Kola peninsula journey diary
2006-07-28
30.05/Riga
Last minute jobs and pacing as usually takes more time, so we leave at 12:25. I’m surprised that so much free space is left in boxes and on the bike, thats great. Weather is cloudy, temperature approximately +15 C. When we put on our rain clothes, I felt as good as never before on a bike. The luck is on our way till Pskov – it is raining before or after us. We meet locals at the border, many of whom are having small business, like transporting alcohol or petrol from Russia to Estonia. Beyond Pskov we found river much like Venta in Latvia.
320 kilometers covered today.
31. 05 / Porhova - Olonets ( Karelia)
Finally weather is grate. Road (or shall I say off road) goes trough small villages, but for our KTM’s it is real dessert. We take some shoots at the fish market which is located by the highway. After lunch in local restaurant „Valentina” we get really sleepy. We decide to take a nap for 20 minutes. We find quiet place near river, but getting there is harder than we think. Not far from Olonets we meet Russian police ( milicija) for the first time during the trip. We speeded for 70 kilometres per hour. They scare as that they will take away our driver licenses, but at the end we paid 1000 roubles. In village Olonets we find hotel „Olonia”. We do some walking survey for tomorrows filming.
590 kilometres covered
01.06.2006/ Olonets – Medvezhyegorsk
Morning comes with new surprises - we find two BMW motorbikes with Latvian numbers next to ours. It is raining cats and dogs outside. At the breakfast we meet owners of BMW and easily find common things to talk about. Bikes of course! They are on their way to Nordkapp (Norway) passing Karelia. We decide ride together for a while. Our new companions drive fast and extreme. It is hard to keep control over the bike on the wet asphalt. We take some shots in Petrozavodsk – at the “wish tree” and Kirov monument. At docks getting in touch with local carnelian gold seekers and contrabandists who have a lot of stories to tell us. Our new Latvian travelling companions are staying in Petrozavodsk, but we are moving forward to Medvezhyegorsk. Together with the rain comes hail, we are totally wet. We sleep in the motel by Onega Lake. Artic is 400 kilometres from us. Both bikes have marks of detonation.
320 kilometres covered today.
02.06 /Medvezhyegorsk - Kandalaksha
Our suspicions confirms, because of the bad petrol detones engine and we change ignition. I put plastic bags over my boots, it helps. Together with rain comes stormy wind, witch bungs bike. After 250 kilometres we are frozen to the bones and drenched but full with confidence to reach Kandalaksha today. We have found the optimal speed of KTM, approximately 110- 120 kilometres per hour. After 4000 appears vibration. Landscape has changed unnoticed in to Nordic stile - small birches, swampy meads, small swift watercourses with a strange names. Rain wanes, but wind becomes even stronger. Not far from “Louha” we stopped at the gas station, but without knowing, we did the wrong turn to it, and Carnelian police withheld our documents. Janis became mad, but at the end our stickers were more valuable than money, and police let as go. We are crossing artic; witch is marked by the obelisk. All around the obelisk bushes are full with the peaces of textiles. As we find out later it is carnelian tradition. Something common with Mongolian roba. Before Kandalaksha discover forsaken camping, where we occupy lodge with bath – house. The weather clears out, the wind is gone. At the two o’clock in the night it is bright as a day, camping keeper Nagezda tells us story’s about life and Carnelian people.
Fantastic evening!
600 kilometres covered today
