Last night, after writing my journal… ha ha…
The old bloke who ‘lived’ downstairs below the cafe said I should use his bed instead of my tent) and he’d sleep elsewhere. Oh dear.
His basement flat was just a barn, where he bread rabbits and stored his collection of cigarette ends. Erk. He didn’t have much but he shared it all with a random traveller.
Anyway, today’s long ride… check. Over 600 miles.
The scenery here really is stunning, and the roads are great! It is thinly populated so I will try to source a fuel jerry can first thing in the morning. The petrol station by the cafe where I’m writing this is 130 miles from the previous petrol station, where I also filled up. I can do 200 miles if I cruise at 60mph, but if I cruise at 70mph then I have to switch to the reserve tap after about 130 miles (which I had to do today). I hate switching to the reserve tap.
I managed to latch onto a WiFi signal today, so I’ve let people know where I am, and that I’m Ok.
The genetic make-up of the populace is definitely shifting to the oriental here. I’m even drinking rice beer :). I wonder how close I am to the Chinese border?
The views have switched again – from the majestic big-sky and mountain-ringed plains to tree-covered mountains all around. It feels like the sort of territory where two countries might share a natural border.
I saw some military-looking rotating radar antenna on the mountains to my left (north). They weren’t rotating – they were just pointing towards the south (China).
Tomorrow should see me getting past this big junction, where a left would take me towards Magadan. I shall, of course, be turning right towards Vladivostok. This should send me southwards so I should finally stop moving forwards through timezones. Although the time of day is in no way important to me at the moment, it’s driving me crazy always being out by an hour or more. My internal clock is going cuckoo.
One more pivo and then bed, I think.
500 miles will do for tomorrow – fuck knows where I’ll find the next bancomat (ATM).
[beer]
Power has just gone out. Here come the candles.
[beer]
Power is back. Oh yes – I rode through an almighty swarm of (I think) mosquitos today. Bloody carnage! My visor looks like the aftermath of the Battle of Bosworth.