MAN EATING MOSQUITO'S & BROKEN NIPPLES
JOURNAL ENTRY NO. 8
Well, here we are again. This time a rest stop in Barnaul. Checking out the local “wildlife” and refreshing our legs (we found it really burns the muscles, after 4 months of hard work, little training due to commitments, beer, pizza, late nights and of course everyday life........to just jump on the bikes and get going!!!) we made a stop in this Siberian city to look things over and prepare for the next leg to, and thru, the Altai Mountains in South Western Siberia.
28th JUNE - 5th JULY 2007
Barnaul to the Altai Mountains
Barnaul (pronounced: Barn-Owl) is a great place to chill, in summer..... and definitely winter.... Cool indoor and outdoor markets and plenty of people to watch. Not to mention tasty grub!
We met 3 Dutch guys (Ag, Spreg & Gé) on motorbikes: a KTM & 2 Beamers (1 fairly new; the other – practically and antique with a sidecar....... SWEET!!!!). We spent a couple of evenings hanging out, then it was time “to hit the frog and toad”!!! Heading towards the Altai Mts really made us think about that word........ mountain. In Oz we have small “hills” compared to these puppies – the largest being well over 3000 metres; Australia's: just, JUST over 2000!!! This will test our mettle.
We also realised how refreshing a shower can be after using baby wipes and mineral water for 2 weeks! But from now on we will be able to “bathe” in the lusciously cool mountain streams............. we hope!!!
The “Dutchies” and ourselves leave on the same day and seeing as they are at their halfway point – Holland to Mongolia to Lake Baikal (Siberia) and then home by train – they need to travel quite big days as they only have 2 months in total. Their days are 300-600 km's per day...... you can do that on a motorbike!!! Seems like the route we have chosen is popular...... until the Mongolian Border!!!
Getting out of "Barn-Owl" was beautiful and scenic. Old roads lined by old trees shading wood and plaster houses gave us a real feeling of passing through a town from an “old” movie – even the air tasted sweet!!! We headed out of town past another “beach” that had a permanent rave-party stage set up.... and it was pumping! We were invited in but kindly declined as we needed some peace and quiet after all the hectic months. Off we went to pitch the tent ....... on a side road ....... that was, of course, completely infested with the blood suckers we have come to totally dislike ...... it's past hatred now ..... little Bastards!!!
So far, our staple diet on the road has been canned tuna and 2 minute noodles..... dry!!! Oh ..... and the mineral water ..... the Siberian's don't seem to enjoy plain old H2O. Makes opening a bottle interesting after a couple hours of riding, that's for sure.
Things change quickly when riding along sealed roads. We can quickly rack up some k's when we want to, except when the road is melting – yeh, that's right – melting roads!!!! It seems the tar here is made for low temperatures, not Aussie weather! Basically, pedalling flat out, we managed to clock a whopping 6kms per hour............downhill!!!!!!!!!!!! Crikey mate!!!
Over the next few days we passed from low-lying plains full of flowering fields into rolling hills covered with various types of pines. Cavey had his first broken spoke as well as another puncture – a pinch flat. The spoke was OK, it was the spoke nipple that fatigued under all the weight. He'd better pedal harder and faster to lose some....... weight that is.
Through Biysk we encountered a massive storm and Dyl took a tumble in calf deep water when he misjudged, and HIT, the submerged curb ...... in front of some seriously wet onlookers. Cavey missed it as he was busy asking for directions, but pissed himself when he heard the story. Another hotel where our first “washing” took place ..... in the sink ..... not so bad ...... at least the stinky, sweat smell is gone.
Leaving Biysk Cavey had another broken “nipple”, now it's one on each side. Ha ha ha hah. 2-nil. Camping beside flowing streams, having small campfires, eating from our stove and cookset, beating away hoards of flying carnivores and sleeping to the sound of rushing water – and wind – what an adventure. If only it could last like this!!!
Next morning we re-charge the camera and video batteries with the solar panels while we take a “dip”, got sunburnt (well Cavey anyway) in the beautiful sunshine and carried on our way to the Altai Mountains. Arriving in Maimar, we are officially in the Altai – our first major challenge ..... after actually leaving Australia!!! Boy are we EXCITED!!!
We meet some locals who show us a little campsite .....well, rubbish strewn grassy flat ..... beside the Novosibirskoe River and we crank up a moderate, albeit wet, campfire and down some beers ...... PARTY ON!!!