Hi All,

I am chasing some information on a Jerome Cataloin (or may Catalion) a french biker who died in Russia on 27 August 1994. He died about 60kms from the town of Svobodny in the Amur Oblast. At the time he was riding a KLR650, from what I can understand crossing the Zilov gap. He or his brother may have raced Dakar at some stage. The photo below is of a memorial placed at the crash site I believe by an American Rider.

Sorry for the sketchy information, just a bit of background information on this. When we broke down in Russia earlier this year, we were taken to stay with a biker and his wife, Sergi and Olga Antonov. Sergei was able purchase Jerome's bike and restore it. He hopes one day to complete the trip Jerome started. I am looking for some information so that we can better understand the story, even the name of the person who placed the memorial.

Thanks,

Craig

Craig, I find that your initiative is really touching. He's family may appreciate it a lot, it cannot be easy to lose a son/brother in far Siberia. So, living in a French speaking country, I'll try to google and help.

Considering that Russians write Western names exactly as they sound in their alphabet (=Jerom Cateluan) and your clue about being French (very French 1st name), I'd say originally the name was "Jérôme Cateloin" (or "Catélouin(e)"/"Catailoin(e)", but these other options don't seem to exist).

According to a French site focused on genealogy I found -which takes the data from the French National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies, so a pretty solvable source- "Cateloin" is a very uncommon surname in France. Actually only 5 people with that family name were born from 1966 to 1990 and all from northern France and Paris area. I know nothing about these genealogy things (not interested at all), but I guess the logical conclusion is that he was one of this 5 and that they were/are all members of the same family. So, if you contact them, they may know of him. You may look for other Cateloin people who appear on line, as one who seems to work in a French University...

The site: CATELOIN : popularité du nom CATELOIN, généalogie des CATELOIN

Good luck with the research.

Esteban

Thanks estebangc I appreciate it. My googling hadn't been that fruitful. I am quite interested in understanding the story. We kinda got ourselves a little involved in the story, hearing what Sergei wanted to do actually led us to give him my 950 so he could repair it and sell to go towards his own dream trip.

The guys from Svobodny are going to France next year to try to find his family, hopefully we can meet up with them when they do.

They had a pile of documents, mostly in French and Russian though.

My hope was to find either the guy who placed the plaque or someone who the knew the story. I would like if the story can go to its conclusion with Sergei finishing the trip that was started 18 years ago.

Here is a little background from this site:ДОРОГА НА ВОСТОК
Sorry, it's in Russian but I'm at work and can't spend much time on this right now. It sounds like he was a reporter Paris Match and the American was his friend (unnamed). Jerome's name comes up quite a bit when googled in Russian, but I have not had time to sort through it all.

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И вечером за кружечкой пива рассказал про того самого француза, Жерома Кателуана, разбившегося здесь 10 лет назад... Летом 1994 года ехал себе французский журналист – из журнала «Пари Мач» (вроде) – по России на небольшом эндурике «Кавасаки». Ехал в Японию к своему другу – американцу, снимал видео, писал заметки... Они с тем американцем собирались сделать фильм о России... Жером своим ходом прошёл федералку, точнее её отсутствие (а сделать это 10 лет назад – это просто героический подвиг))). И после Шимановска, где началось некое подобие асфальта, разогнался до приличной скорости, видимо устав тащиться по бездорожью. Перед самым Свободным дорога делает зигзаг - 90º налево и тут же 90º направо... Там вылететь с дороги – как два пальца об асфальт... А он, как шёл по прямой, так со всего маху и воткнулся в бок КАМАЗу(((. Приехал его друг американец, отправил тело во Францию - родителям, а на том месте поставил памятник... Мотик Жерома забрала местная администрация с целью продажи его с аукциона, надеясь обогатиться на этом несказанно... Но всеми правдами и неправдами Сереге удалось забрать его «для нужд мотосекции». Говорит, что аппарат просто узлом был завязан... Но Сергей его восстановил и даже съездил на нём в Якутию. Теперь мечтает доехать на нём до Франции и передать его родителям Жерома... У них, кстати было два сына, и оба разбились на мотоциклах...
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I'd be up for helping with this trip.

[EDIT: I've looked at most of the other references to Jerome found by google, but all of them seem to just quote his epitath.

Hats off

Motoreiter, you brought it to another level with your Russian knowledge!

Google translate:

And in the evening for a glass of told me about the very Frenchman Jerome Kateluana crashed here 10 years ago ... In summer 1994, a French journalist was driving himself - from the magazine 'Paris Much "(sort of) - in Russia in a small endurike" Kawasaki ". Went to Japan with his friend - an American, shot the video, writing notes ... They are so going to make an American movie about Russia ... Jerome was federalku its course, or rather its absence (and to make it 10 years ago - it's just a heroic feat))). And after Szymanowski, where he began a kind of asphalt, speeding up to a decent speed, probably trudge on the road. Just prior to the open road makes a zigzag - 90 º to the left and then 90 º to the right ... Fly there from the road - as two fingers on the asphalt ... And he is going in a straight line, as with all the fluff and stuck to the side KAMAZ (((. Came his friend American, sent the body to France - the parents, and the place to put a monument ... Motik Jerome took the local administration in order to sell it at an auction, hoping to get rich on this incredibly ... But crook Seryoga managed to take it "to the needs of motosektsii." He says that the device is a simple knot was tied Sergei ... But it was restored and even went on it in Yakutia. Now it wants to get to France and give it to the parents of Jerome ... They have, by the way had two sons, and both died in a motorcycle ...

(last sentence, ouch!)

hmmm I was on the trans-siberian in late August 1994 ... but only from Ulan Ude westwards.

Didnt hear anything before now.

__________________

Touching souls deeply..will get in touch with all french biker friends now..

Here is the translation by marvellous friend (Also your friend you ve met this spring)
https://www.facebook.com/anton.larin.79
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this is where the knight Gerome Catelione (not sure of the correct name spelling, assuming its French name) finished his journey on August 27, 1994. In his honour please remember his character of justice, sincereness and loyalty.
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Sure he will do all he can as we are always beside each other..

As soon as I get more information, will write down here.

Best Regards
mehmet zeki avar

Thanks all the picture is starting to come together. Article was good, apart from called Sergei a crook - he is anything but (actually translate.ru says by hook or by crook), they mentioned another son had also died when we there, but I wasn't too sure. Sometimes these things get lost in translation.

Hi , This post started in 2008 it is 2014 nevertheless maybe I can give some more information regarding Jerome Cataloin. We met in 1988 and dated for a short time . He was a adventurous soul and often told me he would not be here in this lifetime very long. His brother was a troubled soul who always loved racing bikes and getting into all sorts of trouble. Later after he became a father , he became a ambulance driver ( this vocation Jerome helped him to chose ) and died not shortly after due to riding his motorbike at high speed into a tree.

When I met Jerome he had driven all across the US by bike of which he told me quite exciting heroic stories. He always carried a old rifle strapped to the side of his bike which at one occasion he used to scare some simple americans .
In 1989 he drove Paris Dakar and then continued to drive by himself to Cape Town .He told me it was quite a journey and he was very disturbed by the stupidity of the bureaucracy he encountered at the borders. Several time he was seen as a spy and this delayed his trip significantly.

There is a possibility that He drove paris dakar before but I cannot remember the details clearly . Before I met him he had travelled the silk route (by bus) with his then swiss girlfriend .

Over time we stayed in touch and in 1993 we met for the last time . He was writing a book on the crusades and the Order of the Templars . From what I understood it was very near to being finished .From what I understood from him France was and is the centre of the world . Which is so very french ( sorry ) . Yet these days so much peculiar information can be found about this specific order that I wonder sometimes what he did come across in his research?
A year after his passing I met with his mother and they ( his mom and dad) searched for the manuscript . When they came in his apartment the place was a big mess and the manuscript was not there .

This last time we met he was in full preparation for his trip from Paris to Tokyo.

In 1995 I dreamed of Jerome very strongly and I tried to call him . I did not know he had passed . I went to paris and found one telephone number with Cataloin . Jerome always told me they were the only ones in Paris . I called and got his mother who told me he had died the previous year .

She told me he was hit by a truck getting near to final track of his journey . She was still having a very difficult time with his passing . During my visit she gave me a photocopy a picture taken when jerome left from paris . He looked determined and serious. Small and stocky all clad in black motor gear .
A year later I called and her husband had also passed.
We never spoke after this.
I know Jerome also had a sister who is married and she lived just outside of Paris.
Maybe his mom lives with her now ?

Jerome also helped to make photo illustrations for a book called "Caracteres de Pierre".
It is kind of sad that the book he wrote about the order of the Templars has never been found or published .
He was quite obsessed with this subject and researched it for years.

I am not sure if this is of any help .Maybe I am just happy to be able to share what I know about the short and intense live of my friend .

Nicola

Did the motorbike make it to France ? Did the trip to Tokyo get finished?

Hi Nicolala,

Thank you very much for the information - it is much appreciated. My wife and I were talking the other day about this being the 20th year since his fateful adventure. I emailed Sergei last week and from what I can gather he is planning to go to Europe this year (using Google Translate sometimes things get lost).

I believe that Sergei would like to get in contact with Jerome's family.

If you like I can send you Sergei's email address and you can get in contact with him, I think would love to here from people associated with Jerome.

Craig Iedema

Hi Graig ,

Thank you for your quick reply .
Yes I am happy to have Sergei's email .
I will be in Europe to this summer and I will visit Paris with my son.

One thing I wish to share with you : During Jerome's trip in the US he stayed in Miami for some time. He did photography to make money to continue his trip. There he met Mickey Rourke ( during the initial height of his career) and he was allowed to shoot Photo's of him while boxing with his buddy's . Jerome had to promise he would never publish these pictures , which he did . He was not at all impressed with this man his behavior. This is the nice way of saying it .


I wish you all the best ,


Nicola

Nicola, thanks for sharing. Very interesting, and sad, story....

Hi Craig ,

I have looked in teh paris phonebook and his mom still lives in paris at her old address. I can share this information with Sergei.
The way his name is spelled is: Cateloin.

Nicola,

Again thank you very much, this means a lot to me, I have sent you Sergei's email address and I am sure he will be very pleased to hear from you.

Craig.