Dimitri Kieffer

Reflecting on Spiritualism, Shamanism, Love and Dreams

noreply@blogger.com (Dimitri Kieffer) — Wed, 15 May 2013 15:48:00 +0000

Yakutsk, Russian Federation
"Innermost secret forces" Spiritual yakut newspaper
Reporter: Marina Platonova
Interview conducted on June 1st 2012
Articles published on November 14th 2012

Meeting Marina Platonova (center) and her friend on the trail in Yakutia/ Republic of Sakha

On June 1st 2012, I was asked by Marina Platonova, reporter for the spiritual Yakut/Sakha newspaper called "Innermost Secret Forces", a set of reflective and unusual questions on love, dreams, spiritualism and shamanism.

It allowed me then to think about and start sharing some of the experiences I have had so far over these Nexus expedition years.

Now, almost a year later, and as I am about to depart again out of Ulaan Baatar, Mongolia, thousands of kilometers further, on the next section of my expedition, and while posting our latest video teaser, I have finally decided to share this article printed in russian with my original answers in english printed below.

Peace!
Dimitri

Internet link to Aarttyk.ru November 2012

Для чего решили совершить кругосветное путешествие?

Why did you decide to travel around the world?

In 2006, when Karl Bushby and I planned on crossing the Bering Strait by foot, and therefore being the first men to complete this crossing Westbound in modern times, we thought that it will take us at least 3 years to succeed.

When we succeeded on our first attempt, and landed in Russia, in the country of some of my russian ancestry, I felt incredibly blessed and decided to formulate in my head this circumnavigation plan.

Indeed, I had been already for many years interested with the idea of cycling through specific parts of the world such as Central Asia, rowing across the Atlantic and kayaking from Seattle to Anchorage.

With this idea of circumnavigating the globe by human power, I would then achieve these dreams and conveniently “connect the dots” along the way.

Чем народ Саха отличается от других?

How different are the people of Sakha from the others?

After having travelled by foot through Alaska and Far Eastern Russia where I was exposed to Athabascan, Inupiyak, Yupik, Chukchi, Koryak and Eveny cultures, I was surprised to discover how even more vibrant was the Sakha culture, language and community, even though it had been severely repressed during the soviet regime.

Indeed, Gulnara and I quite enjoyed stopping along our way on the Kolyma Highway (M56) to visit and experience so many Sakha local museums, monuments, prayer flags, totems and wooden statues. A strong testimony to your rich heritage.

We quite enjoyed as well learning how strongly alive is the Sakha language today, spoken by so many Sakha.

Coming over from Anchorage, Alaska, the Sakha have also been the first large northern farming community that I have encountered since I started 7200 kms ago, and their very much cherishing their herds of precious horses and cows.

Walking down the streets in the center of Yakutsk, I also enjoy seeing this large and modern growing Russian city with a such large percentage of native Sakha .

Что такое «тонкий мир» (волшебство,мистика)?

What is a " ethereal world" (mystic, esoteric)?

To me, it is how connected one can be to Mother Nature.

For example, I noticed when I had the pleasure to spend time in a Chukchi and a Yakut reindeer brigade how connected they were to their dogs, reindeer and land. Sensing every aspect of their lives.

The soviets tried to eradicate shamanism out of this land. As a result, you now have very few shamans in the Russian Far East but this region never completely lost its mystic expressed through its inhabitants and their deep connection with Mother Nature.

Finally, I strongly believe in the need for coexisting among human beings of different beliefs/faiths.

In the end, I believe we all aspire to the same.

I am always intrigued to see people in all parts of the world, taking time away from their life, to pray in a communal way, whether it is in temple, church, synagogue, mosque, the middle of the tundra or the desert.

And that I respect and admire!

One strong example of such an experience happened last year when I was invited to spend a few nights of religious services with a small community of Eveny Baptists in Evensk, Magadanskaya Oblast.

Even though I could not comprehend the singing and the shouting, I definitely felt an intense energy while observing and experiencing speaking tongues ceremonies in this communal environment.

В чем сила наперстка,подаренного корякской женщиной?

What is the power ( strength) of the thimble made out of reindeer antler, given to you by a Koryak woman?

Along my way, I have indeed felt protected by this talisman.

In the past, I have also received other talismans from Grichka, a local gifted chukchi sculptor in Lavrentiya, Chukotka in the form of beautifully carved walrus teeth.

I also noticed that these beautiful pieces often radiate a lot of heat, against my skin!

Finally, I have very much enjoyed giving some of them to close family members/friends to protect them as well and being able to share a bit of my experience with them.

Что чувствовал или видел при церемонии индейского шамана?

What did you see or feel during the ceremony with a Native American shaman?

In February 2006, I had the pleasure to spend time with Joe Garnie, a well-respected Inupiyak musher in Teller, Alaska.

Joe Garnie invited me to spend a few hours in his small sweat lodge, adjacent to his home and buried under the snow.

We spent together a few hours talking about a wide variety of topics, mostly quite political where I learned a little what it meant to be an American Inupiyak in the 20th century and 21st century.

The pros/cons of sending children from the village to far away boarding schools in order to receive better education.

He explained to me as well that his sweat-lodge ceremonies were no longer forbidden but still not well regarded by the local authorities which are influenced by the local protestant and catholic churches.

Joe performed a ceremony to welcome me in his sweat lodge and therefore in his life.

After having spent together a few hours in this very hot and small sweat lodge, buried in the snow, we retrieved to his home where he offered me an ultimate smorgasbord of local favorites: frozen muktut (whale fat), frozen seal meat, dried seal meat, frozen trout, smoked salmon, and finally smoked salted white fish with seal oil for seasoning.

A great and interesting evening that I will hopefully never forget!

Что сделал бы в тайге при встрече с медведем?

What would you do if in the taiga you will meet a bear?

While trekking/skiing/cycling over the last few years, I have seen polar bears and numerous brown bears.

In Russia, I am not allowed to carry any firearms since I am not a russian citizen and therefore can only protect myself with bear pepper spray and flares in the event of a bear attack.

I believe that the Sakha word for bear is “e-err”, which is the same as for “grandfather”.

I have the same philosophy, and therefore treat bears with the respect they deserve, although taking all the precautions that I can take and above all keeping my distances.

Как поступите,если приснится сон или кто-то предскажет,что лучше вернуться?

What will you do if in a dream, or if someone will predict that it is better to come back/stop?

This happened in the past.

For example, in November 2008, I returned in Vayegi, Chukotka to continue my trek.

After about a week, barely making any progress while pulling my sled on a not-yet completely frozen river and having to deal with a very short amount of daylight, I decided to stop my expedition in order to return in mid March 2010 at a much more appropriate and safer time.

This was then definitely the right thing to do: to conceed temporarily to Mother Nature so that I could come back at a better time and move forward more efficiently.

Как понимаете любовь?

How do you understand love?

Love your fellow human beings, your environment, other species and yourself.

Love to share moments of your life intimately with a closer partner, family members and close friends whom you cherish very much.

Мистическое в пути.

Mystical experiences encountered on your way.

Besides the communal religious experiences I have described in one of my previous answers, I have had also several instances over the years where I have felt mystical experiences while facing pressing adversities.

Indeed, it happened that in some instances, when pushed to my physical limits, while pulling my sled through a storm or else, I faced somewhat of "a mental breakdown".

Often then, exhausted, I would set up camp for the night (if possible or in one occasion rolled myself in my tent) and took the time needed to sit down and collect my thoughts.
The next morning after a good "cooling down" period / night, I was then better able to finally foresee the potential solutions to my problem which I could have never processed the night before, while under stress.

As the French proverb says: “Aide toi et le ciel t’aidera!”
(“Help yourself first and God will come to assist you!”)

Talking about feeling mystical, on several occasions, I have also found, laying on the side of my trail, in the middle of empty landscapes, "God sent" replacement items that I was dearly missing/needing such as a left glove, after having torn mine apart in -30C weather!

Пожелания читателям.

Wishes for the readers.

Use your time on earth very carefully, life goes by extremely fast!

Be kind to others and the environment.

Learn, read and experience the outdoors!

Finally I want to share with you the following.

I was asked last year in Spring 2011, before arriving in the Sakha Republic, the following question:

“What did you learn from the locals that you would apply when you go back or even at home?”

Here is a part of my long reply that I wanted to share with you.

From Native and White Russians:

I was once told that in Chukotka, I needed three things to succeed in the region:

терпение, терпение and терпение!

Patience, Patience and Patience!

I believe that this does not just applies to Chukotka but very much to the whole Far Eastern Russian region where you really need to learn to be able to wait patiently.
Whether it is to wait for a “purga”/storm to pass, to get motorized transport in/out of a village, acting as a "starting point" or "ending point" to your expedition, or even to simply get an answer to a question.

Over the years, I have also learned to respect the elements, able to wait for better weather to depart.

In the case of an emergency, the chances of a rescue are in the Russian Far East very limited and therefore I have learned to become somewhat “risk–adverse”, especially while traveling alone.
For example, when threatening “purga” clouds approached, I learned to stop promptly and safely set up camp for the night while I still could.

Of course, I have had several occasions where I had to push through nights and storms to make it to the next village but those were occasions where I felt I was obliged to do so.

After having lost over the last few years a tent to a stove fire and two tents simultaneously to a storm/ "purga" with my trekking partner at the time (!), I learned to be very careful and methodical with my gear while either trekking or setting up my camp.

I have also learned to be more grateful for the somewhat easier comfortable life most of us can attain in the western world.
It now often amuses me to hear Europeans and/or Americans whining about a few hours plane delays when I have seen Russian villagers waiting up to a month to catch a flight back home!
Or when I was told that a 280 km truck transport could take anywhere from 2 to 30 days!

I have continue to learn from the locals whether they were Athabaskan American Indians, Inupiyaks, Inuits, Chukchis, Koryaks, Evens, white Americans, Ukrainians, and Russians, about their way of life, cooking, beliefs, hopes, fears and regrets …

I have learned to listen very carefully to the locals for any indication on what better route/march to follow, taking into consideration the relief, vegetation and climate I was about to experience.

Russian, Koryaks and Chukchis also taught me the art of welcoming impromptu guests at all times of the day or night! Often able to share at a moment notice, a cup of tea, biscuits, cheese, bread and kielbasa to new guests and even sharing their 2 days old delicious borscht for their closer friends.

I have also learned to communicate in a new and refreshing way with my hands when needed, or in my elementary Russian which I am constantly trying to improve…

Often, when I come across people who have heard quite a lot about me through common friends and/or local media; I notice that they often do not divulge this at first, but rather prefer wait and see me, struggling in my elementary Russian language, explain what Nexus Expedition is all about.
It almost felt then as if I was passing a "test", where they wanted to see how I was going to describe myself and my expedition to them.

Needless to say that Far Eastern Russians very much respect self-made MODEST men/women and quite dislike anything that could resemble bragging.

So, contacts are often quite lukewarm at first and rapidly become much deeper, kinder and more meaningful once I have passed this initial "test".

Older far eastern locals also, quite well used to an isolationist Soviet regime, often quite dislike being photographed and even more video filmed, let alone by an unknown foreigner!

Along the same line, as I am progressively improving in my broken Russian, I am able to converse about more and more contentious topics such as international and national politics where I have recently learned that I need to tread very carefully, as anywhere else in the world, making sure that I do not brush wrongly the ego of patriot Russian friends.

I have learned that sometimes, it takes an incredible amount of time to scratch the surface, gain people’s trust and being able to better understand a multicultural small town, such as Evensk in Magadanskaya Oblast where coexist mainland Russians, Koryaks and Evenis.

There are definitely (and somewhat thankfully) no travel guide book for most of the Russian Far Eastern region.
As a result, I have simply learned to entrust the people that surrounded me, being willing to experience almost everything once, letting them guide me from one door to the next, whether it meant eating some raw reindeer bone marrow or including me in a religious sect speaking tongues ceremony.

I have also learned to better respect the people I came across and learned to better listen to their stories, whether it was the hard time they spent in Russian jails or their contraband of Russian икра (ikra- salmon roe) and cамогон (Russian homemade potent alcohol).

Similar to a chameleon, if I wanted to learn more, I needed to be accepted by all, or at least by as many as I could…
Once in Anadyr, a Russian friend told me in reference to another standoffish foreigner: “If Russians don’t like you, they won’t help you, no matter what you are willing to pay them!” and this is definitely true!

In Western Russia, money might be more a driving factor but in the Far Eastern region, it is a different ball game, where respect and friendship matter much greater!

On a sadder note, I have continued to learn the ravages that alcoholism has done in this northern part of the world (Alaska and Far Eastern Russia) among natives as well as among Russian and American expats. It amazes me to see how many people have either lost their lives, hands or fingers due to alcoholism or alcohol related accidents….
I have met once a man who even severed his own left hand with a butcher knife during a violent act of drunken debauchery (yes, that is sadly true!) while others have had to be amputated as a result of having passed out drunk, gloveless while laying in a –40°C blizzard.

From the natives:

While I was fortunate enough to be able to spend twice three days in company of a Chukchi and a Koryak reindeer "brigade"/team of herders, I have very much learned to appreciate their simpler and modest way of life.
I have learned to better appreciate the traditional arduous way of life some of them are fighting to save.

I have also learned how hard it is to date and/or look for a spouse when you are a Koryak living in a remote village, where everyone around you is or might be a distant relative!
This might partially explain why one sees so many “metisses” in the region, potentially a conscious or subconscious way to regenerate the gene pool with either some White Mainland Russian, Even, Ukrainian, Tatar or even Turkish blood!

From the white Russians:

I have learned more about what defines the Russian дуща (soul) as well as what it meant to be a “Russian expat” / mainlander living far away from his Материк (matirik/mainland).
I also learned what is meant to be nostalgic of the Soviet pass.
Potentially nostalgic indeed because for some of the western russian settlers in the Far Eastern Russian region, it meant "better financial times" when one could have been better off.
Although, sometimes, I wondered if this nostalgia was not also a reflection of them simply missing their younger years.

I have also clearly learned how frustrated are some of the 2nd generation white Russians settlers who envy and miss the life their parents had under an heavily subsidized soviet regime.

Often unable to now find good work in the region, they cannot even afford to buy a plane ticket to move themselves and some of their more precious belongings to the Материк (mainland).
Indeed, the sale of their isolated and obsolete Far Eastern apartments could only often fetch $3,000 max, making it quasi impossible to start a "new life"in another part of Russia.

White Russians settlers also taught me the weekly ritual of ваия (banya)!

Learned how: "В ване ьсе равню!" "In the Banya, we are all equal!"

I have also continued to learn the notion of not giving up…
In 2010, after having trekked just a few days out of Vayegi, Chukotka,having the back of my ankles burning with large bleeding blisters, facing a strong 48 hours purga/storm and dealing with a difficult mostly unknown trekking partner, I became then quite alarmed with the amount of mileage I still needed to cover that season…
To be able to move forward, I reminded myself then the need to set small and intermediate goals that I could more reasonably conceive and achieve, instead of getting alarmed by thinking of the Nexus expedition route that still needed to be accomplished.

I have learned as well to always keep my tent completely secure and locked on to my anchoring sled, until it was completely dismantled, therefore avoiding any potential chances to have it blown away…

I have learned NOT to feed dogs along the way, no matter how enticing this might sound…
Indeed, they could quickly start to follow you for hundreds of kilometers which would make then their forced repatriation to their home village, somewhat of a complicated matter.

I have learned to never refuse a cup of tea, pr a meal offered along the way, which often could become the invitation to the start of an enriching friendship.
On the same note, I have also learned to never turn down an invitation to a local municipal or private homemade banya!

I have also learned to never refuse gifted food items (whether it was юкола- Koryak dried salmon skin, Пирожки, caribou meat, dried delicious корющка fishes, or dried berries) or intriguing gifts such as a long view, binoculars, a hat made of seal fur, shoe polish or even a tie!
They all had/have a purpose in the end…

I have learned to believe in Russian "Судьба" / Fate, Destiny! to justify if something was meant to be or not, and whether meeting someone on the trail was also meant to be or not….

I have also learned the importance of gaining contacts in the Russian Far East.
When a friend/new acquaintance was telling me to contact person X or person Y, upon landing in the next village, I definitely followed suit!
It often meant a welcoming home, a warm bed and even potentially a great meal!

I have learned as well from my Far Eastern Russian friends, used to their remoteness, how to makeshift with what you got…
For example, while in Slautnoye, Kamchatka Koryak Okrug, I had to modify a replacement 2 seasons low-budget tent to be able to face efficiently incoming snowy days on the trail, while sewing synthetic patches on top of its mosquito screens…

I have learned to better appreciate a more philosophical approach to life:
“We will get there when we get there!” and deeply learned to appreciate the journey along the way.

And I also learned to better respect and listen to a wide spectrum of persons and personalities.

After having spent a week on trail with three roaming dogs, I feel that I have also changed quite a bit in relationship to dogs.
Indeed, I strangely feel now much closer to them, much more attentive and forever wondering what are their deep canine philosophical thoughts.

And since you ask, I still wonder if a Russian husky communicate better with a Russian poodle or a Canadian husky? In other words, do dogs communicate according to their geographic location or their creed?
But, that’s a whole different question, way beyond the scope of Nexus Expedition…

Posting a new Russian - Mongolian Video Teaser from Ulaan Baatar

noreply@blogger.com (Dimitri Kieffer) — Thu, 09 May 2013 19:25:00 +0000

I am finally back in Ulaan Baatar, Mongolia getting ready to start the next section of my human powered expedition which should take me on my bicycle from Mongolia to West Africa, via China, Kazakhstan and multiple other countries.

This Nexus 2012: Far Eastern Russia - Mongolia, Section Teaser is part of the development of a Nexus Expeditions' feature film.

Expedition content is released to satisfy the "real-time"audience and keep the expedition media relevant online, since the expedition is currently under way.

This section teaser is the latest in a series of teasers and clips released by Erik Nachtrieb, Dimitri Kieffer and 1iOpen Productions for Nexus Expeditions.

If you have missed video content in the past, click this playlist on 1iOpen's Youtube Channel for more Nexus Expeditions clips and teasers.

Finally, in the next few days, I will post updated information on this blog to outline what is the 2013 planned route as well as explain what has been accomplished since last November, when I last stopped cycling in Kharkhorin, near the ancient Mongolian capital of Karakorum.

Now, we hope you will enjoy this video section teaser!
Dimitri Kieffer

Expedition stopped in Karakorum, Mongolia until March 2013

noreply@blogger.com (Dimitri Kieffer) — Tue, 08 Jan 2013 14:25:00 +0000

Karakorum (near Kharkhorin, Ovörkhangai Province, Mongolia)
In the vicinity of the Erdene Zuu Monastery, in Karakorum, the ancient capital of the Mongolian empire.

Location: 47° 11′ 795″ N, 102° 51′ 292″ E Click here to see the last location recorded on findmespot.com

463 kms completed since Ulaan Baatar.
Summer/Fall 2012 section: 4049 kms completed since Yakutsk.

On Friday Nov 2d 2012, I decided to stop cycling until late March 2013, because I was facing subsequent snow storms, lower temperatures (-25C), a smaller amount of daylight hours per day and finally had to deal with a bad case of food poisoning.

I was lucky enough to be staying then in a warm ger at the Mönkhsuuri guesthouse in Kharkhorin, in the vicinity of the Erdene Zuu Monastery, in Karakorum, the ancient capital of the Mongol Empire.

Of course, the thought of getting back to trekking and skiing while pulling my old sled, (as I used to do in Far North Eastern Russia and Alaska during winter months) crossed my mind but knowing that I will definitely be able to make faster progress on a bicycle when I return in Spring 2013, I decided to be reasonable and stop in the close vicinity of the Erdene Zuu Monastery, in Karakorum, the ancient capital of the Mongol Empire.

I definitely want to write much more, post pictures and videos on the last section I went through, as well as write about future plans but for the time being I have pressing issues to address that I need to prioritize carefully during my limited time off my bike.
Stay tuned!

The maps below should give you an idea of what I have accomplished so far, what remains to be done and the wide array of options I am currently considering.

Went Lünatic in Lün!

noreply@blogger.com (Dimitri Kieffer) — Fri, 26 Oct 2012 07:32:00 +0000

Lün, Central Mongolia

Töv Province
N 47 51.980 E 105 15.103
206 kms since leaving Ulaan Baatar

On Saturday October 20th 2012, after having completed/zigzaged 206 kms since Ulaan Baatar, and while crossing the town of Lün, I discovered that my Surly Big Dummy bicycle was going lünatic!
- The back wheel was starting to split near three spokes holes
- A screw on my front Tubus rack splitted in 1/2 and could no longer be removed to be replaced, unless I would drill through it.
- The "ear" attachment to my front Ortlieb panier was missing and needed to be replaced with metal, or else...

Splitted rack screw

One of the three spoke holes where the wheel is splitting

Besides singing in my head, the classic Fun Boy Three's tune "The Lunatics have taken over the asylum", I had to find a solution!

Considering that it could be potentially 3000 kms until I reach the next good bicycle shop in Astana, Kazakhstan, I decided to retreat to Ulaan Baatar, less than 200 kms away where I could replace my bicycle wheel and make my additional repairs with my friends at The Cycling World and with the help via email of my friends at Free Range Cycles in Fremont, Seattle, USA.

So quickly, I found my way to the Lün traffic police station where I met Iktus, a local police officer to whom I begged to keep some of my bags in their garage while I would hitchhiked my way back to Ulaan Baatar with my broken bicycle.

Lün Traffic Police station where I left some bags...

Then, I turned around, raised my thumb and the VERY FIRST moving vehicle picked me up!
Batarchich and Mukachur were indeed transporting 1500 liters of airag/kumis to Ulaan Baatar in their small Korean pick-up truck. They agreed to strap my bike on top of their kumis barrels and squeeze me in the middle seat between these two corpulent Mongols. Batarchich is actually the uncle of Tuvshinbayar Naidan , Mongolian judo olympic champion, who claims to have been successfull thanks to his daily ration of airag/kumis!

Batarchich and Mukachur strapping the Big Dummy on top of 1500 liters of Airag/Kumis!

Airag/Kumis barrels...

On the way back to Ulaan Baatar, we made one stop to deliver barrels of kumis to a local farmers/distributor near Ulaan Baatar where I was offered a meal and copious amount of Kumis.
Cheers and thank you again Batarchich and Mukachur!

Airag/Kumis barrels for sale in UB's Black Market

Airag/ Kumis for sale in UB's Black Market

In Ulaan Baatar, it took a few days to fix my bike wheels since they both had to be rebuilt, as well as complete a few additional repairs in order to make the bike as "bullet proof" as possible.

We should find out soon if that is the case...

During my time back in Ulaan Baatar, I tried to heal my cold, spent time with Mongolian, French, British, Irish, Spanish, Basque, German and Austrian friends/travellers at the Oasis guesthouse, roamed a bit more through the capital, and finally shopped at the black market where I acquired a snuff bottle which I might need to share over the next few weeks while staying with mongolian nomads in gers.

Now, before I leave Ulaan Baatar once again, finding my way back to Lün, where I last stopped, I would like to share with you briefly what I experienced last week when I was riding westbound from Ulaan Baatar to Lün.

Taking into consideration the current "refreshing" temperatures, when the night temperature can drop to -15c, instead of pitching my tent along the way, I decided to take the opportunity to experience Mongol hospitaly and spent my nights, sharing meals, rooms and gers with farmers, herders, restaurant workers/owners and soldiers along the way.

This was a great experience where I continue to share and learn about the mongolian nomadic lifestyle!

Yep, that's right, I left behind my Takhi in good hands!

My Big Dummy cycle turned into a People Mover: 2 Adults, 3 children and 1 Takhi!

shaman statue

Shaman statue

First fields I see in Mongolia after 1150kms...

I also quite enjoyed, from time to time, being passed by small trucks and minivans transporting families with their entire ger/yurt and belongings packed in the back while other family members were simultaneously migrating the herds to new ger/yurt locations.

A ger/yurt on the move!

Herding sheeps to a new ger/yurt location

One time, I even noticed a bucket full of random items (spoons, forks, tools, shearing scissors) falling off a "ger truck". Thankfully, I was able to stop the following minivan passing me, commanding them to catch up with the first one up and return the beloved missing items which they were able to do successfully!

1st Antipode point reached in Mongolia

On my way, I was also excited to pass through my first antipode point N 47 53.320 E 106 39 784 on the outskirts of Ulaan Baatar. Now, I just need to get to my second one in Chile while completing my human-powered circumnavigation of the planet!

Antipode Location

View of polluted Ulaan Bataar from antipode point
Ulaan Baatar: sadly the 2d most polluted city...

One day, I took a detour over a steep mountain pass to spend a night near the Mongol Tsergiin Khuree Military Base where I met the Mongolian commandant Bataar who greeted me with a "Bonjour! Comment ça va?".

He then took the time to explain to me that this Mongolian military base had become a training center for UN forces, prior to being deployed to Afghanistan.

So here I was, reflecting on what was coming up for these Belgian, German, American and Mongolian UN soldiers in the Afghan hills while sipping a coffee and listening to the sounds of driving and shooting UN and Mongolian tanks in the background...

Going down a mountain pass to Mongol Tsergiin Khuree Military Base

Posing with a Mongolian soldier

Mongolian Nature Morte

I took another detour along my way to stroll in the Motsog Els / sand dunes (where I came across Japanese scientists conducting researches on the sand composition), and spent time in the beautiful Khustain National Park where I was kindly welcomed to stay in the workers quarters.

Riding in Sand Dunes

Riding in Sand Dunes...

Taming in Sand Dunes

In the Khustain National Park, I took the time to admire the landscape, the stone turkic statues and monuments and truly enjoy watching yaks, marals (asiatic red deers) and above all the free-roaming Takhi horses (Przewalski's horses).

It was quite exciting indeed to see some of these last few wild horses on our planet gallop freely in the hills...

Khusain National Park

Turkic stone monument

Takhi Horses

Takhi

Marals (Asiatic Red Deers)

Yaks

Yaks

On this note, it's about time I leave once again Ulaan Baatar and get back on my repaired bike in order to try to "gallop" freely as well westbound before it gets any colder.

БАЯРТАЙ Ulaan Baatar!

Additional pictures on Eastern Mongolia

noreply@blogger.com (Dimitri Kieffer) — Mon, 15 Oct 2012 18:25:00 +0000

Facing some technical difficulties with my loooong last post on riding through Eastern Mongolia, I have decided to add additional photos in this separate post.

Therefore, here they are for you to enjoy while I will be on the road!

Kherlen river

Mongolian open steppe campsite

Why I try not to ride at night...

Why I try not to ride at night...

Why I try not to ride at night...

Bugs everywhere...

Making a new metal rod for the xtracycle wideloaders

Geese

Well

Gulnara's bus between Choibalsan and Ondörkhan

Balbal near Ondörkhan

Eagles hunting Pikas and Marmots

Man made eagle's nest

Paying tribute to all the morons I have come across in my life...

Wearing the new del I found...

Camels roaming near horses...

Genghis Khan's magestic statue

Largest Mongol boot in the World!

Genghis Khan's gate

Ondörkhan's autumn fair:

measuring the thickness of each sheep's coat to determine the champion!

Departing Ulaan Baatar towards Western Mongolia

noreply@blogger.com (Dimitri Kieffer) — Sun, 14 Oct 2012 11:51:00 +0000

Riding through Eastern Mongolia...

Current Location:
N48° 43′ 02″ N, E114° 31′ 303″
Ulaan Baatar, Mongolia

Monday October 15th: After having spent the last few weeks touring the region with Gulnara, I am finally ready to leave Ulaan Baatar, planning to go westbound towards Western Mongolia and Western China.

Indeed, it's definitely time to quickly start cycling again since the temperatures in Ulaan Bataar have started dropping to -15C at night and recently a few snow flakes fell on the city.

So far, I have cycled 981 kms in Mongolia in 14 cycling days between Ereentsav (North Eastern Mongolia) and Ulaan Baatar, going through Choybalsan and Ondörhaan.

Ereentsav-Choybalsan: 4 days/279 kms
Choybalsan-Ondörkhaan: 6 days/352 kms
Ondörkhaan-Ulaan Baatar: 4 days/350 kms

Then, between my arrival in Ulaan Baatar on Sept 19th and today, October 15th, I took the opportunity with Gulnara to spend time exploring the region, (Ulaan Baatar, Gorkhi Terelj National Park and the Gobi desert) leaving my bicycle aside. More details on that touring period are available at the end of this post and will be potentially as well as in future posts...

CLICK HERE TO SEE ADDITIONAL PICTURES TAKEN IN EASTERN MONGOLIA.

On Friday morning Sept 7th, Gulnara, still struggling with an injured knee and therefore unable to bike, left Choybalsan on a crowded cross-country bus, bound for Ondörkhan where she spent the next few days, exploring the town while waiting for me to arrive on my bicycle...

I left later in the afternoon, after having spent time at Choybalsan autumn fair and having taken pictures of the empty stadium built for Naadam, and a few soviet buildings and statues along my way.

This first section between Choybalsan and Ondörkhaan allowed me to ride at first through steppes in the Kherlen river bed.

On my way, I quickly decided to ride on a smaller trail which was progressing parallel 3 to 5 kms south of the "main" sandy trail/piste, where I could see from time to time, trucks driving through dust clouds...

Ger trail

Ger trail...

I quickly started calling this nicer yet smaller alternate trail, the "ger trail" since it was dotted all along the way with gers on both sides, 3-5 kms apart.

Traditional mongolian carriages

This "ger trail" allowed me to come in contact with a great amount of herders raising their horses, sheep, goats and cows near their white gers all along the way.

Often, not used to see a cyclist coming near their ger, they actually came to greet me on the trail...

Mongolian herder trying to understand my Mongolian Laisser-Passer

Almost every time I stopped to take pictures of the landscape, the animals, the gers and/or the herders, I was ultimately invited to come inside an ethnic Mongol ger or an ethnic Buryat wooden/brick house for a cup of Suutei Tsai ( mongolian salty milk tea), homemade Tarag (mongolian yogurt), Urum (clotted cream), potentially a meaty soup and/or meal , a potential cup of airag (mare's milk) and undoubtedly given some aarul (Mongolian dried cheese) to take on the road.

Offered dry curd, soup and Mongolian milk tea

Dry curd and Hurum offered for the road

Lärabars gifted

In exchange, I tried to retribute with some of the items I was carrying on my bike such as russian honey which was given to me near Chita by kind apiarists, fresh vegetables I had picked up at Choybalsan market, american beef jerky, lärabars, nuun and some of my last Mountain House dehydrated meals.

This invitation often led to a "discussion" using sign language, pictograms and if possible an exchange in rudimentary Russian, Mongol and in some rare case English...

Even though, I was getting quite concerned that I was not able to ride as many kilometers as I had planned for each day, as a result of these subsequent invitations, I must say that I was also quite eager to learn more about this Mongolian nomadic lifestyle!

I was also very much enjoying watching and filming herders corralling, breaking and taming their wild horses, as well as corralling their goats, sheep and cows at nights in wooden enclosed pens, to protect them from potential wolf attacks.

scarewolf

Indeed, it is not uncommon in Mongolia for wolves to attacks farm animals, and I have noticed on several occasions large "scarewolfs" (instead of scarecrows...) placed at nights, near animal pens.

On that note, I was also able to see how much historically wolf attacks are part of the Mongolian nomads psyche when admiring in Mongolian museums several 2000 years old bronze statues vividly representing wolf attacks on horses.

On my trail, I was also able to let some herders amuse themselves while riding my fully loaded bicycle and in exchange receive the opportunity to learn to ride a Mongolian horse in a bareback fashion as well as on a Mongolian wooden saddle which is made to stand up in the saddle to gallop a horse and therefore requires different techniques.

Mongolian saddle

Bareback riding

Mongolian using a monocular

I had a more rough experience with some of the Mongolian dogs in some cases fiercely guarding their masters' gers. In one incident, one lunatic dog forced me to temporarily and quickly retrieve on my bicycle, while accidentally dropping my mongol monocular which I had just acquired at the Choybalsan market in an interesting shop selling ger artifacts, furniture, saddles, Mongolian hats and boots.

Thankfully, I have, since then, been able to replace this necessary item at the infamous Ulaan Baatar's Naran Tuul aka "black market"... (Video on Naran Tuul's market).

It is indeed an important item to have while travelling through Mongolian steppes, allowing me to evaluate in the horizon what type of vehicles are coming at me and whether or not gers are temporarily occupied or not...

Mongolian herders guarding dogs

Mongolian dog

Along my way, as I have experienced in the Russian Buddhist enclave Buryat Agin Okrug, I came across on the side of the trail/road on mountain passes and elsewhere a large amount of ovoos/ shrines, often made of a mound of rocks, often wrapped with khadags (ceremonial silk blue scarfs), placed for good luck.

Ovoo

Blue Khadag and Buddhist Prayers flags

Ovoo

Some of the ovoos were also covered with a large amount of steering wheels, steering wheel covers, broken musical instruments such as Morin Khuur, Buddhist statues and especially wooden and metal crutches.
The crutches are usually left on ovoos when one has been able to recover successfully from an injury.

Ovoo with crutches and steering wheel

I often also saw these khadags (silk blue scarfs) tied to stupas, bridges, rocks and some of the rare and beautiful trees present near the trail.

It was also common to see at mountain passes, a large amount of coins, small bills and cigarettes squandered on the road which have been tossed out of driving-by trucks/cars asking the gods for good fortune on the trail.

On my way, I was also able to visit Kherlen Bar Khot, and impressive 10 meters high brick tower from a 12th century Kitan-state city, now standing proudly and alone in the middle of the steppe, dominating the surroundings.

Kherlen Bar Khot

Even though I noticed much less rubbish on the trail than what I had observed on Far Eastern Russian roads/trails, I still saw a noticeable amount of empty vodka, beer and soda bottles present from time to time.

I also came across a large amount of decomposed animals as well as animal parts such as goat legs, severed horse and cow heads, left for birds of prey such as eagles and vultures to munch upon.

One time, I definitely felt like I was watching a shocking scene (Warning: parental viewing discretion advised for this link!) from the movie The Godfather, when I came across a severed horse head staring at me from the side of the trail...

Mongolians historically practiced for themselves and for their favorite farm animals, open-air sacrificial burials. This practice for humans has seized and been replaced mostly with incineration or ground burials but apparently still lives on for some of their favorite animals.

Georgia O' Keefe
"Cow's Skull: Red, White and Blue"

In one instance, remembering Georgia O'Keefe classic painting "Cow's skull: red, white and blue", I decided to mount on a back of my fully loaded bicycle, a beautiful cow's head I had found on the trail.

A few hours later, coming across three Mongolian women herders, I understood that according to Mongolian tradition, I should not alter with nature, and having placed this skull on my bicycle could only bring me bad luck... Undeterred and foolish, although somewhat perplexed by their words, I decided to ride on with my cow's skull still firmly attached to my bicycle...

Further on my trail, I met a young Mongol couple and their cousin, collecting their water supply from the Kherlen river in large plastic containers.

After having explained to them what I was all about with my homemade "Laisser-Passer" Nexus Expedition letter translated in Mongolian, (which a Mongolian friend in Yakutsk had kindly translated for me in Mongol), they looked at my bicycle and quickly brought the point that I should definitely not mount a cow's head on my bike since it could only bring me, guess what, bad luck...

This time, I decided to listen to them and released my "piece of art" from my bicycle to their contempt.
At that point, they mentioned that their ger was located about 5kms ahead and wanted to invite me to join them for a meal.

On a side note, I have noticed a few times that Mongolian nomads use an interesting gesture to indicate when they wants to invite you in their gers: pulling down their earlobes with their thumb joined with their index.

Amongst other non-verbal Mongolian communication patterns, I have also observed that Mongolians used a similar gesture to the Russians to indicate when someone is intoxicated: stabbing/tapping the index finger to one's throat.

Excited to be invited once again in yet another friendly and welcoming ger, I rode the next 5 kilometers under the pouring rainstorm that had shortly started to fall upon me.

I finished quickly the last 1.5 kilometer, going off the the main trail, while climbing a very steep grassy hill to reach their ger, which dominated the valley with an unbeatable view.

Very quickly, I noticed in their presence that my xtracycle wideoaders had broken down after having hit too many sand banks on the trail, splitting in half, no longer able to support the weight of my bags.

My new Mongolian friends were very quick to point out that this mishap had happened of course because of the bad luck the cow's head brought on to my bike and consequently my current life..
Sort of: "You see, we told you so..."

Now having to face a serious impromptu repair on my bicycle in the middle of the steppes and spotting in the sky another approaching and threatening strong rainstorm formation, I decided to accept their invitation to spend the night with them and their extended family, being fed an incredible amount of meat, which I had not experienced since spending time with Russian Chukchi reindeer herders in Chukotka and Russian Koryak reindeer herders in Kamchatka Koryak Okrug!

However, I was surprised to learn, despite the numerous rivers, in contrast with the Chukchi and the Koryak who also love to eat the fishes they catch and smoke, the traditional mongolians do not eat fish or of course any type of seafood. Being in a landlocked country, Mongolians obviously traditionally do not have access to sea products and tend to shy away from fishing their rivers, potentially for religious/animist reasons and therefore have hard times to digest fishes and related products.

Of course, the situation is different in the capital where the diet for Ulaan Baatar's urban city-dwellers is currently changing with the arrival of new international cuisine such as Japanese restaurants and sushi...

My nomadic mongolian friends invited me then to spend the night in one of their ger, but since the weather was still fairly "warm", I decided to give them their privacy and instead planted my own tent, 200 meters away, on the eastern side, near grazing horses.

As I have experienced on quite a few other nights, while camping in the mongolian steppe, grazing horses apparently NEVER stop to graze through the night, and of course always seem to love grazing loudly very near my tent...
But of course, this is not a complaint since I MUCH rather have loud grazing Mongolian horses surrounding my tent than having the visit of one roaming curious Russian bear...

Being nomadic herders, having to move their ger locations several times a year to better facilitate the grazing for their thousand sheep and goats as well as their horses and cows, my friend Chagaa and his girlfriend were very curious to learn more about my own camping equipment such as my robust 4 seasons North Face Mountain 25 tent, my Thermarest Zlite mattress and my MSR Dragonfly stove (which I have only used so far, once this summer and early fall, relying on thermos bottles filled with salty milk tea and hot water at gers and cafés along my way to warm up my dehydrated meals.)

I was amused to see them, under the pouring rain, crowd themselves in my tent, almost as curious to check it out as I was to learn about their daily life inside a ger.

This was also the first time that I did a presentation on Nexus Expeditions on my laptop for an attentive audience inside my cramped tent!

In exchange, they asked me then to return in their ger to not only watch them used their landline fixed phone apparently connected via satellite but above all "enjoy" some live mongolian TV program which they were accessing through their south-Korean made satellite dish connected to their Chinese made solar panels.

Indeed, from what I have observed while riding through the Mongolian steppe and from what I have read recently, half of the Mongolian rural population already has solar electric power.

I have also noticed that some gers use wind turbines and read that the first wind farm is currently being set up 70 kms away Ulaan Baatar with 31 large wind turbines.

So, in regards, to Mongolian ger living, here are the some of the "universal" facts I have learned:

- The door always faces south, primarily because the wind comes from the north and the south-facing door will catch the most sunlight.

-Once inside, men move to the left (to the west, under the protection of the great sky god, Tengger) and women to the right (east, under the protection of the sun).

- The back of the ger is the khoimor, the place for the elders, where the most honored people are seated and treasured possessions are kept..

- On the back wall is the family altar, decorated with Buddhist images and family photos (mostly taken during trips to the capital Ulaan Baatar).

-Near the door, on the male side, are saddles, ropes and a big leather milk bag and churn, used to stir airag (mare's milk) .

- On the female side of the door are the cooking implements and water buckets.

- Around the walls are two or three low beds and cabinets.

- In the center, sits a small table with several tiny chairs.

- Hanging in any vacant spot, or wedged between the latticed walls, are toothbrushes, clothes, children's toys and of course, PLENTY of slabs of uncooked mutton.

-There is often no toilet but you should go on the southern side of the ger where they might be a pit...
The drinkable ice/water is usually collected on the western or northern side of the ger.
The sheep/goat/cows pen is located on either the eastern or western side of the ger but not on the northern side to avoid the drifting smell since once again, this is where the prevailing steppe winds come from.

- Often, family relatives live in gers relatively close-by, only 2-5kms away, allowing everyone to help each other for some of the larger herding tasks as well as being able to often share meals together.

If you wish, click here to learn more about Mongolian culture and ger etiquette.

The movie "Bébé" (2010) by French director Thomas Balmès also gives great insight on the life of a typical Mongolian family.

Making horse reins

Making yogurt

Making dry curd

Skunk fur for anyone?

Through that night, near my friends' ger, while listening to the grazing horses... I also became quite preoccupied with the idea that I was going to have to repair my bicycle without any welding equipment in the middle of the steppe.

In the morning, Chagaa quickly explained that his father and him had "cooked up" a "Mongol nomadic solution" which involved of course wood and leather.

Indeed, we replaced the broken metal pieces with a long wooden piece, sustained by screws and leather straps. This allowed me to ride successfully 88 kms on sandy trails that day until I arrived in the evening in Ondörkhan.

Once my bicycle was repaired and fully loaded, and prior to leaving Chagaa and his family, i was invited to share a last departing meal with them. While gulping loads of homemade delicious yogurt (truly, the best I have ever tasted!), salty milk tea, roasted goat ribs and potatoes, I was surprised to be asked by Chagaa, obviously a tech-savvy herder, if I could share my personal Facebook address.

Although, I must report that sadly so, several weeks later, I am still not able to find Chagaa amongst the 1 billion members of the ever-growing "social network" Facebook and being able to share with him the pictures I took during my visit...
Chagaa, if you are reading this, by all means, ping me!

At 8h00, full, after having indulged myself with a very hearty Mongolian Nomadic breakfast, saying my last goodbye to the whole family and thanking them for the kind and welcoming experience, I rode back down the steep grassy hill to rejoin the main trail connecting me to Ondörkhaan.

On my way, I went through a near-ghost town, where I saw a team taking apart a an old metal hanger from the glorious communist heydays and filling large Chinese-made trucks with this scrapped metal, probably on its way to to be recycled in China.

This reminded me the large amount of similar trucks I used to be passed by while riding through the Russian far east. All of this to satisfy the ever-growing needs of the Chinese manufacturing process and consequently the capitalist consumerism crave...

Approaching Ondörkhaan, I started noticing ten to twelve parallel sandy trails/"lanes", all leading to the town.

This also reminded me the Russian Far East where I had observed in previous years' early spring conditions, when the snow and ice started to melt, all-terrain vehicles, trucks and tanks progressively created sometimes up to 10 or 12 alternate, parallel trails/"lanes".

In Mongolia, apparently, the same approach is used to be able to drive on sinking soft sand.

In this environment, one constantly look around to see what is the best "lane" to follow, watching the speed of the incoming traffic, and therefore zigzaging between "lanes".

Of course, I follow suit and started switching back and forth between sandy "lanes" to increase my "speed".

Although, I must report that it was sometimes of a challenge to pass through the sandy banks separating the different trails, and of course, I was afraid that this could lead to further breaking down my bicycle frame and racks.

While riding further into the sunset towards Ondörkhaan, I also noticed a team digging a trench to place a new fiber optic cable connecting distant Choybalsan to the capital Ulaan Baatar, therefore helping to overcome sparsely populated Mongolia's telecommunication challenges.

In a long sandy stretch, while riding along one of the ten parallel trails, Gulnara's cross-country bus passed me by for the 6th day in the row, since I left Choybalsan. The bus driver and I, then waved each other for a sixth time, like two old friends...

Around 18:00, after having stopped one last time, to gobble a can of sardines, a bell pepper and a few slices of bread which I withdrew from my front bicycle pannier, I arrived in Ondörkhaan, where I was reunited with Gulnara at the Erdes Hotel, after having come across yet another round of hard rain, which inundated the town and myself...

Gulnara had indeed been waiting patiently for me for a few days, touring the few sights and market and was also invited one evening by a Mongolian lady to join her in the local ballroom to learn Mongolian traditional dance moves, despite her hurting knee...

Together, we spent the next two days, touring this Eastern Mongolian provincial town / regional center of 15,000 inhabitants, mostly living in individual wooden homes.

In Ondörkhaan, we also took the time to enjoy the ethnographic museum which is housed inside a beautiful 18th century home of the Tsetseg Khaan, a Mongolian prince who governed most of eastern Mongolia during the Manchu reign.

We ate a few Mongolian buuz, a meal at a fancy Chinese restaurant and spent hours at the local autumn fair, where countless farmers beautifully dressed in their traditional dels, came to sell their local vegetables, tea bricks, dried curds, wool/leather/felt products and clothes in the open-air and inside beautifully crafted gers.

At the fair, we also enjoyed watching Mongolian farmers compete in rope-pulling contests and above all spent time watching some of them calculating the thickness of their sheep wool coats in order to determine which one was winning the prize!

I also took the time to fully repair my bicycle frame at a local metal shop, replacing the temporary nomadic Mongol hand-made wooden stick by a proper metal rod which hopefully will last a very long time!

Sadly, still unable to ride her bicycle, Gulnara departed Ondörkhaan on Saturday Sept 15th, this time in a cramped Mongolian minivan, with her bike carefully strapped to the roof rack and after having played magnificently the "Minivan waiting game" for 4 hours.

Her minivan did not depart until it was as filled as a can of packed sardines.
The minivan took 5 hours to complete the 350 kms between Ondörkhaan and the bustling capital city of Ulaan Baatar, while barely missing crater sized potholes along the way on this dangerous paved highway.

Gulnara reached Ulaan Baatar late in the evening, stranded on the side of the road, and having to quickly find an hotel/guest-house with a room big enough to welcome her and her loyal bicycle for the next few days...

I myself spent my 3rd and last night in Ondörkhaan at the Erdes Hotel where the Mongolian weekend crowd was quite drunk and rowdy, keeping me up most of the night, thanks to the hotel thin walls and their singing and "athletic" abilities...

I depart the next morning, under a bright sun, while enjoying watching roaming cows eat potato peels straight out of discarded cardboard boxes, near the local dump site.

I quickly left town and rode straight seven kilometers away to see a balbal , a turkic-era squat-figured stone statue, covered in khadags (ceremonial silk blue scarfs), situated in the middle of the open steppe, which I was able to find easily since I had copied its exact GPS coordinates from my Mongolia Lonely Planet guidebook.

I was especially surprised to notice that this balbal had long hair, curled behind his ears, an unusual feature for this type of statue in this part of the world...

He also had a disproportionately large head with pronounced eyebrows and deep-set eyes.

Briefly after having shared a cup of tea with this balbal, I went straight to another beautiful ovoo I could spot in the horizon and this is when I came across Mustafa, a Syrian businessman and restaurant owner, who had been living in Mongolia for one year, and who only spoke Arabic and Mongolian.

It felt somewhat like a dream/vision to come across this Syrian gentleman dressed in his robe and his head covered with his traditional keffiyeh, driving a 4x4 vehicle with his Mongol partner by his side, in the middle of the mongolian steppe.

He invited me for lunch at his place, which I regrettably turned down because it would have taken me an additional further 10 kms away from the paved Ondörkhaan-Ulaan Baatar I was finally eager to get to.

Indeed, I had set my mind on covering a minimum of 100kms per day for the next few days, so that I could reach quickly Ulaan Baatar, and be reunited with Gulnara.

A difficult goal for a curious mind as mine, eager to photograph and discover everything I could along the way...

As a matter of fact, a few minutes later, I started noticing hundreds of Mongolian small mouse-like pikas and larger tarbagan (Mongolian marmots), standing straight up in front of each one of their dens, all facing the morning sun and apparently sunbathing. Of course, anytime, I wanted to photograph one, they would disappear in their dens, fearing for their lives.

Rightfully so since right above my head I could now see around thirty eagles flying in a circle, waiting to grab tasty bite-size Pika treats!

So, here I was, desperately trying to photograph elusive pikas and eagles instead of riding...

Oh well... this only meant that in order to reach my 100kms target for the day, and taking into consideration the autumn daily diminishing hours of daylight, I will have to make up the lost time in the evening, wearing my "Tour de France" fluorescent vest and use my powerful Light & Motion Solite 250 headlamp. d

After 10 more kilometers, cutting straight through the open steppe, passing a few stupas, and a small village along the way, I finally landed on the paved Ondörkhan-Ulaan Baatar road, excited to reach asphalt!
This was going to be indeed my first section of paved road after having riden 650 kms on sandy trails!

Along the way, riding through more rolling hills, I stopped at a roadside café to enjoy a Mongolian soup, and a bowl of tsuivan (Mongolian noodle stew) in a town called "Moron", where I quite enjoyed taking pictures at the town road sign, deeply reflecting on all the morons I have come across in my life...

Riding along the way, I continued to notice how Mongol horses often congregate in catch-water tunnels/tubes built under the paved road to escape the sun and mosquitoes.
On this matter, I have also observed how Mongolian horses often walk while constantly shaking their heads up and down, to chase mosquitoes and smaller insects away.

Ahhhh, the smaller bugs... thankfully, those don't bite but I definitely had copious quantity of them covering my bike from time to time and could only protect myself by riding with my face almost completely covered...

I noticed along my way as well teams of road workers living in gers and attempting to amend these infamous dangerous crater-like potholes on this otherwise magnificent paved road.

An interesting feature on each side of the road were also the man-made eagle nests placed every kilometer, made up of tire placed on top of a two meters high metal pole planted in the ground.
I was wondering if Mongolian road workers had placed those on purpose to attract eagles near the road and therefore being able to hunt down the pakis and tarbagan marmots off the road...
Less marmots/pakis "roadkills" could indeed potentially mean greater safety on the road!

Between two road pot holes/"craters", I came across French motorcyclist Julien Dressaire, on his multi-continents 3 years motorcycle journey, who first told me that once I would get in Ulaan Baatar, I should meet him again and stay at the infamous Oasis guesthouse, where a large amount of European and Australian motorcyclists, 4*4, trucks, and very few long-distance cyclists love to stop while touring the capital and waiting for Chinese or Russian visas...

Julien also offered me to camp together in the hills so that we could share road stories but undeterred to fall short of my 100kms for the day and since the sun was starting to set, I decided to push on for the remaining 45kms to go for the day...

At 20:30, in complete darkness, at a mountain pass, having just reached my goal of 100kms on my odometer, I decided to stop, a bit off the road, and pitch my tent.

Mongolia feels indeed a lot safer than riding through Far Eastern Russia, which means that I am a lot less concerned about hiding myself completely when camping at night. I just try to get 1-2 kms off the road in the middle of the open steppe or in a little depression if I can find one, to be out of the truck headlights realm.

So, yes, it was just me, camping safely in the middle of the open steppe, but of course once again lulled through the night by the lullaby of the ever present grazing horses, free roaming and surrounding my tent...

The next morning, Monday Sept 17th, I went down my mountain pass and landed in Jargalthaan where I was offered breakfast (eggs and delicious potatoes) by one café owner, who had been an emigrant in Czech republic, in the early 1990's, amongst 10,000 other Mongols living then in Prague, when Mongolians freed itself from communism.

I discovered that a large amount of Mongols who had moved overseas when they were allowed to leave their country and to search a "better life" were now returning in masses in their homeland, to find work and therefore ride the current Mongolian mining economic boom...

Riding further, I came across bactrian camels (two humps furry mongolian camels) and was amused to see them free roaming in company of horses.

I then climbed three mountain passes which each reached 1650 meters and subsequently dropping down to 1300 meters.
Along my way I continued to be escorted by a flock of beautiful eagles and once saw on the side road a dead beautiful one which I placed on a nearby ovoo in form of an open-air burial).

I also found an old and abandoned Mongolian del which strangely (unless you know me...) I decided to add to my cargo on the bicycle...
A potential authentic Mongolian souvenir I could definitely wear some day!

A few hours later and now pushing through the evening hard rain and strong head wind, I arrived in Tsenharmandal where a drunken mongol motorcyclist ran into my bicycle in a "head collision", breaking my aluminum tubus front rack which I was able to get welded in Ulaan Bataar at a special metal shop specializing in aluminum welding...

Quite frustrated with the matter, I decided to stop for another quick meal (more eggs and potatoes...) and moved on through more rain and head wind until I reached my 100km daily target and once again camped in the darkness, lulled by more free roaming grazing horses...

The next morning, coming down yet another pass, I rode on a 2006 bridge which had been built thanks to Japanese donations and arrived near Bayandelger where I stopped on a curve to eat my lunch while staring at local cows, when I suddenly noticed among them a few beasty mongol yaks intermingling...

In Bayandelger, I stopped at a local café where I was amused to come across two young punk Mongols, coiffed each with a red and purple Mohawk haircut, while riding their horses through town...
An interesting mix of culture which sadly i was not able to catch on film...
I could however enjoy the moment and realize that I was obviously getting closer to the vibrant capital Ulaan Baatar, feeling its influence 100 kms away.

I also started to notice UB's influence when meeting a few Mongol English speakers in the roadside cafés accustomed to dealing with foreigners and spotting along my way, large ger camps who had been set up on mountain flanks to accommodate visiting tourists and city-dwellers on their weekends.

Definitely a change after having cycled two weeks through eastern Mongolia, where I had seen barely any local or foreign tourists.

Further on, I rode along a huge coal quarry, spread a few kilometers long and passed through the village of Erdene as the sun was setting. I climbed then one more 1600 meters high mountain pass, facing the bright headlights of the incoming traffic which made it more difficult to spot the large pot holes in the middle of the road.

Coming down the mountain pass, in a curve, I was surprised to come across local police (which I had not seen on Mongolian roads, since I entered the country, 900 kms away), directing traffic around a crashed small Japanese made car which apparently had rolled a few times to end up in a nearby ditch.

This was definitely a clear reminder on how I need to try to ride safely, coming down this mountain pass, through the fog and darkness while being passed by high-speed cars, crossing free roaming horses and cows and of course dodging incoming crater-size pot holes waiting for me in the middle of the asphalt, just ahead of my front wheel...

At 21h30, after having completed 100kms for the third day straight, I finally landed at Tsonjin Boldog, a hill topped with a huge statue of the great conqueror Chinggis Khan!
I was indeed very excited to arrive at this new monument since Gulnara and I agreed to meet there. She had taken the minivan backwards from Ulaan Baatar earlier in the day in order to come and meet there!

We thought we would have to camp in front of the magestic statue but instead we were kindly invited by the staff at this complex to share a meal and spend the night inside the museum near the world's largest leather boot, a beautiful masterpiece of mongolian craftmanship!

The next morning after having enjoyed the view of the entire valley from inside the statue, and having benefited from a private tour of the ancient bronze collection museum, Gulnara and I had a picnic in front of this grandiose statue. She then proceeded to hitchhike her way back to Ulaan Baatar inside a near-empty minivan while I rode my last 50 kilometers to reach the capital.

Along the way, I stopped near Nalaikh to take advantage of the local roadside tourists attractions such as being able to ride my first Mongolian camel and converse with vultures.

A very touristic, not so ecological, although amusing way to end my journey through eastern mongolia...

Riding the last 20kms through Ulaan Baatar's smoggy and dusty eastern suburb where one can see an intriguing mix of gers, wooden houses and brick buildings, I finally arrived at the Oasis guesthouse, located on the eastern outskirts of the mongolian capital city where Gulnara and I planted our tent in the backyard for the first few days before moving into a ger.

Between my arrival in Ulaan Baatar on Sept 19th and today, October 15th, Gulnara and I met interesting international travelers, expats and local Mongols,

We also took the opportunity to travel with some of the people we met to explore the region, (Ulaan Baatar, Gorkhi Terelj National Park and the Gobi desert) by horse and 4*4 while leaving temporarily the expedition route and our bicycles behind.

We also enjoyed quite a bit of international and local cuisine and visited the bustling capital city in depth: monasteries, museums, markets, parks, Buddhist temples and even spent some time at Ulaan Baatar's Catholic cathedral with Father André, an expatriate catholic priest from Cameroon.

We also spent time watching swiss and french films at a refreshing francophone film festival, partook in a beer-drinking Octoberfest evening with mongols at a german brasserie and enjoyed listening to жонон "Jojo" , a great Mongolian ensemble playing Morin Khuur and other traditional string instruments at a Mongolian rap, hip hop and mostly metal rock festival, we stumbled upon.

Ulaan Baatar

Urlaan Baatar

Ulaan Baatar

We also took the time to repair/replace/amend some of our gear and bicycle.
For this matter, we want to take the opportunity to thank our friends at The Cycling World, a great local bicycle shop as well as the aluminum welder at a local metal shop!

Now, there is so much I would like to write about what I have observed/learned/discovered in Ulaan Baatar, and above all about its 1.2 million urban dwellers which make 40% of the total Mongolian population but at this stage, I really need to stop writing this long post and get going on my bicycle, before it starts getting way colder to ford rivers coming ahead...

So, here I am, departing this intriguing city, going westbound, and taking with me, warm winter gear, and even for the first time, a studded bicycle front tire to potentially help me get some grip while riding on icy Mongolian roads in the weeks to come.

Sadly so, Gulnara's knee has not recovered from her injury and this is why Gulnara cannot join me on this next section. However, wanting to take advantage of her Chinese visa in the meantime, she has decided to travel by train to visit Beijing and northern China, in company of Ruth, a German violin-maker and fellow long-distance traveler, we met in Ulaan Baatar...

Finally, Gulnara and I want to thank the new friends we made in Ulaan Baatar such as Mongolian national railroad employees who went the "extra mile" to help shipping Gulnara's bike and gear back to Moscow, and above all Sibylle and her great Mongolian team at the cozy Oasis guesthouse which definitely was a difficult "oasis" to leave.

Oasis Guesthouse in Ulaan Baatar

Gulnara, Sibylle and Dimitri

баяртай!
Dimitri and Gulnara

Cycling through Eastern Mongolia

noreply@blogger.com (Dimitri Kieffer) — Sat, 08 Sep 2012 07:21:00 +0000

Cycling through Eastern Mongolia

Choibalsan, Dornod Aimag, Mongolia
48° 4′ 302″ N, 114° 31′ 303″ E

804 kms since Chita, Zabaikalsky Krai, Russia

You can now track my progress on the bike HERE!

Yes! We arrived in Mongolia on September 1st 2012 through the border crossing of Solovjovsk/ Erdeenstav.

Prior to that, we had a wonderful experience crossing the Russian buddhist "enclave" Agin Buryat Okrug and now in eastern Mongolia, where we have been able to already see Mongolian camels, marmots, and above all thousands of Zerens (Mongolian gazelles) flying by!

Aginskoye, Agin-Buryat Okrug, Russia
Sharing a cup of Buryat tea with XXIV Pandito Russian Khambo Lama (Damba badmaevich Ayushev)!

Alkhanay National Park
Agin Buryat Okrug, Russia

Zerens (Mongolian Gazelles)

My first 279kms of Mongolian sandy, definitely uncrowded, "road" or should I say trail have indeed been fun although challenging to ride on!

Along the way, I was blessed to meet a few horse/cow/sheep/goat herders who welcomed me into their farms, gers/yurts on several occasions in order to share a meal and/or a night!

Mongol Horse Herder

Mongol Ger/Yurt

I also had along my way an interesting meeting with Chinese nickel miners...

Meeting Nickel Chinese Miners on their breaks...

Gulnara riding in southern Zabaykalsky Krai, Russia

At this stage, however, sadly, Gulnara is not able to ride her bike because she has a Lateral Collateral Ligament (LCL) sprain.

As a result, she regrettably has had to hitch rides along her way with her bike and bags from kind souls (such as Russian gravel truck driver Sergey from Ekaterinburg and German adventurer Carsten Rennecke from Cebra Adventures on his way back from Vladivostok to Germany) in order to be able to continue her journey and meet me at respective points, while I am continuing the route on my bicycle.

We are not quite sure why she has suffered from this injury this year while she was able to ride "pain-free" 2100 kilometers on the infamous "road of bones"/ Kolyma highway from Omsukchan to Yakutsk, and carrying a heavy load last summer!
She definitely hopes to be back on her bicycle as soon as her body allowes!

Injured Gulnara and her bike catching a first ride with Sergey, Ekateringburg gravel truck driver

Injured Gulnara and her bike catching a second ride with German adventurer Carsten Rennecke

I plan to write a complete report and post pictures on my Chita-Ulaan Baatar route once I will get there in about 660 kms...

For the time being, while the weather is nice, I need to push on to be able to meet Gulnara in Ondörkhan, 330 kms away!

Before I go, I would like to mention the latest media related matters:

(In Mongolian) First Mongolian TV Interview: Choibalsan, Dornod Aimag, Mongolia, Sept 5th 2012

(In Russian) Last Russian TV Interview: Borzya, Zabaykalsky Krai, Aug 29th 2012

(In Russian) Chita.ru web interview - Chita, Zabaykalsky Krai, Aug 21st 2012

Finally, as we are departing Choibalsan, we want to thank Tsagaandari Bayarbold and Saraa from Choibalsan, the friendly staff at Chadanguud hotel as well as Kirk and Mendee from Ulaan Bataar for the support they gave us in coordinating logistics during our stay in Choibalsan!

БАЯРТАЙ!!!
Dimitri and Gulnara

МЕДЭЭЛЕЛ - Mongolian Information on Nexus Expedition

noreply@blogger.com (Dimitri Kieffer) — Sat, 08 Sep 2012 03:00:00 +0000

ЧОЙБАЛСАН МИЖИ TV NEWS

Намайг Димитри Киффер гэдэг.

Би франц-америкийн иргэн. Одоо дэлхийг тойрох аялалаар явж байна. Энэ аялал маань АНУ-ын Аляска мужийн Анкоридж хотоос 2005 оны 2 сард эхэлсэн.

Миний аялал Аляска мужийн Анкоридж хотоос Уэльс хуртэл явган эхэлсэн. Тэгээд усан сэлэлт, явган аялал, цанаар Берингийн сувгийг гатлаад ОХУ-ын Уэлэн сууринд 2006 оны 4 сард ирсэн. Цааш ОХУ-ын баруун урд хэсгээр аялаад 2012 оны 11 сард Монгол улсын Хархоринд ирсэн билээ.

Тэгээд Монголд хүйтэн өвлийн улирал эхэлсэн тул аялалаа түр зогсоосон.

Одоо аялаллаа цааш үргэлжлүүлэх хүсэлтэй байгаа тул дахин Монгол улсад ирээд байгаа ба аялалаа Монгол улсын баруун хэсгүүдээр үргэлжлүүлээд цааш Хятад улс руу явахаар төлөвлөсөн байгаа юм.

Би энэ удаа Монгол улсын Хархорин, Арвайхээр, Баянхонгор, Алтай гэсэн чиглэлээр дугуйгаар аялаад Булган-Такашикэн хилийн боомтоор Хятад улс руу нэвтрэхийг хүсч байна.

Та бухэнтэй танай хэлээр ойлголцож чадахгуйг минь уучилна уу?

Бидний хэлний бэрхшээл биднийг ойлголцоход саад болохгуй гэдэгт найдаж байна.

Та бухэнд туслацаа дэмжэг узуулсэнд гун талархлаа илэрхийлье!

New Nexus Expedition Route will go through Chile!

noreply@blogger.com (Dimitri Kieffer) — Mon, 27 Aug 2012 15:13:00 +0000

Tsugol, Agin Buriat Okrug
N51 02.781 E115 37.606
300kms since Chita, Zabaykalsky Krai, Russia

While currently riding through the picturesque buddhist enclave Agin Buriat Okrug in the Russian Federation, and approaching Mongolia, I have finally decided to announce the future Nexus route, which will go through Chile!

Nexus Expedition Future Route with two antipodes
(Mongolia & Chile)

Indeed, in order to comply with the current definition of a Human Powered True Circumnavigation , my future route needs to reach two antipodes (two diametrically opposite places on earth).

I have studied the antipode map for quite some time and have decided that the two most logical points, in accordance with my current route are:

1st antipode: N 47 8979 E 106.6470
Location: West of Ulan Bataar, Mongolia, which I plan to reach in the next few weeks.

2d antipode: S47 8979 W73.3529
Location: Caleta Yungay, southern Chile, which I plan to reach in the next few years.

Nexus Expedition Route
1st and 2d Antipodes

Needless to say that this additional loop into South America is definitely going to add a substantial amount of biking time to the expedition.

Well, on this note, let's keep going and enjoy the ride!

Dimitri Kieffer

Nexus Expeditions

Departing Chita, Zabaykalski Krai

noreply@blogger.com (Dimitri Kieffer) — Mon, 20 Aug 2012 16:59:00 +0000

Chita, Zabaykalski Krai, Russian Federation

52° 1′ 8″ N 113° 30′ 8″ E

After having completed 2081 kms since Yakutsk in 30 cycling days, I was excited to arrived in Chita on Tuesday Aug 14th 2012.

In Chita, I was reunited with Gulnara, and we are about to embark on a long ride on our bicycles all across Buryat and Mongol steppes.

Together, we have decided to modify our route in order to be able to visit the Agin-Buryat Okrug and therefore spend some time hopefully experiencing the Buryat culture.

With this new route, going southeast out of Chita, we will also be able to experience Eastern Mongolia where we expect to see grasslands, forests and hopefully historical sights.

Click here to read more information about the revised route.

Revised 2012 Route
Going Southeast out of Chita, towards Agin Buryat Okrug and Eastern Mongolia

Since leaving Never (Amurskaya Oblast), over the last 1000kms of rolling hills, and steppes, I have been able to truly enjoy the recently completed M58 Amur highway through Amurskaya oblast and Zabaykalsky krai.

On the challenging side, I had to deal over the last 400kms with a very wobbly rear wheel, which on every hill was brushing against my chain while riding in lower gear.
This was the result of a faulty repair I made in Neryungri with my friend Sasha, when we replaced inadequately three broken spokes on my rear wheel, placing them from the "wrong side" of the wheel.
The idea of parking my bike in a specific town while finding my way to Chita to replace the wheel crossed my mind on several occasions, but I decided that I should push through this one, and grind my teeth...
Thankfully, this has been repaired in Chita, and my rear wheel is now "almost back to Day One"...

While riding my bike, I was also able to watch an incredible amount of Japanese and Chinese new/used vehicles passing by while being transported from Vladivostok, Khabarovsk and Blagoveshensk to Western and Central Russia.
Fast Cars, 4*4, trucks, buses, mini-buses, cranes, bulldozers, concrete mixing trucks, jetskis, boats, etc...
You name it, it's here!
All being whisked away during the summer months to satisfy the craving needs of western and central russian consumers!

However, the Russian government is currently actively trying to fight this Sino-Japanese invasion, by:
- increasing the amount of tariff on imported cars and goods.
- shipping eastbound Russian made Vehicles

Indeed, I was also able to witness in Yerofey Pavlovich (Amurskaya Oblast), thanks to a special program put in place by Russian President Vladimir Putin, how entire battalions of UAZ are being shipped out of Ulyanosk, in Western Russsia to Yerofey Pavlovich in Eastern Russia, cost-free, in order to be disseminated throughout the Siberian and Russian Eastern Far East, all the way from Irkustk to Magadan!

I was also able to continue to enjoy watching american, european and asian used large trucks living out their "retirement" to the fullest on russian highways.
Nothing amuses me more than being passed in the middle of Zabaykalsky Krai, by a large truck still placarded with huge banners stating:
"Without Trucks, America stops." or "Blablabla: The smart way to cross the channel."

I also noticed on this new highway, a few individuals driving at normal or high speed, recently crashed vehicles that have been more or less re-assembled with duct tape and else, often without any windshield whatsoever.
This does not seem to be a major problem since there seems to be almost no police officers patrolling this 1000km route...

I once noticed two men sitting completely quiet in a "freshly" very damaged vehicle.
I stopped and asked if everything was OK and if I could help them in any form.
They responded very politely and calmly how thankful they were for me to stop and ask, but no, they did not need any help...
I carry on pedaling my bike and reflecting on russian stoicism and pride...

While crossing the Zabaykalsky Krai, I also had to exerce a certain amount of precaution while crossing a few specific towns, not venturing at night, and camping hidden, away from villages.
Indeed, a few solo foreign motorcyclists have been robbed/killed/shot/stabbed/burnt over the last few years in the region, by desperate souls, ex-inmates of some of the numerous local prisons.

I only met a few "unsavory characters" in two villages, including one who expected me to pay for the "damage" I made on his new Japanese vehicle by touching it with my hand...
A long story...

However, I must say that overall, Amurskaya Oblast and Zabaykalski Krai inhabitants treated me very well!

For example, I was able to receive kind hospitaly from road workers/dorozhniks in Urusha and Yerofey Pavlovich, from gold miners in Klyuchievsky, from Tajik restaurant owners in Chernyshevsk, and from apiarists near Chita!

I also received a large amount of gifts from locals and curious drivers passing by, such as Ukha homemade soup from the Sakhalin island, pine cones full of tasty pine nuts, halva, fresh milk, homemade jam, fresh honey, wild berries, cucumbers freshly picked from dachas and a huge box of Japanese wet tissues ...

I also enjoyed countless meals, fried eggs, goulashes, Bortsch/Solyanka soups in affordable stalovyas and cafés.

I spent my nights over the last few weeks once again in a wide selection of venues: in my tent hidden between trees, in ravines, near catchwater drains/tunnels under the highway, very near active wooden bee hives, in a backyard of a stalovaya, in a farm surrounded by pigs, sheeps, "unsavory characters" and chickens, tucked between 2 gold miners in one single large bed inside a cozy small cabin on a very rainy day, in the sleeping cabin of a Kamaz truck, in dorozhnik/road worker camps and even treated myself to a few small gastinitse/hotels...

On the road, I met Russian Cyclist Evgeny Ostapenko on his way from Abakan to Vladivostok whom I was able to convince to start cycling the Kolyma "Road of Bones" from Magadan to Yakutsk in early September and also met German cyclist Philip Haupt on his way from Koln to Vladivostok.

Once I arrived in Chita, reunited with Gulnara, we spent six days, tuning/repairing bikes & gear, touring the city (interesting museums on Zabaykalsky Krai and Decembrists, orthodox churches, two buddhist temples, a mosque and an old synagogue, a few tasty "poznaya" buryat restaurants), meeting journalists and new friends, taking countless pictures of beautiful wooden framed windows, drinking mineral water at the spring and even recording some French rap!

Finally, while in Chita, we were able to conduct a few TV and web interviews.

I hope to be able to post pictures and TV interviews in the next few days, as soon as I get more internet bandwith.

In the meantime, you can find the following two Russian TV interviews at:

Russia 1 TV Chita

Zabmedia.ru (The Interview starts at 2m 0s).

and web interview at Chita.ru

Finally, as we are leaving Chita, we want to thank our new Chitinsky friends for their kind hospitaly, especially Erizhan and his posse, Timothy and Natasha, Shuruk, the All Native rap musicians, Pavel and the crew at Trial-sport bike shop, and journalists Nikita, Ilya and Andrei.

Poka!
Dimitri and Gulnara

Riding in Chita, Zabaykalski Krai, Russia

In Never! Although, not quite Never Neverland...

noreply@blogger.com (Dimitri Kieffer) — Wed, 01 Aug 2012 16:54:00 +0000

Never, Amur Oblast
N 54 ° 00.574, E 124 °10.904
Wed Aug 1st 2012
8th day, 385 kms since Neryungri
Temperature rising today up to 36 degrees celsius (97F).

Very excited to say that I have completed tonight my journey cycling through the infamous M56 Lena Highway!
I can now revel in some serious asphalt!
990kms of it until I reach Chita, Zabaykalski Krai, on the M58 highway which was just completed in September 2010.

Kola welding back my bike centerstand

Before leaving Tynda, I thankfully got the help of yet another Tynda darojnik named "Kola" who welded back efficiently my Rolling Jack Ass centerstand on to my bike frame!

Then I was able to "enjoy" a nice and rough section of 166 kms of gravel road, (except for a fantastic 6km section of pure beautiful asphalt, built last year to ease a gnarly mountain pass), ate at a stalova/café ran by uzbeks, niched on top of a mountain pass, camped one night deep in the woods and treated myself to a gastinitse/"hotel" in Solov'yësk, on my 2d night where a georgian armenian ukrainian russian man named "leon" treated me to some wonderful homemade Georgian food!

On my way, I also continued to meet welcoming darojniks/road workers inviting me for tea, the intriguing italian hitchhiker Clem on his way from Magadan to Rome and countless Uzbek truck drivers trying the best they can to amend their broken trucks in order for them to return to their homeland and pick up their next valuable cargo of delicious uzbek fruits and vegetables and return to the Far Eastern Russian market...

Finally, I am very very happy to report that I continue to receive great support from the Darojnik/road builder community!

Indeed, tonight, I am once again invited to stay in a darojnik base, this one named "брус", mostly inhabited by 140 Tatar and Russian men, relocated in this base for 6 months from Naberezhnye Chelny, in Tatarstan, Kamaz homeland!
Pretty amazing base to say the least where I could experience a great banya, a tasty stalova, impeccable sleeping quarters, laundry facilities, a sport complex, incredible gravel making machines and above all this impressive 35 meters high German Benninghoven asphalt mixing plant which can put out 128 tons of asphalt per hour, definitely more than my heart can hold...

Talking of which, I now need to go get some sleep, so that I can enjoy some of that bling-bling asphalt tomorrow morning before the temperature rises again in the mid thirties (celsius)!

Hell Yeah!
Give me some 60% downhill anytime!

River "Maliki On On"
"Little On On"
This one is for my hasher friends...

Old Tynda
Notice the beautiful swans!

Nature Morte

No towing trucks in sight
So... You asked your Uzbek colleagues to help you!
есть безопасное путешествие

Team Work!

Spare bolts, anyone?

Handmade hitch

On my way to Never!

Ahhh, L'Amour!

noreply@blogger.com (Dimitri Kieffer) — Sun, 29 Jul 2012 21:55:00 +0000

Amour! Toujours l'Amour!

Tynda, Amur Oblast, Russian Federation
55° 08′ 132″ N, 124° 43′ 856″ E

219 kms completed since I left Neryungri in Yakutia on Wednesday July 25th.
Pedaled through hard rain, hot sunny afternoons, a few mountain passes,the Evenki village of Iyengra where I was offered fresh blueberries.
Enjoyed three lovely nights in my tent listening for any potential approaching bears/creatures, met quite a few new intriguing characters on the road, trainspotted countless coal trains, watched large boats zooming by on trailers, passed beautiful landscapes and was photographed in company of more wedding parties. I was also passed by my first cyclist, Sean Hardley, on his long course.

Finally, after having crossed Chukotka, Kamchatka, Magadanskaya, Sakha Republic/Yakutia, I am pleased to say that I have arrived in my 5th Russian province/state: "L'oblast d'Amour" - Amur Oblast.

On my 4th day, I arrived in Tynda, the BAM (Baikal-Amur Mainline) Headquarters.
Flanked by low-lying, pine covered hills, Tynda definitely shows off its Soviet roots! It was indeed a shack village before BAM centralised its efforts in this location in 1974.

In Tynda, I took a day off to:
- enjoy a great riverside shashlik diner with my darojnik friends where I learned about the "art of making proper painted road white lines."

- walk and walk around the town, trekking along the river side, the hills and the market where I noticed a large amount of Chinese immigrants coming to sell their entire country in doses of minuscule and larger manufactured goods.

- enjoy the local banya!

I am now planning to depart Tynda as soon as I would have found a way to properly weld back my bike centerstand which fell through in this last section...

Finally, I want to thank my darojnik/road worker friends Igor and Tamara Kovalev who took the time to welcome me so kindly and let me stay in their road-workers base/HQ for the entire weekend!

Poka and yes, let me go through more Amur!

The Big Dummy with a working centerstand!

Camping
Out of Sight - Out of Mind...

Posing...

Rolling hills and more rolling hills

Boats zooming by!

Sean Hardley on "thelongcourse.com"

Evenki picking blueberries

Unfortunate truck drivers camping for the night.

Nature Morte

Coal Trains coming down from Neryungri

Southern Yakut landscape

Approaching Amur Oblast!

Tynda locals washing carpets by the river

Broken center stand which hopefully can be welded back

Mainland Chinese selling mainland bicycles

Soviet proud Tynda

Farewell to my father...

noreply@blogger.com (Dimitri Kieffer) — Tue, 24 Jul 2012 17:26:00 +0000

Neryungri, Sakha Republic / Yakutia, Russia
56° 40′ 24″ N, 124° 42′ 51″ E

I am now back in Russia to continue my human powered expedition, after having taken one month hiatus in France to wish my 77 years old father Henri Kieffer a last farewell after his tragic death on June 19th 2012.

So, after been through a difficult month, to say the least, I am now trying to gather my thoughts so that I can start riding my bicycle southbound later today out of the southern Sakha/Yakut coal mining town of Neryungri.

Before leaving Neryungri, I want to deeply thank Sasha, Lyuba, Genna and Anna Kudyarov who have been so kind to me, welcoming me in their home and helping me during these difficult times.

I apologize for the delay to anyone I have recently promised to post new Nexus Expeditions pictures and/or related stories. I will post these as soon as I can clearly do so.

For the time being, let me go and ride...

Extrait du journal Andelysien "L'Impartial" - 20 Juin 2012

"Henri,
Mon père, le docteur, le mari, le frère, le beau-père, le beau-frère, le papi, le parrain, l’oncle, le grand oncle, le témoin de mariage, l’ami, le grand ami, le scout, le moujik, le Papa Sum, le nageur, le skieur, le plongeur, le kayakiste, le pilote d’avion, le pilote de planeur, le capitaine de voilier, l’étudiant en médecine de 3^e cycle, le voyageur, le croyant, le grand cinéphile, le grand amateur de scrabble et de puzzle, l’avide lecteur, l’amateur de politiques, le fana du tour de France, le collectionneur de santons, de mignonettes, de livres et de tant de souvenirs…

Bref, le bon vivant.

Un homme avec lequel nous avons eu, je pense, tous le plaisir de partager des bon morceaux de vie.
Des moments forts, parfois plein de tendresse et parfois même de foudre slave, mais malgré tout des vrais moments de vie.

Je voudrais que vous en gardiez en vous l’image d’un homme qui avait en lui une énergie et une soif de vie extraordinaire et non celle des dernières années et surtout des derniers mois où il devenait rapidement l’ombre de lui-même.
Car ça, je sais, il ne le supporterait pas, tout comme il n’a pas pu supporter de voir son propre feu fuguant s’amoindrir si rapidement.

J'espère simplement qu'à présent, il puisse trouver la paix et le repos auprès de ses parents, ses frères et soeur, ses amis, et sa première femme Magdeleine."

DK - Les Andelys, Juin 2012

Flying back to France

noreply@blogger.com (Dimitri Kieffer) — Wed, 20 Jun 2012 01:23:00 +0000

Neryungri, Sakha Republic/ Yakutia, Russia
56° 40′ 24″ N, 124° 42′ 51″ E
Wednesday June 20th, 2012

This morning, as I was preparing to leave Neryungri, Sakha Republic/Yakutia to proceed further south on my bicycle, I was just informed of some tragic news impacting my family.

As a result, I have decided to take the first flight out of Neryungri to Paris (via Moscow and Vienna).

I am leaving in Neryungri in company of my dear friends Sasha and Luba Kudiyarovi, my bicycle and gear.

Not quite sure at this time, when I will be able to return to Neryungri.

Peace!
Dimitri

Sports of Yakutia and Explorersweb interviews

noreply@blogger.com (Dimitri Kieffer) — Tue, 19 Jun 2012 07:36:00 +0000

In late May 2012, while in Yakutsk, I had the pleasure to conduct a few additional interviews while preparing my bicycle, sorting my gear, and planning my route.

Here are the ones that are currently available:

(In English) - May 31st 2012
ExWeb interview with Dimitri Kieffer: lessons from a bicycle saddle
Sharing advice/tips on how to cycle in Far Eastern Russia.
Interview conducted by South African Journalist Correne Erasmus-Coetzer.

(In Russian) - June 15th 2012
Yakutia24.ru Photo Reportage
A random collection of Nexus Expedition pictures taken between 2006 and 20011 in Alaska and Far Eastern Russia.
Posted in Yakutsk by Journalist Ilya Mojarov.

(In Russian) - June 14th 2012
СПОРТ ЯКУТИИ ("Sports of Yakutia" newspaper)
Interview conducted in Yakutsk by journalist Ilya Mojarov.

Departing Aldan, Sakha Republic, Russia

noreply@blogger.com (Dimitri Kieffer) — Mon, 11 Jun 2012 00:45:00 +0000

Current Location:
Aldan, Sakha Republic/ Yakutia, Russia
N 58 ̊ 36.519

E 125 ̊ 24.233

June 11th 2012
Starting my 10th day
535kms completed since Yakutsk

I was finally able to depart Yakutsk early morning on Saturday June 2d 2012.
I covered my first 535kms in 7 days, progressively moving South on the rocky Lena Highway M 56 until I arrived in the gold mining center of Aldan.

Along the way, I was blessed to meet and share meals/nights already with some interesting characters such as: Leonid, the Sakha wood carver; Boris, the timberjack operator; Aleg, the stranded truck driver and many more.

Even got the pleasure to operate a Forwarder Timberjack myself...
Quite a change from my bicycle, I must say!

Once I arrived in Aldan, I was welcomed by the Kokorin and Dudko families who took the time to show me the best of Aldan.
I want to thank Nikolai Dudko and Sergei Kokorin for having persuaded me to spend the weekend in their town, where I was able to learn more about their lives, families, crashed a wedding and even attended a multi-ethnic festival to celebrate this "Meeting Holiday" (Националбный праздник " Бакалдым") with Evenks, Sakah, Kyrgyz, Ukrainians and Russians.

For the time being, I want to take opportunity of this great weather and ride south towards Neryungri, where I will hopefully take the time to sit down to write and post a few pictures to share a bit my ride through southern Yakutia...

Poka!

New Nexus Trailer Video and Ready to Blast Off!

noreply@blogger.com (Dimitri Kieffer) — Wed, 30 May 2012 13:01:00 +0000

After having spent the last week in Yakutsk, solving different logistical issues, I must say that I am now finally ready to BLAST OFF out of the Republic of Sakha!

But, before, anything else, let me share with you the following video:

2012 Nexus Expeditions Trailer - Promotional Video

It is a short concoction of some of the videos, Gulnara and I have shot on the trail over the years and that were edited by our friends at 1iOpen Productions.
Enjoy!

Now, yes, I am indeed, planning to finally blast off tomorrow out of Yakutsk, Yakutia/Sakha Republic, Thursday May 31st, with hopefully a a truly healthy bicycle!

Over the last few days, with the help of my local friend Kyril Popov at Stark Yakutsk, we have modified my Surly Big Dummy to make it as robust as possible so that it can sustain the upcoming challenging 2240 kms between Yakutsk and Chita, with the first 1000 kms unpaved.

We have replaced the broken free wheel hub, a worn out cassette, two of the chain rings.
We have also repaired disk breaks, installed a mighty rolling jack ass centerstand (from our friends at Haulin’ Colin) and wide loaders from our friends at Xtracycle.

Kyril Popov’s father, Volodya Popov intrigued by the new contraption, asked me last night how fast I thought I was expecting to fly with these "new wings" on my long crocodile.
No idea yet, but I am about to find out!

So, at first, I am planning to get back as quickly as I can to the point where I last stopped in October 12th 2011, when my free wheel hub broke 150 kilometers south of Yakutsk, on the M56 highway, at the following location: N60̊ 56.186 E128̊ 44.982
between Katchiktasi and Ulu, Republic of Sakha, Yakutia, Russia.

Getting Back to 2012 starting point: Km 150 marker on M56

From there, I will proceed further south towards Aldan, Neryungri, Never and Chita, 2230 kms away, where I will hopefully be joined by Gulnara to continue our journey towards Mongolia.

Yakutsk - Chita - Ulan Bataar Nexus Route

At this time I would like to say goodbye and a big THANK YOU to our friends in Yakutsk that have so kindly welcomed Gulnara and I in last October 2012 as well as having welcomed me this last week:
Popov family, Arbugaev family @ Chochur Muran, Platonova family, Bolot Bochkarev and Egor Fedorov.

Thank you all for the help and having taken the time to share with me a slice of your Sakha life!
Hopefully, our paths will cross again!

Finally, before departing, I would like to take a moment to thank all of my current 2012 sponsors for their support and in particular my friends at: Egan Associates, Ibex, Ortlieb USA, Westcomb, Light and Motion, Universal Distro, Lärabar, Nuun, 1iOpen Productions, Avia Partner/авиа-партнер, Xtracycle, GoPro, Human Edge Technology, Davis Sign company, Free Range Cycles, Stark Yakutsk, Rite in the Rain and Rolling Jack Ass!

РУССКАЯ ВЕРСИЯ

noreply@blogger.com (Dimitri Kieffer) — Tue, 29 May 2012 14:00:00 +0000

Обогнуть вокруг земного шара за счет мускульной силы человека, соединяя различные общества, цивилизации и ландшафты

ДИМИТРИ КИФФЕР
ИСТОРИЯ ЭКСПЕДИЦИИ (2005-2011)
ЗНАЧЕНИЕ СЛОВА НЕКСУС "NEXUS"
ПОДРОБНОСТИ БУДУЩЕГО МАРШРУТА
СПОНСОРЫ ЭКСПЕДИЦИИ

ФОТОАЛЬБОМЫ:
август-сентябрь 2011 г. (п.Омсукчан-Якутск)
фотоальбом Blurb Book "Nexus Expeditions cycling throught Magadan oblast and Republic of Sakha-Yakutia"
скриншоты "В движении" (весна 2011)
фотогалерея газеты "Seattle Times" (весна 2011)
весна 2010
весна 2008
пересечение Берингова пролива (весна 2006)

ВИДЕО:
промо-видео " Nexus Expeditions" 2012, снятое из видео кадров в течении всей экспедиции (видеомонтаж наших друзей: компании 1iOpen Productions)

ТВ ИНТЕРВЬЮ:
октябрь 2011 Интервью НВК "Саха" (Якутск)
10 октября 2011 Интервью ГТРК "Саха" (Якутск)
февраль 2011 Интервью ГТРК "Магадан. Россия 1"
7 июня 2010 ТВ Интервью "Вести Камчатка" (Петропавловск-Камчатский)
март 2010 Интервью Чукотскому ТВ
май 2008 Интервью Чукотскому ТВ в г.Анадырь

ПРЕССА:
AARTUK.RU ноябы 2011 (Якутск)

детский журнал "Колокольчик", октябрь 2011 (Якутск)

газета "ProГород",21 октября 2011 (Казань)
газета "ProГород", 24 октября 2011 (Казань)
Информационное агенство "Татар-Информ",октябрь 2011 (Казань)
ГТРК "САХА",10 октября 2011 (Якутск)
газета "Якутия",октябрь 2011 (Якутск)
газеты"Якутск вечерний", "Наше время",октябрь 2011 (Якутск)
блог Павла Яшкина, сентябрь 2009
votpusk.ru 13 апреля 2006
Lenta Ru 5 апреля 2006

При желании ознакомиться с дополнительной и более подробной информацией об экспедиции, вы можете просмотреть сайт на английском языке и использовать автоматический перевод на русский язык, нажав в правом углу в "Translate this page!" на маленький российский флажок.

СПОНСОРЫ ЭКСПЕДИЦИИ

noreply@blogger.com (Dimitri Kieffer) — Tue, 29 May 2012 12:00:00 +0000

За время экспедиции от Анкориджа (Аляска, США) до Якутска (Россия), покрыв расстояние более 7000 км за шесть зим и одно лето (пешком, вплавь, на лыжах, на велосипеде), я очень высоко оценил и научился полагаться на качественные продукты наших спонсоров.

Я планирую продолжать выбирать и максимально использовать эти продукты в ближайшие годы, а также рекомендую и вам попробовать эти товары и услуги!

Спонсоры 2012

Езда на велосипеде:

Egan & Associates

Ibex Outdoor Clothing
Ortlieb USA
Westcomb Outerwear
Light & Motion
Universal Distro (Eyewear)
Xtracycle
Rolling Jack Ass (centerstand)
Free Range Cycles (Seattle)
Stark (Yakutsk)

Питание и витамины:

LÄRABAR

NUUN Active Hydration

Логистика:

1iOpen Productions (Video editing)

Avia Partner - Авиа-Партнер (Cargo air transport)
Dominique Blachon (French Translation)
Dr Alessandro Vincenti (Dentist)
Chochur Moran - Чочур Муран (Logistics in Yakutsk)
Jude Ultra (Logo Design)

Механизмы:

GoPro
Human Edge Tech
Satellite Phone Store
Evernew Titanium Cookware
Gregory Mountain Products
Davis Sign Company
Rite in the Rain - All weather writing paper
Second Ascent
Waypoint Outdoor
Suunto
ACR Electronics
Solio
Batteries Plus +

Предыдущие спонсоры (2005-2011):

Atlas snowshoes
Baffin - Impact Boots
Treksta footwear
Valandré
Teko Socks
ESS Goggles
Trailstove - Woodburning stove
АЛЬП ЕДА
Backpacker's Pantry
Kulu Safaris (Magadan region)
Power Film solar
Pro Ski Service Seattle
Mountain House
Snowsled
Bering Air
Chukotka Discovery
Montrail
Julbo eyewear
Morovision Night Vision
Seattle Running Company
Frontier Airlines
The North Face
Acapulka Sleds
McMurdo Emergency Location Beacons
Beaver Sports, Fairbanks AK
Apocalypse Design, Fairbanks AK
Eastside Physical Therapy
Radio Shack (Lithium batteries)
Lynden International Logistics

Test from Yakutsk

noreply@blogger.com (Dimitri Kieffer) — Tue, 29 May 2012 07:49:00 +0000

Current Location:
Kyril Popov's bike shop
(WWW.stark.sakha.market.ru)
Yakutsk, Sakha Republic, Russia
Current location:
N 62° 00.753
E 129° 38.948

This is simply a quick post done by satellite phone from yakutsk, Russia to test the equipment before being able to depart soon and resume the expedition.

Poka!
Dimitri

Yakutsk TV and Children Magazine interviews

noreply@blogger.com (Dimitri Kieffer) — Tue, 29 May 2012 04:19:00 +0000

While I am back in Yakutsk, Sakha Republic, Russia, I have been able to obtain copies of additional interviews in the Russian language, Gulnara and I conducted back in October 2011.

In addition, you can view here: the previous interviews that were conducted in October 2011 and have already been posted.

Additional interviews that have been conducted this week in Russian and Sakha/Yakut languages will be added as well when they become available.

Sooo, here are the new pieces for the Russian listeners/viewers:

TV interviews:
- ГТРК САХА - GTRK Sakha TV - Yakutsk - Oct 10, 2011 (in Russian)

- НВК САХА - NVK Sakha TV - Yakutsk - Oct 10, 2011 (In Russian)
This 2d TV interview was tailored for a children TV program.

Children Magazine Interview:

КОЛОКОЛЬЧИК Oct 2012

This was our first interview for a children magazine and I must say that we were quite excited to share our story in writing with a younger audience, (as we have done in the past in numerous school presentations), hopefully motivating some of them, if they can, to go out and enjoy their surroundings while walking, skiing ,rowing or riding a bike!

Nexus Expedition 1st "Coffee Table Book" & Radio Canada Interview

noreply@blogger.com (Dimitri Kieffer) — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 02:43:00 +0000

A few months ago, Gulnara gave me a colorful "Coffee Table Book" which she had created, selecting and compiling a large amount of the photos we took last summer between Omsukchan (Magadanskaya Oblast) and Yakutsk (Sakah Republic - Yakutia).

Feel free to peruse through the pictures on line in the preview mode.
Here is the English version of this book.

Voici la version Française de ce livre

On March 22d 2012, I had the pleasure to conduct a French interview for Radio Canada.

Feel free to listen to the short interview here:

Interview pour Radio Canada du 22 Mars 2012

Planning to leave Seattle on April 22d and progressively return to Yakutsk where Gulnara and I will start cycling around May 15th as I mentioned in my last post.

Cheers!

Dimitri

Back in Yakutsk in early May 2012!

noreply@blogger.com (Dimitri Kieffer) — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 05:31:00 +0000

We are currently planning our return in Yakutsk in mid May and to be able to continue the expedition where we last stopped in November 2011.

We plan to start cycling southwest out of Yakutsk towards China, Mongolia, Kazakhstan and further on.

We will be posting soon:

- a brand new website to supplement the information posted here.

- a new Nexus expedition video tease.
- additional collection of pictures taken in 2011.

- new radio / TV interviews.

- an updated list of our current supportive sponsors.

- potential details on our future route.

- information on what we have been planning/ whom we have been meeting.

We are definitely excited to be back on the trail very soon!

Stay tuned!

Dimitri Kieffer & Gulnara Miftakhova

Summary on Aug-Oct 2011 section completed

noreply@blogger.com (Dimitri Kieffer) — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 19:18:00 +0000

On August 13th, Gulnara Miftakhova and I left Omsukchan in Magadanskaya Oblast on our bicycles. We started riding in Omsukchan because it is where I had last stopped human-powered circumnavigation of the globe in May 2011, after having crossed Alaska, the Bering Strait, Chukotka and Kamchatka by foot, snowshoes and skis.

Gulnara and I rode 1962 kilometers on unpaved Far Eastern Russian "highways".

We started with the mountainous Omsukchan road for the first 250 kilometers until we joined the M 56 Kolyma Highway aka "Road of Bones".
Click here to see a google map of the "Road of Bones".
This first section was a a busy, dusty, dangerous narrow road where we were passed by countless trucks coming in/out of Omsukchan and Ducat silver and gold ore mines.

We then rode 1712 kilometers on the M56 Kolyma Highway through Magadanskaya Oblast and the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia).

We decided to go with the "new" road and forgo the "old" road between Kadykchan and Kyubyume (even if it meant an additional 110 kms of cycling for our route), because we received reports from travelers who tried and failed to take the old route in landcruisers/kamaz and motorcycles from both sides (Kadykchan and Kyubyume) and told us that at this time of the year (early September) the rivers were way too high and too furious to cross/ford safely on bikes and/or by foot.

We arrived in Nizhny Bestyakh, Friday night Sept 30th, on our 49th day, after having completed 1962 "official" kilometers since Omsukchan.

Our 49 days journey included:

42 cycling days from Omsukchan to Yakutsk (Nishny Bestyakh) and our row across the Aldan river!

7 visiting/socializing/resting days which we took along the way to:

* visit gold and coal mines, interesting museums, gulag ruins, meteorologist stations, road construction settlements, a dairy farm and a fire station.

* take the time to connect with interesting characters, making countless new friends along our way: road builders, gold and coal miners, truck drivers, arctic permafrost researchers, firemen, museum keepers, journalists, mini bus drivers, photographers, meteorologists, hunters, fishermen, musicians, a portuguese motorcyclist and a travelling British adventurous couple in their 4*4.

Click here to see more pictures relating to this section of our journey.

We arrived in Nishniy Bestyah after having completed 1962 "official" kilometers on our bicycles since Omsukchan.

However, our unofficial count is closer to 2100 kilometers completed between Omsukchan and Yakutsk according to Gulnara's cycle computer and taking into account all the additional kilometers we rode in/out/around villages, and including the section between Nishniy Bestyah and Yakutsk.

Omsukchan (Magadanskaya) - Nizhny Bistyekh/ Yakutsk (Yakutia)

Gulnara and I then spent 10 days visiting Yakutsk in company of friends.

Gulnara decided to stop in Yakutsk (as she had originally planned) and flown back to Moscow.

I chose to continue further south on the Lena Highway (M56) because:
-my Russian visa was allowing me to stay until November 1st and I wanted to make the most use out of it.

-I was hoping to be able to ride the Lena highway as a zimnik/winter "ice" road (October forecast: from -20C at night to +5c daytime) which could have been easier than in Spring when torrential rains will probably turn the entire road into a beautiful "mud cake"...

- The world not being so small and I still hope to complete my circumnavigation of the planet some day, I needed to make progress while I could...

I departed on Sunday October 10th and had to stop 3 days later after having completed 150 kilometers because of a mechanical failure.

Taking into consideration how long it was going to take to repair my bike with a new and more robust freewheel hub, able to sustain my cargo weight and the Lena Highway (M56)'s abuse, and the fact that my Russian visa was bound to expire on November 1st, I decided that it was indeed time for me to stop the Nexus Expedition for 2011.

Nizhny Bestyakh to KM150 marker on Lena Highway(Republic of Sakha, Yakutia)

I am now planning to return in Spring 2012 to continue this journey, probably sometimes in the late March-April 2012 time frame, when hopefully the weather will be the most appropriate to get this challenging Yakutsk-Neryungri section done.

My girlfriend Gulnara Miftakhova still has the next few months to ponder on when and where she will join me in Spring/Summer 2012 on my route to continue future sections of Nexus Expeditions.

Poka!

Dimitri Kieffer & Gulnara Miftakhova

Nexus Expedition Photo Albums

noreply@blogger.com (Dimitri Kieffer) — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 05:00:00 +0000

If you would like to see Nexus Expedition Photo Albums, please feel free to consult the following:

Blurb Book - Summer 2011 Pictures

Summer 2011 Cycling Pictures

Summer 2011 Video Screenshots

Spring 2011 "Action" video screenshots

Spring 2011 Seattle Times newspaper Photo Gallery

Spring 2010 Skiing Pictures

Spring 2008 Chukotka shots

Spring 2006 Bering Strait Crossing

More pictures will be progressively added over the weeks to come!

Thank you!