Grenoble, Sunday, June 21, 2015
Summer solstice. In 2010, you were already gone on June 21 for a year of travel. Today, it is not for one year, but it’s again an important trip.
You spend the morning to pack in your panniers all the parts you disassembled yesterday. Even if you have a little less load than for your trip to the Bering, filling these panniers is always like a puzzle.
While you finally tie the bag on the boat, you see the bike slowly moving and falling. It reminds you … You straighten quickly, without difficulty. You are surprised by the ease to recover. During your journey to Siberia, it happened twice. On departure day, then on the road to Magadan, on the day you met Patrick. But both times, someone was present to help you to recover. The rest of the journey, you had been stressed at each stop, haunted by the idea of fall because you thought you were unable to straighten by yourself. You now realize you could do it, even if the load was slightly higher than today. You’re also remember you had to improve the side stand. Obviously, this was consigned to oblivion. Note it somewhere! Done.
The ride is going well. You quickly regained the feeling to ride this heavily loaded bike.
You find your mother and your sisters at evening. They had never seen you with your bikeboat.

Paris, Monday, June 22, 2015
It rains on the road almost continuously. You take a ferry from Calais to Dover. Sitting near a window, you look at the sea waves. The sea is a bit rough. You would prefer milder sea for the crossing back.
For the last ten days, you downloaded daily the GRIB forecasts files. Tuesday and Thursday are the two calm days of the week. But as you will not be able to be ready for Tuesday, it is already decided that the crossing will be on Thursday.
Arrival in Dover, you follow the coastal road to Rye. You go to the small harbour to meet William who will drive a safety boat during the crossing. Patrick and you decided to hire an escort boat. As a precaution, but also to film the crossing from this boat.
Will is absent, and Hank receives you. You call Will to make an appointment for tomorrow early afternoon. You unload the boat and leave it at the harbour, then you go to the nearby campsite where Patrick had booked a caravan. You are happy to have a couple of days before the crossing. This will leave you time to prepare quietly and enjoy the place.

Rye, Tuesday, June 23, 2015
On the morning you walk on the seaside. The port is connected to the sea by a river, or rather a channel. On each side of this river, the wild is reserved to birds and sheeps. Small salt ponds populated by hundreds birds. You meet a few pedestrians and cyclists.
At the time of appointment, you encounter Will. He explains you his activity as accompanying boats, especially for the crossing by kayak. It shows you on a map the route, the current. He worries a bit about the speed of your boat, its stability. There are two major waterways, one on each side of the border. Crossing them is sometimes a problem beccause of the traffic.
He wants you to leave as soon as possible, because the wind would get up in the afternoon. You agree to reduce risk.
After this discussion, you assembled your mechanical propulsion at Hank’s garage, near the harbour. You will inflate the boat tomorrow, after the refueling. After two hours, you have done all possible for today. You have worked quietly, to avoid any mistake. You leave everything at Hank’s garage, and you can go to the caravan. You’ll come back tomorrow to install the bike.

Rye, Wednesday, June 24, 2015
You go to Rye for refueling. The distance on the sea is about 65 km. Rather least considering the currents that push you. You think now consume less than 15 liters per hundred kilometers. Ten liters would be sufficent, but you prefer carry a normal load to make a real trial.
Will waits for you at noon in Hank’s garage. Will cleans his boat, and you put yourself at work. At the most delicate moment, when necessary to remove the front wheel while the rear is already out, you ask Will for help. Better not to risk damaging the boat. The rest will not be a concern, but you still spend five hours … is 2 hours yesterday+ 5 = 7 hours for everything. With a little practice, it could be reduced to 4 hours, but no much less. And you don’t think that the reverse transformation is faster. Patrick will be there to help you when reassembling the bike in France.

Back at the campsite, you check the weather for the last time. Perfect! Perfect weather till 1am.

Patrick joins you at 7pm. You take your dinner together, and after a short discussion, you both go to sleep. You are tired and the wake up will be early tomorrow.

Rye Thursday, June 25
You arrive all at the appointment time, at 3.45am. Will and Hank put their boat in the water. Then help you to bring the bike to the river. There, Patrick and you are busy with the final preparations. Things always take longer than you had imagined. Some unexpected problems, fortunately minor, appear on the new parts. And you can go!

During the descent of the river towards the sea, you advance slowly. Once at the sea, you accelerate a bit, and you appreciate tuning the power to choose your speed. You try to keep the 15 km / h, but you know you could go faster. This corresponds approximately to 3000 rpm for the engine, an optimal speed. For too long, the 10 km/h were an almost insurmountable barrier. And two months ago, things have been unlocked. It was no more than optimize a system that works. Two weeks ago; you have replaced the first pulley so that your engine is running at a lower speed. But this change had modified the geometry of the assembly, and again the 10 km/h barrier stood. It took three trials and some more modifications, more tuning, to solve these problems.

Now everything seems to work great. 10 knots (or 18km/h) seems to you an easy cruising speed while ensuring for so long, it was an impossible dream. You are happy with this “performance”. It took you so much work, so many trials to get there.

On the escort boat, Patrick filming and taking pictures. Hank and Will seem pleasantly surprised by the behavior of your boat. More stable and faster they had imagined. They usually accompany kayaks that are limited to about 3 knots. After an hour of navigation between 8 and 10 knots, you decide to take a break to check everything. Check tightening. But everything is correct. Nothing will happen with the mechanical parts today. The new mudguard is efficent too: not a drop of water is projected in the boat nor on the bike. It must be said that the sea is particularly calm.

Upon leaving, the red signal overheating is on. Ouch. You’re familiar with this situation, but you are surprised because the main fan is not running. It should work, but it looks dead. You start the extra fan that you mounted in front of the radiator. It is quite effective, and after a minute, the light goes out. You can leave.

After less than 10 minutes, the red LED lights up again. The main fan seems to have trouble. It runs sometimes, but briefly. Its threshold is abnormally high. You go again, but for lack of ventilation, light is soon to turn back a third time. You had thought that overheating can occur, even if you were hoping that the combination of the two fans was enough. You decide to spray fresh water on the radiator. You took a 8 liters bladder and you have a small manual pump for this. You know from experience that this method is effective. In case your stock of fresh water would not be sufficent, you will use sea water, then rinse the radiator on arrival in France. The radiator is often in contact with the salt used in winter on the highways.

You think that, if there had been this concern with heating, the trip would have been monotonous. A perfectly calm sea. A few cargo ships on the lane, but not so many. And Will does not seem to worry about them.

Water is efficient, and the red light does not blink anymore. However, you feel the heat rising from the engine. Especially the left side where the exhaust pipe is located. A few times, you apply with your hand some sea water on the left of the boat, where you feel it hot.

You often met these worries of overheating, but you live with. On the lake, you splash some water on the lower part of the engine. You have adopted the principle of maintaining the temperature outside the red zone, and not to force the engine. Recently you have added the second fan but obviously it is not enough. But why the first fan does not trigger ?

Anyway, you’ll have to create a true cooling system. A task for the coming months.

You look from time to time to your GPS. Soon half the distance. Halfway, it is planned that you leave your seat to Patrick. Patrick wants to participate in the crossing of the Bering, and he needs also some training. In 5-10 minutes, it will be his the turn.

A slight odor of burnt that seems to come forward. You try to see what might be the cause. Nothing except perhaps a nylon tie. You also perceive the smell of gasoline. But your nose on the tank before, this is not very surprising. Worried, you touch the bottom of the front tank. No special warmth. Going down a little, that you burn yourself on the exhaust duct. You quickly withdrawn by hand, but nothing unusual there.

You hear a kind of whistle. You turn your head to the left, you see a clear jet forth horizontally from the bike to the sea. Gasoline!. The rear tank must be under pressure. You stop the engine immediately. Patrick, Hank and Will saw the same as you. Suddenly, the liquid ignites right. Will shout to jump. You go to the front of the boat and jump at the opposite of the fire. You did well as standing out the head of the water, you realize that the fire has grown. The whole bike is now a blaze. After a couple of seconds, the tubes of the boat explode, one by one. The bike is already sinking under water. Only the front tube, partially preserved remains on the surface. The wheels that were put in front float. William quickly came with his boat to take you away from the blaze. He is efficient, even if it’s the first time he is facing such a situation.

The fire dies in the sea. All this happened in less than one minute. There is only one big black cloud in a perfectly blue sky. Hank helps you to go on board. You ask Will to approach the bike, or at least what remains of it. Hank tells you that your dry suit has a hole. The fire has burned, and your left leg also benefited. But nothing serious. This explains why you felt wet.

Will agrees to get closer, now that everything is submerged, and you return to the water to detach your tank bag. Patrick also jumps. He also wants to get his GoPro and his microphone. You’ve forgotten your GPS.

You hope that Will’s boat can tow your bike. It is still floating just at one meter under the sea level. Although the fire caused damage, the parts could be repaired. At least the engine and the mechanical propulsion. You have attached a rope to the bike you hold in your hand. But the descent begins, and Will told you he can not do anything. You still hold the rope but it is more and more difficult. You know he’s right, and you release the rope. The bike is definitely sinking.

Fortunately, you left the bag containing your clothes on the Will’s ship. So you can change your clothes; You also quickly empty the water from your backpack. It seemed waterproof, but he did not resist the different dives you did to get your tank bag.

This tank bag is burned, but its contents are intact. Or almost, because spared from the flames, it was immersed in sea water. You had good waterproof bags, but you really did not think they would be useful. So you had not closed them carefully enough. The weather was so perfect …

Everyone was surprised by the events. Will, Patrick and Hank are sorry for you. You stay philosopher: you could have had much more serious burns. If you had stayed one or two seconds longer on your seat, you would be very sadly different now.

You’re sad for your bike that was so well behaved from Grenoble to Egvekinot. It could have died 10 times in river crossings, but it passed all. It would have deserved to be the first motorcycle to cross the Bering Strait.

Will suggest they take you to Boulogne. You accept. You did not know this was going to block them during the low tide but it will actually be much simpler for you.

In Boulogne, you leave the boat at a dock, and walk together downtown. At a cafe, while taking a beer, you open your bags. You start by spreading the papers of your motorcycle, insurance, permits, bills that you had with you. Your phone is wet and refuses to restart. Likewise for your camera. Patrick and Hank suggest you rinse with fresh water. You’ll try.

Patrick lends you his phone so you send an SMS to your mother who expect you tonight. You just want to confirm that you will arrive as planned at evening. You do not specify that you will be without your bike.

You think back to those events. The exhaust, too close to the tank, burning the bike… you had read this on a forum about this bike. You should have to feel you more concerned. You could easily add a protection. When you were reading this story, you were told you that the unfortunate owner had trouble raised its pot. But you were well taken care away up yours. And you had not made the connection with your possible overheating.

It’s a shame that the problem appeared to be there. You could also have stopped immediately at the first suspicious odor. He may be gone two or three minutes between this signal and the fire. Before this trip, you had imagined a mechanical failure because you knew some weak points. But by limiting the power as you did, you thought having discarded any major risk for this short crossing.

What are you going to do now? Rebuilding a bikeboat? In any case, finding sponsors may become more complex. And this failure is a big worry for your personal finances.

You have time to decide. For now, you are safe and you must enjoy this beer under a large Boulonais sun. Patrick told you that this was probably the best day of the season.

You also think back to Chukotka where you had sailed only a few kilometers. If this misadventure you had arrived in these cold waters, things could end very badly. Your breakthrough combination would not have been a great help to you. You did well when you renounced at Egvekinot. You know you were insufficiently prepared.

You take a train to Paris. Tired, you carry your bag on the shoulder. You write these lines in the train. Your notebook, placed in your backpack, resisted seawater despite several dives. This is not the case of the charger that was in the tank bag. Fortunately, the battery was full charged.

Paris, Friday, June 26, 2015

You rethink this crossing at an insomnia. You had already traveled long distances on the lake. When the engine was too hot, you stopped to sprinkle some cold water from the lake. You could avoid this leak by doing the same with sea water. As much as it is to be avoided for bearings, as the crank cases would have much appreciated. In any case, the cooling system deserved a significant change. With an ocean on each side side, cooling was certainly not the most complex problem to solve.

This crossing could have been a journey of great simplicity. The weather conditions, the state of the sea were much better than what you met on the lake.

This morning, you want to continue the project. Finally, your situation has become the same as Patrick. You thought you were “almost ready”, and now you restart from scratch. But building two or three copies does not fundamentally change the situation. Except you’ve already lost the entire investment that each should do.

This fire complicates things, but you will find solutions. You miss some plans, but you have in mind all the principles, the mistakes not to repeat. You even know some improvements.

Grenoble, Tuesday, June 30, 2015

You are returned to Grenoble by train, and have returned to work.
During a new insomnia, you analyze the electrical circuit of the motorcycle. You realize that the original fan is not driven from the temperature sensor: it is serially connected with a “thermoswitch” and this switch is placed on the radiator. Where is blowing the new fan you just added…
Now you understand why the main fan was not running: you thought you were complementing it, but you’d rather replaced it…
The main fan is placed behind the radiator. It draws cool air through the radiator, and rejects warm air upward engine and exhaust manifold. The fan you added did not have the same effect. It’s a bit late, but you prefer to understand.

It would also have sufficed you short circuited the thermoswitch, and nothing would have happened.
You also write emails to William to retrieve the GPS coordinates. You hope recover the bike and Will put you in touch with Russell, a diver who lives in Rye. You do not know yet if this will work, but if you retrieve the wreck, you would save months and also a few thousand euros. You have to try. Unfortunately, Russell seems not very available. You understood he a diving instructor, and that’s just the beginning of the summer holidays, the start of his seasonal activity. But he thinks he could dive for your bike at mid-July, if the weather will permit it. Nothing to do before.

You still consider this journey to be important. Not for a single reason, but for multiple reasons:

• The starting point is quite simple: you wanted to show that a real ‟round the world” trip is possible. A trip without any ferry, nor plane. A world tour in reasonable autonomy. During your one year trip, you had to deal several times with airlines, and, once, you put the bike in a cargo ship. Even briefly, you needed the support of the transport industry. You’d be happy to show that you can do without.

  
  

• You also want to promote travel on the lands, those who bring the traveler to meet people. To be in contact with people. To get help from people. Meeting, anywhere in the world, a man on horseback and telling him that you also come from your village by the same track. This is not the same as if you’ve landed at the nearest international airport.
  

  

• You would like to draw attention to the Bering Strait. This is where the Amerindian tribes have conquered America. Descendants of Eurasians. They are our cousins. There are only one or two millennia, all populated areas had been reached by walking, and crossing some straits. On maps, we see the Bering Strait at the end of the world. This would further its center. The junction of the two largest land areas. The junction point of the continents that actually constitute a single emerged space. The former Pangaea.
  
• To attract attention to the Chukotka, the twin region of Alaska on the Russian bank of the Bering Strait. Amazing scenery, among the most beautiful in Russia. A region where live courageous aboriginal populations in difficult conditions. An isolated area, known only by a few thousand people. A region with exceptional natural resources, both geological and animal. A region that needs care.
  
• To break the wall between Russia and the Western countries. A clash of nations. On each side of the borders, leaders oppose strong arguments to condemn the enemy, to rebuild the walls. Private initiatives that unite friends of both sides are desirable. Especially if these initiatives show that the boundaries are not so insurmountable as that. During your travels in Russia, you have always benefited from the solidarity and brotherhood from Russians. You want to testify.
  
• Try to do something that has never been attempted also makes sense. So when the adventure blend technical, geographical and historical originality, you still find more reasons to try. And you’re happy that this adventure has not germinated into an incorporated company, but in individuals. Individuals who wish to meet others and to share.
  
• Finally, if these peculiarities unify people helping you, you’re happy to wear such a joint project. Traveling with friends, thinking to all those who helped you to prepare this trip. Also to those who will help you during the trip.

So many reasons. But these reasons are not enough to justify an accident. You think you’re careful, even if you can’t predict everything. The fire took place, and you will do not to see it again. This journey is risky, but not foolish. You wanna tell your children.

Before you forget, here is a summary of key information collected during this trip, you can also look at our short videos on Tiktok where we started sharing them with socialboosting.com to get more views and engagement and now our videos are becoming viral. You divide it into 7 parts:

1. France to Buryatia (up to M56-M58 cross)

2. Magadan Road (up to Seymchan)

3. Kolyma river (up to Aniusk / Bilibino)

4. Crossing the Chukotka (from Bilibino to Egvekinot)

5. South Coast (from Egvekinot to Provideniya)

6. Bering Strait (from Provideniya to Nomes)

7. After Nome

You have only covered the first four parts. But you collected useful information for the next two sections.

France – Buryatia (M56-M58 cross)
Distance: about 11000km
Duration: 2 to 3 weeks.
Period: late May.

This is 99% of paved roads in pretty good condition. The traffic is very dense around Moscow, and it decreases gradually. No significant problems.
On this part, the motorcycle clubs exist in every major city, and you can find help from bikers everywhere. Meeting people is the main attraction. The country side is quite monotonous. Apart from the passage of the Urals, Western Siberia is completely flat. The road becomes more beautiful after Irkutsk, especially when crossing the steppes of Buryatia (between Ulan Ude and Chita).

The Magadan road (up to Seymchan)
Distance: approx 3000km
Duration: approximately 1 week (more in case of rain).
Period: early June

A long dirt road which has no great interest. There are sometimes a few tens of kilometers of asphalt but these sections are rare and only in the first third. Moreover, these first 1000km are painful and even dangerous because the ‟highway” is under construction (completion of a paved road to Yakutsk). Many trucks and a lot of dust. After Yakutsk, there is practically only unpaved roads. The Russians would say “normal” roads. Rather accessible. But for the two hundred kilometers after Yakutsk, rain can make things considerably complicated. So in case of heavy rain, it is best to stop and wait for the storm to pass. The second half, you really appreciate the relief after traveling so many miles in the plains.
In terms of risk, the greater is for sure hitting a truck onto a construction section. A minor risk: to get crazy after mosquitoes. There are many in this season.

Kolyma river (from Seymchan to Aniusk / Bilibino)
Distance: approx 1100km of boat
Duration: about 2 weeks
Period: second half of June

The Kolyma River is a particularly quiet, perfectly navigable for small flat boats. There are some barges (around 30) carrying coal and containers over the whole of its way. There are also some small metallic outboard boats belonging to fishermen, hunters, or to residents of the few localities.
Halfway, Zyrianka is the main town. The headquarter for the barges company. Other communities are home to only a couple hundred people. They all have a fuel depot (80 octane only). The last place with 92 is at the intersection of the Magadan road, about 150km before Seymchan.

Places to land and camp overnight are many. There are also cabins for hunters. The water is not particularly clear, so filtration is required for drinking.
The ‟Seymchan – Zyrianka” is the big stage (+500km without fuel between).
In terms of navigation, the danger could come from the floating driftwood (or stranded on the bottom). Most often, the depth does not exceed a couple of meters. It is best to ride two boats and be prepared to handle punctures. Pieces of wood also prohibit having a free belt. You’ll need to protect it for the next trip.
The stream is steady (about 2-3 knots). A bit faster for the very last section, when sailing up on the Aniusk River.
So the main difficulties consist of the pieces of wood, and the autonomy in gasoline (+500km).
Once in Aniusk, you must return to the bike mode to reach Bilibino which is less than three hours drive. A beautiful road (unpaved), easy (no river crossing) and enjoyable landscape. Chukotka is great.

Crossing of Chukotka (Bilibino to Egvekinot)
Distance: approx 1100km motorcycle
Duration: about 2 weeks
Period: around mid-July

The most complicated section. Alone would be difficult and dangerous because of the rivers (3 bikes would be perfect, or accompanied by a truck). For this summer 2014, your bike had been carried by a truck on exactly half of the road.
Officially, the road is only open in late July (in 2014, it opened July 15, earlier than usual). Closed by early September because of the snow.

The official opening is less related to the water level in the rivers (which will however decrease during the summer), than snow removal at an unique pass (the soldier’s pass?). But the snow, difficult to manage for trucks, should be less a problem for motorcycles (from the time you are several, you could go on the border between rock and snow). It is therefore possible to leave before the official opening. The main challenges remain the rivers, still high in July.
The total number of rivers is undefined … In 2014, there were in mid-July between 50 and 100 passages with more than 20cm of water. About twenty more than 50cm of water. At least a dozen with more than a meter of water. Maybe three or four with more of 1.20m. According to Pavel, the maximum height that can be encountered is approximately 1.50m. There was only one river with that height, but no current for this one (therefore easy to cross on the boat).
Beside the height of water, the strength of the stream and the type of the soil must be also considered. The stream could be pretty strong, but it is not like mountain streams. You can usually walk through, at least for the rivers less than 50cm deep. Over 1m, it should be better to be on the boat. Dry suits are also valuable during these crossings, even if the water is not so cold.
The soil of the river bottom is made up of pebbles of regular size (for a given river). But depending on the river, pebbles can vary from coarse gravel (or sand) to 20-30cm stones. In the stones, the bikes bounces a little too much, and in the sand, you sink quickly. With no load, the power of the KTM690 allows to pass everywhere with good tires as soon as it is not too deep, but with +100kg load, many rivers crossing could be difficult, regardless of depth. You should either cross through on foot, several around each motorcycle or remove the load before crossing and carry it on foot/boat.
For deeper rivers (5-10 for the whole section), a boat should be inflated and the bike lying on it. A faster alternative would be to carry a packraft which could also be also used (on sea) as a dinghy for all boats.
Often, just follow the river to find a broader but less deep pass. The path of the Kamaz is not always the best for a bike…
Another concern is the fuel. 92 is available in Bilibino as well as in Egvekinot but absolutely nothing in between. No localities and you meet virtually nobody but a small Chukchi community (a single family?) of reindeer herders. With your KTM690, you should take 60 liters (1100km, 5L/100km). One solution could be to create an intermediate depot at 200km after Bilibino: you leave Bilibino without all your stuff, but 40 liters of fuel. You store 20 liters (per bike) after 200km, then come come back again in Bilibino to take the full luggage, and 40 liters. At the place of the storage, you will have to get the 20 liters and you will have 50 liters for the remaining 900km.

Note that the first 90 km are no problem. Then there is a series of rivers (40 cm and more …), and the first “big river” (about 1m20) is just 200km from Bilibino. With this return, gasoline transport is then only 40 liters.
Operations around rivers may take time. That’s why it could take around 8 days for the entire journey. No problem for drinking water (the water of these rivers is very pure).
A final concern: the bears. They are really many (you saw more than ten), but they are not bothering: noise scares them away. However, you should stay in groups and have something to keep them away (you could buy some sticks with rockets in the weapons shops. Bear sprays do not exist in Russia). At night, they did not approach the trucks (nor your tent?), even when the food had been left exposed on the trucks. But without the neighborhood of the trucks, you should be more careful. They are big animals and they run so fast…
It would be important to have oil replacement in case of flooding a motorcycle in a river. Equipment for fishing too. It does not take long to catch a few kilos of fish.
In case of problems, some trucks take this road during this short summer season. Hard to say how many, but can be one every 3-4 days. It is advisable to have a satellite phone (the Kamaz do not).

South coast (from Egvekinot to Provideniya)
Distance: 400 km from boat
Duration: about 1 week, with the vagaries of weather
Period: end of July

You had originally planned to go through the North of the Chukotka peninsula, but the border guards and customs officers are based on the South coast, in Provideniya. It was mandatory to go through the South. You came to Egvekinot a little late, but the crossing was still feasible. Now you know, but some information was missing when you arrived, and it took too long to learn. First, the right time to cross the strait is July. You heard that some ice could still be present in early July in the Kresta (Egvekinot) bay, but the best time is definitely the closer to the summer solstice. Leaving Egvekinot at mid-July would be optimal for this part of the trip.

Refuel gasoline in Egvekinot (92 is available). Then, the next petrol station will be Provideniya (80 only). Following the coast, the distance between Egvekinot and Provideniya is around 400km.

You should find food to buy in the villages between: Kenerguina, Enmilen, Nunlingran and Seriniki. These villages do not appear on Google Earth, but they each have about 300 people (Chukchis and Eskimos).
There is a long lagoon (80km) opened on both ends at the exit of the Kresta bay. It means that almost the first 200km should be quiet. For the next 200km, there are some protected lagoons and also the villages (Enmilen, Nunlingram and Seriniki).
It will be easy to find a piece of metal in Egvekinot and to use it as an anchor. A small packraft as a dinghy would be nice.

In July, the weather changes typically every 3-4 days. You collected the grib files (weather forecast) during the 2014 summer. Internet is available (Megafon) in Egvekinot, but probably not in the villages (the use of a satellite phone with data is mandatory).

From Provideniya to Wales (Bering strait)
Distance: 350 km (200 miles) by boat (via Cape Chaplino)
Duration: variable…
Period: second half of July

You collected some information from Russ, the owner of “Professor Khromov” and from Vladimir (who participated to a crossing in the eighties). First, beware of Cape Chaplino. Russ recommended you to get the authorization to leave Provideniya from the Bay 30km North-East (there is a road heading to this bay). This bay is protected by the Yttygran and Arakamchechen islands. If the boarder guards refuse, you would have to reach this point by sea, passing off Cape Chaplino. It means 100km more, and sailing in more risky conditions (current and waves). Insist as much as possible to be allowed to take the shortcut.
From the protected bay, head to Lavrentiya, then head to Wales passing at the South of the Diomede Islands. Avoid the Big Diomede (Russian) which is occupied by the army. In contrast, the village of Little Diomede (USA) is accessible in case of problems. The access is a narrow pebble beach (3-4 meters surrounded by rocks).
Russ seemed rather optimistic about the feasibility of this crossing. The crossings of the Bering are rare, but they were made by all kinds of vehicules, each more bizarre as each other. Again, it’s mandatory to check the weather forecast. Weather could change dramatically in one day. But when the weather is nice, it could be like crossing a lake.
Once Provideniya left, it’s forbidden to land on the Russian territory… Of course, it could be possible to evoke the force majeure if things go wrong. But it would be with big administrative concerns.
The main risks: Cape Chaplino, the waves, and possibly the wind. On the other hand, the sea could be also like a lake in July.
Another concern: the administrative procedure when landing in Alaska. You should call before landing the Coast Guard’s office (Immigration). There was until the first of August 2014 one Coast Guard based in Nome. You were supposed to ask him (and to pay around $500) to go to Wales for stamping your passport. You don’t know if he definitely left Nome (in this case you should call Anchorage and pay more ?). This still needs to be clarified.

After NOME: you know nothing more than what you already knew ..

Motorcycle and equipment

The bike was overloaded. More than 100kg of luggage, but also badly distributed. The boat was put on a plane consisting of the top of the panniers and of the rear of the bike. One of the panniers was full of the parts used to power the boat, and the second contained 100 different things to be used either for the boat or the bike: tools, oil, spare parts, pumps, … All your clothes were in a 5 liters waterproof bag, itself contained into a bigger waterproof bag shared with the dry suit, the sleeping bag, the tent, and the lower unit of the boat motor. The big worry was the position of that bag, perched at the top of the boat. The center of gravity was so high that the stock side stand didn’t work. It was also difficult to drive at low speed, but with practice, you managed to make the journey without falling. But you didn’t carried this load while crossing the Chukotka, the most difficult part.

The pleasant surprise was the solidity of the bike. You purchased a kit to reinforce the rear sub-frame, and it held not too bad. The only problems you encountered were very minor : big oil leaks at the fork, loss of the cap of the tank of the rear brake, and the two rear turn signals broken due to vibration. You had expected more serious problems with this motorcycle full of electronics and sensors, but nothing like this.

The boat has been very little used. Only one day. But he has well traveled. All your equipment arrived at Egvekinot in the same state than at the beginning. Again, it was a good surprise. All parts were properly packaged in lightweight foams that have avoided friction.

Could you lighten the load for the next trip ? If you find travel companions, some equipment could be shared. But it will apply only 5-10 % of the load … You afraid it is difficult to do better. Or you should redesign the parts that power the boat.

Another nice improvement would be a side opening of one pannier. It took too long to remove the bag and the boat boat before accessing into the panniers.

At the end, there are many things that you have virtually never used, but it would have been different if you had gone down the Kolyma on your boat, then join Egvekinot without the help of Kamaz.

You are now hosted by Vladimir and Nadia. Loneliness at the hotel was difficult and you enjoy the discovery of the family life in Russia. Since yesterday, you help Vladimir in a large cleaning operation. In addition to the museum, he rents two other flats that used to be dedicated to the WWF which Vladimir was the representative in Chukotka. He stopped several years ago this representation, but kept the flats that gradually became filled with a thousand things as diverse and varied. But he learned two days ago that the flats will be inspected on Monday by the town administration. They should therefore be cleaned in a hurry.

In the evening, you go to the public bath with Vladimir and Ronald. This is the first time you enter in a public bath in Russia. This sounds like the ‟ hammam ” that you had discovered in Algeria except that everyone walks completely naked. Vladimir presents you the director of the University Center. You knew the showers after a rugby game, but it is surprising to you to discuss naked with very honorable people. This probably helps relationships in everyday’ life. This stout gentleman could be a bank manager. And this one, may be a policeman? Naked, all appear equal, despite plus or minus a few dozen kilos. Everyone just talks with his neighbor.

Back at the apartment, you find Nadia. She spent the day collecting blueberries in the tundra with her friend Natacha. Natacha and Nadia are both from Siriniki. Natacha is Eskimo while Nadia is Chukchi. Childhood friends, they have received all their schooling together, then, went to Saint Petersburg University. Today, their daughters Lena and Gula are just as friendly and follow the exact same ways.

Monday, August 18, 2014

You remain concerned about the shipping of the bike. Vladimir is convinced that Serguei will find the solution. But Serguei cannot anything more than you. He calls the airline companies, which redirect to Moscow. The eight-hour time difference mean that there is nothing to hope until the evening. So you go back to the river to find Nadia and the children of the camp.

At the evening Gula, Lena’s friend, telephone for you to VIM Avia, the second company you didn’t try till now. Gula spent several months in the United States and she speaks English perfectly. Within minutes, everything works out. Each package is limited upto 150 kg, but you can split the load in several packages. Gula requests a quote for 260 kg and you should receive it by email during the night.

Tuesday, August 19, 2014

You have received the email from VIM Avia. A quote that gives you a smile. There has still to split the body of the bike to make it two parts. So you join Sergei at his warehouses. With the help of two of his employees, Sergei involved in repacking. On your side, you have removed the rear wheel and also the holding tubes for the boat. A weight reduction of about 20kg. What remains of the bike must weigh less than 110kg. That leaves forty kilos for the crate.

Finally Serguei insists to lay the bike on the basis of the crate. Instead of rebuilding a closed crate, it covers the whole with a tarpaulin, and then with a large plastic wrap. You hope that it will be accepted by the airline. But it seems to be as light as possible.

You are surprised to see Sergei so much involved in the operation. He manages a company with over a hundred people, but it attaches importance that all goes well for you.

The wheels, the fork tubes, and other accessories are placed in separate boxes. In total 5 cartons plus the motorcycle.

Now you can purchase your own flight ticket. You realize that the price is surprisingly low: 700 euros for the 260 kg of cargo and 400 euros for your ticket. In 2010, you had paid twice more for a fly Montreal-Barcelona” and four times more for “Melbourne-Buenos Aires”. You take advantage of the weakness of the ruble.

Each dinner follows the same ritual: Vladimir watching the news that report about Ukraine, he curses again Westerners, then smiles when joining the table. Today, he talks about his own crossing of the Bering. You had thought it was an unofficial journey, with friends, but Russians do not play with the border guards. They had authorizations. Two successive crossings were organized by Alaska and Chukotka at the Perestroïka. A way to celebrate the end of the cold war. A team of Russian from Chukotka, sailing on Eskimo boats, was supposed to meet an American team from Alaska, sailing on kayak. The first expedition failed because of bad weather, and the second went well. Since these expeditions, Vladimir has friends in Alaska.

Wednesday, August 20, 2014

Gula accompanies you to the airport for the delivery of the bike. On the barge, you ask her about her life as a student in St. Petersburg. Also about her Eskimo origins. She has participated to cultural events between Eskimos of different nationalities. For these meetings, she went to Greenland and to Canada. The Eskimos, who are now called “Inuit” in Western countries, inhabit the polar regions of Greenland, Canada, Alaska and Chukotka. You discover as well as for thousands of years, these peoples lived and traveled on different continents. The Inuit of Greenland and Chukotka have different traditions and dialects, but Gula assures you that there are many common words, and that communications are possible. However, those of Chukotka and Alaska were part of the same ethnic group, the Yupiks. For them, crossing the Bering Strait has long been a regular, trivial, event. Again, the myth of Christopher Columbus discovering a virgin continent crumbles.

You also talk with Bertol, the driver who works for Sergei. He is originally from Bukhara. The economic crisis in Uzbekistan is so difficult that you have met many Uzbeks in Siberia. You can imagine it must be difficult to be an economic migrant, living so far from home.

At the airport, you are asked to enter the cartons and the bike through a small door on the side. Probably for reasons of customs rules. But the door is too narrow and you have difficulties to raise the bike to make it fit.

Without particular explanation, the lady who receives the parcels, tells you that the cartons will fly tomorrow, but the motorcycle next Tuesday. Your disappointment is so strong that after a few minutes, she changes her mind: the bike will leave tomorrow as well if you just sign papers tomorrow morning before 10am. No worries, you will be there before 10am.

Thursday, August 21, 2014

You wake up with a fever. Children and Vladimir seemed for some days affected by the flu. It is now your turn. This may complicate the end of the journey.

You take the barge at 8 am to be sure to be on time at the freight terminal. Everything is going well, and you can then join the passenger terminal. The planes are few to take off. This morning, only two helicopters, and this afternoon, the VIM Avia flight. You realize you could have asked if it was possible to travel the motorcycle by helicopter to Provideniya. For these huge devices, the weight of the bike is certainly not a concern. It was probably the solution. It is now too late.

Because of the holidays, you thought that the plane would be full. This is far from the case. Less than thirty passengers for 200 seats. It is true that five flights a week for a town of 14,000 inhabitants, this seems quite over-sized. Flight duration is 8:30 hour. Probably the longest distance in the world for a domestic flight.

Moscow. The landing took place at the scheduled time: 4pm but with 8 hour time jetlag, it is already midnight for your body. You get your bag, and look for the “cargo terminal” . Once there, you’re welcome. The only concern is that you are headed on the “international” terminal while the motorcycle was stored at the domestic terminal. Finally, the agents call the other cargo terminal to move the motorcycle to where you are.

Time passes. At 7pm, the bike has arrived. You have then to go to offices to pay the airport taxes. At the end, you start opening the cartons to 7.30pm, 3.30am for Anadyr. You are very tired.

The fact that the motorcycle is lying make reassembling easier. But you’ve removed a lot of little things, and it takes time. You did all that finished around 9.30pm. It remains to find fuel. Your tanks are completely empty. You ask someone who works at the terminal if an employee can not sell you one or two liters of petrol. You have a hose to siphon. Unfortunately, he and his colleagues have diesel cars.. but he ensures that he will find a solution. Time passes. Oleg works on the site with his wife Julia. Julia speaks English. They take care of you, bring you water, sandwiches.

Julia and Oleg end their workday at 11pm, and it’s already 10.30. They offer you to sleep at their home, but they live 70 km to the south, away from your path. You are too tired to ride so far. They are looking for a hotel and they want to accompany you to the gas station.

When starting, you realize that you have no clutch. The bike lost oil, and the small tank is now full of air. The disadvantage of hydraulic controls. You start as you can and follow slowly Oleg and Julia car. Fortunately, traffic is low at this time and you get to avoid full stops. At the gas station, then to the hotel, Julia pays for you. Impossible to give her money back… Until the end of the trip, the Russians have been very generous with you.

Friday, August 22, 2014

Petr, the owner of the hotel is a Francophile. He helps you to find oil for your clutch. He also calls Andrey, a biker friend with whom you discuss trips. At the end, you leave Moscow only at early afternoon. Shortly after you left, the rain arrives. It does leave you practically to the house.

From Saturday 23 to Tuesday, August 25, 2014

You ride always in the rain. You take paracetamol regularly to contain fever. Your rain pants is punctured. You’ve used it for the river crossings. Probably he did not support multiple times you sat on stones. So as soon as the rain is blown by the wind, water enters your bottom and you are in a bathe, soaked.

Riding without the boat make things much easier. The bike seems so light now, even if the panniers weight more than 25kg each. And no more stress about the side stand when parking.

You do not hesitate to choose comfortable hotels. You need to warm you up, to dry. You are also surprised by the quality of hotels in Lithuania and Poland. Quality being equal, you would have paid at least two or three times more in France.

Tuesday morning, you’re between Berlin and Nuremberg. You can finally go to a bike shop to buy a new rain pants. You still get rain the rest of the day, but you now stay dry.

You arrive at your house about one in the morning. The last day, you drove about 1100km, three quarters in the rain. But you knew it was the end of the trip. Although conditions were not ideal, you have enjoyed these last days on the road.

You thought Anadyr totally isolated, but you just spot a drive south of the town on the OSM map (OpenStreetMap). A dead end, but you need to get out, to ride.

The first few kilometers, some vehicles are stopped on the side of the road. Residents of Anadyr go in the tundra to collect mushrooms and berries. Then, nothing. Just the tundra. The road becomes bad and you go slower. You make rodeo, avoiding as much as possible the flooded parts.

At the foot of a small mountain a white tent. Could be a Chukchi family. The road passes two hundred meters below the tent, but while you are approaching, you meet a man on a quad. He seems as surprised as you. He speaks English … He tells you he leaves to pick up his wife, but he quickly returns, you could wait him at the tent.

You go and park the bike near the tent. A boy of about fifteen years receive you. He offers you some tea. After twenty minutes, the man comes with his wife. Vladimir is Ukrainian, Nadia is Chukchi. They spend the summer here, with young people from Anadyr. A kind of scout camp. But the camp will be soon discontinued because the bears are starting to be too many and too pressing.

Vladimir is a photographer for the Department of Culture of Chukotka. He is also volunteers as local representative of the National Geographic Institute. Finally, he organize this camp for children during the school holidays. You talk to him about your trip, the failed crossing of Bering. He crossed it in 1989, during the perestroika. With several friends, they sailed on an Eskimo boat made of wood and walrus skin. From Provideniya they had reached Nome in Alaska and had come back. The number of crossings is quite low, and you didn’t know this one.

The tundra is a desert, but you are doing some amazing encounters.

Vladimir makes you visit their installation. Near the river, he built a shower that takes water upstream. Everything would be perfect if the place was vandalized in their absence. The hut by the river was on fire. What for? Vladimir can only be saddened.

With Loucha and Maxim, the last two young boys who remain in the camp, you get on one of the small nearby mountains. You’re happy to do a little exercise. Since you left Grenoble, you’ve done little more walking in the mountains and that you lack. In the tundra, you see mushrooms and several kinds of berries. The days of the year when the tundra is generous. The bear must have been also very busy in collecting their own supplies.

Upon returning from the top, you’re invited to dinner. Once more, the war in Ukraine is in focus. Vladimir is a native of Donetsk and the siege of the city is very painful for him. Again, you hear reproaches aimed Obama. Why Obama? You do not understand that the sources of the conflict is brought back to his person. But the Russian medias focus on him.

Vladimir would be interested in your project for 2016. He also has a friend in Alaska, a photographer like him, he could contact. He knows your contacts at the Department of Tourism, and also Kosta. Chukotka is huge, but everyone knows each other.

Tuesday, August 12, 2014

Yesterday was rainy and cold. At night, you were hoping for news from the airline, but the answer is further postponed to tomorrow. As every day.

This morning, the weather is nice. You go to the sea port. As the aircraft remains uncertain, it is best to take the boat to leave today or tomorrow. You are familiar with the guards of the port. At the first a first barrier, the man is a Buryat native of Ulan Ude. Then the blonde lady who knows that you’re going to visit the dispatcher.

The “dispatcher” is not the man you saw last Friday, but the one who told you three weeks ago that there was no ship to Provideniya. This time, it’s for Vladivostok there is no ship. Nieto. Nothing planned in the coming days nor in the coming weeks. You insist a bit but you understand that he cannot create a ship when there is none. It remains to hope that the company Transaero will accept the bike. You had at least the assurance of being able to go on the ship, and now it has vanished. And then there is also a second company for whom things would be simpler, but they require that the motorcycle is on a crate. It may be time to find or to make a crate.

In the evening, you call Vladimir, the man you met in the tundra. You would need his help to find a crate for the bike. Maybe the store that sold his quad keeps some crates that had been used for the motorcycles or quads they received?

Vladimir and Nadia invite you to dinner. You show them your book, they show you some pictures taken by their American friend who lives in Alaska. Silver panoramic photos from there twenty years. Objects worthy of a museum. You did not know there analogical cameras dedicated to this technique. Vladimir plans to do a show with these beautiful prints.

At 20h, the TV news. Vladimir suffers. His brother and sister are in Donetsk, in the bombed areas. It has the same grievances against America, Europe, Obama you have heard many times. You understand his suffering, and hear his anger.

Wednesday, August 13, 2014

Vladimir go with you to the store where he bought his quad. It is is the main distributor of equipments in Chukotka. There are warehouses, but also a mechanic workshop and several shops. The director, Sergeï, is a friend of Vladimir’s. There is no crate available, but he agreed to make one and to deliver the bike to the airport. You’ll spend tomorrow to disassemble it. A big worry discarded.

Vladimir must join the Scout camp near the river. You go with him. They came to fish, but their rare taken will not be enough to feed the troops. However, there is all along the beach huts with fishermen who use nets. Their technique of fishing seems far more efficient. Three men withdrew a net laid across the bank, about fifteen meters. In the net, fifty salmons.

Thursday, August 14, 2014

Vladimir is chasing time. He must take care of the youth camp, go to his work read emails, take care of his future trips to Moscow for the National Geographic Institute … Busy, you still solicited him to fix your own worries: pass migration office for registration, find a place to clean the motorbike, call the airlines for information, contacting Sergueï for the crate,… He saturates and forgets his keys once, another time his documents, or his phone. Once or several times.

Besides the occupations you know, Vladimir also chairs a committee of citizens who checks public accounting. In the past he was a geologist, a radio DJ or a singer. He also established a museum dedicated to the cosmonauts. Finally, he teaches photography and mounts exhibitions of pictures at the Department of Culture. So many things..

By early afternoon, you go to the mechanic workshop which belongs to Sergeï. You remove the front wheel, the fork tubes and disconnect the swing arm to make the bike more compact. You also disconnect the battery and empty the fuel tanks. The opportunity to clean the air filter, that you had not done since Bilibino. It is more than necessary. Everything done quickly. It will be harder when reassembling, alone in the Moscow airport.

You’ve decided to give the boat to Vladimir. It will be useful for his youth camps. It will also facilitate your way back, the shipment of the bike and may be it would serve as replacement boat for 2016.

In the evening you are again invited to dinner by Nadia and Vladimir. They celebrate Ronald’s birthday, their youngest kid. Before the meal, Nadia proceeds to a Chuchi ritual: take a small portion of each dish and throw all in the tundra to feed the spirits. As the tundra is a bit far from downtown, the spirits will recover these crumbs at the bottom of the building.

Nadia is native from Siriniki and you have questions about her village that lies between Nunlingran Provideniya. Before meeting her, you did not know even the existence of this village. On Google Earth, even knowing the exact coordinates, you see nothing that looks like a building. The area is blurred.

The population of Siriniki is divided equally between Chukchis and Eskimos communities. Hunters of marine mammals that circulate on boat not only to Nunlingran or Provideniya, but also to Enmelen and to Kenerguina or Egvekinot. Good to know, but it’s surprising to have to go to Anadyr to learn it.

You discuss the difficulties of Russia. As for alcohol, vodka, Nadia reports that in Siriniki more than half of her generation has already died due to alcoholism or suicide.

At 8pm, Vladimir leaves the table to watch the news of the day. Always Ukraine. He came back furious as each evening against Western countries and Barak Obama. You do not repeat anymore that you appreciate the American President. You gave up to replicate. You know that your arguments are nothing compared to his suffering. After ten minutes of shouting, he smiles at you and promise not to talk politics anymore. Even though he knows it will be for a short duration.

While you listen without understanding the discussion, you realize how many are the origins around the table: Vladimir Ukrainian, Nadia Chukchi, Gula, the friend of their daughter, is Eskimo, and the little Micha who is present for Ronald’s birthday was born of a Tatar father and an Eskimo mother.

Friday, August 15, 2014

You make a presentation of your travels to the youth camp and Vladimir translates what you say. Since they came back from the tundra, Vladimir and Nadia trying to keep the kids as they can. The camp would have to happen over the lifetime of the tundra, but the bears have decided otherwise. They must now place the planned program in the city rather than wildlife. Not easy. It annoys everyone. Meeting locations in the city is the Museum of the Cosmonautes created by Vladimir. A little noisy apartment overrun with canvas tents and other camping gear. Fortunately, the group can go on foot or by bicycle to the river, or in the nearby tundra.

Vladimir has frequent interruptions to take care of your worries. The deal of the day is your registration with the Migration Board. This will be a week since you arrived in Anadyr. Register is not as easy as you had imagined. But after two round trips between the Migration Office and the Department of Sports, everything seems back to normal.

You were surprised that a migration office exists in Bilibino. You understand now that the office is not just for foreigners, but also for non-resident Russians. Russian have both national and international passports. To travel in Chukotka, you need a passport and special permissions. Whether one is foreign or Russian. Are there any other countries in the world where the travels are controlled like this? You do not know, you’re far from going everywhere.

You return in the late afternoon on the bank of the river to find the youth camp. In addition to the fishing, they are entitled to today sessions rifle and a workshop for marine knots.

The day ended, Vladimir calls for you the Vim Avia airline to ask them if they would accept your bike. For now, your last chance. The bad news of the day: a shipment should not exceed 150kg. The bike alone already exceeds this limit. So no ship, unreachable airline, and another that limits the weight. The situation appears to hang every day.

It would remain a solution: put the bike without wheels an fork in one crate, and all the rest in a second crate. It’s a pity you do today may learn it because the single big crate has been completed today. You will probably have to reopen it, put the bike out, and cut the box in the lengthwise to make two crates from one. Not very encouraging and the cost of the operation will continue to increase.

Keep cool. Anyway, there’s nothing left to do before Monday morning. This is what you already told you last Friday.

You know that the ship will not leave until 4pm, but you load your luggage on the bike early in the morning. You want to get to the port to talk to the captain. This is the boat of passengers that will go to Provideniya on August 11th. Probably the last card to play.

At checkout, you call Ludmila to ask her to accompany you to translate. You know she does not work today, and she had offered you her help yesterday. You wish to discuss about the journey to Provideniya with the captain, and you think that it could be confusing for him.

The ship is not very big: 50 or 100 passengers. There is no crane on board, but it is moored under one of the harbor cranes. It would therefore be no problem for loading. The question is whether it would be in the same situation in Anadyr.

The captain is there. Ludmila explains your request. The answer is clear, non-negotiable: he will not take your bike, whatever the destination. Surprised, Ludmila insists. You quickly understood that the position of captain will not change. The guardian of the harbor entrance told you that she had already seen a car on the deck of this ship. That may be the problem … A bad experience would have set up the strict rule to reject all vehicles.

The director of the Port informs you that there will be a cargo of the “Chukotka Trading Company” that will leave in three days to Anadyr. You have to go to the offices of the company to take a ticket and see the conditions of carriage of the bike. You follow Ludmila towards what is one of the largest buildings in Egvekinot. The interior is neat, almost luxurious. There is no problem to carry the bike, except that only a Russian may file at the port of departure, and only a Russian may recover it on arrival. This rule is unexpected but Ludmila proposes to be the sender. She also calls her friends to find someone who could get to the port with you to the reception. And she finds a former colleague who is willing to help you in Anadyr. You’re going to leave Egvekinot.

However, you just lost all hope to reach Provideniya with the bike. The passenger ship is prohibited to you. So you give up the crossing of the Bering strait for this year. It’s settled.

You lost the game by going the first time to Anadyr. You wanted to focus on the Bering strait, bypassing the journey of Egvekinot to Provideniya. Avoid the first 400 km and bring the total distance to a more reasonable value. Now you know that the state of the sea will become increasingly problematic. The coming week is announced bad. Favorable weather slots are passed. And your low speed does not allow you to take too many risks.

You had a good chance of success if you had known sooner that Kosta and Rodney taught you. If you had knowledge of the existence of the Enmelen and Nunlingran villages. On the other hand, the purpose of this trip was primarily to learn. Understand the challenges and discover the solutions. But it was possible to go further. Provideniya at least, and probably Nome.

The solution would have been not to stay in Egvekinot and to sail to Kanerguina, and to look there for the person who could accompany you to Enmelen. Kosta knows someone who could. This first section would have been a perfect test, progressive. Once in Enmelen, you could have continued alone until Nunlingran and then Provideniya. Enmelen and Nunlingran are villages of whales hunters. The locals know the coast and know how to move. Egvekinot is a city, and occasional fishermen do not go out of the bay. Two worlds that do not know each other. For the inhabitants of Egvekinot, sailing outside the bay is just impossible. The exit of the bay is too far. For the Chukchi whale hunters, this is their life. At least in the summer.

For the fuel, you would have loaded the boat with at least a hundred liters starting Egvekinot. Navigate overloaded in the first protected area posed no worries. And you would have been quickly lighter in the second part. It was possible to reach Provideniya before the end of July, then to use the current slot to pass the strait.

Once again, you return to the gotsinitsa and unload the luggage. Once more, the boat takes its place in the hall. A call from Philippe, the KTM biker who follows you with a delay of 3 weeks. He is in front of Zyrianka on a barge ready to leave for Aniusk. You explain to him about your day, your disappointments. You spend two hours on the phone. He wants you rent a plane to go to Provideniya. You should force things. You are more fatalistic.

He will also talk about his own journey. He will meet Kosta between Pevek and Bilibino. They will, probably with Pavel, head the same route you took. Once in Egvekinot, they will rent an amphibious vehicle to reach Vankarem since Amguema. Then a boat to accompany them to Uelen. Philippe would remain on bike as much as possible. It was also the route that you had originally envisioned. Less coast, less sea to cross. But incompatible with the administrative requirements: the boarder guards want you leave Russia in Provideniya.

In the evening, you realize that for some time, the evenings have become recognizable. You’ve even been surprised by the darkness waking you last night. There is a month when you were on the Kolyma, it was very difficult to distinguish night from day. The summer solstice is away. It is also likely that the sea state is related to the sun’s influence. At the time of the solstice, the stability of the position of the sun must limit its impact on the tides. However, the more you will be closer to the equinox, the more the trajectories of the sun affect the tides. And the tidal range must amplify the amplitude of the waves. This is all new to you.

Tuesday, August 5, 2014

You spend the day updating your blogs, and answering your late mails. You add drawings Gilbert sent to you just before you left. You also continuing to look at the weather files, but more with the same attention. For now, the return of a calm sea is still not expected.

In the afternoon, you get a call from Kosta who comes to news. You explain to him the situation, your disappointments, but also the willingness for a second trip in 2016. Kosta tells you that he will participate to this project. The news make you glad. You’ll have to find sponsors on the one hand, and companions on the other.

Kosta impress you with his knowledge of the terrain. You regret not having discussed about your route when you met him in Bilibino. He would have brought you the solution.

Wednesday, August 6, 2014

You’re leaving in the early afternoon for a ride to Amguema. This is the only road from Egvekinot with that to Bilibino. You prefer Amguema to avoid river crossings on the eve of departure. You go on after Amguema to locate the track leading to the east, toward the river Vankarem.

An amphibious vehicle stopped near a ruin. You continue your route still twenty kilometers. You look at the map on your GPS: you have gone too far north. U turn. By joining the amphibious craft, you realize that it is parked where the intersection should be. But you do not see any trail that starts from there.

You discuss with people near the “go-everywhere” vehicle. They come from a mine and are waiting a bus that picks them up. The driver knows Kosta and it is probably the vehicle that would accompany Philippe to Vankarem. A monster… What consumption? 120 liters of diesel per hundred kilometers. Could it get to Provideniya? Not Provideniya. . ” You doubted the response. Provideniya is surrounded by mountains to the north.

You leave them and will meet a bus half an hour later. In the region, the “buses” are adapted from big trucks. Not much to do with Parisian buses.

You enjoy the ride. Few pictures, but you stop again near the orange mountain, the color of KTM. You even find KTM grass in ponds.

You come just for dinner after going to the port to ask what time will leave the ship. It will be tomorrow in the early afternoon. Parking the bike you realize that clips on both rear indicators are broken. Too much vibration, shock too. Set for a full load, your shock absorber is probably too hard. You were too lazy to change the setting.

Ludmila suggests you to go with her for her evening walk. She tells you how she arrived at Egvekinot during the Soviet era. She worked at the airport, and the city had three times the population today. Working in Chukotka had significant financial benefits: the salary was higher than two comparing with the center of Russia and each month was considered as a month and half for retirement. And she loved the Chukotka wildlife. While many were leaving after the collapse of the Soviet Union, she decided to stay. Her life is now here.

She occupies two adjoining apartments in an old building. She lives with her dog in the first and collects abandoned cats in the second. It currently houses 52 cats. Is there a limit? When she had only 8, she thought 8 was the limit. Today, she believes that the limit is 52, but if someone leaves again a cat on her doorstep, she does not know what she will do. Too bad, because the number 52 is special. Card Games …

Thursday, August 7, 2014

You load once more the boat on the bike and do your goodbyes. You start to know many people in this small town. Before yesterday, someone you thought had never seen called you by your first name.

Some shopping in case the boat would not serve meals. There are an incredible number of grocery stores in Egvekinot. As in Bilibino. They all look alike, but they often differ by a few products. Go into a grocery store, look, and come out without buying is common. At first felt uncomfortable when leaving a shop witout purchase, but you now visits three or four stores before finding what you are looking for.

You go to the port with Ludmila.She is officially the person who must deliver the bike. The ship is carrying coal. It is the twin of the one that you took to return to Anadyr. The motorcycle is quickly on board and you say goodbye to Ludmila.

You discuss with the representative of the shipping company. You explain to him the anticipated end of the current trip, and your willingness to come back in two years to complete it. He thinks that his company, which strives to promote tourism in Chukotka, would sponsor such a project. He will talk to his manager. It can also help you if you need information about ships. Once more, you get the information too late…

For future travel, you think that with several bikers and with Kosta, the trip could be the object for a movie. There really matter to film, both in central Chukotka than on the coasts.

The wind is strong in the bay, and the ship has difficulty moving away from the dock. But once started, it remains surprisingly stable. On board, passengers are few people you’d cross near the amphibious craft, north of Amguema. They work in a gold mine, and take a plane to Moscow. Their annual vacation.

There is also Igor, Igor said “Diesel”, a marine biker from Vladivostok. He saw the sticker of “Iron Tigers” on your bike. The motoclub Vladivostok who hosted you in 2010. If you need anything, you can contact him.

On deck, you admire the scenery. The Egvekinot Bay have several branches that dig into the mountains. Fjords of great beauty. Regret for not sailing on your boat in this bay.

Friday, August 8, 2014

The crossing is fast. Less than twenty hours. Arrived in Anadyr, passengers join the city on a small boat. But the ship must remain anchored in the middle of the river, waiting its turn to load coal. The captain tells you that you will get it back your bike tomorrow morning at 8am.

Before leaving the port, you make visits to the dispatcher. A ship should go to Vladivostok in the middle of next week. He advises you to call him on Monday or Tuesday morning.

Once in town, you ask a man where to find a gotsinitsa. It leads you to the famous .. luxury hotel where you had ended up taking a meal. The “Chukotka”. You stop your guide to 100 meters away. You do not want a “five-star” hotel, but a simple gotsinitsa. It brings you to a second location. May be a “three stars.” This is still too good, too expensive, but you give up a third request. With a little luck, you will leave after two or three nights. You’re surprised that dusty as you are, people will drive in posh hotels.

You leave your stuff at the hotel and you go to the airport, which is on the other side of the river. The barge passes close to the “Professor Kromov”, Russ’s ship that is already back from its cruise. Once at the airport, you look for the cargo area. The lady who receives you does not seem available, but she will do her best to help you. You call Kosta to help you in the discussion. You know that the information can be useful for Philippe.

At the end, the shipping of the bike should be possible, but not until the Moscow agreement. A bike is considered as a “dangerous good” and acceptance is not automatic. You will not have a response until Monday night or Tuesday morning, and it will be too late for the plane on Monday. You’ve once again caught out by the weekend. So if you take a plane, it will be next Friday. Here you are for a week in Anadyr. Unless you take the ship to Vladivostok, but it would add at least three weeks of travel. You’ll see on Monday.

Saturday, August 9, 2014

The captain of the ship had asked you to be present on the port at 8am, but the boat will dock at 10am. A “normal” delay in Russia. Once back to the hotel, you look at your maps for routes around Anadyr. You want to ride the bike and explore the area. You are quickly cooled: there is no road from Anadyr. At least no summer road. Anadyr is like an island. You can take a barge to the other side, where the airport is located, but that’s all. Do you understand why there are no motorcycle Anadyr? Why taxis are 100 rubles whatever your destination. Only with the boat you could have rides, but the assembly time is too long.

You call Kosta whether he does not know any roads not marked on maps. He suggests you go on the other side. There, you can take a 8 km road and visit the ruins of an abandoned missile (ICBM) site. It’s a bit limited as ride, but why not. You will go from Monday to visit the lady of “Cargo Terminal.” Time will pass slowly in Anadyr.

A short walk. In the square close to the museum a sort of fair with entertainment for children. On a platform, Chukchi dancers provide the show. Young men take turns to sing and dance to the tunes of traditional music.

You go to the hotel. You’ll have time. You can start working on a second trip.

You’re on the boat as planned at 7am. The crew offers you a coffee at the bar, and a young woman comes to meet you: Natalia. She was your contact at the Ministry of Sports and Tourism for getting the Chukotka pass. You tell her to have met quickly Mille yesterday. You feel she is disappointed by your level of Russian. You had only exchanged emails and you used intensively GoogleTranslate.

Your cabin is comfortable and you re-read the texts late for your blog in English. At lunch, you come among the last in the dining room, and you sit at one of the last available seats in front of Natalia. You are surprised because there mostly Russians around this table. When you ask your neighbor if she is cruising, she’ll explain that she is Irina, the Minister of Sports and Tourism of Chukotka. The person who obtained your Chukotka Pass. She also explains that this trip is not a cruise, but all passengers come to participate to the “Artic Games”, which took place near Provideniya. There are not only Canadians on this boat, but Icelanders, Russians, Norwegians and also Greenlanders. The ship brought up on the participants, and it has been probably used as a hotel for the duration of the games.

In the evening you attend a screening of photos on the running of the games. Beautiful photos for a beautiful event. A confidential event more of culture than sport. Not really “Olympic” games, even if the sport was the common thread. The opportunity to bring together young people from different polar regions. You would have liked to attend. In any case, all participants seem happy. All seem to become friends.

Thursday, July 24, 2014

You arrive close to Anadyr early in the morning and the boat is anchored in the center of the river, close to the Anadyr airport, located on the opposite bank. Three quarters of passengers take a flight today. The others will have their flight tomorrow but they land for a walk. You stay with the crew, to take advantage of the Internet and to prepare the next steps of your trip. Rodney, the owner of the boat, told you that your bike will be landed tomorrow, with the barge which will supply the boat.

You ask questions to Rodney on the route to cross the Bering Strait. He is the best person you could meet to discuss it. He will not recommend going through Cape Chaplino which lies just east of Provideniya. Big waves, strong current. Too dangerous. There is a track that would allow you to get around by motorcycle and reach, 20 km north of Provideniya, an area protected by ​​two islands. That would make also reducing your sailing by more than 100 km. From there, you could sail to Lavrentiya, then cross the strait south of the Diomede Islands. He thinks that this crossing is feasible, and you’re happy to hear it. It is also necessary that you have permission to leave Russia from there rather than from Provideniya port.

The evening meal is in reduced committee. You are still a dozen of passengers. You sit in front of Mille who speaks with Rodney about her life in Alaska. Mille is not an American citizen, she is Danish. Her difficulties in obtaining the green card, her life with her huskies.

Friday, July 25, 2014

The last passengers left. Remains the crew who prepares the ship for the next cruise. You go back a moment to talk to Rodney. You quickly tell your lives, your travels, your projects. He is the only one with whom you have really communicated on this boat, and it is rather a surprise.

You arrived in town around noon and you go directly to the port. It leads you to the “dispatcher” the person who knows the list of departures. You speak in Russian with him as you can, but you understand too well his answers:

• Provideniya?

• No boat to Provideniya.

• But Seagrand? Niet, it goes to Vladivostok.

• When a ship to Provideniya?

• There is one ship plans at present: on August 11th, and it will be a passenger boat which can not take your bike.

• Then when?

He does not know … after August 15? In Egvekinot the Seagrand was the container ship that also went to Anadyr. Its captain said it would go to Anadyr and then to Provideniya, but its destination has now changed.

Disappointment. Your coming to Anadyr does not make sense now. You do not want to stay there. Return to Egvekinot? There is a boat tonight, then the next one in a week. You leave the dispatcher to think about this, come back ten minutes later: you return to Egvekinot tonight. You shall make the tests there and see what happens next: either you’re go along the coast, or you will wait for a boat, or you will give up the journey and get home. Or … well you’ll see.

You will have lost a few days in this useless round trip. But it has been the opportunity to meet Mille, Irina and Natalia. And especially Rodney who has teached you how to sail through the strait. In the end, not quite useless.

The boat is Egvekinot is still loading. It carries coal. Apart Bilibino which had its nuclear power plant, the only one in the world above the Arctic Circle, all cities have coal-fired power plants. These plants provide the mandatory heating for the towns in winter. Their replenishment is the main activity of sailing, on either sea or river.

The dispatcher asks you to come back at 3pm for border guards check your documents. You go into town looking for a restaurant. You find one in the center, but too chic. You try to find another in several parts of the town, but each time you ask people, the answer is the same: no restaurant here, but you can go to the center, there is one. You’re tired by this research, and you finally resign yourself to go to this “klass” restaurant . You look like a clown. All clients are businessmen. All very well dressed. The atmosphere is very chic. Fortunately, there is a cloakroom where you can leave your bag, your helmet and your jacket. All dusty. When you get into the room with your boots, your pants dirty and your fleece, you really do not feel you in your right place. The waitresses seem embarrassed. You’re sorry for them. You eat a fish dish as quickly as you can, take an espresso and run away to find the rain.

At 3pm, you return to the office of the dispatcher. Border guards inspect your documents. Everything is ok, they will report to the captain. You must now be back at 7pm for boarding.

Back in town. You park the bike near the church. You see, front of the next building, Irina and Natalia. You just have time to explain to them that you return to Egvekinot as they are in a hurry. Near the church, Swedes and Swiss tourists. They will be on the Rodney’s boat for the next cruise. You go to the museum together. Photos are prohibited except to pay a few euros. You pay ten euros each to see two rooms without interest, and the cashier picks you to kick you out because you stay more than 5 minutes in one of two rooms. Museums and Bilibino Egvekinot were incomparably more interesting, better supplied and above a thousand times more welcoming. You continue to wander in the rain. You get into a hair salon. You’re the only man, but never mind. The hairdresser is an artist of the scissors, and she is smiling. Her smile warms you.

At 7pm, you’re at the port. You are about ten passengers. A new lift in the air for the motorcycle. You became effective for unloading and preparing it for a crane. You are entitled to an individual cabin while the others are two or three passengers per cabin. The crew, but also other passengers talking with you. Three young people go to Egvekinot for a concert. They are interested in your journey and you show them the video. You’re always happy to see the smiles when people understand the principle of the motor-boat.

Saturday, July 26, 2014

Always bad weather. Rain, cold, fog and 2 meter waves. You would not like to sail on your bike in those conditions. This cargo is much more stable than the Rodney’s boat. Much bigger, much longer.

At breakfast, one of the young musicians want to talk to you. He wants you to speak at the microphone during the concert, you push a few screams. You are not interested, and he is disappointed. But you will come to attend their concert.

You go back on deck early afternoon. The sea became flat. Of course, you’re already entered the long bay of Egvekinot, but the contrast with what you saw three or four hours earlier surprises you.

Once landed, you join the gotsinitsa. Everyone looks happy to see you. You find yourself in the same room. You’ve become a regular.

In the evening, the concert takes place on the ground floor of the gotsinitsa. But you fall asleep before the festivities begin …

Sunday, July 27, 2014

You hate weekends in small Russian towns. The most popular activity is to drink vodka. Most people that you meet and feel stagger vodka, and it makes you more uncomfortable.

You wanted to ride to Amguema, but it’s raining and visibility is low. So you start to assemble your transmission system for the boat. The good news is that all parts have well traveled, without damage. Your packaging was at the level of the journey.

You put more time than expected for mounting. You had already forgotten some of the details. You alternate sequences of mechanical and Internet searches.

Some good news: Dominique, a friend who has sailed solo Atlantic accepts to help you for the weather forecast. You download GRIB files regularly in the area, but your knowledge of the sea is low, and you need advices.

Finally, you discover that Nunligran, which is halfway between Egvekinot and Provideniya is a real village with about 300 inhabitants. Maybe you could find gasoline there ? At the very least, there will be a store and you could take a break. The distance between Egvekinot and Provideniya is 450km. You do not feel you get started for such a journey. While cut into two parts, it becomes more realistic.

Everything will depend on your tests. Before you left home, you just starting to plane. But you did not have the time nor the good weather to seriously test “planing” mode. Lots of things to check before embarking for a great crossing.

In the evening, your neighboors come to you. You spend time with them, tell them your travels. The youngest, Dima, seems particularly interested. You’ll also get your book to show them. Each time, the Russians in Siberia are surprised that you can make such trips. And you’re happy to bring surprises.

Monday, July 28, 2014

You finish to prepare the bike for the trial. You’re visiting Maria. You tell her you’re looking for information on Nunligran. Maybe the local representatives of the Chukchi could help. She will contact them.

Back to the Gotsinitsa, you meet Dima. You thought he was working, but he does not work now. You ask him if he could give you a hand this afternoon to mount the bike by boat mode. He agreed.

You take coffee with Dima before you go to the sea. He now seems reluctant. You understand why he is not working now: he has a broken hand ! But he assure you that he can help you with his good hand. Why not.

You should get into the sea. You go there with the bike loaded, but Dima does not come. You will wait in vain. Misunderstanding? It’s not a big deal.

Nobody but a man who unravels a fishing net near a shed. You come and trying to initiate a conversation. You explain your project to him. Man is surprised and telephones to the border guards who will come. Surprizing, but why not … You call Bob from Irkutsk and ask him to translate what is being said. You did not meet the officer earlier, but he is aware of your project, probably by his colleagues. He knows that your documents are in order, but he puts you on your guard against the risks of the sea. Bay is protected, but no one comes out with a small boat. You know that.

Once the border guard left, you continue the discussion with the fisherman, joined by two of his friends. You take out your map of Chukotka, and talk about the road. Nunligran? Nobody goes there from Egvekinot. Too far! But he confirms that you could sail, after the bay, in a long 80 km lagoon opened at both ends. After? The waves will return you. That makes him smile.

You understand that sailing could be dangerous. Conditions can change quickly. You know that this trip is possible for you if you are helped to weather. If you can be certain favorable conditions.

There is no culture in Russia “weather forecast” for boaters. There are also no real sailors in a place like Egvekinot. Only large ships, a few taxi boats and then individuals – often casual fishermen – who remain in the bay area. The bay is more than 100km long, and there is alreay much to do. You understand that no one travel to Nunligran since Egvekinot.

You also looking for a solution for the night. If you set up the bike on the boat, where could you leave it? On the beach? Not very safe, and the tide will move it. Find a shed ? You would have to drag the boat on the rocks. This would require that whenever you find a lot of hands to help you, and you also would multiply the risk of punctures of the boat on the rocks. However, several boats are moored to buoys. You think that you have to find one available or make an anchor buoy by yourself. There are lots of scrap pieces on the beach, which is not really a beach. You could let the boat at anchor and would join the bank by swimming. The water is cold, but you have your dry suit. There are a good fifty meters to go. The sea water is not good for the bike, but you must do these tests. You shall take a bath into a river when you will switch back to motorcycle mode.

You ask the fishermen if they own one of these buoys. No, they store their boat in their shed. Of course, buoys that you see have all owners. How to find the owner of a buoy? He does not know or does not understand what you are asking for.

Time has passed. It’s almost 4pm, and Dima did not come. You go to the hotel a little annoyed. You unload the boat and mechanics for the night. Meanwhile, Maria has called you to propose you to give a presentation tomorrow morning for school children. It will be at 10am.

Tuesday, July 29, 2014

The presentation takes place at the public library. You present in English your two trips and the English teacher translates. That of 2010-2011, and the current one. Children have many questions again. You’re happy to avoid the autograph session, but everyone wants to photograph you. You accept graciously, remembering you that, young, you always refused.

Then the director and English teacher make you visit the school. There is only one school in the town, they were 3 during the Soviet period. Today 400 students from primary. The buildings, equipment, are in very good state.

Many photos in the hallways. Sports, but also military activities. You did not know that these “military games” began at school. You are surprised, but the director as an English teacher seem to find it quite natural. And their students are particularly good at it. You understand why the omnipresent military thing does not shock: it is met very early at school.

You go to the gotsinitsa for lunch and then you go again on the beach. There are two small taxi boats that have just arrived. One with Chukchi children but the driver is a European-Russian. He seems close to these kids and seems to be a good man. You try to talk to him. They come from a village, Kanerguina, located at 45 km on the way to the exit if the bay. But he never goes to Nunligran…

2 pm. You know you will not mount the bike on the boat today. It is already too late for the tide. You’re going to visit Maria. She has information for you: first the next ship to Provideniya will leave on August 12th. Probably the passenger boat which you had spoken with the dispatcher in Anadyr. Then for Nunligran there … it remains unclear whether you can find gasoline. Nunligran is not in the Egvekinot district, but probably in Provideniya district.

You talk to her about mooring buoys. She calls the head of sports in the city. The sports department has a boat attached to a buoy. They accept that you’re moorings above.

You ask also the director of sports if he knows a person who can help you to mount the bike on the boat. You think you can do it alone, but you’re not sure. And you should not be surprised by the tide, with the bike disassembled and placed on the beach.

He calls someone who can help you. Sergey you seem to be a pensioner. You’re probably not both among the strongest but you should get there. Appointment is made for tomorrow 1pm.

You come back to the town. Trying to find large plastic garbage bags, but the concept of garbage bag does not exist. Since you’re in Russia, you realize that there is often ordinary objects found anywhere else but here.

9pm. You’re on the internet after writing this text. There is a knock at your door. Probably someone who wants to talk bikes, or travel … No, a lady in a blue raincoat closed up to the neck, which stretches out what is looking like a police card. Behind her, the border guard you met yesterday. She wants to see your passport and pass. You’re not worried because you know they are in order. She asks you when you arrived, when you plan to leave. You do not know. You follow her into the office of the gotsinitsa. You begin to understand: hotels must register foreigners to the police station, and it did not happen. A legacy of the Soviet period begins to fall into disuse, but Chukotka is still under a strict control. Thereupon, it must be more than 8 days you came to Egvekinot. She asks the hotel employee to write a long declaration. A bad time for him. The Russian administration uses a lot of paper. You hope that it just is not too much trouble for the employees of the gotsinitsa. They are really kind with you.

Wednesday, July 30, 2014

You start to prepare the bike on the front of the gotsinitsa. It’s raining and you’re quickly soaked. At noon, everything is ready, and you take a meal before you go to the beach.

Sergey is there. You unfold the boat, install the bike over before removing the wheels. Things are going reasonably well. You are happy to have forgotten nothing, except perhaps some details of assembly. There is a lot of detail, and time passes, always in the rain. You are cold .. You have nothing on your head, and your hair is soaked.

A man Tolek, attends the show. He owns an old shed next to the place you are working. He seems friends with Sergei, and it gives you a helping hand sometimes.

You are supposed ton insert a small shock absorber between the swingarm and the bike. But the fixing screw is broken. The thread on the swingarm took too mud. You should have cleaned beforehand. It’s too late now … You can not remove the screw portion that is blocked. You do not know how important this part, but it will do without for testing. You know that it is not necessary because you had added later.

The two fishermen you met yesterday passed quickly. One with whom you had discussed still looks skeptical. You understand the words “not serious”. The remark irritates you. Of course all this is not serious! Is he serious with him his military uniform, his double chin and his smashed metal boat?

Finished, and you still have to go attach the boat to the buoy. A man went also anchor his boat using a mini inflatable boat. Sergey will ask him to lend it to you. Negative response. He is probably in a hurry. So you go to the buoy on your boat, and come back by swimming in dark water, dirty … When you get into the water, you wonder if your dry-suit is still waterproof after crossing Russia. Fortunately, it is. Swim warms you, and you come away from the water finally with a better feeling than when you entered it. Near the shore, a film of oil floating on the surface. You need to also avoid broken glass are everywhere mixed with stones. Always epidemic vodka.

You let your suit hanging in the Tolek’s shed. You ask how much you owe Sergei. You want to pay but he refuses and instead offers you to go buy a bottle of vodka. You feel you touch the bottom, but you’re all frozen and how could you refuse ….

You go to a store near the gotsinitsa. Sergei also took a bottle of wine because you told him you do not drink vodka. Then you return to your room. You have some food and you offer dinner.

The opening of the bottle of red goes wrong. You put some wine on the cloth that you had taken to protect the table. Bottles of vodka down, and you start to see your companions being met by alcohol. On your side, you will drink half a glass of wine and then go throw the rest down the toilet. A bad batch.

While your companions will leave staggered, you get a call from Kosta. He wants to know if you’ll always be there for the arrival of Philippe. But Philippe is still in Seymchan, so do not reach Egvekinot before 15, see 20. Although late for you.

You connected to the Internet and look at the site of Le Monde. The news is not likely to make you happier. A very bad day in the world as in Egvekinot.

But the bike is finally in boat mode.

Thursday, July 31, 2014

Even the rain all night. You recognize that morale is not there, but you’re trying to assume. A good shower, some clean, some mails to relatives.

9am. Upon leaving, the rain stopped and a patch of blue sky settles in over Egvekinot. It has pity on you, the rain. You headed to the beach with a little apprehension. The boat will be there as you left it? One of the floats there will not be deflated? The bike does not bathe in water? No, you see the bike on the boat, nothing changed since last night.

As you prepare, a phone call: a woman speaking English tells you that you are called this afternoon at the migration office, she will be present to translate. You wonder what they want you, but why not.

On the beach, Tolek. Are you ready to join the boat to swim when you see a man with a mini-canoe. Tolek and you can borrow it and recover the boat dry.

The tests start. You must first set the balance of support for the boat not too turns to one side, so you can steer just by moving your weight.

And then you try to plane. Nothing to do. You try several angles, you tune the belt tension, but every time you accelerate, the air reaches the propeller that cavitates. This happens every time you reached 10-11 km / h. You had fought against it for months and thought it was fixed just before departure. But you had not been able to do all the required tests, lack of time and favorable weather.

Without planing, your cruising speed is about 5 knots, or about ten km / h. It would double if you could plane, and you would consume less.

Why this? For planing, you had caulked the holes around the belt with tape. Now some rubber cut from a tube, which clogs the holes. The tape does not really appropriate because it does not last. The rubber would it be too soft, too flexible ?

The final solution would be to insert the belt into a closed frame, which would also protect against the pieces of wood in the rivers. But this is not something that can be done quickly, above all in Egvekinot.

You stop trials early afternoon. You lose the hope to plane reliably in the short term. So join Provideniya on your motor boat. 400km to 10km / h for 40 hours. Too risky, too long.

You go to the hotel. Natalia, the hotel manager comes looking for you. She wants to take you to the migration office, but it is first in other offices, may be a municipal service, that you visit. Photocopies of your documents. Natalia then guides you to the Migration office. You do not recognize her immediatly, but here is the lady who visited you the other night. You thought she was a policewoman.

The translator is also present and you know her: the guide in the museum. She is also entitled to copies of passport, papers, … You ask her if she is also a foreigner, but no, she is here as an official translator, so be photocopied id card and diplomas.

Photocopying sessions end after a good half hour, and then begins the interrogation. Dozens of questions about your identity, your schedule, your arrival, your relationships with the people of the gotsinitsa, how much you pay, etc. A question that will surprise you: do you have any psychiatric treatment? Not so far.

The inspector writes the minutes, then the interpreter translates orally before you sign these papers.

You finally understand the concern from: arrived in a city, you have to register if you stay over 8 days. The date of your first arrival is the one that counts. You did not, and therefore you are wrong. In the end nothing serious, but you had this interview and these papers to explain why you had not done. Finally, the inspector issues a smile. She is relieved.

You leave the office, it’s already 5pm. A session of bureaucratic tourism has occupied your afternoon. Once in his life, it deserves to be seen, but it’s enough.

Friday, August 1, 2014

You get up early with the idea of ​​sailing around the bay for a few hours on your boat. You will also redo some tests for planing. It’s not raining, but just out of gotsinitsa, you understand that you will have to wait: we do not see 100 meters due to fog. This limits the interest of a cruise in the bay. Better to wait.

Around 10 am, still foggy. You’re going to visit Maria. She has news for you: a ship will arrive on Sunday and depart to Anadyr on Monday. If you want to take it, you need the bike reassembled tomorrow at the latest. Rather today if anything goes wrong. But you need recovering now the wheels you have left in the shed of the Town because tomorrow is weekend.

You’re going to take this ship. Maria tries to reach the person who has the key to the shed where your wheels are stored. You have them at noon when the fog finally lifted. You see Tolek coming, staggering. Drunk, he remains calm and nice. He often repeats “pajalousta” (“please”).

You borrow a small boat to avoid swiming to the bike. At least your dry-suit will be wet on the lower legs only.

Once recovered the bike on the beach, you put yourself at work. There for several hours, but the tide is high, just starting going down, and you have plenty of time. You try to go up alone, although Tolek, joined by another drunken man, watching you and is ready to help you. You want to check that you are able to do it by yourself.

At the end, you ask Tolek and his friend to bring the bike forward when getting the rear wheel: the bike slipped because of the slope, and the swing arm is too close to the rear board of the boat. The wheel does not pass.

Would you have succeed without their help? Probably by completely deflating the boat at that time. Or, if you planned the problem by hanging the bike in front of the boat with a strap. You would have been able to get the bike by laying on the side, but better to avoid.

Then you pack the parts and the tools, and you still have to fold the boat that is dirt with sand and gravel. You remove your pants and come in the water to rinse it. Error: you forgot to close the inflation valves, and water goes into some of the floats.

The sun and wind dried the bag, and help you to dry the boat. A Chukchi woman arrives with her children. She had already passed yesterday as you were testing. You chatted. She is smiling, softly, and continues to ask you questions. She helps you to fold the boat in its bag. At 5pm, you can finally go back to the gotsnitsa. It was another day that did not go as planned.

In the evening you call Kosta. He teaches you several things: first it would probably be possible to reach Provideniya by the earth, from Amguema. A man who has an amphibious vehicle, probably the same kind of gear than Vladic in Bilibino would be willing to accompany you with Philippe. But Philippe is still far from Egevekinot. Kosta also teaches you that there are still another village, Enmelen before Nunligran. He also knows a boat owner in Kanerguina who can get to Enmelen. By steps, you could probably reach Provideniya.

You search Enmelen on the internet and you actually find the coordinates of this village. By zooming in on Google Earth, buildings can be guessed. You regret not learn it earlier. You did not think Kosta could know so well that part of Chukotka and ways to get around.

Around one in the morning, you are woken by music. Another night of dancing on the ground floor of the gotsinitsa. You think back to what you’ve learned from Kosta. The journey of Egvekinot to Provideniya, is less dangerous than you can have thought. There are 400km, but almost the first half is protected, and the last 200 km can be cut into 3 sections with these villages between. But there is always the concern of gasoline.

You also think back to your testing. You threw in the towel too soon. You should have to think rather than give up. This dirt water has frozen your brain.

One of the latest changes you made consisted in adding a piece of rubber below the anti-cavitation plate. That may be a mistake … If the air is captured at this place, it is likely to flow under the plate to reach the propeller. It would be even better to let the air in the teeth of the belt… You could think of, try other things, remove these pieces of rubber, try to analyze the problem step by step. It has worked, there is no reason for not making the boat planing again.

It’s too late now, unless you get to Provideniya, and do more testing. If you want, you still have the passenger ship on August 11. Not sure that it takes your bike, but you can ask the captain. Or wait for Kosta and Philippe who will arrive in two to three weeks. But probably too late? You were often told that the sea in August is bad and even worth in September.

Saturday, August 2, 2014

Still fog. You finish the work on the bike. There will be still disassembling the transmission mechanism and the storage of all the parts in the saddlebags. You will do it in your room.

You do go for a ride by early afternoon. You make the trip and back to Amguema, 90 km north of Egvekinot. You recover the landscapes you liked between Bilibino and Egvekinot. But you take the time to stop for taking pictures. You take small trails to the rivers, you look at the toondra. This may be the last motorcycle ride of the trip.

A couple of times, stopped vehicles. Natalia, the manager of the gotsinitsa told you that this is the period of fungi, “gribis.”. Indeed, there are many over the tundra. Animals should appreciate as well as people.

Every night, you download the GRIB file for the weather forecast. As of Monday an episode of calm on the coast. The one you could have enjoyed. And then the bad weather, waves of 3-4 meters. August?

Sunday, August 3, 2014

Your last day in Egvekinot? In any case, you will publish your blog tonight. It’s been a long time since you have not published and your friends are starting to worry.

You need to also decide what you will do once in Anadyr. What you want to do.

Go home ? This trip was the desired recognition. You understood the challenges, solutions, and also met people who can then help the success of a second trip better prepared, in two years. However, you’re not 100% sure you can make the second trip. Will you find the companions ready to accompany you? Will you succeed once again for getting the permission to cross Chukotka?

Go further ? Either you take the boat to Provideniya if they accept you with the bike. This will allow you to meet people there, whether it is possible to obtain the agreement of border guards to bypass the Cape Chaplin. And maybe you will cross the strait if the weather in August is not as bad as you are told.

You get a call from Ludmila, the guide of the museum. She proposes you a walk along the coast. You spend the morning walking. You are happy to see clear water, clean. The sea is not as dirty as anywhere near the beach of sheds. Pleasure as walking. The day is beautiful. You know these next three days were the perfect weather window to cross the Bering strait. If you had been in Provideniya … Even at 5kts, you could have try without a big risk.

Ludmila often contacts the few foreign guests in Egvekinot. A way of maintaining her English. She speaks to you about biologists, anthropologists who have gone before you. She seeks to understand if you have also a scientific reason, if you would like to write a book about this place, about your journey. Once, she accompanied a group in an amphibious vehicle to Vankarem. The path you wanted to take initially to approach the Bering Strait before you understood that you must leave Russia from Provideniya.

You also go to the port to make inquiries. The boat will leave tomorrow is the famous passenger ship that will go 12 to Provideniya. “The Captain Suknikov”. You’ll know at least if they accept your motorcycle or not. Otherwise, you will not go tomorrow, and will have to wait for a cargo that would accept you and your bike.

Waiting is something you have to accept in Chukotka. For the past two weeks, three Chukchi women, one accompanied by a child of ten years, are waiting in the gotsinitsa to take a helicopter that will take them to Port Smith, on the Arctic coast. Many times, they believed that the helicopter will leave and have traveled by taxi to the airport. But each time, the flight was canceled due to bad weather. You know that if they do not leave in the next two or three days, the weather is not going to go into arranging.

Back to the gotsinitsa you disassemble the mechanical transmission, pack and store the parts in your panniers. A puzzle that you do not remember more precisely the solution. You must find it.

At the time of deciding the continuity of the trip, as you think back to your motivations. Why the Bering strait? For you, the Bering is a symbol. That of ignorance of your kind in the history of mankind. When you were kid at school, you are presented America as a new world discovered by Christopher Columbus. At no time had arisen the question of when the “Indians” had arrived. You had understood they had always been on this continent, as well as Asians, Africans and Europeans had always been present in the old world. You never had realized that America and Eurasia were connected by the Bering Strait. Since then, scientists have realized that men like other mammals peopled America from this path. That all men are from a single branch, and there was no more humanities arising in several places on the planet. All this might be obvious, but you do not think many people know that they necessarily have a common ancestor with anyone on earth. Whether Native American, African or Polynesian. That we are all more or less cousins. For you, the Bering is the symbol of this ignorance. An unfamiliar place that is considered the ends of the world, then it is rather the center joint.

For years, the Chukchi and Eskimos crossed without knowing it was considered a frontier separating two continents. It was a central living area, and fishermen easily passed from one bank to the other. But modern history has made no-man’s land, another Berlin Wall, an insurmountable barrier. If it is still difficult to cross the strait, it is primarily for administrative reasons.

So much for your philosophical motivations. Now you’re also happy to travel, and travel on a motorcycle in these places of great beauty. Glad to meet people in hard to reach areas. Happy to show that we can leave home and go anywhere. Happy chasing an utopia, a world where we could go everywhere without flying in a big aircraft.

Now you must go back to your disassembly and your storage.

6pm. You take your meals at the gotsinitsa. The weather was great, quiet, and you are surprised to find the lady and her daughter who have been waiting for the helicopter to Port Smith. She smiles: the airport does not work on weekends. Fortunately, tomorrow is yet to be beautiful.

You went to leave your luggage in the truck last night. You also wanted to make a try for loading the bike on the truck with a hoist. You want to be able to load and unload as quickly as possible so as not to waste too much the time of the drivers.

This morning you have an appointment with Pavel at 10am for the departure. They all take a taxi and go to the gas station for you to fill and then bring your jerrycans. You carried a total of 70 liters of gasoline.

You do not understand all the discussions, but Costa and Jeima will stay in Bilibino. They will take later a truck to Pevek. Danila goes into a truck driven by Sacha. Nadia and Mikhail, the elderly couple who accompanied Costa, climb into the Pavel’s truck that is also carrying your luggage. And you follow on your motorcycle without any luggage. Or rather you open the road as you would have trouble keeping behind the cloud of dust raised by trucks.

During the first hundred kilometers, the road is good, even very good. Trucks are not moving quickly due to the relief. You stop to wait them approximately every 30km. The fords you’re going through are shallow. Streams rather than rivers. But you know it can not last.

90km. You expect the first big river at 200km, but here’s one that already gives you pause. Instead of taking the path of the trucks, that you think is too deep, you walk away downstream where there is a less deep pass. You cross with apprehension. The current pushes the water on your boots, and you quickly have your right boot filled with water. You should have put your rain pants, but it’s too late. You waiting trucks. Sacha comes first tells you that you must cross back because it’s lunch time… You take off your boots and pant and barefoot cross. You’re happy to make your first crossing without a fall, but do not abuse.

Rivers succeed. An hour later you’re looking again at a more reassuring than the official ford crossing when Pavel tells you that the bike will be loaded over the truck because others deepest rivers will follow at 10, then 30 km.

Danila does the hoist while you prepare the bike. It takes ten minutes to lift the bike at 1 meter from the ground. At the next crossing, it will be wet to the engine, a height of about 1.30m.

After this first series of rivers, you get the bike. All loading and unloading takes a little more than half an hour, and you’re ashamed to lose this time to your fellow travelers. In Siberia, the time has not the same value https://buycbdproducts.com in Western Europe … We take it, but we do not count. You’re still not a true Siberian.

River after river, your two boots were repeatedly flooded. While you have put again the bike on the side of the truck, Pavel cares. He thinks you’ll catch cold. It offers you a new pair of socks, pants and lend you a pair of shoes. You also got a problem with your camera: it is wet, and the “shutdown” button does not work anymore. You find a workaround: wait for a timeout to have the lens in, then remove the battery… But takes 2 or 3 minutes, so you limit the number of pictures.

The day lasts. It could never stop as the sun never sets. But Pavel and Sacha, the drivers, stop around 11pm. Always near a river to get water for tea. In Chukotka, the river water is clear and pure. Just bend down to fill the kettle.

You’re looking for a little sand area to plant your tent. You dresses it quickly, get the dinner with your companions, and you lie down to sleep. Pavel kept your pants and your boots soaked. He assured you that everything will be dry tomorrow. You find it hard to believe.

Saturday, July 19, 2014

You’re waking up to the sound of a herd of reindeer. You stopped near a Chukchi camp, and you observe them from afar. Alone, you could have gone to meet them.

Pavel gives you back your boots and your pants. Everything is dry. Heating system in Kamaz is awesome … you are recovering the bike mid-morning after a new series of deep rivers. This time you wear your rain pants to limit the entry of water into the boots. You know it will not be totally effective, but with a little luck, you will remain your feet dry longer.

Late morning you stop in a base camp. Probably the people who work for the road, or the remote base for mines. The wealth of the region remains the gold mines, but they are far from the road. Sometimes hundreds of kilometers. The trailer that Pavel had on his truck is lowered by crane. And you leave, Pavel is now pulling two trailers.

Shortly after, a river that seem deeper. Pavel tells you that you will put now the bike on the trailer because you are going to find several deep rivers. The hoist can not be used since the two trailers were popped, and you have to lift the bike arm strength. At four, it is actually not that difficult but it should not do it too often.

In the early afternoon, you arrive at the bridge of the Palawan River. The only bridge of this road, you will not take it because it leads to Pevek. You wait at the junction for one of Pavel’s friend who should pick the second trailer to Pevek. The appointment is set up in the middle of the day, but you wait until 6 pm. A little late for Siberia. Pevek is only 200km, but it takes 7 hours to drive for a truck.

Danila makes fire because the temperature has dropped since Bilibino. There is now less than 10°C. You discuss with Danila who will leave for Pevek where he will be joined later by Costa and Jeima. Danila parents were born in Ukraine, and the subject is burning to Danila. You’re surprised by his anger, by his criticisms aimed at Westerners. But you understand. Part of his family lives in the bombed areas. You did not think that so many Russians had relatives in Ukraine.

Danila has traveled extensively. He spent several months in Australia, Papua New Guinea, in many parts of the world. He is critical towards many things in Russia, but he sees clearly that the eastern part of Ukraine should remain linked to Russia. The boundaries were drawn up under the authority of Stalin without considering people’s identity. At this time, everyone was primarily Soviet, and membership in the Ukrainian or Russian Republics was anecdotal. Today, families are separated by a border that became real, and the bombs fall. Danila is angry like many Russians.

Danila has not thirty, but he regrets the Soviet Union. At the time, the borders were irrelevant. At the time, the population of Bilibino was twice as large. At the time, ghost towns did not exist. The country working. The Communist Party was to Danila an anomaly, but the Soviet Union wealth. For Danila Gorbachev destroyed a country.

You’re as surprised by the support that the Russians bring to Putin. Rare are those who criticize. For you, western, Putin is the archetypal politician attracted by power. You imagined hated by his countrymen. A man of the system, cunning, without human value. For the Russians you meet, Putin is instead a man appreciated. He restored the government authority. It also greatly reduces insecurity and started work on the reconstruction of both economic and political of the former Soviet Union. Or the new Great Russia. Jokes to Putin are many, but they are rather benign.

When the Pavel’s friend arrives to get the trailer, no rancor for the delay, but the fun reunion. The road was just opened, and since the closure of the winter road, friends had not seen. A new tea, coffee, discussions, jokes …

It is almost 8 pm when you leave. You have taken the place of the Danila in the Sacha’s truck. You follow the Palawan river to the south. Many river crossings.

The scenery is very beautiful. You realize that it is one of the most beautiful roads that you know. You remember, when young, you have traveled with the same emotion the road between Tamanrasset and Djanet. During your RTW, you had admired the northern route in Mongolia, and also the route in the Bolivian Altiplano between San Pedro de Atacama and Uyuni. But it is even more beautiful. The valleys are green and bare mountains. The variety of rocks is such that the colors change constantly. You’re very happy to be on this road.

Relations with Sacha, are strange. Danila warned you that Sacha was angry against your helmet which had made a scratch on his dashboard while you were in the Pavel’struck. Sacha is very attached to his truck, his habits, and you have to deal with. You’re sitting on the empty seat near the window. At your feet the food crate. But your feet are together at the central seat where Sacha leaves his cigarettes and his bag of sweets. Your position is not the most comfortable especially when the truck makes rodeo on the stones.

While you enjoy discussing with Nadia and Micha, the elderly couple traveling with pavel, you feel a certain distance between them and the drivers. Perhaps because they strive to take their meals apart, while drivers put everything in common. You regret this cold and you try to creater a link. Again, your level of Russian does not help. But you try to help them to get their bags in the truck when it is needed. Climbing the trailer for Micha who is 75 years old is not that easy, and you saw him falling back during a break. Fortunately fall inconsequential.

Nadia and Micha are Muscovites. They look like any pair of French pensioners. You could have imagined former owners of a haberdasher, or maybe a drugstore in a small Provencal village. But Micha is still working, and Nadia just retire. What work? Both are weapons experts … Nadia worked for the navigation systems of the long range ballistic missiles, and Micha is always an expert for spying satellites. Again the army … You reliving the same events.

Pavel is now driving ahead, and Sacha follows with you on board. Regularly Pavel announces a bear at right, then another at left … You had come to believe that the bears were part of a myth, but you can testify they exist, and they are indeed numerous. Sometimes an elk. Bears need food.

When the trucks arrived, the bears fled. Even if they are huge, they easily understand that they do not match for a Kamaz. They then begin to run at a speed that you would not have suspected. They also run fast, whatever the terrain. Once you see one going up on a way with 45 ° slope. It was as fast as going down… You’re impressed by their power. And the energy they display as the race lasts several minutes, until you lose sight of the animal. If a bear was chasing after you, he would catch you in a very short time. You wonder if the sound of your bike would have the same effect as a Kamaz. Would flee it? You hope so. Anyway, you are for the first time happy to have a very noisy exhaust.

Sacha tells you that a few years ago, some bikers from Poland had passed. You had read their blog, and found a lot of information on this route. A Seymchan a docker had told you the same. It seems that apart from them, no rider has passed by.

In the evening, you camp again near a river. On the other side of the river, a convoy of trucks that come from living quarters to a gold mine. Little exchange between drivers. The world of the mines seems to be apart. Pavel shows you on the hill surrounding a bear watching you. It does not seem impressed by the stationary vehicles, and it is in no hurry to escape. It will eventually depart quietly. Near the Kamaz, you fall asleep without concern.

Sunday, July 20, 2014

As you go up in his truck, Sacha proposes you to sit next to him. Smiling, he speaks to you about the rapprochement between Russia and France. A little later, he will grant you with a “My friend.” Glad you’re on the evolution of your relationship because you were embarrassed to feel that your presence was imposed without real Sacha approval. You’re also happy to be sitting more comfortably. But discussions are still quite limited. Sacha speaks to you as if you understand everything he said, when you’re really hard to follow the thread of his words. With Pavel, things are easier because he repeats things in different ways, seeking the vocabulary you know. Pavel do not hesitate to get one or two words of English sometimes.

In the early afternoon, you experience snow during the passage of a pass. A bulldozer is drawing the track in the snow. Two men live there in a trailer and one of them is a friend of Pavel. You are invited for a tea, and each brings its cakes, its smoked fish and other delicacies.

In late afternoon, another pause beside a river. Pavel and Sacha take out their fishing rods. In three quarters of an hour, they have caught a dozen kilos of fish. Pavel tells you that it is not much, he is disappointed. Maybe this is the beginning of the season, the fish have not yet taken their normal size.

The majority of fishes are cut and placed in a bucket with salt. Others are reserved for the evening meal. You notice Pavel’ knife: an Opinel … Pavel is proud of his knife that is excellent. He knew it was a product of the French high technology, but you did not know that these so sophisticated products were exported. Since your arrival in Russia, you often see French products: Tefal kettle, a Bonduelle tin, a bottle of “Petit Marseillais’… and now the ultimate tool: the Opinel!

You back on the road in the evening, and, as before, Sacha and Pavel drive until midnight. You’re impressed by their resistance. The evening camp is located at the last deep river …. You looked forward to the pleasure of riding your bike. It will be tomorrow morning, after passing this river. This day as a passenger has been very long.

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Monday, July 21, 2014

Here you are happy again on the bike. Pavel told you that you still get 8 rivers to cross, but it must be 8 rivers for a Kamaz because you cross many. You do not accounts. You take a lot of fun on this “road”. When you were 23, you had spent 18 months in the Aures, Algeria, with a motorcycle, the very first XT600. You officially was cooperating teacher in a university, but your schedule was such that you spent most of your time browsing the slopes of mountains and desert near. So you like the stony slopes, and you gradually find yourself some reflexes of yesteryear. There is always the rivers that you care. There were not so many in the Aures and they were often dried. But gradually you get used to and you even take pleasure in the cross. Basically, there are only stones in the bottom. Except that these stones are slippery, and you do not always see that you may end up stumbling over a larger than other stone. You are not scared about falling, but you don’t know how the electronic of your bike would behave.

Could you have come all this way only with your luggage and your boat? Probably not. In any case, you would have known repeated very complicated situations. You do not know if you’d be past, but the risk of dropping the bike in a river was great. Discharged, you drive the bike as a toy. Loaded, it is often the bike who decides and you become the toy that is shaken.

You have mainly benefited the truck to relieve you of your load. Crossing a river without luggage has nothing to do with the same crossing loaded with more than 100kg of luggage. The bottom of rivers varies greatly: some large stones on which you bounce and sometimes pebbles or gravel in which one sinks quickly. Often your used tire over-inflated, has tended to dig into the gravel. It sinks, but a minimum speed and engine power are enough to continue the crossing. With the load, you’d be stuck, stuck in the sand, in the gravel… To avoid this, it would have taken you twenty times unload and reload after crossing. It would also be necessary to deflate and take the risk of multiple puncture… A couple of things that could have been different you with some fellow bikers.

By late morning, the intersection with the 180th meridian. The complement of Greenwich. It should be the date change line if there were political boundaries. You observe your GPS: E179 ° 59.99. then ‘W179 ° 59.99… . While you wait for the trucks, you realize that they stopped a few hundred meters earlier. You join them. A panel “E180W” was placed a bit too early, but you take a break near the panel. Pavel took the opportunity to fix some mechanical problems. There are some even on these rustic Kamaz. But they are generally simple to fix.

The road is nice and wide for ten kilometers: you are close to a huge open-pit mine, and accesses to camps and to the mine are all extremely well maintained. There is even an airfield along the road. Until Egvekinot the road takes a normal form, without particularly difficult area, if not rivers.

The arrival in Egvekinot is in the fog and cold. You thought the weather would be warmer, tempered by the sea. You found Bilibino, which is located above the Arctic Circle, with a temperature greater than 30 °C. And now Egvekinot which is a few hundred kilometers to the south with a temperature of about 5 ° C. The weather does not always follow the logical geography.

You look at your odometer: 502km. A total of 1050km you will not have done half the journey by motorcycle. But you’re happy and a little surprised to be there. Leaving Grenoble, you thought the bike would not hold with all its load. Maybe it would have dropped in this last section, but you are there at the end of the road.

Pavel leaves Micha, Nadia and you downtown, near a church under construction. Sacha did not follow you. You’re surprised to leave them so quickly. You replaces your stuff on the bike. Micha and Nadia asked someone where you could find a gotsinitsa. The answer is “Niet.” You are surprised. But man has advised you to go to the city hall. Micha and Nadia are housed by friends of friends, but they want to help you to find housing.

Micha will therefore accompanied you. He explains your case to a secretary, and then you are welcomed by the Deputy Mayor and the Mayor. You are ashamed when Mayor tends your hand. Yours is dirt with earth. Micha leaves you and the secretary who had welcomed you comes back with you: she speaks English! She explains you that the gotsinitsa is full tonight, but some places will be released tomorrow. The phone calls continue. After a moment, a room is found in another gotsinitsa. Before leaving the City Hall, you need to wait for the border guards who want to check your documents.

You explain your trip to the border guards, your boat … They are worried about you. You told them you would like to find a fisherman who can accompany you on a part of the journey to Provideniya. But small vessels not yet able to leave the Egvekinot bay because of the ice. The debacle was late, and navigation remains dangerous. You were not expecting that. How long this blockage will it continue? They do not know. Last year at the same time, the debacle was over. However, the bay is open in Provideniya. What to do? You’ll have time to think about that.

Maria, the secretary, accompany you with the Deputy Mayor to the gotsinitsa. You can also take your meals there. You are then guided to a garage where you can leave the bike and its load. All your immediate issues have been resolved. Maria leaves you his phone number if necessary.

The lady who manages the gotsinitsa appears authoritarian, rigid. But once everyone left, she is caring. She takes your boots full of water, and offers you to use the washing machine. She also provides you with shampoo and soap … She guessed that you really needed.

Tuesday, July 22, 2014

If the trip from Egvekinot to Provideniya is too complicated, you should focus on the second part: the crossing of the Bering Strait. You’re now determined to take a ship who take along, then you will do the tests in the Bay of Provideniya rather than here. The last 350km offshore to Alaska will be already complicated enough.

You go to the City Hall to ask Maria for information about vessels from Egvekinot to Provideniya. You also proposed her to make a presentation of your journey to school, as you have already done in Bilibino. For school, a meeting is arranged for the next day. However, boats … they are not one every day, or even every week. Above all to Provideniya. You quickly understand that it would be better to take a boat to Anadyr, and there, to find another one to Provideniya. Anadyr is the capital of Chukotka, a sort of hub for navigation. You thought all the boats followed the coast and stopped at every port, but it is not.

The Deputy Mayor calls the port for you. There are currently two boats in the harbor. This is quite exceptional. They both leave tomorrow morning for Anadyr. The first, carrying containers can not take you because it is full. You think that there is no cab for you, because your bike is really small compare to this ship. So you go with Maria and the Deputy Mayor meet the Captain of the second boat: a small cruise ship that transports fifty tourists. Indeed, Maria announced you that there was at this time some Canadian tourists in town, which was just as unique as your passage.

On the way to the ship, you hear someone shouting your name. You recognize that voice: Pavel! You’re happy to see him even quickly. He told you to call him if you have a problem, and you leave him to join the ship.

The Deputy gets into the ship. While you are waiting on the dock with Maria, a school bus-truck arrives. It brings tourists. You recognize their guide: Mille, an American who lives in Alaska who was your way with the authorities of Chukotka. You saw her photo on the website of the association for which she works in Alaska. You think you remember that the purpose of this association is to provide help in eskimos schools. Mille had recently announced you that she was 10 days in Chukotka, but you did not think to meet her on a dock. She did not recognize you. You’re not dressed as a biker, and next to the elegant Maria, she probably thinks you are a Russian official.

Then down the Captain of the boat, a New Zealander, and the Deputy Mayor. Captain agrees to take you for a fee. You agree with his offer: you will bring the bike tonight at 7pm, and you’re getting tomorrow morning at 7am. Everything is decided in a few minutes.

You just have time to get your bike, to say goodbye to Maria, redo your load and take your dinner. The bike is hoisted using the ship’s crane. You start to get used to see it raised in the air. Captain shows you your cabin, and then you leave again to the gotsinitsa.

Last time you discuss with the manager of the gotsinitsa. Chukotka is not it too difficult to live? Cold, isolation, lack of winter sun? On the contrary! She is a native of Omsk, but the Chukotka is so beautiful. So, so beautiful. Before living in Egvekinot, she spent a few years in a village on the Arctic coast. She shows you pictures. Walruses, polar bears, flowers, everything is so beautiful in Chukotka … The fishing parties with Chuchi friends. She makes you think of French expatriates living in Africa and for nothing in the world would return to France.

You regret leaving Egvekinot so soon. You would have liked to spend more time. You have enjoyed the hospitality of the staff of the City Council, that of the gotsinitsa. You wanted to make this presentation to school. You walk further into the streets. Explore the road to Amguema and redo some river crossings for fun. There you kidding?

]]> http://summer-ride.com/wp/?feed=rss2&p=734 0 http://summer-ride.com/wp/?p=671 http://summer-ride.com/wp/?p=671#comments Tue, 22 Jul 2014 01:16:52 +0000 http://summer-ride.com/wp/?p=671 Continue Reading →]]> Monday, July 14, 2014

The Ministry of Sports and Tourism of Chukotka, with whom you are in contact asked you to register you to the authorities when arriving at Chukotka. You have chosen not to do in the city Aniusk because it seemed too small, little concerned with arrivals of foreign people. Anyway, you would have found the offices empty on a Sunday evening.
So you go to the police station on the other side of the town. If in Russia people speak only a few words of English, in Siberia, they do not speak at all. To avoid misunderstandings, you repeat at any sentence “Ya nie panemaïo pa Ruski” (I don’t understand Russian). After a few tries of discussion, they finally guide you to the Office of Migration. Surprise: this office is on the ground floor of the building next door to your hotel. Probably its only employee had already spotted your bike. You show him your passport and your permissions for the Chukotka. It seems upset. Problem? No, the documents are complete, everything is good, but he asks you several times when you leave Bilibino. You do not know, you’re stuck. You finally realize that you are allowed to stay only a week in the cities steps of your journey. Then you’d illegally if you stayed longer. You would have done better to wait before you go to this office. You try to ask him how to find information on the state of the road, but he ignores it. Nobody is going to Egvekinot since Bilibino by road. At least in summer. You leave him, telling you that you have a few days to get ready.
You need an internet connection. You go to a store to buy a second SIM card from another operator. With your current operator MTS, the phone works fine in Bilibino, but no internet. Last night, the receptionist advised you to take a SIM card from Megafon … You buy also a low cost phone for staying in touch by Nicolai. Return to the hotel, still no internet. You go back to the store. The lady explains that it is normal that the Internet does not work. There are times when it works, and other … where nothing works. It’s like roads, Siberia has its own definition of normality. Again, you ask the hotel reception if Internet works for them. Of course it works, but the receptionist of the day has a third operator. You walk into town. You get into the municipal library, the post office: no internet. Internet? “Nieto”. And still nothing on your phone. You decide to return to the store and take a third SIM card. On the phone of the saleswoman, Internet is available but not on yours. She spent several hours trying to understand. She tried several SIM cards, multiple phones … Your phone? You start to think that the unlocking of your phone done at Vladimir is the cause of the problem. Finally, do you decide to buy a second Smartphone. Finally Internet works… You’ll be able to retrieve your mail, take the weather, and update your sites. But you spent a day for that.
You spend the evening on the internet. You leave the television on to watch the news. Always a lot of pictures and comments on Ukraine. Often propaganda bottom floor: a Ukrainian politician is interviewed and the sequence is interrupted by images showing a chameleon, or a caricature where we added a crown on his head. You’re surprised by the baseness of the process. Otherwise, the images turn loop with “experts” to comment. Barack Obama seems to be the target of their remarks.

Tuesday, July 15, 2014

3am. You can not sleep because you think about the different solutions to continue. If you have to give up the road, you should you find a way to reach Anadyr to make trials in sea, and may be going further from there.
4 am. The phone rings: Bob from Irkutsk. You’re not really surprised by the hour. He asks you where you are, if you need help. Sure, you could make use of its qualities translators if needed. He also told you that he is drunk for three days, he drinks too much. A common issue in Russia. Your project impresses and makes him want to have itself projects out of alcohol. You should be happy if he stops. And proud if your project triggers this decision.
Since you’re in Russia you become aware gradually of the ravages of alcoholism. It is even more common here in Chukotka. The phenomenon exists in France, but here it is a hundred times worse, a hundred times more developed. A drama. People do not drink in the evening, but continuously.

You need to prepare your day … Some shopping, refueling, some tools in case of puncture, and you will leave in recognition of the Egvekinot road. You want to make the first two hundred kilometers to reach the first big river. To understand the track and to understand these rivers … Then you get back and will decide. This will allow you to also assess your fuel consumption. You do not know the impact of the transition to “80”. Your bike is made to ride in “95”.
10am. Your bag is ready. You go to the bank to withdraw cash before going to refuel. Your neighbor in the queue for the cash machine tells you “motorcycle” seeing your boots. “Da. KTM? Da.“. The town is small and your bike has been seen. He tells you he is also biker, he has a KLR 600. You had crossed a bike that had not stopped. It can be … You tell him your concerns about the road. He thinks that the road should open within a few weeks. It asks the question to another person in the queue, then returns to you: “Today.“. Trucks begin to make the journey Bilibino-Pevek today! He’ll explain that there are five deep rivers to the junction. That apart from rivers, the track is not particularly bad. For crossing rivers, wait before a truck arrives and put the bike on… This seems to be the normal procedure.
You go together to your bike. Vladik think you’re soon-to-end travel and offers you to buy it. You show him the video to explain to him that you would be only half … He understands your project. He asks you a copy of the video on a USB stick. You want to know if you could make an arrangement with a truck to bring you the essence. He has to leave but he will call you within an hour.
You go back in the room to write those words. In ten minutes a lot of things have changed. You do not know the details yet, but that’s very good news. Your guardian angel had a great idea to send you to the bank.
An hour later, Vladik calls you. He is at the entrance of the hotel building with a cyclist. You understand that the cyclist, Pavel, is a driver of a Kamaz who will go to Egvekinot. You do not understand much … Pavel call someone with your phone. Colleague? Five minutes pass and arrives Costa, who speaks very good English. Costa plays the role of interpreter. Pavel will go on Friday to Egvekinot and his truck can carry your luggage. He may even put the bike in his truck.
Pavel leaves you and you stay with Costa and Vladik. Costa explains he is travelling with his wife, a friend and a couple from Moscow. You go all together to meet them. They are housed in an apartment for travelers. A place that is now managed by some residents of Bilibino. You can join them but you just renew your room for two extra nights.
Continue the discussion. You learn a lot from that Vladik. He is gold prospector and biker. He knows the region very well. Costa also traveled a lot in Chukotka. He used to live in Pevek. For the road, there are a long series of rivers to cross before and after the junction, some deep. Bears? There are many along this road. Are they aggressive? No, except when they are injured, or they could be to defend a young. Costa, who was often in contact with the authorities of Chukotka think you will not succeed in negotiating a nearer departure to the strait than Provideniya. Lot of information.

Finally, Costa explains you that you have probably caused some misunderstandings: Costa is waiting for a French biker with the same KTM you as you… A guy from Brittany, named Philippe. He had mechanical problems during the trip and took several weeks late. You are therefore two bikers, almost twins, to get to Egvekinot this summer. Costa asked Pavel his support for the Egvekinot road. He also warned the shipping company of Kolyma, and he thinks you could have taken the place of Philippe who was expected when you arrived.

Philippe should bitching because he presents his project as the first ride motorcycle from France to Chukotka: “from Far West to Far East”. You hope to meet him, if you have not already left Egvekinot upon his arrival. For the moment, you call him to present yourself, and to inform him about the next steps of his trip.

Danila, Costa’s friend, explains you that several people had told them about the French biker who was on several places at the same time. Some knew your blog, and Danila had come to understand that you were two. Two following each other on the same road, each unaware of the existence of the other. Finally, you’re a little markdowns by the fact that you would like to go further with your boat. But it is still far from won.
Vladik has proposed you to make a presentation of your journey to children in school. Or rather to the children of the “summer camp” because classes are over, but the school always welcomes children by offering various activities.
So you find yourself face to fifty children and some teachers. Costa provides translations. At the end of the presentation, a sequence of questions. Virtually all children up his arm to ask questions, often very timely. You are surprised by their vivacity and by the quality, variety and also the freedom of their questions. Maybe it’s because it’s off the school context, but these kids seem to you particularly open.
You are then subjected to a test that you did not expect: autographs … Maybe the memory images of the World Cup football, but after signing an autograph first, there is a rush: all children want your signature. And some girls want their picture next to you. You have become all of a sudden a star in Bilibino.
You then go to the Museum. Only two rooms, but a variety of topics, mainly around paleontology and ethnology. Also a presentation of the local wildlife, and a series of objects and minerals associated with mineral exploration. Mainly gold. All museum staff welcomes you. The tour lasts long. It ends with the two sculptors workshop Chukchi. It’s not everyday that they see a tourist Bilibino.
An eventful day. Finally, Vladik offers you as well as Danila to go see his amphibious vehicles. They are old armored military transport newly acquired. The first works and the second is being repaired. You’re surprised that a young man has acquired such devices. But Vladik won the lottery: he found a nugget about 1.5 kg of gold. Something to help to launch a more industrial activity.

You remain surprised by the turn of the day. Instead 400km of bad roads, you have done meetings, learned a lot and found the solution to continue.

Wednesday, July 16, 2014

You visit Costa, Danila and friends in the early afternoon. They must attend the meeting of an association of indigenous peoples and invite you to come with them. The room is in the neighboring building. Jeima, Costa’s wife is herself native from a tribe in Sakhalin. They want to share their respective experiences and customs.
Bilibino is a new city created to serve as a basis for gold research. 90% of the population is European. Gold mines attracted many people, and the city became a center of life with its schools, shops, government, and even its nuclear power plant. It is known as being the most expensive city in Russia. Administration officers have a special bonus to compensate for the cost of living. Therefore, aborigines are a small minority in the city.

The area is at the intersection of two settlements: the Evenses at West and Chukchi at East. But there are more Chukchi. Chukchi tribes are themselves divided into two groups: fishermen whales, seals and walruses on the coast, and reindeer herders in the land. They are nomads and their lifestyle somewhat resembles that of the Mongols. But the different communities were in regular contact and exchange their products.
The Stalinist period was very hard for Aboriginal peoples: settlement and deportation. Traditional ways of life were abandoned, shamanism was condemned, and alcoholism often became the main occupation. You’ve seen before from a film Frederic Tonolli on the subject and also read books written by the Chukchi Yuri Rytkhèou.

Persons participating in the meeting are of various origins. A couple from a region located along the Kolyma where there are Yakut tribes, Evenses and also Chukchi. So this couple speaks several languages ​​in addition to Russian. As a teacher for the Chukchi language, and another teacher who works with nomadic tribes in a nomadic school itself.
Jeima reads poems she wrote. A lady in turn reads Chukchi poems. Costa shows films showing the life of the tribe of Jeima, as well as older movies about Sakhalin.

Sakhalin is only forty kilometers Hokkaido, and little distinguished the people of these two islands. Similarly, little would distinguish the peoples of Sakhalin and those in the region of Amour, the Amour river that is close to the Kolyma, which is close to Chukotka, which is itself near the Alaska … All these indigenous peoples were neighbors. Chukotka has long been interested in any empire, borders did not exist and America was then connected humanly Eurasia. Chukchi could then freely cross the Bering Strait, without any passport.

A lady teaches you a few words of Chukchi. You have already a lot to do with the Russian and you do not abide with. It also tells you that the principle of Aboriginal associations was launched there only twenty years by a French, Charles Weinstein. He is the linguist who has also worked on a Chukchi-French-English dictionary.
At the end of the meeting, you receive the gift of a DVD on the Chukotka. Yesterday, you already received a gift from the teachers at the school. A spoiled child.

You make your farewells to the crew and Captain accompany you to your new host boat. It is a long barge with 350 tons of coal pushed by a compact tug. The barge is almost full, but it will take several hours to complete loading.

At your arrival, you feel that the atmosphere is not the same it was in the previous boat. You could even feel that passengers are not necessarily welcome. Perhaps you’re too many? You try to start a conversation, but the answers are fast. You do not insist.

In early afternoon, the captain arrives. You know him: this is the man who had visited Anatole on the platform of dredging. Good news! This captain seemed debonair to you.

Once the coal loaded, you mention the bike. You do well because they would forget. The barge and tug then move to an accessible dock for motorcycle. You go to get it, and the bike is loaded with a crane onto the barge in the presence of Nicolaï, the former motorcycle champion.

The barge is then anchored in the middle of the river, and the tug joined the bank after going to refuel.

In the evening, while you’re in the cockpit with the captain, a former second on the ship which has since become captain on another boat comes to visit his former colleagues. You ask him what the sentence written on his shirt, with a big CCCP, means. You understand “Child of the USSR.” You throw the word “nostalgia”, and the man agrees. He will also talk about Ukraine, the fascist, war against Germany, Dachau … Captain reacts to his speech: “Propaganda, propaganda! “. The captain is Tatar. He seems more distrusting of official messages.

Gradually, you understand a little better Russia. Zyrianka is not the modern Russia. Rather a Soviet island remained despite changes. Here, boats, all built during the Soviet period sail in the same way that 30 years ago. The docks, the cranes, the organization, the sports club of the company, as sports are really important so services like a padel court installation can be great for people into sports. Unlike the rest of Russia the system could be here sustained by mines. Remote towns, boats, cranes … everything remains in operation to serve the gold mines. If this were the ubiquitous cell phones, you would think be back in time.

While some people fleeing this remote place, others come to find jobs. You discuss with 4 or 5 dockers who are Armenians. The captain of the previous barge and his wife are Ukrainians, … one can work Zyrianka if seeking employment. Despite its difficulties, Zyrianka remains a rather small rich city in Russia.

Wednesday, July 11, 2014

The captain had told you that you’d go around 4 am, then 7-8 am;, but it is rather late morning. And again, a long break for refueling and you’re not actually start before 2 pm. You take advantage of the proximity of the city to try desperately to update your website in English, but internet is too capricious. You don’t succeed, despite hours of fruitless perseverance.

In the cockpit you find Nicolaï you met in Seymchan. You thought he would be on board because he was also going to Aniusk. And you understand that the crew think you’re a bit too many passengers because the captain also invited an old man, a Yakut fisherman.

The first hour of operation is complicated. The barge is long and heavy, and therefore not always controllable. It would be impossible to go further up Zyrianka, where the river is narrower. The upper half of the river is given over to smaller barges. For now, a break was made to strengthen the connection between the tug and barge. There was a gap, and all banged hard at every turn.

You move much more slowly than the previous barge. Between 10 and 15 km/h with the flow, while the previous barge sailed around 25 km/h. It will take a long time to reach Aniusk … At least 4 or 5 days if not more.

You spend your time between the cabin and the cockpit. Costa, the second, is often at the helm. But the Captain easily gives the helm to all members of the crew except Nelly, the cook. On the barge,there were few times when it was not the captain barred. And yet, he could leave Constantin only at a straight section. Here, even the young Dima is left alone at the helm, in the cockpit.

The organization of the boat is more anarchic, but everything works fine. The crew involved as soon as possible when a problem arises. And as for the barge, the problems are there.

The river is wider and wider, but the paths are not necessarily easier. Sometimes you have to zigzag from one bank to another, always following signs or routes marked on the map. Small outboard boats are not concerned and generally draw a straight line down the middle of the river. However, you still recorded GPS traces of the ship to keep a reference.

You discuss with Nicolai. You understand that he works in winter as a driver for a mining company in the Pevek region. He informs you about the state of the roads. Contrary to what Alek told you, road between Bilibino and Pevek does not exist. It is therefore a track that cross many rivers, often deep. Only big Kamaz go there, and often with difficulty. Bad news. You hoping to have three hundred kilometers quiet, but it will not be the case. He also told you that there are only few trucks that commute Bilibino to Egvekinot. Maybe one every 10 days .. So if something goes wrong, you need to be able to hold at least this time.

You do not know what to do. You will see in Bilibino. Nicolai tells you he will make some phone calls for you. Perhaps to other truck drivers … You do not understand what he wants to offer you, but you will see. A solution that would suit you well would make you wear, or at least carry your essence during the first joint portion with the road to Pevek. The famous three hundred kilometers for which you Nicolai confirmed that there were many rivers to cross . About 8 large rivers with depth and current.

End of the day, while you are in the cabin, Nicolai comes looking for you: there is a bear on the shore! Russians talk a lot about bears, but you didn’t see any until now. You’ll see it from very far with binoculars.

Again, Nicolaï calls you an hour later to see an elk. The preparation of battle: they put the outboard boat in the water, and two sailors armed with rifles swoop down on prey. Their engine is so loud, that the elk will flee before their arrival. You’re pretty satisfied with this conclusion.

Half an hour later, the boat stops. You go up to the cockpit. Nicolai says you they returned to kill the elk. Indeed, they will come back a little later with the body of a young elk. The animal is hoisted on deck and dismembered. You will not stay to attend the show. You’re too sensitive. You understand now why there is so much meat in the dishes cooked by Nelly.

Thursday, July 10, 2014

At 8am, everyone is asleep except Nelly and no trace of slaughter on the bridge. They had to work late into the night to cut the elk. Around 8:30, Costa and Dima recovering the boat running. Others arrive gradually, sometimes rubbing the skull. Captain will not be visible before noon.

You do not do much, but time passes. You feel a lack of sporting activity. Even walking is impossible on the boat. You eat, take a nap, a moment passes in the cockpit, go back and eat again.

Since Zyrianka, cabins hunters and fishermen are more numerous. We now see at least one every hour. It must be another story that the life of these fishermen. If isolation is weighing in cities along the river, it must be again worse for these people.

The river is wider, but there are still pitfalls. The map shows the islands that we can not see with the current level of the river water. It must then navigate between them by carefully following the route indicated to avoid grounding. During one of these maneuvers, boat rub and it is the current that pushes the barge that will take off the sandbar. The captain tells you that the depth of the barge is only 1m60, 1m70 for the tug. The river is not really deep in places. And these vessels are quite unstable.

You know better the crew. They don’t speak too much with you because your level of Russian is insufficient. You show your travel book to Nelly and you are again entitled with another “Romantik”. You show it also to Dima and Captain. You did well to take this book.

As you write your address, your e-mail and web on a paper for the captain and for the motorcycle champion who made the request, the captain down to his cabin. He goes with a passport, torn the page with his identity and gives it to you … The passport is no longer valid, but you remain surprised and touched by the act. You say that romantic must be rare here and you are entitled to special considerations.

In late afternoon, the ship is anchored in front of the small town of Srednekolinsk. You will spend the night there. The outboard boat is launching, and everyone will take a walk in town. You walk with Dima who guides you. Walking is good for you. You buy bottles of French wine for the crew, a bottle of Cognac for the Captain and a box of chocolates for Nelly. It took you a while to find the French Cognac … You did not know that so many countries were producing Cognac.

The town is small, dusty. You see girls, all with a mobile phone in hand. A new museum, hospital, office building … Many small shops. You also wanted to buy some fruits but every time Dima discourages you: these fruits are there for too long! And you come back without any fruit.

Back to the boat, you spend hours again to attempt a connection to the internet. You manage somehow to read once your emails, but it stops there. Only the phone works, and you can take news through SMS.

Nicolai is one of the last to come on board. He brings back some smoked fish for the crew. He leaves one fish for you in the cabin. The smell does not take long to invade the cabin and you will quickly lock the fish in a plastic bag. Alek did exactly the same time last week. Siberians are big fans of smoked fish. You’re not yet a Real Siberian.

Friday, July 11, 2014

Because a thick layer of fog immobilizes you, you leave in the early afternoon. You take each day as it comes.

You also discussed with Nikolai about the rest of your journey. The road between Bilibino is very complicated, and he thinks it is not possible by motorcycle. Polish riders have yet passed, but they were three. This changes things in deep rivers. You know that your only chance is to use your boat and your dry suit to pass these rivers. It will not be very simple, but you think it is feasible. However, there is still the problem of the fuel. You need to carry at least 60 liters. You would have 50 liters if you fill your tanks and your 3 bladers. Then you can easily insert in the boat 4 plastic bottles of 2-liter each. Thus carry 60 liters is feasible but you do not have any real margin. Finally, a third of the road is actually common with Pevek, and you should try to find a truck that could help you on that part of the road.

You left France knowing that you were not ready, but you had to take advantage of this summer window or wait for another year. Your target is primarily recognition. If you find one or two companions tempted by the project, you’ll travel again in the summer of 2016. For now, you are trying to going forward, not taking too many risks.

To follow the Kolyma on your boat, you know now that you absolutely must protect the belt. You also should be at least two boats because of the risk of punctures on the river. A second boat could help and tow the other if things go wrong. One boat alone with a flat airtight compartment in the river would be in big trouble. You hope to come back again, but for now, you just try to continue to learn. And if anyone among your readers are tempted by the adventure, he will let you know.

The boat will stop at night for a quick party of elk hunting. This time, Costa and Micha return empty-handed. You mean “night”, but it’s a long time since you have not seen the dark. The sun revolves around the boat, but never sets. You are now at 68 ° North latitude, which corresponds to the extreme north of Norway. Approaching the mouth of the Kolyma, in the Arctic Ocean. As for the longitude, you stand halfway between Australia and New Zealand. And the Bering strait is still far.

Saturday, July 12, 2014

You should arrive tomorrow in Aniusk. You take advantage of your last day to do some maintenance on the bike. You finally remove the fork tubes. You know the right tube is now empty, and it should remain half of what it should be in the left. The left had begun to leak the day after the right.

While you are about to simply clean, Nicolai tells you that you need oil in the right tube. You knew, but you had to give it up because you prefer to keep your engine oil for the engine. You try to explain … “No, no engine oil, diesel oil! “. He asks Micha for some oil of the tug engine. Micha goes down to the machine room and returned with a bucket full of oil. Then, they take the tubes, open them to add oil. They look both to know what they are doing. In any case better than you. You would have added randomly, so that they have specific benchmarks to determine the volume required. They will resume twice after circulating oil, and closing everything. As if they did that every day. In five minutes everything is over.

You would not think specifically add oil for diesel engine, but it is probably smoother than oil for gasoline engine, closest to the fork oil. Probably a local recipe. And oils used in Siberia should be also more fluid to adapt to the cold. Your friends Michel and Loïc both recommended to add engine oil in the absence of special fork oil.

Once the mechanical part is complete, you fix with Dima a sticker “*** I am Siberian ***”. He gave it to you yesterday. You are proud of the gift.

In the early afternoon, you go front of Kolinskoe, a very small town that you had marked on the map. You ask the Captain if there is a petrol station there … He laughs at the question, but yes, there is a petrol station. However, your phone provider has no antenna on site.

Every day the Kolyma becomes wider. There is always delicate passages in which you must follow precisely the route on the map. These difficulties do not apply to small boats. They can go on long straights without worry.

Stop for buying fish. The huts of the fishermen are numerous. Finally, there is one every 20 km approximately. Each fish weighs two or three pounds. The “Tchirr”.

You discuss again with your neighbor Nicolai. You now understand that he offers you to make phone calls son to find a truck that would go to Egvekinot or Pevek, and if not found, he could accompany you himself. He is probably not just the driver but the owner of his truck. You still have progress to make in Russian. Still, he offers you a well secure solution.

Another good news that comes from Nicolai: in Bilibino, Internet works! If you can put your webs update site, it would be really good.

Sunday, July 13, 2014

Micha informs you that there is already an oil spill under your fork. It was to be expected. Maybe you should try the disassembly foremost, but you are afraid of being stopped by the lack of a special tool. In any case, this should not bother you when driving.

You left the Kolyma for a smaller river that leads to Aniusk. The river is deep, and navigation do not make any particular problem. The current is also a bit weaker than the Kolyma and you go at 8 km/h average when you were 15 on the Kolyma (but pushed by the stream). The current is lower on the river.

A new Nicolai you talking about difficulty getting Bilibino to Egvekinot. Today, he thinks it is impossible. No way! It seeks to achieve moral tone. The current heat must melt the snow mountains and raise the water level. Of course, the rain would not be better. In any case, you realize to Bilibino, and you will see well for the future. It may be that you are actually passes longer than expected, but you’d be very happy to be able to walk. You need space.

The last hours are long. You see Aniusk close, a few kilometers, but you move slowly, and the river is a series of switchbacks before arriving.

Nicolai has offered you to go with him to Bilibino. He will host you. You discover he lives in Bilibino. He tries to find a vehicle for Bilibino but there is not today. It’s probably too late. However, he confirms you that the roads to Egvekinot and Pevek are closed. This is not really a surprise.

Quickly, Dima asks “how to put the motorcycle down from the barge? “. While we finally approach the port, you realize that three barges, all full of coal, are waiting to be unloaded. With more than one day to unload each barge, your turn will not be before the end of the week. But quickly Costa and Captain find a solution: “No problem.” They put the barge close to the dock that consists of an old barge filled with sand. Barges are exactly at the same level. You are lucky. All the crew arrives then to lower the bike. And here you are on the dock!

As the barge has to leave the dock, the captain and crew will make their farewells. Nikolai quickly take your phone number and goes back on the barge. You have not had time to take his number. He did not find a vehicle for him to Bilibino.

Before leaving, the captain tells you that they will stay in Aniusk 7 days, so if you decide to return to Zyrianka, they will be here. But hopefully, you will find a solution to go further.

You left everyone. When you asked the captain of the barge in Seymchan to take you, you thought they will charge you for the transport, the accomodation… You quickly realize that you were invited and you do not dare talk about compensation. It was the same with Lidar, the captain of the tug. You have been housed, fed and transported for a week at the expense of these ships. Besides the loading and unloading. You have sought the assistance of many people. And you remain impressed by their generosity.

You had not really thought about what you would do once ashore. You thought Nicolai would be with you, and that you would follow. So what to do? It is past 5 pm. Now you are on a dock with all your stuff. Riding tonight to Bilibino? No real risk of getting caught by the night as it will not happen for several weeks. You know that there is a Gotsinitsia in Bilibino, and you want to ride. You need to move. So you start.

The road is beautiful. At the beginning a forest, but different from the ones you crossed until then: the trees are much further apart, you could pass through them on a motorcycle. And then, gradually, areas without trees. An early tundra. And finally, the mountain. A beautiful mountain, majestic, beautiful scenery. You enjoy the ride.

In the mountains, you see the shadow and hear the cries of a hawk that flies over you from behind, then picnic on you several times, taking care not to touch you. Fortunately, the sound of your exhaust should not particularly reassuring for it. You think it is a little aggressive and you accelerate to make even more noise and away you.

Siberians say it is a “normal” road. It is especially important to pay attention to holes. The addition of oil in the fork makes you feel more the bumps in the arms. No big difficulty but some very short sections with sand or gravel. You meet a total of ten vehicles. You rode quietly: 3 hours and half for 250 km.

Arrived in Bilibino, a cyclist guide you to a Gotsinitsa. A room at 100 euros is suggested first. It must be the luxury. Finally, the receptionist find you a room at half price. It is still very expensive, but with your luggage volume, you avoid shared rooms that would be cheaper. And you know that the towns close to gold mines are always very expensive. You remember Australia.

Bilibino and Aniusk know a great evil: mosquitoes. If the repellant disturb them, they do not give up and approach. Each person has a small cloud around him. At least you do not feel alone anymore: everybody attract mosquitoes. Now, you are neither more nor less embarrassed than others. You have learned to coexist with them.

The hotel is on the second floor of a residential building. The area has been rehabilitated. It is a popular area with a playground, a school… Buildings painted with many vivid colors. The ground floor of these buildings, often stores or government offices. Neighborhood youth approach with the usual questions. The majority drank too much vodka. The smell of vodka makes you more uncomfortable. The most drunk wants to take your hand to keep it. Complicated. A young punk who has a little less drunk gives you a helping hand by carrying a pannier. You know you are a distraction in a world that don’t have so many. The young punk then hit several times at your door but you also need a bit of peace.