Sibirsky Extreme 2012 - The Toughest Ride of Them All

[Klay]

Amazing scenery.


^ understatement

[bigdon]

Go Team Go !

[EtronX]

When you ride the Old Summer Road you will inevitably cross some rivers Depending on the recent weather that can be easy or that can be impossible. We had our challenges with the rivers, but all turned out OK. Some were hard, but we managed to come through without drowning our bikes or ourself Luck is a key element here. Not riding wise, but weather wise. We got lucky with the weather

Now, you may all think that the rivers were the hard and scary parts, and to some extent you might be right. In the beginning the rivers were pretty frightening, but in the end we had done quite a few and got the routine down pretty good. Just like crossing the rail road bridges

On the Old Summer Road the scary part were not the rivers, but the puddles in the road. The ones you just feel like flying over, not even bothering taking the time to check properly. You just want to crank it open and whisk by...

Well don't. Do indeed check the puddles. They might look like something a toddler would love to play in, but if he did he would be gone for good

This was one of the warm up puddles Don't look to bad, does it?




This was the qualifying one. I passed on the XC first. That bike has a pretty high air intake. The GS 800 has a slightly lower one




The bike had some asthma when it got ashore on the other side

[EtronX]

There are a lot of theories when it comes to river crossings. Cross on the quiet part. Cross on the rough part. Choose a line and cross just before the water starts to break. Don't cross. All these are just rough guidances. Depending on the river, one way of doing it work here, another way there

In this river the current was pretty strong. We could hardly ford the damn thing. After some reccing we decided on the rules of engagement. We would have to follow the shoreline upwards first in order to gain height. Then, at the approximate angle, based on:

X=the speed of the current,
Y=the depth of the current,
Z=the condition of the riverbed,

we could figure out the:

A=exit point.
B=entry point.

The PDCA Wheel is a good tool to use here, but if you get to the P once more in the actual process of crossing you have lost

Just before the end of the crossing it got slightly deeper. Just suck it in and keep going




When you hit the shore you have to open up, sometimes to the dismay of your comrades That said, neither of them had had a shower in days...

[TXjames]

Originally Posted by ROD CURRIE

I haven't made it all the way through this thread yet so perhaps it's already been noted but many of Rod's photobucket pics are MIA. It sure would be nice to see them with the story. Keep up the superb RR fellows.

[yellowknife]

Great Stuff you are posting.

[Sroz]

Thanks for putting this up! Really enjoying the scenery! Well done for doing it!
You really can only get a real feel for a situation by giving it a go, and in this case the rewards are fantastic!

[rgiroux]

Wow! This RR just ramped up a whole nother level! with full respect to Walter's trips and reports in mind.

[zulu-5]

Originally Posted by Colebatch

He became too popular both within the army and with the general population ... That support and popularity was a threat to Stalin's singular authority, so he was sidelined by Stalin into small, unseen roles after the war.

When Stalin died, it was Zhukov who arrested the dodgy Beria ... Former head of the NKVD (the much more powerful forerunner to the KGB). Zhukov's troops ensured the NKVD didn't come to the aid of their former head. It needed someone with the gravitas and respect of Zhukov to arrest a man as powerful as Beria.

Zhukov was rehabilitated by Khruschev after Stalin died.

doesn't get any smaller for a marshall. He was assigned a commander of the local garrison at a provintial ukranian city of Odessa (командующий Одесского округа)

father giveth, father taketh

[tee bee]

Good to see you back Gier

[Prutser]

Originally Posted by tee bee

good to see you back gier

+1

But I think you mean "Geir"

[SACK]

Epic! Looking forward to the next installment.

[RedWolf]

Just when I thought it would be possible to get some work done again...





Excellent writing guys.

[Mr Head]

Absolutely stunning. And you're writing in our language.

Amazing stuff, True adventurer has never been more clearly defined than, "...I had to see it with my own blue eyes..."

[Sansibar]

This RR is inspiring, helpful, fun to read, a masterpiece of open minded ADV riders - thank you!