Next July/August I plan on riding from the UK to Novosibirsk, Siberia for the total solar eclipse that will pass though that region on 1st August. This isn't my first such trip, I've travelled to many eclipses over the years, but it will be my first time in Russia and I'd like to pick the brains and extensive experience available here.

Firstly I plan to get to/from Russia via Poland (which I've already experienced), Lithuania and Latvia which being EU countries now avoids the need for any visas. Any recommendations on free-flowing routes or snarl-up places to avoid? I know it's a crime not to take things easy and see the places one's passing through but the eclipse won't wait for me so any sightseeing will need to be done on the way home.

Once in Russia the obvious route is Moscow, Nizhniy Novgorod, Kazan, Ufa, Chelyabinsk, (avoiding Khazakstan to save on visa costs) Omsk, Novosibirsk. Any comments on this route and on likely road conditions (surface and traffic)? If road conditions are good (i.e. not slow going) I'd like to ride down into the Altai Mountains for a few days too.

On the return journey I'd like to vary the route and come back further north through the Urals maybe via Sverdlovsk and Perm (with due regard to the radiation pollution in this region). Time permitting I'd really like to see St Petersburgh and Kaliningrad (I'm guessing I'll need a multi-entry Russian visa for Kaliningrad - any comments?) but I'd rather make the most of what's to see further east - St Petersburgh is a pretty easy fly-in weekend break.

It would be useful to know what accommodation is available along the route. I shall have a tent along with me but I'm not a particularly happy camper and would prefer to use cheap hotels - I do find a tent more appealing than paying European hotel prices though! What's the availability of food like? Both basic provisions and cafe/restaurants. Film footage of empty shelves in Russian shops is stark in my mind but this is from several years ago and I hope (for the people of Russia) that things have improved since then.

I've got 5 1/2 weeks for this trip which back of an envelope calculations say I should allow for 9000 miles which I know means cracking on a pace but I have extensive experience of long distance riding so I'm not concerned about that so long as the roads are good for it. I'm not expecting western European motorway standards but dirt and mud aren't going to be compatible with my 1150GS reaching Novosibirsk in time for the eclipse. Research on the HUBB suggests folk have managed Vladivostok to Europe in the same timescale and I'm led to believe the roads beyond Novosibirsk to the east are much less reliable.

Any comments/suggestions greatly received and thanks in advance.

Jeremy

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