Moscow--We picked up a nail and a riding partner
Day 101 - Visited Red Square and other key sites during the day. Traffic in Moscow is really no joke. Even with lenient traffic laws for motorcycles, it can take hours to drive across the city. So, that took up much of the day and I was pleased to climb off the bike.
Was fortunate enough to hang out with Dmitry and Anastasia again. Great people. They again strongly directed me to go south through Kazakhstan and visit some of the Stans. We will see about that. While their hospitality has been the best I've seen this trip, I felt it was time to give their son his room back. Still, it was great to eat breakfast with them and hear about their journeys, desires to ride the US, and various unique aspects of Russian life. Oh, and Dmitry introduced me to Russian salt smoked cheese braids...an addictive snack that would be a staple me through all of Asia.
Day 102 - Lots of rain. I made my way outside the city for the last night in Moscow. Tired of the traffic and noise. Can you tell that I don't like cities?
Day 103 - Moscow to Dmitrievka - 5.5 hours, 260 miles. Here's where my luck starts to get interesting. I left a hotel north of town for a 90-minute drive looping around the city. I'd meet my first riding partner, Kenny, at a gas station south of town. It was great to bypass all traffic by taking the left shoulder, where all motorbikes drive. Just when I was about to arrive at the rally point, I heard a rapid "thud" coming from the rear end as the control panel blinked to alert me of rapidly decreasing tire pressure. Crap! This tire was BRAND NEW! I literally coasted into the gas station, taking the wrong way through the one-way exit, and rolled to a stop as the pressure went to zero. A mechanic at the adjacent shop saw me inspecting the flat tire and came to help. We pushed Green up to a bay, and within two minutes a young boy had plugged the hole and aired up the tire. Green was fixed in no time flat (pun intended) and it cost $1. The issue now is that tire plugs aren't the most reliable solution, and this is as new as tires get. Do I trust it the rest of the way home...through the sand and mud of Kazakhstan and Mongolia? Do I return to Moscow and pay another $250 for a new tire? I'll risk it. Let's see how it holds up.
I linked up w/ Kenny, who is riding a 1993 Honda Africa Twin. Kenny is a 31-year-old Swiss fella who quit his job to ride around the world. Can't say I blame him. We shook hands, and off we went. Southbound.
Found a nice little hotel for $10 a night, and the bikes found shelter under the front porch. Despite Kenny's modest Russian language skills, we pretty much always have no option but to order the same thing...Borscht.
