Spent the day wandering around the bank of the Volga. Met a few bunnies and some pigs. I can’t read the Russian menus but I have a feeling they made the list. Saw some huge ships, reinforcing the importance of the Volga for both shipping and tourism.
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.
Start: Suzdal, Russia
End: Ivanovo, Russia
Distance: 84.5km
Elevation Gain: 1273ft
Elevation Loss: 1239ft
Time: 5h31m
Reading Material:Leningrad: The Epic Siege of World War II, 1941-1944 – Anna Reid
Audio Material: Marketplace; On The Media; Wait Wait Don’t Tell Me; Nerdist (Tig Notaro interview)
Description
Left the picturesque golden domes of Suzdal for the gritty textile city of Ivanovo. The merciful dark clouds and resulting cooler temps (hovering around a pleasant 75F) made for easy (if not overly exciting) riding on the motorway.
At several locations, passed men on the side of the rood selling assortments of industrial-sized samovars, gramophones and fake landscapes. I presume geared to the Muscovites on family holiday through the Golden Ring looking for a slice of pastoral Russia?
Ivanovo was the center of Russia’s textile industry and its history is closely intertwined with early worker strikes, revolts and possibly the first example of a local soviet before the Bolshevik revolution. The city seems on hard times since the last textile factories closed in 2000, however it has multiple universities and is trying to rebrand itself as a “City of Youth” — even qualifying as a contestant for the title of European Capital of Youth 2015. From my vantage point, however, I just saw lots of cars and a city grid where nearly every sub road was unpaved and potholed.
Tomorrow, I get back to the pastoral and meet up with the Volga.
Start: Vladimir, Russia
End: Suzdal, Russia
Distance: 47.5km
Elevation Gain: 1248ft
Elevation Loss: 1262ft
Time: 4h17m
Reading Material:Leningrad: The Epic Siege of World War II, 1941-1944 – Anna Reid
Audio Material: Diane Rehm Friday News Roundups
Description
A quick jaunt from Vladimir to Suzdal with a detour to Bogolyubovo.
Bogolyubovo is only 10km from Vladimir but legend has it that Prince Andrei Bogolyubsky’s horses returning from battle refused to keep going, so the Prince had to stay the night. While stopped along the Nerl river, he saw a vision instructing him to build a church, resulting in the creation of the Church of the Intercession on the Nerl.
Vision or not, it really is a splendid place for a church. The Nerl meanders through marsh (flooding earlier in the spring) and the simple structure rises up from the water. Even better, you have to walk a good 1km on foot to reach the church which really adds to the magic.
I also visited the large Holy Bogolyubovo Monastery. Lots of Sunday activity but nearly everywhere I turned, a sister ordered me to head the other direction. The bike suit is not so good for wandering inconspicuously. The oldest part of the monastery contains the stairs and archway were Prince Bogolyubsky was eventually killed by some jealous local nobles. Hard life being a prince in Kievian Rus.
Another 30km up the motorway and I arrived in Suzdal, also an ancient capital. Unlike Vladimir, Suzdal was bypassed by the railway, so remained hidden for most of the industrial age and only has ~10,000 residents. However, the tourist age has recently discovered its multitude of churches, religious sites and old mead recipes, so the place probably swells to 75k during the summer.
I’ve recently developed a head cold, so we’ll see if the healing power of churches (and mead) can cure it over the next few days while I’m in town.
