truman
Guest
The last set of photos for the expedition...
if you want to see more; Part 1 (London to Sochi, Russia) can be seen at http://www.ukgser.com/forums/showthread.php?t=246422
and Part 2 (Sochi through the Stans) http://www.ukgser.com/forums/showthread.php?t=246631
Enjoy...
<a href="http://s1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd500/compassexpeditions/Forums%20photos%20to%20go%20with%20text/?action=view¤t=Joecatchingaquicknap.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd500/compassexpeditions/Forums%20photos%20to%20go%20with%20text/Joecatchingaquicknap.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
Photo 32 Joe catching a quick nap
Some days were long and we had been on the road non stop for over 2 months, we were getting tired. Joe really was asleep here as we made some running repairs to our support vehicle trailer, the spring packs had worn through the chassis rails so we had to get some plates welded at a run down shack on the side of the Trans Siberian highway.
<a href="http://s1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd500/compassexpeditions/Forums%20photos%20to%20go%20with%20text/?action=view¤t=Joewashinghisbike.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd500/compassexpeditions/Forums%20photos%20to%20go%20with%20text/Joewashinghisbike.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
Photo 33 Joe washing his bike
The bike wash was unintentional and unavoidable as Joe hit a hidden rock mid stream, filling his airbox in the process, while crossing a stream in Mongolia
<a href="http://s1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd500/compassexpeditions/Forums%20photos%20to%20go%20with%20text/?action=view¤t=Mickwashinghisboots.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd500/compassexpeditions/Forums%20photos%20to%20go%20with%20text/Mickwashinghisboots.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
Photo 34 Mick washing his boots
The boot wash was also unintentional but necessary as someone had to wade in and help Joe right his bike, but only after I took enough photos of Joe flailing around in the water, something he didn’t let me forget.
<a href="http://s1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd500/compassexpeditions/Forums%20photos%20to%20go%20with%20text/?action=view¤t=Mickonthatfamousbridge.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd500/compassexpeditions/Forums%20photos%20to%20go%20with%20text/Mickonthatfamousbridge.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
Photo 35 Mick on that famous bridge
When I crossed this bridge Jalagalant, Mongolia 5 years earlier I thought I wouldn’t last another year. I was surprised that it was still there and hadn’t seemed to moved much at all, even the wooden planks were all still there.
<a href="http://s1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd500/compassexpeditions/Forums%20photos%20to%20go%20with%20text/?action=view¤t=Monumenttothethumb.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd500/compassexpeditions/Forums%20photos%20to%20go%20with%20text/Monumenttothethumb.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
Photo 36 Monument to the thumb
Of course, every country should have one; we have absolutely no idea as to the significance to this monument in Mongolia to the thumb but it made us laugh.
<a href="http://s1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd500/compassexpeditions/Forums%20photos%20to%20go%20with%20text/?action=view¤t=Readytolaunch.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd500/compassexpeditions/Forums%20photos%20to%20go%20with%20text/Readytolaunch.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
Photo 37 Ready to launch
This shot was taken on a pass in Mongolia; no real purpose really just looked like a half decent shot.
<a href="http://s1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd500/compassexpeditions/Forums%20photos%20to%20go%20with%20text/?action=view¤t=OurAccommodationatWhiteLake.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd500/compassexpeditions/Forums%20photos%20to%20go%20with%20text/OurAccommodationatWhiteLake.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
Photo 38 Our accommodation at White Lake
Tsagaan Nuur or White Lake is a simply stunning place and with a broken trailer axle we spent an extra night here in this tourist ger camp on the edge of the lake. Everyone rated it as some of the best accommodation we had experienced this far and that includes the 4 star hotels we had been at. As I said the country scenery trumps the cities anytime.
<a href="http://s1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd500/compassexpeditions/Forums%20photos%20to%20go%20with%20text/?action=view¤t=OurcruiseratWhiteLake.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd500/compassexpeditions/Forums%20photos%20to%20go%20with%20text/OurcruiseratWhiteLake.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
Photo 39 Our cruiser at White lake
This is a road I know well having driven it 3 times over a 24 hour period. We had snapped the trailer axle and spent an entire night, driving/bogged/driving in the landcruiser to get to a welder to do a “get me to Ulaan Bataar” repair. I guess if we had to break down somewhere this is the place to be.
<a href="http://s1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd500/compassexpeditions/Forums%20photos%20to%20go%20with%20text/?action=view¤t=Shillouete.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd500/compassexpeditions/Forums%20photos%20to%20go%20with%20text/Shillouete.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
Photo 40 Silhouette
Just looked like a good shot from our campsite on the side of the Trans Siberian Highway when we departed Mongolia and re-entered Russia
<a href="http://s1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd500/compassexpeditions/Forums%20photos%20to%20go%20with%20text/?action=view¤t=ThemudontheLenaHighway.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd500/compassexpeditions/Forums%20photos%20to%20go%20with%20text/ThemudontheLenaHighway.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
Photo 41 The mud on the Lena Highway
We have all seen the shots of the “Highway to hell” on various websites and I was more than a little concerned as we had heard that the 2010 summer on the Lena Highway had been particularly wet. From Mongolia to the M 56 Lena Highway turn-off the road had been paved and in a lot of places brand new, when we hit the Lena it suddenly became rough very rough and soon muddy, very muddy, but it wasn’t to last for long.
<a href="http://s1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd500/compassexpeditions/Forums%20photos%20to%20go%20with%20text/?action=view¤t=TheLenaHighwaySiberia.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd500/compassexpeditions/Forums%20photos%20to%20go%20with%20text/TheLenaHighwaySiberia.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
Photo 42 the Lena Highway, Siberia
The Lena actually falls within the Yakutia region but Siberia sounds more adventurous. The road had become very rough but also very hard packed, the mud in the previous was the only mud in 1100ks to Yakutsk, thank god.
<a href="http://s1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd500/compassexpeditions/Forums%20photos%20to%20go%20with%20text/?action=view¤t=1075ksofdirtahead.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd500/compassexpeditions/Forums%20photos%20to%20go%20with%20text/1075ksofdirtahead.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
Photo 43 1075ks of dirt ahead
As the sign says 1075 ks of dirt from the Trans Siberian highway to Yakustk the capital of the Yakutia Krai (district)
<a href="http://s1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd500/compassexpeditions/Forums%20photos%20to%20go%20with%20text/?action=view¤t=Thegoinggettough.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd500/compassexpeditions/Forums%20photos%20to%20go%20with%20text/Thegoinggettough.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
Photo 44 The going gets tough
We had left Yakutsk to begin the Road of bones proper. Actually the Road of Bones refers to dozens of roads built by prisoners during Stalin’s purges in the 30s and 40s. the scenery was utterly spectacular, something that took us all by surprise, I guess with this regions tragic history spectacular scenery wasn’t something we had ever considered. A cold blast from the Arctic blew in overnight turning the Road of Bones into an un-rideable ice skating ring, all of us came down at some point. The progress became painfully slow.
<a href="http://s1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd500/compassexpeditions/Forums%20photos%20to%20go%20with%20text/?action=view¤t=Kyumbebridge.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd500/compassexpeditions/Forums%20photos%20to%20go%20with%20text/Kyumbebridge.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
Photo 45 Kyumbe bridge
This is the turn-off to the “old Road of bones” we had been advised against taking this route by locals and considering the freezing weather that had set in pushing our bikes across rivers wasn’t a good idea, we wanted to avoid hypothermia. The “new route” was definitely easier but still as wild a country as you could imagine with spectacular scenery
<a href="http://s1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd500/compassexpeditions/Forums%20photos%20to%20go%20with%20text/?action=view¤t=Moresnow.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd500/compassexpeditions/Forums%20photos%20to%20go%20with%20text/Moresnow.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
Photo 46 More snow
I didn’t get any easier on the “new Route” a blizzard had well and truly set in and that trailer axle had snapped again an agonising 800 ks before Magadan, it was the only time I thought “ this is it we are stuffed”, I underestimated the friendliness and resourcefulness of there amazing Russian who call this region home. Temperature here this morning -10 Celsius
<a href="http://s1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd500/compassexpeditions/Forums%20photos%20to%20go%20with%20text/?action=view¤t=WaytomuchVodka.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd500/compassexpeditions/Forums%20photos%20to%20go%20with%20text/WaytomuchVodka.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
Photo 47 Way too much vodka
As the caption says “way too much vodka” these are the boys that spent two days helping us get our broken trailer to Sussaman, repairing it, feeding us and generally being wonderful human beings. It was a great pleasure to have spent time with these guys and I know that they will feature in my life a lot longer than I will in theirs. We got extremely drunk here and spent the night sleeping in the front set of the Landcruiser in -10 Celsius temperatures. Vodka will never pass my lips again
<a href="http://s1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd500/compassexpeditions/Forums%20photos%20to%20go%20with%20text/?action=view¤t=AnicybridgeontheRoadofBones.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd500/compassexpeditions/Forums%20photos%20to%20go%20with%20text/AnicybridgeontheRoadofBones.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
Photo 48 An icy bridge on the Road of Bones
This bridge was actually closed but the thought of getting soaked in the freezing conditions as we crossed the fast flowing river below convinced us to take our chances on the iced over bridge
<a href="http://s1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd500/compassexpeditions/Forums%20photos%20to%20go%20with%20text/?action=view¤t=Murrayenjoyingbeingoutoftheice.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd500/compassexpeditions/Forums%20photos%20to%20go%20with%20text/Murrayenjoyingbeingoutoftheice.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
Photo 49 Murray enjoying being out of the ice
Joy we were out of the snow and it looked as if it hadn’t snowed here for a while with the dust flying.
<a href="http://s1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd500/compassexpeditions/Forums%20photos%20to%20go%20with%20text/?action=view¤t=ThelastpassbeforeMagadan.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd500/compassexpeditions/Forums%20photos%20to%20go%20with%20text/ThelastpassbeforeMagadan.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
Photo 50 Last pass before Magadan
Oh no snow/ice again. Since departing Yakutsk we had been at an elevation of around 600mt (the GPS was good for something) as soon as we hit 900mt everything turned to ice with the predictable results. On my BMW R 1200 GS I fell 6 times before topping the gentle pass. Riding it wasn’t an option anymore as the combined weight of rider + bike had it sliding off into the snow banks only to get bogged in the said banks, my only option was to walk the bike over the pass which I did. 500m progress took us 2 hours, great stuff though.
<a href="http://s1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd500/compassexpeditions/Forums%20photos%20to%20go%20with%20text/?action=view¤t=WEDIDIT.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd500/compassexpeditions/Forums%20photos%20to%20go%20with%20text/WEDIDIT.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
Photo 51 WE DID IT
As the caption says we did it, everyone made Magadan without major incident. All the bikes made it even that trailer made it. A wonderful experience was had by all. Preparation now in place for 2011 expedition!
if you want to see more; Part 1 (London to Sochi, Russia) can be seen at http://www.ukgser.com/forums/showthread.php?t=246422
and Part 2 (Sochi through the Stans) http://www.ukgser.com/forums/showthread.php?t=246631
Enjoy...
<a href="http://s1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd500/compassexpeditions/Forums%20photos%20to%20go%20with%20text/?action=view¤t=Joecatchingaquicknap.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd500/compassexpeditions/Forums%20photos%20to%20go%20with%20text/Joecatchingaquicknap.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
Photo 32 Joe catching a quick nap
Some days were long and we had been on the road non stop for over 2 months, we were getting tired. Joe really was asleep here as we made some running repairs to our support vehicle trailer, the spring packs had worn through the chassis rails so we had to get some plates welded at a run down shack on the side of the Trans Siberian highway.
<a href="http://s1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd500/compassexpeditions/Forums%20photos%20to%20go%20with%20text/?action=view¤t=Joewashinghisbike.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd500/compassexpeditions/Forums%20photos%20to%20go%20with%20text/Joewashinghisbike.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
Photo 33 Joe washing his bike
The bike wash was unintentional and unavoidable as Joe hit a hidden rock mid stream, filling his airbox in the process, while crossing a stream in Mongolia
<a href="http://s1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd500/compassexpeditions/Forums%20photos%20to%20go%20with%20text/?action=view¤t=Mickwashinghisboots.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd500/compassexpeditions/Forums%20photos%20to%20go%20with%20text/Mickwashinghisboots.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
Photo 34 Mick washing his boots
The boot wash was also unintentional but necessary as someone had to wade in and help Joe right his bike, but only after I took enough photos of Joe flailing around in the water, something he didn’t let me forget.
<a href="http://s1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd500/compassexpeditions/Forums%20photos%20to%20go%20with%20text/?action=view¤t=Mickonthatfamousbridge.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd500/compassexpeditions/Forums%20photos%20to%20go%20with%20text/Mickonthatfamousbridge.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
Photo 35 Mick on that famous bridge
When I crossed this bridge Jalagalant, Mongolia 5 years earlier I thought I wouldn’t last another year. I was surprised that it was still there and hadn’t seemed to moved much at all, even the wooden planks were all still there.
<a href="http://s1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd500/compassexpeditions/Forums%20photos%20to%20go%20with%20text/?action=view¤t=Monumenttothethumb.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd500/compassexpeditions/Forums%20photos%20to%20go%20with%20text/Monumenttothethumb.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
Photo 36 Monument to the thumb
Of course, every country should have one; we have absolutely no idea as to the significance to this monument in Mongolia to the thumb but it made us laugh.
<a href="http://s1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd500/compassexpeditions/Forums%20photos%20to%20go%20with%20text/?action=view¤t=Readytolaunch.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd500/compassexpeditions/Forums%20photos%20to%20go%20with%20text/Readytolaunch.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
Photo 37 Ready to launch
This shot was taken on a pass in Mongolia; no real purpose really just looked like a half decent shot.
<a href="http://s1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd500/compassexpeditions/Forums%20photos%20to%20go%20with%20text/?action=view¤t=OurAccommodationatWhiteLake.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd500/compassexpeditions/Forums%20photos%20to%20go%20with%20text/OurAccommodationatWhiteLake.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
Photo 38 Our accommodation at White Lake
Tsagaan Nuur or White Lake is a simply stunning place and with a broken trailer axle we spent an extra night here in this tourist ger camp on the edge of the lake. Everyone rated it as some of the best accommodation we had experienced this far and that includes the 4 star hotels we had been at. As I said the country scenery trumps the cities anytime.
<a href="http://s1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd500/compassexpeditions/Forums%20photos%20to%20go%20with%20text/?action=view¤t=OurcruiseratWhiteLake.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd500/compassexpeditions/Forums%20photos%20to%20go%20with%20text/OurcruiseratWhiteLake.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
Photo 39 Our cruiser at White lake
This is a road I know well having driven it 3 times over a 24 hour period. We had snapped the trailer axle and spent an entire night, driving/bogged/driving in the landcruiser to get to a welder to do a “get me to Ulaan Bataar” repair. I guess if we had to break down somewhere this is the place to be.
<a href="http://s1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd500/compassexpeditions/Forums%20photos%20to%20go%20with%20text/?action=view¤t=Shillouete.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd500/compassexpeditions/Forums%20photos%20to%20go%20with%20text/Shillouete.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
Photo 40 Silhouette
Just looked like a good shot from our campsite on the side of the Trans Siberian Highway when we departed Mongolia and re-entered Russia
<a href="http://s1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd500/compassexpeditions/Forums%20photos%20to%20go%20with%20text/?action=view¤t=ThemudontheLenaHighway.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd500/compassexpeditions/Forums%20photos%20to%20go%20with%20text/ThemudontheLenaHighway.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
Photo 41 The mud on the Lena Highway
We have all seen the shots of the “Highway to hell” on various websites and I was more than a little concerned as we had heard that the 2010 summer on the Lena Highway had been particularly wet. From Mongolia to the M 56 Lena Highway turn-off the road had been paved and in a lot of places brand new, when we hit the Lena it suddenly became rough very rough and soon muddy, very muddy, but it wasn’t to last for long.
<a href="http://s1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd500/compassexpeditions/Forums%20photos%20to%20go%20with%20text/?action=view¤t=TheLenaHighwaySiberia.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd500/compassexpeditions/Forums%20photos%20to%20go%20with%20text/TheLenaHighwaySiberia.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
Photo 42 the Lena Highway, Siberia
The Lena actually falls within the Yakutia region but Siberia sounds more adventurous. The road had become very rough but also very hard packed, the mud in the previous was the only mud in 1100ks to Yakutsk, thank god.
<a href="http://s1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd500/compassexpeditions/Forums%20photos%20to%20go%20with%20text/?action=view¤t=1075ksofdirtahead.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd500/compassexpeditions/Forums%20photos%20to%20go%20with%20text/1075ksofdirtahead.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
Photo 43 1075ks of dirt ahead
As the sign says 1075 ks of dirt from the Trans Siberian highway to Yakustk the capital of the Yakutia Krai (district)
<a href="http://s1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd500/compassexpeditions/Forums%20photos%20to%20go%20with%20text/?action=view¤t=Thegoinggettough.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd500/compassexpeditions/Forums%20photos%20to%20go%20with%20text/Thegoinggettough.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
Photo 44 The going gets tough
We had left Yakutsk to begin the Road of bones proper. Actually the Road of Bones refers to dozens of roads built by prisoners during Stalin’s purges in the 30s and 40s. the scenery was utterly spectacular, something that took us all by surprise, I guess with this regions tragic history spectacular scenery wasn’t something we had ever considered. A cold blast from the Arctic blew in overnight turning the Road of Bones into an un-rideable ice skating ring, all of us came down at some point. The progress became painfully slow.
<a href="http://s1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd500/compassexpeditions/Forums%20photos%20to%20go%20with%20text/?action=view¤t=Kyumbebridge.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd500/compassexpeditions/Forums%20photos%20to%20go%20with%20text/Kyumbebridge.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
Photo 45 Kyumbe bridge
This is the turn-off to the “old Road of bones” we had been advised against taking this route by locals and considering the freezing weather that had set in pushing our bikes across rivers wasn’t a good idea, we wanted to avoid hypothermia. The “new route” was definitely easier but still as wild a country as you could imagine with spectacular scenery
<a href="http://s1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd500/compassexpeditions/Forums%20photos%20to%20go%20with%20text/?action=view¤t=Moresnow.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd500/compassexpeditions/Forums%20photos%20to%20go%20with%20text/Moresnow.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
Photo 46 More snow
I didn’t get any easier on the “new Route” a blizzard had well and truly set in and that trailer axle had snapped again an agonising 800 ks before Magadan, it was the only time I thought “ this is it we are stuffed”, I underestimated the friendliness and resourcefulness of there amazing Russian who call this region home. Temperature here this morning -10 Celsius
<a href="http://s1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd500/compassexpeditions/Forums%20photos%20to%20go%20with%20text/?action=view¤t=WaytomuchVodka.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd500/compassexpeditions/Forums%20photos%20to%20go%20with%20text/WaytomuchVodka.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
Photo 47 Way too much vodka
As the caption says “way too much vodka” these are the boys that spent two days helping us get our broken trailer to Sussaman, repairing it, feeding us and generally being wonderful human beings. It was a great pleasure to have spent time with these guys and I know that they will feature in my life a lot longer than I will in theirs. We got extremely drunk here and spent the night sleeping in the front set of the Landcruiser in -10 Celsius temperatures. Vodka will never pass my lips again
<a href="http://s1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd500/compassexpeditions/Forums%20photos%20to%20go%20with%20text/?action=view¤t=AnicybridgeontheRoadofBones.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd500/compassexpeditions/Forums%20photos%20to%20go%20with%20text/AnicybridgeontheRoadofBones.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
Photo 48 An icy bridge on the Road of Bones
This bridge was actually closed but the thought of getting soaked in the freezing conditions as we crossed the fast flowing river below convinced us to take our chances on the iced over bridge
<a href="http://s1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd500/compassexpeditions/Forums%20photos%20to%20go%20with%20text/?action=view¤t=Murrayenjoyingbeingoutoftheice.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd500/compassexpeditions/Forums%20photos%20to%20go%20with%20text/Murrayenjoyingbeingoutoftheice.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
Photo 49 Murray enjoying being out of the ice
Joy we were out of the snow and it looked as if it hadn’t snowed here for a while with the dust flying.
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Photo 50 Last pass before Magadan
Oh no snow/ice again. Since departing Yakutsk we had been at an elevation of around 600mt (the GPS was good for something) as soon as we hit 900mt everything turned to ice with the predictable results. On my BMW R 1200 GS I fell 6 times before topping the gentle pass. Riding it wasn’t an option anymore as the combined weight of rider + bike had it sliding off into the snow banks only to get bogged in the said banks, my only option was to walk the bike over the pass which I did. 500m progress took us 2 hours, great stuff though.
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Photo 51 WE DID IT
As the caption says we did it, everyone made Magadan without major incident. All the bikes made it even that trailer made it. A wonderful experience was had by all. Preparation now in place for 2011 expedition!
