Away From Here: Ireland to somewhere...

sijohnston

sijohnston

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I've jacked in my job and am leaving northern Ireland next month, heading east. Once out of Europe, Kazakhstan, Mongolia and Siberia are certainly on the list, beyond that...who knows? Have a blog set up for it at http://www.awayfromhere.org, or will attempt to update here too, if you're interested in checking in. It'll be a ride report of sorts, but with some of my other interests thrown in for good measure.

I hope it keeps you sufficiently entertained. In the meantime, I'll be posting some random stuff and prep detail.

Thanks for those who've already offered accommodation and kit. Knowing that there's such solidarity beyond the head nod or wave on the road makes contemplating such a trip a little more comforting! ;) :aidan
 

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cheers tim. that didn't take long! your inspiration gets a mention in the opening gambit. thanks again for the advice. am using david @ stantours and travcour as recommended. fingers crossed the docs all come through soon. :thumb
 
Yes, a nervous time waiting for all the paperwork:eek:
We picked our passports up in Dover 30mins before the ferry:D
 
Nice one Si. :thumb2

All the best for your journey.

Blog bookmarked. I will be following your blog from here and the US. :)
 
Hi Si
pig sick jealous mate, good luck on the trip:D







Although noticed your on an 800, so not intending to go that far then:augie
 
keepin' tabs, Si. Good luck.

I hope I don't see you !!!......but I'll be in
Crete in September on the off chance.

gordo'
 
admire your balls

Fella,

I have a sofa /spare bed in South London right 2 minutes from the A2 if you need some where to spend the night on route to Dover. Good luck.
 
Horizons Unlimited

I've been asked to give a presentation on my trip at the forthcoming HU gig in Enniskillen. I laughed when I was asked given my previous post and also and more importantly, I've not done the trip yet. Now I've not been to many adventure trip presentations, and the only ones I have had the chance to listen to were at the BMW Motorrad Days in Garmisch in 2008, and they were by Herbert Schwartz and in German (a language I'm not entirely at home in btw).

Now I'm no mensa member and I'm not educationally sub-normal either, but it strikes me that these presentations are all about what happened, and how when riding across ? I accidentally tripped a land-mine, but alas after the initial shock subsided and I picked up my bike yah-de-yah-de-yah.

So, conversely, am I to talk about what could happen? If so, we'll be there a while, unless I decide that I get written off on the first day I guess.

It's possible that I'm feeling a little like how Obama felt when he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize having done little other than swear on the Bible, which, if you remember, he just about accomplished on the second approach. Having said that, I have some anecdotes from riding giant traillies through the Thai jungles and Cambodia etc. Fun.
 
After a busy weekend with guests over the Northwest200, it's time to get the skates on. It seems like I've a mountain to climb to get ready, but if I chip away at it over the next couple of weeks, I'm sure I can get sorted.

With the deliberations over on luggage choice, I snubbed the long-standing German tradition to take the hard aluminium boxes which have long been associated with overland bike travel. Fears of catching an ankle when off-road, pulling a pannier off when I inevitably drop the bike, and the excess weight, pushed me in the direction of the new Wolfman soft bags. I trial packed most of my stuff last week and with the kriega 10L bags on the engine bars, the tool tubes, tank bag, the extra fuel can mounted on the inside of the pannier rail, and my ortlieb roll bag, it all fitted fine. On Wednesday I will leave the bike off with a local technician who'll give it a good going over mechanically and will fit new chain, sprockets, tyres, grease suspension linkages, bearings etc, and sort a few things I want changed on it prior to leaving.
 

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thanks charlie. i used to live in london, and so have a lot of friends there, so it won't be necessary, but i really appreciate the gesture. :thumb
charlie brown said:
Fella,

I have a sofa /spare bed in South London right 2 minutes from the A2 if you need some where to spend the night on route to Dover. Good luck.
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:aidan


Si realised that he would be facing a few river crossings on his forth coming

odyessy. Here he is practising the mighty River Bush in full flow successfully.

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Have a great and safe journey. Good luck. I look forward to reading all about it...

I hope the river crossings are easier than Oisin's...

I won't spoil the surprise. But having spent 90 minutes on skype sorting some problems for him all I will say is the poor fella spent 40 minutes stuck in the middle of a river, up to his thighs in water with a stalled bike, with no one around him for miles... And watched while his helmet "bobbed" off down the river !!
 
Good luck and all the very best with your adventure. Can't wait to read about it:thumb. Your a very lucky man!
 
thanks guys. i've still an enormous amount to do before I depart, and still haven't received my LOI from Russia. so visas-wise I'm well behind the curve. essentially these next 2 weeks are going to be about as industrious as a fortnight can be, and by the time i sit on the saddle and head to belfast port, i'll deserve the sit down!

i've been watching oisin's progress (and on occasions lack thereof) with interest. i know he's a big guy, but the amount of stuff on that bike added to the fact that it's an adventure, would certainly make me hesitant in doing river crossings in Mongolia at this time of year Simon!

will keep you posted...
 
Nippy Normans supply Touratech, Wunderlich, Desert Fox and many other makes of accessories.
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