious guy. He's working his way around the world and maintaining a blog, though I've unfortunately lost the link to it He had a pretty aggressive schedule, and by my recollection he would likely be near Tierra del Fuego or beyond (I think Africa was next) by now.

Here's a pic of Doron/Jacob with another world rider, in Whitehorse.

I can't speak for everyone here, but you're an integral part of this story, so your solo ride across Russia is far from distracting. It's just as much a part of this ride report as the 'main ride.' I urge you to keep telling it (besides you seem to post your story at a faster rate than most anyone else here! Gotta have my fix!).

Lighten up Melvin! Classics like "The Legend of The One Armed Swordsmen" and "The Drunk Monkey" would not be the same without the skillfull dubbing!

I agree! Rod, don't be a stranger, I think everyone would like to see and hear of your progress!

I promise I will post it as a chapter 4-lite/epilogue once the main body of the story is complete in a few weeks.

OK ... I get back into the story now.

So there I am in Moscow .... its the day before I fly back to Irkutsk. My mission to Moscow (to get spare parts of course) was a success (thanks to my spare parts assistant Boris - pictured below).

I am packing my bags, and then a text comes in from a guy I havent heard from in a month or so.

You see, there was this Norwegian guy who had been hassling me late in 2011 for info about the BAM and about bike preparation - He wanted to go there in Summer 2012- same time I was going there. I discussed the BAM in detail and told him he cant go wrong in preparing an X-Challenge or two if he contacts Erik at Hot Rod, Ray of Rayz Seats and Bas at Hyperpro, all in Holland. The next thing I knew is that he was heading to Holland with a couple of X-Challenges, for a week or intense bike prep. He had asked me if I was going to be around when he was there, but I was in Holland the weeks either side of his bike prep week, but for that particular week I was in the UK.

The week after, when this Norwegian guy was back in Norway, I returned to Holland, where I stayed with my good friend Erik from Hot Rod for another few days of my own bike prep work (making a dashboard and assorted other pieces).



I asked him ... so how did things work out with the Norwegian guy? What did he get done to the bikes?

Erik replied, well one guy turned up with two bikes, the got the fuel tanks and fairings fitted, Bas sorted out his suspension and he stopped to visit Ray on his way back north to get the seats sorted.

I asked ... OK ... so ? nice guy?

Erik replied ... well he is one huge son of a bitch, but a really good guy ... and his name is Geir. We got drunk most nights while singing the Norwegian national anthem.

Well with that recommendation from Hot Rod Erik, my dialogue with the Geir increased. We exchanged a couple of messages in the months before the trip. Geir had asked me when I was planning to be at the start of the BAM Road ... and I replied about 25th July. He said he was going to be there about the 15th of July. It looked like Terry and I were going to be 10 days behind him on the BAM. It would be useful for me to keep in touch and get any live updates on the condition of the road ... so we kept in touch one a month with updates of plans.

Once I was in Mongolia it was impossible to keep in touch with anyone. I hadnt heard from the Geir in a month or so, and suddenly, here I was, a day before leaving Moscow to return to Irkutsk, he tells me he will also be in Irkutsk tomorrow night, and to reserve 4 beds for his gang at Nina's. So It looked like I would finally meet the big Norwegian.

I wondered if he was still planning to do the BAM ....

...Synchronicity

Well judging by your post you have it nailed, I don't see any accent AT ALL!!
Regards....just jeff

the RR just gets better & better! love all the different angles of the story, you guys are all doing a great job at telling it!

edit:

and the pic of "Boris" explains the intensity of the cross-Mongolian sprint!

I LOLed at this