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The Kazakh Steppe & Russia once again

Posted by admin  |  Posted on 22-08-2010  |  4

After a relaxing couple of days in Almaty, the former capital of Kazakhstan, and time to catch up on needed maintenance on our BMWs we rode out for Charyn Canyon, one of Kazakhstan’s finest scenic locations, a wonderful campsite was found in close proximity to the Valley of the Castles, it was good to be away from the city again.

Returning to Almaty we stocked up for the ride across the expansive Kazakh Steppe once again as we headed for Russia. We had planned for an early start to the day as we knew the next hotel was a four day ride away however Joe’s bike had other plans, blowing a fork seal before we had even left the outskirts of town.

The hours turned into days as we rode the spectacular steppe with the looming snow capped peaks always nearby to remind us just how close we were to China, it was wonderful riding and great evenings were spent camped in remote locations under the stars surrounded by magnificent scenery, the setting sun turning the landscape ablaze.

We eventually reached the Kazakh/Russian border three days after leaving Almaty, this time the border proved to be uneventful and we were all across in less than three hours before spending the remainder of the day riding the gentle rolling green landscape that surrounded us. Every inch of this region of Russian is either farmed or forested and finding a campsite in the biggest country on earth proved difficult and always waiting were the ever present mosquitoes. We deliberately left London in June to get to this region at the most bearable time of year, any earlier and the mosquitoes are simply murder, unlike nowhere else on earth, yes they are “that” bad.

Another big day’s ride saw us reach Krasnayorsk as we entered the region referred to as Siberia. The day was spent riding the optimistically named M 53, otherwise known as the Trans Siberian Highway. It was sensational riding though small villages with their small log cabins slowly sinking into the mud and the elderly tending their productive gardens in the all too brief summer. Shades of the former Soviet glory stood everywhere as we passed countless crumbling Soviet factories and deserted settlements, new settlements were appearing everywhere, prosperity it seemed has finally reached the countryside, time will tell as we ride ever east.

The bikes are performing well with negligible problems to date except for Pats ribbing of me every night “the ride leader has to be king, doesn’t he” he would tease “that’s why you had to ride the 1200, while the rest of us peasants follow behind on the smaller bikes” I am nearly hoping for mud on the Road of bones just so I can say “I told you so”

Lake Baikal and Mongolia are next; there is never a dull moment on the Road of Bones Expedition.

Posted by Mick M

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