Sibirsky Extreme 2012 - The Toughest Ride of Them All

[mikecbrxx]

Originally Posted by Prutser

Mike's crate was pretty solid. And needed to be stacked for transport.

It appears that MDF is also at least twice as heavy as equivalent plywood.

[legasea]

Iker and Walter.
From: http://www.motostrail.com/vb2011/sho...iberia/page104



Your translators might help...

"Unos cientos de kilometros despues de Irkuts y poco antes de abandonar el asfalto, veo aparcadas fuera de un bar dos BMW, una gs800 y una gx-challenge. Anda!! Es la moto de Walter Coletbach pienso, de hecho sabia que andaba por aquí, paro y entro al bar a saludarles. Al acercarme a las motos, me doy cuenta que no es la de Walter, esta tiene piezas de carbono por todos lados y la otra tampoco va mal preparada. Son dos Noruegos están comiendo algo, me dicen que han quedado con Walter y con dos compatriotas mas en una turística isla en el lago Baikal. Van a grabar un programa para la televisión publica Noruega sobre la BAM y la BONES, van sobrados de pasta y de medios, a parte de contar con el mejor guía posible, Walter Coletbach. La verdad, no me gusta nada como me hablan, cuando les digo que yo también voy hacia la BAM y la BONES. Tu solo con esa moto tan grande? Me dice uno mientras mira mi cargada princesa a través de la ventana. Pero tu, sabes lo que es la BAM? Y el VITIM? El Vitim hay que cruzarlo andando, me aconsejan. Hay muchos puentes peligrosos y muchos ríos sin puente, me dicen entre otras cosas, siempre mirándome por encima del hombro. Bueno, si me pasase algo o no pudiese continuar, vosotros venis cuatro o cinco días detrás de mi, os esperare por allí, les digo con una sonrisa. Ellos no rien demasiado y se hace el silencio. Puede que no debiera haberlo hecho, pero estaba furioso, después de despedirme cortésmente y saliendo por la puerta me detengo, me giro y les digo con una sonrisa pero serio: Pienso a cruzar el Vitim en menos de un minuto. Arranco mi princesa y salgo del parking del Bar levantando rueda, continuo asi unos cuantos cientos de metros, jode!! Me han puesto furioso!!! Antes de bajar la rueda delantera ya se me ha pasado la mala leche, de hecho, mientras voy a una rueda ya estoy sonriendo."

A kind of translation.



A few hundred kilometers after Irkuts and shortly before leaving the asphalt, I see parked outside a bar two BMW, a gx-challenge and a gs800. ANDA! It is Walter Coletbach's bike I think, indeed I knew he was around here, stop and enter to the bar to greet them. As I approach to the bikes, I realize it is not Walter's, this one has carbon parts by all sides and the other isn't either baddly prepared. They are two Norwegians and are eating something, They tell me that they have been with Walter and two more compatriots on a touristic island in Lake Baikal. They are going to record a program for the public Norwegian television about the BAM and the BONES, with plenty of "pasta" and media, aside from having the best possible guide, Walter Coletbach. In truth, I don't like much the way they talk to me when I tell them that I'm also going towards the BAM and the BONES. Just you with this big bike? One tells me while watching my Princess charged through the window. But do you know what is the BAM? And the VITIM? The Vitim must be crossed on foot, they advise. There are many dangerous bridges and many rivers without a bridge, they say among other things, always looking at me over their shoulder. Well, if something happens to me and can't go on, you'll come four or five days behind me, I'll wait you there, I say with a smile. They do not laugh too much and silence is made. Maybe I shouldn't have done it, but was furious, after dismissing me politely and leaving through the door I stop, I turn and say with a smile but seriously: I'm intending to cross the Vitim in less than one minute. I start my Princess and leave the parking lot of the Bar lifting the front wheel, so continue for few hundred meters, fuck! They made me furious! Before lowering the wheel, the bad mood had gone, in fact as I go in one wheel I'm already smiling"

[jacekrsx]

great report, can't wait for more BAM

and this guy Iker, wow, I mean WOW!!!, YIHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!

[Pamirski]

Just to get the proportions:
small Basque and his bike some kilometers before Chilchi

[X Banana Boy]

Originally Posted by jacekrsx

great report, can't wait for more BAM

and this guy Iker, wow, I mean WOW!!!, YIHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!

Yes, one crazy SOB!! that Iker.

Bring on BAM

[Colebatch]

Originally Posted by legasea

Your translators might help...

To be fair ... I think Steve and Erik didnt realise what kind of rider he was and how well prepared he was. Its not like you normally see a guy in the middle of nowhere with an optimistic plan and think well he is probably a Dakar rider and 8 time motocross champion so we shouldn't worry. I think they were more worried to ensure that the guy knew the risks before he charged in. Obviously I wasnt there, so am speculating. But I guess. they didnt realise he was serious and had really done his homework until he pulled the wheelie till he was out of sight. Bear in mind, a Basque talking to a 2 Norwegians in English in Siberia is going to be subject to occasional misunderstandings.

I believe they invited him to come to Olkhon and spend the night with us, but I understand unfortunately Iker was very short of time and had to rush onwards.

[lukeman]

Originally Posted by legasea

Iker and Walter.
From: http://www.motostrail.com/vb2011/sho...iberia/page104

Your translators might help...

"Unos cientos de kilometros despues de Irkuts y poco antes de abandonar el asfalto, veo aparcadas fuera de un bar dos BMW, una gs800 y una gx-challenge. Anda!! Es la moto de Walter Coletbach pienso, de hecho sabia que andaba por aquí, paro y entro al bar a saludarles. Al acercarme a las motos, me doy cuenta que no es la de Walter, esta tiene piezas de carbono por todos lados y la otra tampoco va mal preparada. Son dos Noruegos están comiendo algo, me dicen que han quedado con Walter y con dos compatriotas mas en una turística isla en el lago Baikal. Van a grabar un programa para la televisión publica Noruega sobre la BAM y la BONES, van sobrados de pasta y de medios, a parte de contar con el mejor guía posible, Walter Coletbach. La verdad, no me gusta nada como me hablan, cuando les digo que yo también voy hacia la BAM y la BONES. Tu solo con esa moto tan grande? Me dice uno mientras mira mi cargada princesa a través de la ventana. Pero tu, sabes lo que es la BAM? Y el VITIM? El Vitim hay que cruzarlo andando, me aconsejan. Hay muchos puentes peligrosos y muchos ríos sin puente, me dicen entre otras cosas, siempre mirándome por encima del hombro. Bueno, si me pasase algo o no pudiese continuar, vosotros venis cuatro o cinco días detrás de mi, os esperare por allí, les digo con una sonrisa. Ellos no rien demasiado y se hace el silencio. Puede que no debiera haberlo hecho, pero estaba furioso, después de despedirme cortésmente y saliendo por la puerta me detengo, me giro y les digo con una sonrisa pero serio: Pienso a cruzar el Vitim en menos de un minuto. Arranco mi princesa y salgo del parking del Bar levantando rueda, continuo asi unos cuantos cientos de metros, jode!! Me han puesto furioso!!! Antes de bajar la rueda delantera ya se me ha pasado la mala leche, de hecho, mientras voy a una rueda ya estoy sonriendo."

I'll give the translation a go as it adds to the story. Sounds like you were a bit skeptical. The Spaniard has some conjones that's for damn sure.

So he goes into the bar and is hoping to see Colebatch, and finds the two Norwegians eating something.

--------------------------------------------------------

I do not like how they respond when I say that I'm going to the BAM and BONES.

"Your alone with that big bike?" He says while looking at my 'princess' loaded through the window. "But you know about the BAM? And Vitim? The Vitim must be walked across, trust me. There are many dangerous bridges and many rivers without a bridge"

They said other things, while looking over my shoulder.

"Well, if anything happens or not I will continue, You come four or five days behind me, I'll wait over there," I say with a smile.

They do not laugh too much and there is silence. Maybe I should not have, but I was furious after politely saying goodbye and out the door. I stop and turn and say with a smile, "but seriously, I think I'll go across the Vitim in under a minute." I start my princess and I leave the parking lot of the bar while pulling a wheelie, I continued a few hundred meters, fuck! I was furious! Before lowering the front wheel I stopped being pissed off, in fact, I was wheelieing and smiling.

[Lornce]

"And it's the last time we do it your way... You great poof!"

[Tony P]

Originally Posted by legasea

Originally Posted by Colebatch

The point is, the lad can seriously ride a bike.

He is seriously good with a beer glass too !

After those lunchtime beers with Colebatch he linked up with me (Colebatch had an urgent parts matters to resolve with Boris ) to go and get his bike out of airfreight at the airport.

Having done that, Iker and I did a brief tour of some of Moscow many hot-spots, ending up at this favourite of mine until well after 2am when I faded.
http://theinternationalpotatoe.wordp...nd-live-bands/


Quite a Guy.

[Pudge Factor]

Originally Posted by Colebatch

I am terribly sorry guys ... but we have forgotten to tell you about a chance encounter a few days back ....

While Terry, Geir and myself had arrived on Olkhon Island, and Erik and Steve were a few hours behind us .... they refuelled where the road to Zhigalovo and the road to Olkhon Island split.

While they were there, a fast talking, high energy Basque guy rode up on a KTM 990. He said he was off to Magadan and intended to break the speed record over the Vitim River Bridge. Then he zoomed off towards Zhigalovo pulling a wheelie on his fully fuelled and loaded 990 till he was out of sight.

Erik and Steve were totally flabbergasted ... they didnt expect that ...

But the chap in question was Iker Iturregi ... a Basque Spaniard who has 8 motocross titles to his name and was due to ride the Dakar a few years ago (had the bike, registration everything) but the crisis hit Spain and a key financial sponsor had to pull out on him, forcing him to withdraw. The point is, the lad can seriously ride a bike.

His blog site (if you can read spanish) is here:
http://www.blogseitb.com/rogeblasco/...beria-en-moto/

But most interesting are his helmet cam videos ... such as this: http://youtu.be/8GywvXk85GI

And his signature piece ... his third crossing of the Vitim Bridge (he had two practice runs first), in just 40 seconds ... at speeds above 90 km/h (55 mph)
http://youtu.be/tqtzmJrHdxw?t=3m13s
It will give you an idea what short of adrenaline rush is coming up for us in a few days time.

FYI- If you load up his blog w/Google Chrome it will ask if you want to translate from Spanish to (your language choice)
however I've not seen a translation for U-Tube flix.

And yes I agree, Iker Iturreg is one crazy Mammy Jammer for sure.

Thanks for taking us along w/Y'all, always interesting.
Pudge

[Blackbert]

Iker. ... Hell of a guy. Hell of a rider. Fond memories of our time in the Pyrenees a few years back. On and off the bike.

I'm not surprised he pulls a stunt like that. Real daredevil with great riding skills.

[Colebatch]

Originally Posted by Tony P

He is seriously good with a beer glass too !

Looks like I am beating him in that race ... probably the only chance I will get.

[tee bee]

Originally Posted by Colebatch

To be fair ... I think Steve and Erik didnt realise what kind of rider he was and how well prepared he was. Its not like you normally see a guy in the middle of nowhere with an optimistic plan and think well he is probably a Dakar rider and 8 time motocross champion so we shouldn't worry. I think they were more worried to ensure that the guy knew the risks before he charged in. They didnt realise he was serious and had really done his homework until he pulled the wheelie till he was out of sight. Bear in mind, a Basque talking to a 2 Norwegians in English in Siberia is going to be subject to occasional misunderstandings.

I believe they invited him to come to Olkhon and spend the night with us, but I understand unfortunately Iker was very short of time and had to rush onwards.

How true...It would have been great if we could have all rode together,...,he may have embarrassed me enough to make me ride over......

[bigdon]

Originally Posted by tee bee

How true...It would have been great if we could have all rode together,...,he may have embarrassed me enough to make me ride over......

But Terry, it made a great story , you guys pushing the bikes over and then Tony disappearing on the bridge. We all thought poor old Tony had been blown over the side and hopelessly lost. Then Tony appears like a drowned rat still pushing his bike!

Great story! It scared me nearly as much as watching the Spanish Guys riding over at break neck speed. Really scary when they have to ride in between the boards.

[Tony P]

LOL, Bigdon.

I doubt that Iker's record (38seconds) will ever be broken.

But I remind you my own 'longest' record (43 minutes) is wide open to takers!