Category Archives: Road Report

A roundup report from a day on the bike with stats

Day 53: Rybinsk, Russia to Poshekhonye, Russia

Start: Rybinsk, Russia
End: Poshekhonye, Russia
Distance: 72.2km
Elevation Gain: 992ft
Elevation Loss: 936ft
Time: 5h16m
Reading Material:A World at Arms: A Global History of World War II – Gerhard L. Weinberg
Audio Material: Marketplace (Kai was pretty giddy about driving an RV); WTF podcast (Douglas Rushkoff interview, I haven’t read any of his books, but in the interview he comes off as a futurist of the worst kind: made up buzzwords with no elements of history or substance); World in Words; This American Life (summer camp episode; Adam Davidson’s English Israeli accent from 1998 is amazing); Acid Rap mix tape – Chance the Rapper

Description
It’s nice to escape the tourist-land of the Golden Ring. Yes, this means dilapidated roads and rough evening accommodations. But, also the freedom to spend your time finding things which aren’t important historical sights in a guidebook, markets where they keep all the merchandise behind the counter (ok, not so good for non-native speakers) and tally your total with a wooden abacus, and people who are friendly and curious about your travels (I think in the tourist zone, once the locals see thousands of foreigners disembark huge buses every day and follow a woman around with a flag everywhere they kinda lose interest in the whole species).

While I’ve been following the shore of the Rybinsk Reservoir all day, I actually got minimal views of the water. Lots of log cabin homes (some in excellent shape and some missing most of their structure) and several whimsical yard displays.

Found a real abandoned brick church and cemetery. The steeple was at 45 degrees to the ground and several trees were growing in the anteroom. Outlines of frescoes were visible along with graffiti stuck in a rut of 90s bands (was hoping the setting would have inspired something more original).

Acquired shelter for the night in the tiny village of Poshekhonye for ~$10. Town center has mostly empty trading stalls watched over by Lenin and a nice little church. Need to get some good rest as tomorrow is a lengthy day to Cherepovets.

Day 52: Yaroslavl, Russia to Rybinsk, Russia

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Start: Yaroslavl, Russia
End: Rybinsk, Russia
Distance: 90.5km
Elevation Gain: 1699ft
Elevation Loss: 1489ft
Time: 6h04m
Reading Material:A World at Arms: A Global History of World War II – Gerhard L. Weinberg
Audio Material: Marketplace; Wait Wait Don’t Tell Me; Stuff You Should Know

Description
Today begins the final ~900km push on to St. Petersburg.

A straight ride up P151 to Rybinsk. Decent pavement except for a 2km stretch on the outskirts of Yaroslavl which was recently stripped in preparation for road work. Grooved pavement is probably one of the least bike friendly surfaces I’ve encountered.

Stopped in the town of Tutayev and visited the exquisitely beautiful Church of the Resurrection. Tutayev is a single town located on both sides of the Volga but without a bridge. To get to the other side of the town, you either need a boat or travel 40km to Yaroslavl or Rybinsk. There were several interesting cathedrals and towers on the opposite bank from me but figuring out how to flag a private ferry with the bicycle seemed too complicated. I admired them from across the river and spent my time in the church I could reach.

Simple ride into Rybinsk — a town probably most famous for being at the confluence of the Volga at ancient times and, thanks to Stalin, on the shores of the Rybinsk “Sea”. The Sea was formed in 1941 by the creation of a huge hydroelectric dam. At the time, it was the largest man-made body of water in the world. Today, the power output of the dam is minimal and the ecological damage debated, not to mention the 150,000 displaced people and nearly 633 villages which lie under the water. I’ll be getting an up close view as I travel up the eastern shoreline the next two days to Cherepovets.

Day 51: Kostroma, Russia to Yaroslavl, Russia

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Start: Kostroma, Russia
End: Yaroslavl, Russia
Distance: 83.1km
Elevation Gain: 1134ft
Elevation Loss: 1118ft
Time: 4h45m
Reading Material:A World at Arms: A Global History of World War II – Gerhard L. Weinberg
Audio Material: Marketplace; Diaen Rehm News Roundups; World in Words; On The Media

Description
A nearly perfect bike touring day.

Light drizzle kept temps perfect. Road surface was highway but only 2-lane, light utilization and a decent shoulder. Good workout but arrived at destination Yaroslavl with enough time (and energy) to have a beer and check out some sights before turning in for the night.

Passed a large military facility that I will guess was for paratroopers based on the logo on the barbed wire gates. I didn’t stick around too long to confirm — would rather not meet any Spetsnaz. Found another fading brick church. This one was huge, empty and boarded up. But, it sported a super nice belltower.

Depending on how you count, Yaroslavl is the oldest of the Golden Ring cities. Located at the intersection of the Kotorosl and Volga Rivers, it has always been an important trading and transportation city. Just as the historical American city of Springfield was founded by its namesake Jebediah Springfield when he killed a bear with his bare hands, Yaroslavl the Wise founded the city and legend has it conquered a nearby clan by impressing them with his ability to wrestle a bear (hence the bear on the city’s Coat of Arms). The city was a favorite target for destruction by the Mongol Horde who repeatedly burned the primarily wooden town. Today, Yaroslavl retains importance with a population of 600,000 and multiple universities.

Day 50: Lunevo, Russia to Kostroma, Russia

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Start: Lunevo, Russia
End: Kostroma, Russia
Distance: 36.7km
Elevation Gain: 582ft
Elevation Loss: 603ft
Time: 2h04m
Reading Material:A World at Arms: A Global History of World War II – Gerhard L. Weinberg
Audio Material: Marketplace; Bullseye (Rick Moranis interview)

Description
Quick trip on to the next Golden Ring stop just up the Volga: Kostroma.

On the A113, met a bike tourer headed in the opposite direction. Anatoyli had a nice, light setup with rear saddlebags. If we understood each other correctly, I believe he lives in Kostroma and was headed out for a nice little loop of Golden Ring towns.

Some excellent downhill traffic dodging into town. I played leapfrog with a wedding party and then passed them as they were disembarking by the river for a ceremony. Saw what I think was meant to be a sexy billboard advertising joining a convent (also, a reality TV program last night about a group of young women living in a convent)?

Rode around Kostroma’s ancient city center and famous trading stalls. Tomorrow, I’ll explore the city’s Romanov history.

Day 49: Ivanovo, Russia to Lunevo, Russia

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Start: Ivanovo, Russia
End: Lunevo, Russia
Distance: 80.5km
Elevation Gain: 1115ft
Elevation Loss: 1161ft
Time: 5h07m
Reading Material:A World at Arms: A Global History of World War II – Gerhard L. Weinberg
Audio Material: World in Words (global Yiddish; bribery episode); This American Life (500th episode, maybe a bit too self-congratulatory); Stuff You Should Know; WTF (Jonah Hill episode)

Description
Finally met the Volga!

Passed several abandoned factories and crumbling Soviet concrete structures on the way out of Ivanovo. Still nice, cool temps as I continued to follow the A113 north. Spotted a roadside stand selling leftover stuffed animals from carnival games? Left the A113 and followed a small, choppy road past a giant power plant towards the Volga for 15km. Beautiful glimpses of the river. Along the way, discovered an abandoned brick church turning back to its original red color.

I’m staying in a cabin resort nestled in the deep and old forest along the banks of the Volga. After the ride, I walked through a Soviet-style family camp (absurd-looking exercise equipment; a group accordion sing-a-long) and took a dip in the river.