Its Wednesday 16th of July,.. I think. I've moved out of the Hotel Vladivostok with all of it's Soviet charm and moved in to the famous 'Box' above Vlad Motors, ... home of the even more famous 'Iron Tigers M/C'. Sleeping on their floor and surrounded by bikes, drum kits and amplifiers,... this has got to be coolest gig in town, .. it's amazing.
When the bike shop below closes at around 6pm, ..... we're left alone and have the run of the place; tea/coffee, washing machine, computer, ..... everything. At night we can repair our bikes in their workshop using their tools and equipment and if we're still sleeping when they return and 'Open Shop' in the morning, they silently work around us. Can you imagine your local dealer providing this service for a complete stranger????
In the clubhouse they keep a 'Visitors Book' with messages from many of the travelers who've passed through their doors over the 10 years since the 'Box' became available for habitation,... at one time housing 21 bikers from around the world. Tonight in the Tigers library I found a signed and dedicated book by Lois Pryce (Lois FastLane) another writer for The Riders Digest, ... it's a small old world out here.
Tonight I received a text from a guy called 'Dan' riding a KTM and heading towards Vladivostok, ... he's also seeking a way out to North America. I don't know him but he got my number from another RTW (Round The World) biker who picked it up from a Japanese biker heading West, .. I think. Anyway,.. Rik our German friend has finished his adventures in Mongolia and is currently stuck just south of Chita waiting for the rains to clear before he heads towards us. The Amur Highway is probably impassable at the moment as we're kind of in the middle of a 'Mild Cyclone', .... that's 'Mild' by Siberian standards. With rumours of a pair of Brazilian riders also heading towards me, we might have enough bikes to fill a container and all head off to Seattle together. If not, ..... then it's a huge dent in the Poor Circulation budget and we'll be flying to Anchorage, .. ouch.
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5 comments:
I just thought I'd let you know how much I'm really enjoying this blog. I'm completely hooked.
Came across your travels after picking up a copy of TRD yesterday at Hein Gericke. I used to know Roger, the original editor of TRD, when we both did Nick Sanders Motochallenge back in 2003. Looks like I've got lots to read so keep up the good work. Hope all goes well with your crossing.
Thanks for the comments. I did Moto Challenge GB 2004 with Rog (TRD), ... he didn't crash that time :-)
Thanks for the comments. I did Moto Challenge GB 2004 with Rog (TRD), ... he didn't crash that time :-)
Hi Geoff, just a quickie; if you'd seen the latest TRD (issue 131) - more specifically the letters pages - you'd be aware that you've just fallen into the same mistake that one of our readers made: while they are both very entertaining writers, Loises Pryce & Fast-Lane are actually two entirely different people!
LP is a dinky redhead, while LFL is a willowy blond.
Keep up the good work.
DG x
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