truman
Guest
We have been inundated with requests to post a series of photos of our Road of Bones Expedition. Our disclaimer... we are a tour company but will not mention the company in the text, these series of photos that show the Road of Bones Expedition are for all those who wanted it. Due to the size of the gallery i will need to post in a few threads..More galleres to follow soon...Enjoy
<a href="http://s1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd500/compassexpeditions/Forums%20photos%20to%20go%20with%20text/?action=view¤t=DeparturefromtheAceCafe.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd500/compassexpeditions/Forums%20photos%20to%20go%20with%20text/DeparturefromtheAceCafe.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
Photo 1 departure from the Ace Café
June the 12th saw a group of bikers enjoy our last English breakfast before setting off on a 100 day expedition to the other side of the world, Magadan, the terminus of the infamous Road of Bones. A fall in the car park that resulted in a broken mirror didn’t bode well for the superstitious amongst us.
<a href="http://s1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd500/compassexpeditions/Forums%20photos%20to%20go%20with%20text/?action=view¤t=outsidethefirestation.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd500/compassexpeditions/Forums%20photos%20to%20go%20with%20text/outsidethefirestation.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
Photo 2 outside the fire station
It wasn’t a European tour but we still took some time to ride the beautiful back roads of France getting hopelessly lost despite of GPS Zumo’s or maybe because of them. We were never more geographically misplaced on the entire expedition than we were in France. This photo is of a fire station in some small French village, the name of which I wouldn’t have a clue, we were lost.
<a href="http://s1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd500/compassexpeditions/Forums%20photos%20to%20go%20with%20text/?action=view¤t=Beautifulfrenchbackroadriding.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd500/compassexpeditions/Forums%20photos%20to%20go%20with%20text/Beautifulfrenchbackroadriding.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
Photo 3 Beautiful France back road riding
Again no idea where we were, but this village wasn’t far from Flavigny sur Ozerain, our overnight stop. The riding was stunning and for us Australians amazing to see anything older than 50 years.
<a href="http://s1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd500/compassexpeditions/Forums%20photos%20to%20go%20with%20text/?action=view¤t=AnotherFrenchvillagenearFlavigny.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd500/compassexpeditions/Forums%20photos%20to%20go%20with%20text/AnotherFrenchvillagenearFlavigny.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
Photo 4 Another French Village near Flavigny
Our GPS finally woke up and found out where we were, only 19ks from Flavigny sur Ozerain. Note the huge crack in the tower, we could have spent days here, it was that beautiful. That evening we stayed at a home stay in Flavigny run by the wonderful Carole. Having a beer in the square in this tiny French village was a great way to unwind after being lost all day.
<a href="http://s1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd500/compassexpeditions/Forums%20photos%20to%20go%20with%20text/?action=view¤t=WorldfamousGerbeaudcakeshopBudapest.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd500/compassexpeditions/Forums%20photos%20to%20go%20with%20text/WorldfamousGerbeaudcakeshopBudapest.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
Photo 5 World famous Gerbeaud cake shop Budapest
This place was a must visit at least for me. The Gerbeaud cake shop in Budapest has been operating since 1856 and my wife’s grandfather worked there in the early 1900th century, a fact the waitress couldn’t care less about when I excitedly told her. The cakes were to die for though.
<a href="http://s1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd500/compassexpeditions/Forums%20photos%20to%20go%20with%20text/?action=view¤t=SighisoaraRomania.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd500/compassexpeditions/Forums%20photos%20to%20go%20with%20text/SighisoaraRomania.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
Photo 6 Sighisoara, Romania
Deep within Transylvania, this ancient village was absolutely stunning with its centuries old buildings, cobbled stone streets (very difficult to ride on) and fantastic accommodation and restaurants. Just because we adventure bikers off into the wilds didn’t mean we had to do things the unnecessarily hard way.
<a href="http://s1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd500/compassexpeditions/Forums%20photos%20to%20go%20with%20text/?action=view¤t=Oneofmanypicniclunchesweprovide.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd500/compassexpeditions/Forums%20photos%20to%20go%20with%20text/Oneofmanypicniclunchesweprovide.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
Photo 7 One of the many picnic lunches we provide
Again we don’t have to things the hard way, on every ride day we ate a good picnic lunch usually in great locations but sometimes in complete dumps depending on where we were. The Bulgarian/Turkish border fell into the later category.
<a href="http://s1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd500/compassexpeditions/Forums%20photos%20to%20go%20with%20text/?action=view¤t=TopkapiPalaceIstanbul.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd500/compassexpeditions/Forums%20photos%20to%20go%20with%20text/TopkapiPalaceIstanbul.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
Photo 8 Topkapi Palace, Istanbul
We were looking forward to get out of Europe and start the “real” ride, the worst rains in 300 years also had us wanting to Europe ASAP and Istanbul was the crossroads between Europe and Asia. As we did each afternoon we rode into our hotel in a ferocious rain storm ensuring we were always soaked. The following days were spent wandering the wonderful Istanbul.
<a href="http://s1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd500/compassexpeditions/Forums%20photos%20to%20go%20with%20text/?action=view¤t=HotairballooninginGoreme.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd500/compassexpeditions/Forums%20photos%20to%20go%20with%20text/HotairballooninginGoreme.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
Photo 9 Hot air ballooning in Goreme
This was a highlight for us all, flying over the fairy chimneys of the bizarre landscape of Goreme, Turkey. At last the weather was kind to us; the balloon ride had been cancelled the two previous mornings prior to our arrival but on our morning of flight the weather was great, the 5am start wasn’t though.
<a href="http://s1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd500/compassexpeditions/Forums%20photos%20to%20go%20with%20text/?action=view¤t=TheamazingGoreme.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd500/compassexpeditions/Forums%20photos%20to%20go%20with%20text/TheamazingGoreme.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
Photo 10 The amazing Goreme
The area of Goreme is dotted with cave dwellings formerly inhabited by the Troglodytes. This civilization lived in these caves and underground in buildings up to 11 stories in depth instead of height. Our accommodation was in one of these caves that have been converted into a hotel with each cave being a room. It was great.
<a href="http://s1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd500/compassexpeditions/Forums%20photos%20to%20go%20with%20text/?action=view¤t=CaveDwellingsinGoremeTurkey.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd500/compassexpeditions/Forums%20photos%20to%20go%20with%20text/CaveDwellingsinGoremeTurkey.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
Photo 11 Cave dwellings in Goreme, Turkey
Another shot of some cave dwellings at Goreme as a dark storm marched toward us, eventually soaking Goreme.
<a href="http://s1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd500/compassexpeditions/Forums%20photos%20to%20go%20with%20text/?action=view¤t=TheamazingAmasyaTurkey.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd500/compassexpeditions/Forums%20photos%20to%20go%20with%20text/TheamazingAmasyaTurkey.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
Photo 12 The amazing Amaysa, Turkey
We rode across the high Anatolian Plains bound for Amaysa thinking it was just a place to stop en-route to the Black Sea, how wrong we were. Amaysa was fantastic with old Ottoman buildings hanging out over the river and burial caves dating back to 400BC. The old city was packed with small cobble stone laneways and wonderful old restaurants that had balconies that jutted out over the river. Best part was “it wasn’t raining”
<a href="http://s1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd500/compassexpeditions/Forums%20photos%20to%20go%20with%20text/?action=view¤t=AmasyaTurkey.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd500/compassexpeditions/Forums%20photos%20to%20go%20with%20text/AmasyaTurkey.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
Photo 13 Amaysa, Turkey
Another shot of the surprising Amaysa
<a href="http://s1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd500/compassexpeditions/Forums%20photos%20to%20go%20with%20text/?action=view¤t=Hardatit.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd500/compassexpeditions/Forums%20photos%20to%20go%20with%20text/Hardatit.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
Photo 14 Hard at it
We had lunch at a small café that sits atop a bluff overlooking the Black Sea, Turkey
<a href="http://s1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd500/compassexpeditions/Forums%20photos%20to%20go%20with%20text/?action=view¤t=Calmbeforethestorm.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd500/compassexpeditions/Forums%20photos%20to%20go%20with%20text/Calmbeforethestorm.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
Photo 15 Calm before the storm
A ferocious storm that absolutely battered us and has us all scurrying for cover as the lightning bolts crashed all around us and the wind threatened to blow us back to Europe, so much for the great weather in Asia
<a href="http://s1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd500/compassexpeditions/Forums%20photos%20to%20go%20with%20text/?action=view¤t=DepartingTurkeyforRussiacrossingtheBlackSea.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd500/compassexpeditions/Forums%20photos%20to%20go%20with%20text/DepartingTurkeyforRussiacrossingtheBlackSea.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
Photo 16 Departing Turkey for Russia, crossing the Black Sea
The 12 hour ferry sailing, from Turkey to Russia, that took 24 hours. This is a ridiculous shambles where we “must” board the dilapidated boat no later than 5 PM knowing full well the boat does not sail until midnight. The 12 hour sailing took and agonising 17 hours before reaching Sochi, Russia. Not to e outdone in shambolic fiasco the Russians took another 6 hours to process us and let us in. Sochi is the home city of the next Winter Olympic Games; my God they need to sort the border procedures out before then.
More photo galleries from the expedition to follow...
<a href="http://s1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd500/compassexpeditions/Forums%20photos%20to%20go%20with%20text/?action=view¤t=DeparturefromtheAceCafe.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd500/compassexpeditions/Forums%20photos%20to%20go%20with%20text/DeparturefromtheAceCafe.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
Photo 1 departure from the Ace Café
June the 12th saw a group of bikers enjoy our last English breakfast before setting off on a 100 day expedition to the other side of the world, Magadan, the terminus of the infamous Road of Bones. A fall in the car park that resulted in a broken mirror didn’t bode well for the superstitious amongst us.
<a href="http://s1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd500/compassexpeditions/Forums%20photos%20to%20go%20with%20text/?action=view¤t=outsidethefirestation.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd500/compassexpeditions/Forums%20photos%20to%20go%20with%20text/outsidethefirestation.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
Photo 2 outside the fire station
It wasn’t a European tour but we still took some time to ride the beautiful back roads of France getting hopelessly lost despite of GPS Zumo’s or maybe because of them. We were never more geographically misplaced on the entire expedition than we were in France. This photo is of a fire station in some small French village, the name of which I wouldn’t have a clue, we were lost.
<a href="http://s1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd500/compassexpeditions/Forums%20photos%20to%20go%20with%20text/?action=view¤t=Beautifulfrenchbackroadriding.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd500/compassexpeditions/Forums%20photos%20to%20go%20with%20text/Beautifulfrenchbackroadriding.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
Photo 3 Beautiful France back road riding
Again no idea where we were, but this village wasn’t far from Flavigny sur Ozerain, our overnight stop. The riding was stunning and for us Australians amazing to see anything older than 50 years.
<a href="http://s1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd500/compassexpeditions/Forums%20photos%20to%20go%20with%20text/?action=view¤t=AnotherFrenchvillagenearFlavigny.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd500/compassexpeditions/Forums%20photos%20to%20go%20with%20text/AnotherFrenchvillagenearFlavigny.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
Photo 4 Another French Village near Flavigny
Our GPS finally woke up and found out where we were, only 19ks from Flavigny sur Ozerain. Note the huge crack in the tower, we could have spent days here, it was that beautiful. That evening we stayed at a home stay in Flavigny run by the wonderful Carole. Having a beer in the square in this tiny French village was a great way to unwind after being lost all day.
<a href="http://s1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd500/compassexpeditions/Forums%20photos%20to%20go%20with%20text/?action=view¤t=WorldfamousGerbeaudcakeshopBudapest.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd500/compassexpeditions/Forums%20photos%20to%20go%20with%20text/WorldfamousGerbeaudcakeshopBudapest.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
Photo 5 World famous Gerbeaud cake shop Budapest
This place was a must visit at least for me. The Gerbeaud cake shop in Budapest has been operating since 1856 and my wife’s grandfather worked there in the early 1900th century, a fact the waitress couldn’t care less about when I excitedly told her. The cakes were to die for though.
<a href="http://s1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd500/compassexpeditions/Forums%20photos%20to%20go%20with%20text/?action=view¤t=SighisoaraRomania.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd500/compassexpeditions/Forums%20photos%20to%20go%20with%20text/SighisoaraRomania.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
Photo 6 Sighisoara, Romania
Deep within Transylvania, this ancient village was absolutely stunning with its centuries old buildings, cobbled stone streets (very difficult to ride on) and fantastic accommodation and restaurants. Just because we adventure bikers off into the wilds didn’t mean we had to do things the unnecessarily hard way.
<a href="http://s1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd500/compassexpeditions/Forums%20photos%20to%20go%20with%20text/?action=view¤t=Oneofmanypicniclunchesweprovide.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd500/compassexpeditions/Forums%20photos%20to%20go%20with%20text/Oneofmanypicniclunchesweprovide.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
Photo 7 One of the many picnic lunches we provide
Again we don’t have to things the hard way, on every ride day we ate a good picnic lunch usually in great locations but sometimes in complete dumps depending on where we were. The Bulgarian/Turkish border fell into the later category.
<a href="http://s1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd500/compassexpeditions/Forums%20photos%20to%20go%20with%20text/?action=view¤t=TopkapiPalaceIstanbul.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd500/compassexpeditions/Forums%20photos%20to%20go%20with%20text/TopkapiPalaceIstanbul.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
Photo 8 Topkapi Palace, Istanbul
We were looking forward to get out of Europe and start the “real” ride, the worst rains in 300 years also had us wanting to Europe ASAP and Istanbul was the crossroads between Europe and Asia. As we did each afternoon we rode into our hotel in a ferocious rain storm ensuring we were always soaked. The following days were spent wandering the wonderful Istanbul.
<a href="http://s1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd500/compassexpeditions/Forums%20photos%20to%20go%20with%20text/?action=view¤t=HotairballooninginGoreme.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd500/compassexpeditions/Forums%20photos%20to%20go%20with%20text/HotairballooninginGoreme.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
Photo 9 Hot air ballooning in Goreme
This was a highlight for us all, flying over the fairy chimneys of the bizarre landscape of Goreme, Turkey. At last the weather was kind to us; the balloon ride had been cancelled the two previous mornings prior to our arrival but on our morning of flight the weather was great, the 5am start wasn’t though.
<a href="http://s1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd500/compassexpeditions/Forums%20photos%20to%20go%20with%20text/?action=view¤t=TheamazingGoreme.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd500/compassexpeditions/Forums%20photos%20to%20go%20with%20text/TheamazingGoreme.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
Photo 10 The amazing Goreme
The area of Goreme is dotted with cave dwellings formerly inhabited by the Troglodytes. This civilization lived in these caves and underground in buildings up to 11 stories in depth instead of height. Our accommodation was in one of these caves that have been converted into a hotel with each cave being a room. It was great.
<a href="http://s1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd500/compassexpeditions/Forums%20photos%20to%20go%20with%20text/?action=view¤t=CaveDwellingsinGoremeTurkey.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd500/compassexpeditions/Forums%20photos%20to%20go%20with%20text/CaveDwellingsinGoremeTurkey.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
Photo 11 Cave dwellings in Goreme, Turkey
Another shot of some cave dwellings at Goreme as a dark storm marched toward us, eventually soaking Goreme.
<a href="http://s1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd500/compassexpeditions/Forums%20photos%20to%20go%20with%20text/?action=view¤t=TheamazingAmasyaTurkey.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd500/compassexpeditions/Forums%20photos%20to%20go%20with%20text/TheamazingAmasyaTurkey.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
Photo 12 The amazing Amaysa, Turkey
We rode across the high Anatolian Plains bound for Amaysa thinking it was just a place to stop en-route to the Black Sea, how wrong we were. Amaysa was fantastic with old Ottoman buildings hanging out over the river and burial caves dating back to 400BC. The old city was packed with small cobble stone laneways and wonderful old restaurants that had balconies that jutted out over the river. Best part was “it wasn’t raining”
<a href="http://s1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd500/compassexpeditions/Forums%20photos%20to%20go%20with%20text/?action=view¤t=AmasyaTurkey.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd500/compassexpeditions/Forums%20photos%20to%20go%20with%20text/AmasyaTurkey.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
Photo 13 Amaysa, Turkey
Another shot of the surprising Amaysa
<a href="http://s1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd500/compassexpeditions/Forums%20photos%20to%20go%20with%20text/?action=view¤t=Hardatit.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd500/compassexpeditions/Forums%20photos%20to%20go%20with%20text/Hardatit.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
Photo 14 Hard at it
We had lunch at a small café that sits atop a bluff overlooking the Black Sea, Turkey
<a href="http://s1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd500/compassexpeditions/Forums%20photos%20to%20go%20with%20text/?action=view¤t=Calmbeforethestorm.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd500/compassexpeditions/Forums%20photos%20to%20go%20with%20text/Calmbeforethestorm.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
Photo 15 Calm before the storm
A ferocious storm that absolutely battered us and has us all scurrying for cover as the lightning bolts crashed all around us and the wind threatened to blow us back to Europe, so much for the great weather in Asia
<a href="http://s1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd500/compassexpeditions/Forums%20photos%20to%20go%20with%20text/?action=view¤t=DepartingTurkeyforRussiacrossingtheBlackSea.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd500/compassexpeditions/Forums%20photos%20to%20go%20with%20text/DepartingTurkeyforRussiacrossingtheBlackSea.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
Photo 16 Departing Turkey for Russia, crossing the Black Sea
The 12 hour ferry sailing, from Turkey to Russia, that took 24 hours. This is a ridiculous shambles where we “must” board the dilapidated boat no later than 5 PM knowing full well the boat does not sail until midnight. The 12 hour sailing took and agonising 17 hours before reaching Sochi, Russia. Not to e outdone in shambolic fiasco the Russians took another 6 hours to process us and let us in. Sochi is the home city of the next Winter Olympic Games; my God they need to sort the border procedures out before then.
More photo galleries from the expedition to follow...
