We're starting to make the final preparations to the bikes and tidying up the final paperwork issues. We can't process the Russian Visa's until 45 days prior to entering Russia so that will happen in the second week of April. We've secured the travel insurance through Worldwide Insure at a reasonable price. The only hitch came when I used the same ' Mailing Address' as Alan on my application form. This seemed to throw their systems into suspicious mode and we had to provide them with a full itinerary of our route and timetable, ..... but we hope that everything is now in place.
Finally we managed to build the website at http://www.poor-circulation.net/ but as I speak even less HTML than I do Russian, ..... it will remain a 'work in progress' until we eventually get back the UK at the end of this year. We'll try to bring all of our photographs, stories and video footage together on the site, but until then the blogs will provide the main insight into our reckless activities and general foolishness.
The Triumph-OnLine engine bars have been fitted to both bikes now. They went on without reference to hammers or swearing in about 30 minutes and protect the parts that we were worried about. They also provide a great 'Hanging Point' for the forward tool carriers that we've fashioned from army surplus burgen pouches, .. patent pending. We've added Triump OnLine relays to the lighting systems so that both headlights work together. It does improve night vision but also stops the bike from looking quite so 'Squinty' during the day. Thankfully the expensive to replace twin headlights are protected by Ventura Light Guards kindly provided by MotoHaus. It's been confirmed that the route from Irkutsk to Vladivostok is not fully paved and we fully expect to get stoned (well, ... maybe that too) to within an inch of our lives, .... but at least the lights will be protected. We still need to fit homemade sump guards to both bikes and the Acumen Electronic chain olier's which will hopefully arrive later this week. Alan's bike needs a base plate for his kick stand but that's a 5 minute job. Other than that, .. given the time and budgets that we're working to, the bikes are about as ready as we can possibly make them.
Revolution Signs have provided us with the remaining 'Sponsor Logos' and both bikes are now shameless hoardings for those who have given the support necessary to get Poor Circulation moving. It's all happened quite quickly but we seem to be getting close to 'Ready'. If there are things that we've forgotten, we'll just have to address them as we go.
On Sunday, my Daughter Hannah gave me two pieces of startling news. Firstly, she's going to her first 'Gig' in London and secondly, ........ my bike looks more like 'Nemo' than 'Tigger'. On the first point I'm now a very worried Dad, but on the second point, .... she does as always have a very valid point. Bothered?, ....... not in the least.
http://www.poor-circulation.net
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