Bicycles over the Moscow River
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Tag Archives: Russia
St Basil’s, Moscow
Day 44: Obninsk, Russia to Moscow, Russia
Start: Obninsk, Russia
End: Moscow, Russia
Distance: 109km
Elevation Gain: 2222ft
Elevation Loss: 2294ft
Time: 7h39m
Reading Material:Ukraine: A History, 4th Edition – Orest Subtelny
Audio Material: Russia: The Wild East – BBC4/Martin Sixsmith
Description
Moscow is the biggest metro area I approach on this tour and it lived up to expectations today. The day began with a drenching from some remnants of yesterday’s storms. Luckily, cloud cover remained for most of the morning keeping temps somewhat reasonable. Stopped for a roadside instant coffee from one of several small stands right before the urban sprawl began.
The approach to the city started a good 30km from the center — makes sense for a metropolis with 12M people. And, then the traffic started. Nearly 15km of full-on stopped traffic until I crossed the inner Garden Ring. At least on bike, I was able to make better time than many of the cars, but it was still an insane ride. At one point in a massive merge I got a bit squeezed between a car and a truck. They knew I was there, so didn’t risk getting completely squished but first time on the trip when I got to actually rub shoulders with the vehicles.
Biking in the city itself is not much fun. Bike culture has been increasing in Moscow, but the city is full of 8 lane roads with no stop lights or intersections (pedestrians cross underground allowing the cars to move nonstop…I guess this counts as pedestrian friendly but it’s not a very bike friendly way to build a city). Dodging cars and several times getting off the rig to play frogger crossing these massive roads, I eventually made it safely to my place on posh Novvy Arbat.
I’ll be here several days exploring Moscow before riding off to do part of the Golden Ring and then aiming north to Saint Petersburg!
Day 43: Kaluga, Russia to Obninsk, Russia
Start: Kaluga, Russia
End: Obninsk, Russia
Distance: 78.6km
Elevation Gain: 1574ft
Elevation Loss: 1631ft
Time: 5h26m
Reading Material:Ukraine: A History, 4th Edition – Orest Subtelny
Audio Material: Diane Rehm Friday News Roundups; Marketplace; Game Theory podcast (hiatus episode)
Description
Remember about two weeks ago when I sang the praise of my Schwalbe tires? Yeah, as expected, the rear one blew out today.
The beginning of the ride was wonderful. Overcast skies kept temps comfortable; Sunday traffic out of Kaluga was light and the first 40km was on smooth, almost track like surfaces. Then, a loud “pop!” Rear tire suffered a full blow out. On inspection, the treads had starting pulling away from the wire bead. I replaced the tube hoping the tire would hold even though there was a definite bulge. Unfortunately, another 20km up the road (this time on the busy motorway) the tube exploded. Gear guru Sheldon Brown explains that this type of problem can be temporarily fixed by covering the rip but since I’m carrying a folding spare, I just swapped that out (very carefully watching out for large trucks on the small shoulder). Will need to go rubber shopping in Moscow.
Lucky timing as the threatening skies opened up with a big thunderstorm about 10 minutes later. By the time I reached Obninsk there were small rivers running down the motorway and traffic had stopped as the cars slowly navigated the water. I hid under a gas station awning with a large convoy of motorcyclists (evidently, there’s a big bike rally this weekend somewhere near here) trying to get my bearings. Found a place to stay the night where I’ll keep dry until making my final assault to Moscow tomorrow — along the same road which Napoleon made his hasty exit from Moscow if Wikipedia can be believed.
While I probably won’t venture out, Obninsk is famous as the home of the world’s first production-scale nuclear plant, opened in 1954. The city was built to house technical workers for the plant and has evolved into one of the premier Russian science cities.
Day 42: Belyov, Russia to Kaluga, Russia
Start: Belyov, Russia
End: Kaluga, Russia
Distance: 98.9km
Elevation Gain: 2669ft
Elevation Loss: 2560ft
Time: 7h05m
Reading Material:Ukraine: A History, 4th Edition – Orest Subtelny
Audio Material: Nerdist (Paul Feig interview); Russia – The Wild East – BBC/Martin Sixsmith; Diane Rehm
Description
Bugs! The bugs in Russia are way more intense than anywhere else on the tour. In addition to swarms of flies which encase me in a bubble, I am now getting stung by large horseflies who know exactly which part of your shoulder blade it is impossible to reach while riding. Most pernicious are the suckers who find a way inside my shirt. Due to the heat, I’m usually riding with my shirt mostly unzipped. Twice bugs (a bee and a horsefly) have hit me at high speed and then become stuck in my shirt. They like to sting as they tumble around and I flail wildly. Must look interesting to the passing drivers.
Passed a nature preserve and got some good open landscape views before having to join up with the motorway again. Drank 1.5L of water and nearly 2L of apple juice (heat is not abating). Learned a new trick from Andrew yesterday. Most rural Russia villages have multiple communal water pumps along the road. The water is probably safe to drink (though, often has a slight metallic taste). But, more importantly: it’s cold! Frequent water pump showers are a great way to keep cool while riding.
For lunch I was joined by a pack of hungry and hot dogs looking for handouts. They had such sad faces but I didn’t have nearly enough extra banana to go around so decided to let them fend for themselves.
Kaluga is another medium-sized Russia city (~300,000 pop). Historically, the city served as a choke point for attacking Napoleon troops in retreat. But, more recently, it has become the center of Russia’s automobile industry. And, Kaluga was the home of Konstantin Tsiolkovsky, widely credited as the father of rocket science who published theoretical articles on space propulsion as early as 1881 (also, strange philosophical articles on futurism and eugenics). An eccentric recluse who lived on the outskirts of town, he taught mathematics and generally confused normal people. It is claimed that Tsiolkovsky was the inspiration for the Aeolia Schenberg character on Mobile Suite Gundam.
