who has plans for BAM/110/ROB summer 2013?

[black_labb]

I'm pretty close to organising visas and flights into irkutsk or khabarovsk so I can ride the bam.

Right now I plan on riding from Ulan-Ude heading north along the 110 to novy Uoyan on the BAM where I will start heading east. I will either attempt the eastern part of the bam or I will take a train from Tynda to the other side of the river from Yakutsk and do the road of bones, then fly back from Magadan to Irkutsk or Khabarovsk (wherever I fly back to Australia from). I will see how I feel after doing the 110 and some of the western bam. If I do manage to complete the eastern bam and I have time I'll try and get back to the western end of the bam and complete the whole thing, but expecting all those stars to line up is pretty ambitious.

I'll be doing it on a pushbike and probably solo, so I will be using the train network to get between the start/end points and if things get too tough.

Should I expect to see anyone from here somewhere out there?

[Griffdowg]

You may well spot us around August and into September in our Land Rover with trailer

What are you riding? We will likely stop for any cyclists in the region anyway!

G

[black_labb]

I'll be riding a black surly long haul trucker set up as a suspensionless mountainbike.

What are your plans, or is it pretty up in the air at this point?

[colebatch]

As far as I know they havent finished the train network to Nizhny Bestyakh (across the river from Yakutsk).

Services only run to Aldan I believe.

You should be able to hitch a lift easily enough with a push bike

[black_labb]

Originally Posted by colebatch

As far as I know they havent finished the train network to Nizhny Bestyakh (across the river from Yakutsk).

Services only run to Aldan I believe.

You should be able to hitch a lift easily enough with a push bike

I've read in a few places that the line has been completed to Nizhny Bestyakh, one being wikipedia but I did find others a while ago when I first considered it as an option.

As you say it's not going to be a showstopper if the train doesn't get the whole way. With all the dust and/or mud that I've heard about on the road to yakutsk I'd try and avoid spending too much time riding the road when I have a visa deadline and need to get to Magadan.

[colebatch]

the basic "line" has indeed pretty much been built ... but it still takes years to get it operational ... set up signalling etc.

There are no services on it yet. I dont know when they are scheduled to commence. It will be a big deal when they do, so you will hear about it. But I wouldnt bet on it for this summer.

[Griffdowg]

Originally Posted by black_labb

I'll be riding a black surly long haul trucker set up as a suspensionless mountainbike.

What are your plans, or is it pretty up in the air at this point?

Neat! I like those

Rough plan is Mongolia for July, Lake Baikal early August then see if we can drive the western BAM. We would like to drive the Old Summer Road to Magadan also but there are a lot of variables.

Currently in Georgia and will enter Russia at the end of the month to transit to Kaz and onward from there

G

[black_labb]

We probably won't end up meeting up unless I end up doing the ROB.

In developments I've just booked flights and will be in Khabarovsk on the 14th of june. I expect to start from Ulan-Ude on the 18th or so once I get myself there (a short 48hr train ride) and organise a few other things that can only be done in cities like a sim card, visa registration etc. Just need to get the visa and it won't be long before I'm standing next to my bike terrified at the thought that I'm riding off towards the bam alone trying to decide if it's a good idea.

[colebatch]

Originally Posted by black_labb

...Just need to get the visa and it won't be long before I'm standing next to my bike terrified at the thought that I'm riding off towards the bam alone trying to decide if it's a good idea.

BAM Road is fine ... always remember you have this huge safety net there of the train line. Trains will stop on the BAM if you flag them down in the middle of nowhere - especially the small local trains.

The 110 and Old Summer Road are more of an issue safety wise. You dont really have any backup until someone else comes along. Which might be days or even a week or more.

There are some bear habitats along the Western BAM - around Khani (Hani) its said to be an area to be wary. But I have done the road a few times and not seen any there. More of an issue up north, on the Old Summer Road and approaching Magadan.

[takeonafrica]

Originally Posted by Griffdowg

Rough plan is Mongolia for July...
the end of the month to transit to Kaz and onward from there

G

Our paths may just cross again!! Heading out in May to cycle back... should be in Mongolia June/July...

[mark k]

I think for bikes it's the weather that's the killer, I did it last year east to west with a friend in fantastic conditions and the ride was amazing. I can imagine it being a totally different experience in the wet though, maybe I will try it sometime . As Walter says the bridges are the main problem for 4WD, the 2 big ones are guarded so if they do let you drive them at least they will know when the next train is due. We crossed a couple of other smaller ones on the bikes but that's easy to bump them onto the side of the track and shoot through. Also I wouldn't fancy sitting in a 4WD day after day over those roads! I'd end up with piles! Ha ha
Good luck and look forward to reading your progress.
Mark

[mark k]

The 2 big ones would need to be by railway bridge, the 2 or maybe 3 others we crossed could probably have been crossed by 4WD, but it was easier to jump on the tracks. Also the rivers were low when we did it last year, this year maybe a different matter. All adds to the fun

[JediMaster]

I arrived in Tynda last night along with Peter Berry (XR400) and the J.A.B.A MUNDUS | Motorcycling Around The world lads, Jon and Andrew (2 x KTM 690 Rallye)

Lots of talk about how tough the ride is but its all relevant. Relevant to:

• What you're riding (and how well you've prepped it)
• How much gear you're carrying
• What you're riding experience is
• And as Harryg mentioned, the weather. Not just when you're on the BAM but during the days/weeks preceding.

We had blue skies and sunshine on all but the morning of our final day. The water in the puddles was approx 30cm below the high water lines and so I (personally) think we had it easy. (Although a couple of puddles were approx 80cm deep).



Being (very) short in the leg its the rocky and/or murky water crossings that I find most difficult and so thanks to what I presume to be relatively low water levels I didn't find anything too difficult. I just walked my bike across the rocky rivers. (I'm riding a DRZ400 with approx 30kg of gear).

The big river crossing (W20 in the waypoint folder) has been replaced by a new bridge.

Other than that it was like a great trail ride but fully loaded.


We all felt the worst section was Novy Uoyan - Taksimo. Walter; you need to upgrade your description from 'Rough Road' to 'kin Rough Road'! It didn't help that we were all riding with hangovers after stumbling across (Saturday) Girls Night Out in NU...

It's a tiring ride that's hard on machinery. Our tally was:

7 punctures (all rears were nails, all fronts pinched by sidewall collapse)
1 Broken aluminium dash plate
1 leaking fork seal
1 holed radiator
1 snapped chain (that snapped the front sprocket & nut!)
1 engine filled with water (KTM - no names mentioned )

The oldest, cheapest bike of the four (Peter's £800, '97 XR400) merely lost a seat mounting bolt!


Black_Labb - we saw your tyre tracks but somehow never saw you!

Originally Posted by black_labb

The bam past yuktali is far from graded gravel roads. Looks like serious flood damage.expect it to be just as bad.more details wheni can charge electronics.im currently 100+km from yuktali and it might be improveing. We'll see soon
Found out the solo rider I missed before the vitim is an australian. Any idea who he is Walter or anyone else?

It doesn't improve until after Lopcha

The bridge across the Chilchi River has collapsed requiring a detour across the unguarded railway bridge. However, someone has gone to reasonable lengths to deter anyone from doing so...



From the west...



From the east...



I'll finish on a lighter note. Here's our 'Porn Star' pose photo from the Golden Spike...

[colebatch]

Originally Posted by JediMaster

The big river crossing (W20 in the waypoint folder) has been replaced by a new bridge.

Thats a pity ... it was one of the classic sights

[mark k]

Well done chaps, its a great ride isn't it enjoy a and good luck on the next section.
Mark