In Russia you soon learn to take the rough with the smooth-especially the roads!

Despite the ahem, motorways, we still made good time, trying our best to avoid the busy traffic in the towns, preferring the open roads. Not may bikers heading our way, but when we emerged from a typical roadside cafe, fully topped up with Borscht, there were five bikers from Poland outside admiring our unusual choice of bike. Their names are in my notebook at the hotel, so I'll update when I get another chance. They were on a six week trip to Mongolia and their bikes were just as overloaded as ours, one guy even riding a Honda NTV road bike. Brave or nutter often follows the word 'biker'.

We always stop when we see a cyclist/nutter in case they need water etc. Brian was from California via London, Europe, Russia to Hong Kong. He was glad to have two English people to talk to for a change. These roads are not the easiest by any means but a bicycle really puts us to shame! Brian was hoping when he returned home 'That Arsehole Bush' would be gone. I was proud to meet a guy who was on first name terms with the president.

The Polish guys soon caught up with us, forcing our slightly pedestrian pace well above our 'economy mode' but I really enjoy riding in a group. They stopped at a huge sign which I guessed said 'Asia' and wanted to film us entering Asia with them, but not until one guy who rode a Yamaha XT600 with no battery, had a Mohican haircut to match his friend who had one the previous day under the influence of Vodka! They invited us to camp with them, and ride together as far as Novosibirsk where they would then head South into Mongolia.
That night around a large fire, two bottles of Vodka and the Raki from Albania was consumed by all. I made a big mistake of not drinking any Pepsi with it, instantly rendering me less than capable of just about anything! I fell into my tent, bending a pole. I must clarify this was an aluminium tent pole and not one of our new friends! Thus followed an unsavoury mess outside the tent during an uncomfortable night.

The Russian police have a zero tolerance alcohol limit, so a very late start and a litre of water, before a short ride to a cafe and five eggs each. We soon learn to eat anything that's available, and was a welcome break to the usual Borscht as until now, hadn't learnt the word for eggs.
One of the best things we learnt from the guys was the word 'Dopelner' allowing us to fill the bikes with fuel instead of guessing how many litres we can fit in. In Russia you pay first then fill.
Although riding long, fast days, often in temperatures well above 30 degrees, it was relaxing knowing they would navigate all day and find a suitable campsite.
After three fantastic nights we reached Novosibirsk well ahead of schedule. It's always great meeting new friends, and bikers often are the best friends to have, so having to part company is something you have to accept when you travel. Who knows who you will meet the following day?
The guys wanted us to ride to the border with them, but it was an extra two days ride for us and not in our direction. It's a shame we couldn't get a multiple entry visa or we would've gone with them.
Novosibirsk was very busy and another large thunderstorm that often finds us in the evenings, forced us to shelter in a bad motel without electricity due to the storm.
Russian beds are a challenge for me as most are only six feet long, and they seem to love huge square pillows!
This is where we have been told, that the 'roads' get worse the further East you go. But as the Russians love to say 'Don't worry, everything is ok.'
It's all good fun....