Start: Poshekhonye, Russia
End: Cherepovets, Russia
Distance: 115.0km
Elevation Gain: 1461ft
Elevation Loss: 1466ft
Time: 8h26m
Reading Material:A World at Arms: A Global History of World War II – Gerhard L. Weinberg
Audio Material: Stuff You Should Know podcast; Transom (Diary of a War Correspondent); EconTalk; Diane Rehm (Freelance Economy); Bullseye (Kasper Hauser interview)
Description
Day two along the eastern shore of the Rybinsk Reservoir. Unfortunately, a triple whammy: still no real views of the water, slab road surface and a very strong headwind that I’m guessing was caused by the unseen water which caused a 2km/hr average speed loss over the course of the day.
Bike tourers in these parts are definitely rare, so have been getting some good looks. A few astonished folks at lunch and some friendly thumbs up and honks along the way.
Arrived in Cherepovets tired but decent spirits. Passed a huge railyard. Cherepovets is one of the major industrial cities in Russia. Home to the second largest steel plant and base for industrial metal giant Severstal which owns its own ice hockey, basketball and, yes, chess teams all based in Cherepovets. Fun facts: Cherepovets is the designated location to reform the Russian government in case nuclear strike threatens Moscow. Also, Cherepovets is sister city to Montclair, NJ — a town that has neither a steel plant nor a chance to host the US federal government (though, would probably feel some major carryover effects from any nuclear strike on New York City).
