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Photo by Andy Miller, UK, Taking a rest, Jokulsarlon, Iceland

I haven't been everywhere...
but it's on my list!


Photo by Andy Miller, UK,
Taking a rest,
Jokulsarlon, Iceland



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  #1  
Old 4 Jan 2009
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Magadan then what ?

Hi guys,

happy 2009 to all

Still planning my route for the "long way home" (from Melbourne to Brussels, back home in six months). So far I used GoogleMap and got to pretty much everywhere I needed... Until I reached Magadan.

So I'm stuck there, and I need to push further. How do you get out of there once you've done the Kolyma from Yakutsk ? There seems to be NO roads at all further east ?

To give you an idea, check my itinerary : Google Maps

Has anyone found a way east from Magadan ? Is the only option a ferry or a plane ?

thanks guys.
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  #2  
Old 4 Jan 2009
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houston we have a problem

the most stupid road map i've ever seen
russian part i mean
sorry

all the roads in syberia are perfectly seen in google
if you don't see one - there is no any road
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  #3  
Old 4 Jan 2009
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not brilliant BUT....

Try this...

http://reissner.ucd.ie/estiu2006.htm

This is very interesting but probably a bit out of date.
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  #4  
Old 4 Jan 2009
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Hey Boags,

Planning is half the fun

It's a bit tough to go further east from Magadan as there are indeed no roads as that entire area is an incredibly vast expanse of rugged wilderness. (There are roads on the Kamchatka but you have to fly into the penninsula to access them.)

You have to try to fly out or catch a boat out of Magadan, all time consuming, expensive and hard to accomplish. As there is little predictable or low cost transportation from Magadan, the vast majority of bikers in these last few years ride to Vladivostok along Trans Siberian and then from there usually hop a ferry to Korea, etc.

Have fun.
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  #5  
Old 4 Jan 2009
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Thanks guys

yeah planning is actually fun

The more I read the more I see that driving in summer is next to impossible so it's actually easier to drive on the rivers in winter as snow is easier than mud.

Yes it will be -40 on a good day but did I mention I'm in a landcruiser ? I can't ride bikes anymore after my last accident, so I gotta do it on 4 wheels... Still fun I reckon.

Anyone done it in winter ?
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  #6  
Old 5 Jan 2009
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If you are going to do it in winter I would suggest late March, not this time of year. It was -97 F. (-72 C.) somewhere in Siberia (Kajlastuj) yesterday. No matter what vehicle you are in, those kind of temperatures will lead quickly to the demise of the vehicle and then your demise. In late March you might get -40 but probably not colder. Even that is very cold, too cold to start a "cold-soaked" vehicle, perhaps even with a Webasto pre-heater.
Two Australian vehicles (Isuzu and Mits.) with campers did it about 2 summers ago. There were some water crossings, a bit of winching, sketchy wooden bridges and tire problems for the guy that was unlucky enough to use 18" Mickey Thompsons, none for the vehicle with 255/100R16 Michelins.
It would probably be more prudent to have at least one accompanying vehicle.

Charlie
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  #7  
Old 5 Jan 2009
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Mmh, late winter instead of early winter.... may solve my issue of starting off in the Monsoon in Vietnam then... good thinking.

Any HUBBies in Melbourne area for a drink ?

I've got the itenary sorted out almost all the way, just struggling for the far east...
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  #8  
Old 6 Jan 2009
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Try this Post

As I mentioned in the post below, you might want to look up the story of Stefania Zini, who drove in March (2000) to Uelen, the furtherest East you can go on the Eurasian mainland.

http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...075#post202027
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  #9  
Old 6 Jan 2009
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Boags View Post
Mmh, late winter instead of early winter.... may solve my issue of starting off in the Monsoon in Vietnam then... good thinking.

I repeat, you just cannot imagine the number of things that will go wrong with a vehicle in extreme cold. Just this AM, starting a cold-soaked BMW at -28 C. (nothing compared to Siberian conditions), the lights were blinking on and off because the relays were malfunctioning, until the engine compartment warmed up a bit. If something can break, it will break in extreme cold.

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Old 7 Jan 2009
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I know. I'm gathering all the info I can on the effect of frost on the rubbers, the joint, the platsics, the metal etc before I take my decision..

Seems doable as I'm not the firt one who attempts this obviously
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Old 7 Jan 2009
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Just note that even tho Zini did the Magadan - Uelen job in March, she still abandoned her initial plan of doing it in a Land Rover !!

She ended up changing her plans to the big Russian 6WD trucks instead. They (the ZiLs and KaMAZs) are designed and built so that every component is suitable for operating in -50 degrees C.

But they are big and heavy (overengineered for durability) and they guzzle fuel
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Old 7 Jan 2009
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yeah I know she did it in a ZIL, I'd love to as well but they drink about 50l per 100k where as mine drinks "only" 16 in 4wd an 12 in 2wd so that's kinda okay.

I don't know yet what I'll do about the far east, I really really want to go but yeah there are risks....
well, I still have a couple of years to figure this out I guess
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Old 10 Jan 2009
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Last night it was -80 F. (-62 C.) in a place in Alaska, Tetlin Wildlife Refuge, near Northway, Tetlin and Tok (close to the Yukon border). People report that petrol powered vehicles stop running due to petrol (in addition to diesel!) gelling. One man has a battery, engine block, oil pan and transmission heater to be able to run his ute. Tires reach their "glass point" at temps well above this point and crack when they should flex.
There's no practical way to preheat U-joints and diffs except for storage in a heated building.
The "pour point" of Mobil synthetic Delvac Arctic transmission lube is -51 C., and synthetic 75W-90 gear oil only -48 C.
I'm really sorry to be a nag but you can't find these polar conditions anywhere in Australia and it's like being on a different planet.

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  #14  
Old 11 Jan 2009
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Well thanks Charlie I'm not Australian and I know what to expect.
Though from Belgium, I've already experienced -25 and driving on snow/ice, and +50 on sand/mud. I know Russia goes far below -25 but I'm not a fool either, I won't wear just flipflops and a tshirt and expect a walk in the park

No offense taken though, I'm easy And besides, this is still early stage of planning, yay !

I'm still determined to reach Uelen somehow but I may have to find alternative ways. I'm corresponding with a guy in Vladivostok at the moment who's getting me interesting information, I'll relay what's worth here FYI.

Minus 80 ? Wow that's pretty damn cold...
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  #15  
Old 13 Jan 2009
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Well, good news for those heading that way, well sort off.

There is indeed no road further that Magadan, but that will change. The Chukotsk region has been granted funds that will allow roadwork for the four seasons (right now only winter roads exists, which are basically the frozen rivers you drive).

As far as getting back is concerned, there is a road from Cherskiy to Yakutsk, another one from Bilibino to Cherskiy and a third from Bilibino-Pevek-Komsomolsky-Egvekinot. The rest is being built at the moment or just finished and very soon it will be possible to to Yakust-Cherskiy-Egvekinot then Uelen.

As for Yakust-Moscow that's easy

I'll keep you posted, the info is from a guy in Vladivostok who's got access apparently to the city council plans and so on so he knows about roads and things.

Yay !
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