Meet Kurtis

Meet David

 

Welcome to "Biking for barnardo's"

NEWSFLASH!!!

We intend to arrive at the Eric Morecambe statue in Morecambe at 12pm on the 4th October while asking any other bikers to join us for our final leg from Devils Bridge (Kirkby Lonsdale) at 11am.

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OUR DIARY...
15th June - hello everyone, thankyou to everyone who turned up yesterday and giving us such an amazing send off. This is the first update of many (when ever we can access the internet).

After stopping in Coventry to have a brew with my grandma we made our way down to London and had a night out with my old RAF mates. We are staying on the base until Monday where we will head into London and pick up our passports with (hopefully) a Russian visa inside. Fingers Crossed!

From leaving London where we stayed on the Military base in Uxbridge until Monday we picked up our visas. That evening we rode through the night and arrived in Tienen just outside Brussels. We were shatterd and needed some good shut eye. Since Tienen we have visited a town south of Dinant where David met with some friends of his Grandfathers from the war era who helped him hide from the Nazi's. The riding has generally been pleasurable although David was first to drop his bike- we decided this wasnt a bad thing as we are sure to be dropping them in the future and the bike held up fine. From here we have rode into Germany (aarchen) and are staying the night with the aim of visiting Amsterdam.

Day 6-
Day Amsterdam was fantastic yet we declined offers from the massage parlours and merely browsed the fabulous buildings and rivers. We rode just outside of the town and camped for the first time.

Day 7
We spent much time riding which didnt help through lack of sleep. This led to Kurtis dropping the bike on the middle lane of the motorway, and later Dave skidding off his bike and breaking his rear brake lever while cutting through a field for camping purposes. Spent the night in a farmers field overlooking Hanover

Day 8
Rode all day today after being awoken by the farmer giving us the Euro footie scores. Beautiful day though and we were able to help a German lady biker who needed her chain tightening at a service station. We passed through Berlin and headed over the Polish border. Roads were significantly poorer from here and we stayed in a dodgy polish motel where we also ate-strange food!

Day 9
Headed back on the odd roads in Poland and just when we were getting fed up of it we were amazed by the scenary of Southern Poland through the Sudetan mountains. Crossing the border to Czech Republic Dave had a near accident with an oncoming car. Thankfully for us it the car infront and although a complete write off, all inside were ok thanks to Dave's heroics of helping them out. Camped inside the town of Benatky Nad.

Day 10
Made it to Prague today where we are staying for the day so that we can get our final service on the bikes tomorrow.

Day 11: Awoke after a night out with our US Friends in Prague
and headed to Benatky' Nad to get the bike serviced. After that we headed South East for Slovakia and straight into a thunder storm, camped in a farmers field and got piss wet through!.....not fun!!

Day 12: Up early to avoid the farmer and crossed the border into Slovakia. The towns were looking more run down and people were taking alot more interest in us and the bikes. Not sure if this is a good or a bad thing? Had a run in with some dodgy locals wanting money but all turned out to be ok. Later found a place to camp off the main road that was full of flies due to our camp site being used as a toilet because of the lack of service stations! Its lovely being at one with nature, haha. We had another thunderstorm and Dave's camp bed ripped down the middle, and the floor of the tent was still wet from the night before so was a pretty low point for us so far! The people are generally fine though and the landscape is suprisingly sensational....the only downside is there is not all that much to do in Slovakia and even the towns do not provide many interesting sights or entertainment.

Day 13: When we awoke from an uncomfortable nights sleep Dave was stung by a bee then had to remove a tick from Kurtis' back before getting on the road for the Ukraine. Hopefully our jabs prior to departure will have covered us from any exotic disease. We soon past through Kovice before reaching the Ukraine border. There was alot of form filling and checks but we eventually made it through ok. Once through border control we were into Uzhorod which was a dodgy first impression of Ukraine due to the people, but we soon made it out into the countryside and began riding though what would be more associated with the Lake District in England, and had some really nice riding! We then stayed in a nice (cheap) hotel in the middle of the valley to wash our undies and try to get a good nights sleep!

Day 14: Spent the majority of the day idleing through Ukraine towrds Lviv. Passing through the mountanous terrain was like something out of a great Hollywood film epic. Scattered along the roadside were women with shawls attempting to sell you anything; olives, wicker baskets, rugs etc. It was suprising now to see agriculture land being farmed in a traditional way with horses and old tools and people using wells to get their daily supply of water. It was all friendly enough and with the rolling hillside it was easy to lose yourself into thinking we were home again until we saw that many memorials to previous accidents on the road and no less than three crahes in the space of a couple of hours. Made in to Lviv, which is beautiful in the center due to its old Rennaisance buildings which somehow escaped the bombings of World war 2. All the women appear to be good looking whilst the men are not upto scratch, haha. We may consider living here just yet.

Day 15: Woke up early to leave Lviv and the day started poorly. Kurtis fell off his bike and skidded 60feet down some cobbles. Somehow there was no damage to the bike just a dent in a pannier. We then managed to drive 50miles in the wrong direction until two aged prostitutes pointed us back in the right direction whilst offering their services. To top the day off we were stopped by the police and forced to pay $40 each for an alledged speeding offence after some negotiation. Camped in a wood nearby. Good times

Day 16: Today was followed by more fun with the police who stopped us at some traffic lights. When we pulled to the side of the road he pulled a gun out on us and demanded $100. Somehow staring down the barrel of a gun we still managed to end up paying $70, which is not my idea of fun but better than a hole in the stomach. Feeling low having been robbed again we wandered into the woods to camp and thought about how we are more afraid of the police who are there to protect us than the actual Ukranian people. It is ruining the Ukraine experience for us somewhat

Day 17: Feeling pretty low, and after Dave had vomitted through the night, we headed to Kiev to treat ourselves to a hotel. On the way we were propositioned by a man known as Ivan who asked us to come and live at his house. Against all our bes interests we blew caution to the wind and agreed. Suprisingly he has turned out to be a great host and has fed us and we have enjoyed his company despite his referal to being what we can gather as related o the mafia. His large 'friend' known as Sascha also adds to this notion. We had a good evening with him and decided to stay although a little anxcious of the bikes going missing through the night or something happening to us

Day 18: Our 'mafia man' Ivan arranged for his friend (assosciate) to show us the sights of Kiev. After breakfast we were led into a black car and driven around the city ignoring any form of police gestures, road rules or parking problems. It was a great day despite continuously being introduced to other friends in other fancy cars. The language barrier was an issue at times but al in all it was a good day. By the evening, we visited an outdoor gym full of naked Ukranians in their Y fronts pumping iron on old rusty metallic weight benches. Dave decded to join in and show what the Brits can do while Kurt found a Ukranian sparing partner. We soon headed back to Ivans after a visit to the supermarket

Day 21
We said goodbye to our mafia friends and was a little relieved to say goodbye. Left Kiev and headed for Poltava where wee camped the nite in a field out of view from the local farmer

Day 22
Kurtis' biike fell over this morning and managed to snap the gear lever. Luckily we had a spare and were able to fit it using our limited mechanical skills, otherwise we would have been stuck in Ukraine for a very long time. The luck got worse however when entering Slavyansk and Kurtis' bike skidded on a very heavy patch of oil and skidded into the back of Dave denting all his panniers. Later we found somewhere to camp but were quuickly informed it was a Uranium mine and told we were in serious danger. We got taken in by a complete stranger and went to what could only be described as a hut of a house with a hose as a shower and one room. Not complaining we stayed and he fed us and gave us a pair of socks each as a gift....how nice

Day 23
Poor weather today as we headed for the Russian border and spirits were low after a strange fish soup for breakfast (i still taste it now). Crossed the border after alot of hassle and bribes and We were soon caught by the Russian police and had to bribe another $70 for nothing. Camped at the roadside with a bitter taste for Russia so far

Day 24
We headed past Volgograd towards Saaratov again stopped by police and forced to pay a little fine for a speeding offence. Just when we thought Russia was terrible a nice man sat us in his cafe and gave us a free BBQ in Saratov which restored our faith. Rode through storms later...not fun

Day 26
We were awoken early by the heavy rain and was ready to get to the Kazak border by 6.30am. We had some hassle with paperwork getting through but the Kazaks were suprisingly friendly. We were soon accross the border and immediatly laughed at the vast nothingness of Kazakhstan before our humour turned to concern regarding petrol and water. The roads were great though as we headed to a city near by (Oral) where we were able to fuel at a strange garage with old pumps. Camped just outside

Day 27
Wooke up early and made porridge with some water as we would not see any shops for a while. We laughed at how easy the roads were for the first 100 miles and then our outlook soon changed. We were suddenly hit with no roads. In its place was white sand, gravel and dirt. We saw a local who slaughtered a sheep and cooked it at the side of the road for us. It was suprisingly delicious. This was the last person we saw for quite a while. The road was terrible as we contiuously fell off the bikes-luckily not damaging them. We camped off the road and had under one litre of water left between us and little petrol. We were concerned to say the least. Using the moisture we made a soup and went to bed very dry, thirsty and worried.

Day 28
After a early start before the sun reached its usual 55 degrees we travelled for perhaps 100 miles before we came accross a local shop. Dying of thirst we clattered in and bought litres upon litres. We also found fuel nearby but it has been a major wake up call for us. Oprogress is slow and the roads tiring and draining but slowly we edged our way to Actobe where we found a hotel in the city. It was a nice evening that night and we were relieved.

Day 29
We left from the comfort of a city hotel and headed towards Araltobe fully hydrated for a change. Our leaving seems to draw attention wherever we are with many onlookers wondering what these steel horses that we ride are, haha. People are generally nice though and just want photos and to try and talk. Its almost like being a celebrity. Saw our first wild camels today which was strange to think we had ridden to place where there are camels freely roaming. We also get alot of goats and cows just roaming around often on the road so you have to be careful. Today unbelievably in the middle of nowhere we came accross 4 Danish bikers who were trying to simply get across Kazakhstan as their mission. They were fully equipped with mechanical skills and a 4x4 landrover following them with spares. This made us nervous as we are going 5 times further than they are with no support crew or knowledge but it was great to meet them all the same and we rode and camped with them that evening

Day 30
Roads were terrible today but we stuck with the Danish bikers for a days ride before we parted ways. Dave was a little ill again but managed to cope with the terrible roads. We now wish we had offroad tyres like the Danish but we are coping. Stopped at a garage today where a guard patrolled aiming a pump action shotgun at everyone......we are used to guns being pointed at us now however, haha. Stayed near Koctahan this evening.

Day 31
Having been riding a month now it was hard today to not let your mind wander back home especially when the roads are poor and its difficult. We parted with our Danish friends and headed towards Sarikot. We rode for some time before camping and on the non-roads Kurtis had a bad accident which flung him 20feet from his bike. Some damage to the bike but it was fixable by the roadside just about. Had a glorious campsite however overlooking a river

Day 32
We were up early after a quick wash in the river and on the road by 9am. The roads were less than good and it begins to take its toll on your fatigue and mind. Nevertheless we continued towards Actaha stopping briefly for lunch with some locals in a roadside hut. Suprisingly it was one of the best lunches we have had and for future reference we learnt the name was "Borsh" which is a type of soup with sheeps meat. We headed through Kokwetay where again we drew alot of attention by going into the city and it was seconds before we were crowded again with people taking photos and wanting to talk to you. Problems arose later when Kurtis' front end of the bike was literally dropping off. In a panic we took the bike apart not knowing what we were looking for yet somehow we diagnosed the problem of some missing screws (probably from yesterdays crash) and were able to fix it. It gave us both some hope that we were able to solve the problem. Later we were pullled by the police but Kurt was able to talk his way around them smiling and joking with them and they let us go. We camped soon after.

Day 33
Heavy lightning storms through the night made it difficult to sleep. Kaakhstan is very flat and being in a tent with metal poles in the air made us uneasy despite knowing how unlikely it is to be hit by lightning. The roads were a little better today and made for some of the best riding we have had through some fabulous landscape. The only issues again were horses, sheep and cows in the road. We made it to Pavlodar and ate in a strange chinese restaurant. I think we both questioned what exactly the meat was that we were eating.

Day 34
Up early and on the road again ready to head back for the Russian border. I think we were a little saddened to be leaving Kazakhstan. Although it was tough, the people are fantastic and i guess it is unlikely that we will return here in our lifetimes. It is not a holiday destination but was great for our trip. At the Kazak border Kurt was talked into letting a Kazak ride his motorbike which he was very uneasy about when the guy asked him where the brakes were. He just about managed to do a loop on the bike and Kurt decided that was enough as he was unstable. In return the guard has given Kurt a number of a Kazak girl that was at the border there with us and wants him to marry her. He was deadly serious as was the girl...........i think i may ponder over that one a while. Later checking into Russia took 5 hours to get through the border but luckily no bribes.

Day 35
We had our first major arguement today as we left our camping spot. It was silly and all regarding the camping location of where we were. Its hard at times as little things can begin to mean so much that you would never argue about back home. We both said our piece and were able to move on which i guess is why we are such close friends and able to forget about things said. The roads were a little better in Russia as expected but still had some rough phases. We made it to Barnhaul eventually and decided it was time for a hotel. Unbelieveably we met 4 Danish bikers who were part of the other group of Danish bikers but had decided to go a different route through Kazakstan. We chatted for a while and they reiterrated how crazy we are to attempt this circumnavigation with no experience or support crew. They also informed us that 3 German bikers a few weeks back attempted to cross Mongolia (which is our next destination) and were forced to leave their bikes in the middle of the desert and hitch hike back to the border as the bikes were stuck in the sand and they couldnt get them out. One had also broken his shoulder. Although worrying we have decided we are still going to take on the challenge.

Day 36
We are staying the next two nights here in Barnhaul as we decided we would like to prepare the bikes more for Mongolia and to relax for a day or so. We were informed that to tackle the desert in Mongolia we were insane to not be using offroad tyres, but due to our limited budget i guess we will just have to do our best and see what happens. Later we met a Russian girl in a local store named Olga. She was really great and in the evening we had a night out around Barnhauls clubs with all of her friends. We seemed to be the centre of attention and it was nice to do something normal (ish) for a change. We were out till 5am and were rather tired

Day 37
Had a few things to do today so while Dave recovered from the Russian vodka of last night, Kurtis set out to find some ratchett straps for the panniers which due to the rough Kazak roads are falling off. Generally it was a pretty relaxed day but had no success in finding the spare parts that we need. Barnhaul is a great city and we joined our Russian friend Olga and a couple of othes and again hit the nightlife. It was great and went to a firestation themed bar which was unusual. We will be leaving in the morning whether its rain or shine.

Day 38
We aimed today to be up and heading for the Mongolian border however we were contacted by some friends informing us that they had closed the border to tourists. This has left us with a problem of having to now go into Siberia further with no maps of the country and head for the border near Ulan-Ude. We sadly set off from our Russian friends and although only having known them a few days it was a little sad. I think that when someone shows you such generosity you cant help but feel a little bit closer to them than you probably should. Just before we left a Russian TV company turned up to our hotel and filmed us as word had gotten around of who we were and what we were doing. It was an interesting interview not least due to the language barrier but we think it went ok. We left Barnaul and headed past Novosibersk where we were able to stay out of the tent and find an awful motel....but a bed is a bed.

Day 39
Panic was one of the first things that plagued our minds this morning when Kurt's bike was making some horrendous sqeaking noises. We gave them a good clean and spent an hour trying to figure out what it was. Turns out it was simply some grit between the brake pads but for a while we were really concerned. When your out in a country such as this where they rarely see a bike (especially like ours), you are left with the problem of diagnosing the problem yourself. Due to our limited knowledge on motorbikes this makes our mindset a little more concerned than maybe others would be. We set off and due to our limited maps, we were soon lost but a Russian girl said she would show us the way in exchange for a photograph. This was great for us and were soon on the right road heading to Kemerovo. The riding was fantastic through the mountains in siberia here but definatly felt a change in the climate. We have had to use all of our layers to wrap up but the tall trees, good roads and fresh air makes it worth while. We found another motel and are really settling into the easiness of the trip the past couple of days with good roads and accomodation.

Day 40
Today continued much the same as yesterday but we bumped into two German bikers which was crazy. They were on there way to Irkutst and knew a thing or two about bikes. We said we would meet them there and they seemed like really great guys who again thought we were crazy about the places we were going with the inexperience that we have. We found a beautiful camping spot in the evening and although a little cold, we were satisfied with the days riding.

Day 41
Well, if the past couple of days had been easy, nothing could prepare us for the next couple of days. We met an ex-motocross biker who is French and a really nice guy. He also just happens to be on the same bike as us and we decided to ride together for a while. Suddenly, the roads stopped. It was hell and like being back in Kazakhstan again. While we struggled through the dirt tracks and gravel our French friend sailed through having no luggage to carry and being more experienced. It was hard going and makes your arms, legs and back very sore from riding on the pegs standing up constantly. There was no accomodation anywhere and we couldnt camp as we still had our French friend with us. However, due to him being a school headmaster he spoke a little Russian and got us to a Train station where there were rest rooms for the evening. As you can expect train stations have all the most unusual people in the world there and Russia is no exception. Reluctant to leave our bikes with all these odd people around we opted to pay a parking attendant to watch over them in a lot. Tough days ride all in all.

Day 42
If we thought yesterday was bad, nothing could prepare us for the events of today. We were awoken and kicked out of the rest room at 8am by a stern Russian woman. The roads were awful but thought they would ease after 50 miles or so......this was not the case. We did not sleep well due to the trains coming and going so were not set up for a long ride but we continued anyway. We had everything, pot holes, gravel, sand and it was so exhausting and miserable. The weather was cold, there was no scenery and became a bit of an endurance test. Just when we thought it couldnt get any worse, Dave gets a pucture. It was one of those situations where your 150 miles from the next nearest town and you contemplate waiting on this bad road hoping something may pick you up, or we keep pumping up the tyre and go for it. We opted for the latter and it seemed everything was against us. The heavens opened taht would have made England proud and although we have waterproof gear, in this type of weather, nothing stays waterproof. We ploughed on through the rain pumping up Daves tyre in the dark on terrible roads. It was hard work and Dave struggled to handle the bike. Somehow on a flat tyre we mad it to Irkutst and checked into a Hotel at 11pm. It was by far the hardest day we have had and rode for 15 hours before getting to a hotel and Dave slumping in a puddle outside.

Day 43
We are starnded in Irkutst now until we can sort Daves tyre. Although a large Russian city it is proving to be problematic to sort. We went around several bike repair centres and we are to return after the weekend. However we have managed to have the tyre temporarily repaired but it will not hold and need a new tyre. We managed to meet up with our H|German friends from a few days earlier, and together with our fellow Frencj\h rider we all went to a pizza place and drank beers while sharing bike stories. It was a great night and was nice to forget about the problems and relax. This is the end of the road for the German bikers and will soon be shipping home after making a visit to the famous lake Baikel. It will be sad not so spend longer with them but we have our own challenge.

Day 44
Today we left our hotel and checked into a youth hostel where the German bikers are staying. We visited a few local mechanics and tyre places and managed to find some ratchett straps finally. This is one problem solved but the real issue will come tomorrow I feel attempting to sort Daves tyre issue. We have had little choice but to hang around the hostel all day but we were in good company. We sat around ate and drank for most of the day trying to take our minds off the tyre problems

Day 45
As we have a little time to kill before being officially allowed into Mongolia so we decided to use this time to explore our surroundings. We had heard of an Island (Olkhon) in the middle of Lake Baikal (the deepest lake in the world) that usually only local people visit and so decided to check it out. Along with us came our two German friends Sven and Bjorn who were great company. We set out into a glorious day and some great riding. As we approached Lake Baikal, the scenery was fantastic and reminded us of something out of a cheesy film with horses running accross the landscape and tall birch trees lining the roadside. We made it to a ferry crossing but had a 5 hour wait....or so we should have but we craftily sneaked our bikes to the back of the vessel and began to cross for free. When we were accross we realised there were no roads on the island and it was 9pm in the evening. This posed tough riding problems and after Dave fell off his bike at quite high speeds and kurt dropped his we found a beautiful spot next to the lake where we stayed in a traditional Ger.

Day 46
We had a relaxed start to the day and woke up literally at the lake side from our Ger and jumped into the cold water. The weather was great and we decided to relax and soak up tthe sun as it was perhaps the most scenic place we had seen so far. We then decided to strip down and try out a traditional Russian sauna which was nearby. It was great running straight from the sauna and into the cool water of the lake. We slowly got our things together and headed to explore the rest of the island. This proved to not be easy with all the off roading and felt like we were back in Kazakhstan. Eventually we found a different campsite where we were greeted by local Russians who made a fire. It was one of those surreal evenings where we were sat sharing stories with Russians and Germans on the middle of an island. It was great.

Day 47
It was one of those interesting days today where everything seemed to happen. We decided to get back to Irkutst yet on the way thought it would be a good idea to take some scenic shots from the top of a mountain. The riding was challenging to say the least and Dave crahed heavily and absolutely destroyed one of his panniers. We spent the best part of an hour hammering it back to some sort of shape before retreating back down the mountain. We crossed from the island back to the mainland and Kurt noticed his clutch was not functioning correctly. This was trouble as it felt that at any second it could give way and were forced to try to get to Irkutst doing 50mph. We made it and decided on a nice hotel before hitting the local clubs with our German friends. It was in this club a few guys drank with us and told us they were local mafia. Later on after a few beers, things got a little rowdy and one of these Russians (who looked like Vladmir Putin) stole Bjorns camera. Dave chased him grabbed him in a headlock and snatched back the camera. Kurt and Sven soon also ran over as it looked inevitable friends were soon to jump in but we managed to clamber in a taxi and get to the hotel. We thought we were safe until we realised we had been followed. Seeing no knives or guns we jumped out ready for confrontation, luckily they seemed to back down and were soon ushered from the premesis by the hotel security. We did not sleep well that night.

Day 48
Today was all about getting Kurt's clutch fixed. It is a nightmare in Siberia trying to find parts as there are seldom any motorbikes in the city let alone out in the wilderness. We decided to try the same place where Dave had got his puncture repaired and we were in luck. We expected to have to wait for 2 weeks for the shipping of parts but the Russians had other ideas. As soon as we arrived two guys no older than 15 started stripping Kurt's bike down before we even explained the problem. We looked on in horror at the bike in pieces and tried to explain to them what was wrong. They simply dismissed us and continued there work. Unbelieveably after 4 hours they had solved Kurt's clutch problem crafting the parts they needed by cutting out the parts they needed in metal. It may not be 100% perfect but it means we can continue. We just hope the clutch holds. We relaxed the remainder of the day safe in the knowledge we could head for Mongolia.

Day 49
It was time for us to say goodbye to the Germans. We had a great few days with them and are great guys but sadly they are going home. We spoke about perhaps doing a trip around Ireland with them on our return which i hope we end up sticking to.
We set of from Irkutst as a lonesome twosome riding once more. The weather was generally good as was the riding heading east around the lake towards Ulan Ude. We bumped into a fun run known as 'World Harmony Run' and they made us there guest of honour. Although we didnt have a clue what was happening, we had to escort the runners on our bikes while waving flags. It was quite funny actually as they marched along singing a song. They soon stopped and we were given a round of applause and thanks from them which we found quite embarrasing before we were on our way again. We decided to camp just before the border of Mongolia for an early start tomorrow. The site was not ideal as it was infested with mosquito's but still, we were where we wanted to be.

Day 50
We crossed the border with no hassel. It was the best border crossing we have had with the Mongolians being so relaxed. Mongolia turned out to be everything we had hoped for. It was strange but as soon as you entered the country there was immediate change. Not just the roads, but the landscape and the skyline. We took off our helets and jackets, Kurt wore a bandana and we just enjoyed the riding. The mountains seemed to roll into each other and were so smooth while the sky is a deep blue which looks like it has been placed as a backdrop behind the mountains. We rolled on enjoying every minute with the wind in our face. We stopped and took photos of wild camels. Soon after herds of horses came galloping at the roadside and there were sheep and goats scattered throughout the country. It is by far one of the most amazing places we have ever seen. Apparently there are eight times as many horses as there are people and only 80miles of road throughout the whole country. We found a fabulous camping spot before dishing out our usual special cuisine...pasta and sausage.

Day 51
Through the night there was a wild thunderstorm in which for a time i thought our tents were going to blow away. We survived the night ands were greeted by the hot sun again in the morning. Once more the riding in Mongolia was amazing and we passes several nomads herding there cattle on horseback. Each time we would ride up an incline we could feel the excitement building as you reach the top. Just as the mountain peaks you get a fabulous view of the valleys below that takes your breath away. We rode on through some tough roads but made it to Ulan Bataar where we were take in by a local to live at his house. We had a wander around the city and ate in a Mongolian barbeque. All you can eat and drink for $8. Bargin! We retired early and decided to relax and plan our route for the dreaded run to Vladivostock. We are told that the roads this way are worse than any we have come accross. We just hope Kurt's clutch holds out and Daves repaired back tyre

Day 52
After sleeping with some locals in Ulan Bataar we decided to hed back towards the border. We wanted more time in Mongolia as it is beautiful, but felt we really must press on as we have the worst roads still to come. The riding was fabulous again and we cruised through Mongolia (except for the sandy parts). We then decided to camp early near the border and headed up a mountainside for a bit of fun and to have some fantastic camping. It was great and Dave boasted that it was the best place he has ever had to take a poo outdoors.

Day 53
Kurt woke up very ill today and found the whole day really tough. He did not sleep too well and the Mongolian sun did not help with his headache but we decided to press on. The roads were fine as we were very close to the border. It took us half an hour to check out of the Mongolian side and then a four hour wait with the Russians...typical. We made it through and headed North to Ulan Ude in Russia but dave's tyre has become a problem again. We decided to deal with it in the morning as right now Kurt just needs to recouperate and get some rest.

Day 54
We began by finding an old tyre repair shop which was pointed out to us by some delightful locals. These same locals then invited us in to share lunch with them and they told us how they work trying to make parts of Russia more accessable for disabled people. We found this strange at first as you rarely see a disabled Russian that isnt begging but nice to see Russia is attempting to help its poorer citizens. Despite this they did mention they had funding issues.
We were soon to draw attention and appeared on both Russian television and radio which was interesting considering we dont speak Russian. It was 4pm by this point and we really needed to do 400miles today so we had to say rushed goodbyes and leave promptly. We made it to just before Chita which is where we were told are the worst roads in Russia. We camped nearby.

Day 55
The stretch of road that we embarked on today is twice the length of Britain and where Ewan McGregor (even with a support crew) dare not go and took a train. We had no option but to go for it if we want to say we rode every mile around the world. The roads (or no roads) were the most difficult we have come across. Sometimes not necessarily as hard as the sand in Kazakhstan but draining as it is constantly pot holes and gravel. It is difficult to make any mileage and Kurts left footpeg is close to snapping so he can not even stand up to make it easier. It feels like you are riding on a pnueumatic drill at times and in over 12 hours riding we only managed 200 miles. This is not going to be easy and with nobody around for help on these roads we are worried.

Day 56
Another day, another thunderstorm. This was a nightmare for us as the roads are already tedious to say the least. Everything we have is now sodden and we are extremly uncomfortable. Whats worse is the roads pot holes are now filled with water and the sand is now mud. We thought about not riding but there was little alternative unless we wanted to sit in a wet tent. Daves windscreen cracked today, and both of our panniers are falling off. Dave has had to use some steel wire to wrap around the whole pannier as the frame has snapped. We rode for 14 hours today and managed little over 100miles. It was demoralizing and our moods are very low. We only stopped where we could find petrol to be pumped out by a local which are very few and far between. We got to bed in our wet tents around 9am tired and hungry.

Day 57
Woke up in the rain to realise the ratchett straps holing our panniers together has now snapped off and Kurts clutch is also feeling a little tight and may break. Weather was poor again all day and can not see more than 20feet infront of you due to the mountains and the altitude that we are at. Suddenly disater struck, Dave got a puncture again and we are 1000miles from the nearest town. He managed to take his wheel off (having never done this before) and somehow was helped by a local to repair the tyre as best we could. I think we are both at breaking point at the moment but with no way out than to continue riding, we have little other options. Still, at least we had our wet tents and ration packs to look forward to. Oh why didnt we take the train.......

Day 58
More relentless riding today but we were determined to make some good mileage. This was perhaps what led to Kurtis having a puncture but was helped out by a lorry driver who pointed out a tyre repair shop. Great we thought...we headed back on ourselves for 15 miles to find it in the most remote part of Russia and it was closed. We were gutted but carried on, stopping every now and then to pump up Kurt's tyre. Much of the same bad roads today but managed a massive 400 miles. We stopped to camp (again in the rain) and hope to make it to Khabarosk tomorrow.

Day 59
Dave had been seriously ill in the night. He did not sleep at all and was being violently sick and had the runs. We were both deflated but so wanted to make it to a hotel. Every few hours a reinforced truck would pass us on these road thinking what on Earth we were doing out here on two bikes that dont even have off road tyres. We eventually found a repair centre for Kurt's wheel and carried on at a better pace, but Dave struggled due to still being ill. There was an overcoming sense of joy when we made it to Khabarosk. We have managed to literally cross the worst roads in Siberia and feel a real sense of achievement. We booked into a hotel and laughed as we tucked ourselves up into a WARM, DRY bed. It felt like heaven. The roads to this part of Siberia have been the most challenging part of the trip but we are happy to have made it. It was a great experience and have so many stories to tell, but for now we want to sleep and dream of the smooth roads in USA

Day 60
Today we have decided to give ourselves a day off. We feel we have deserved it and we are only 500 miles away from the port where we will cross to South Korea. Although that seems a short distance, we are both riding on badly repaired tyres and Kurt's clutch is probably the main issue. We just hope it holds out till we make it to Vladivostock. Took the time to make the most of eating and sleeping today while checking out the local sights and bars. Its been a great day off

Day 61
We were up early intending to take two days to cover the 500 miles to Vladivostock. We were unsure of the road condition, and also concerned with the reoccuring clutch and tyre trouble. Despite this, we decided to press on and the weather was looking good for a change. Dave's illness seems to have come back with a vengence and the riding for him was especially difficult. Nevertheless, we rode on and the roads were suprisingly better with only a few miles of loose gravel. We had clocked up 300miles by 4pm and decided to go for it (to avoid another night in a tent held together by tape). We finally made it to Vladivostock around 9pm. What a fantastic feeling to see the East Pacific for the first time and to know we had just crossed this vast land mass. We cheered on our way in, and although tired, we took a trip to the beach to look at the sea. We had not seen the sea since crossing from Dover back home and a feeling of achievement really came over us both.

Day 62
Having spent a night in a hotel, we were eager to try and save money and find more suitable lodgings while we sort our transfers over to Korea and then the USA. We heard of a mafia affiliated biking group known as the Iron Tigers and as you do, set out to find them. We found there work shop and hastily approached, but to our suprise, the guys were fantastic. They offered us a place to sleep in their workshop, and have made some adjustments to the bikes for us and given them a good scrub. They seem to welcome bikers as part of their 'family' and we felt lucky to be on the right side of them. They also assisted us in buying our ferry crossing tickets to Korea, and we will be living here with them for the next two days while we wait for departure.

Day 63
Nothing much of significance happened today as we just browsed around Vladivostock and made repairs with the bikes. Vladivostock is a nice city but smaller than i expected. The weather has been great the past few days so we took the opportunity to be out in it and get to know our surroundings

Day 64
Today we again spent time in Vladivostock while Kurt tested out his adjusted clutch that the Iron Tigers have helped adjust. It seems a little better and should hold out the 50 miles to the port where we will depart from (Zarubino). Later that evening we were treated to a night out at the docks with the two of the tigers. These guys certainly like to drink, and chase the women. It was a good night and unlike England everything stays open 24 hours a day. We were suprised to see that the fish market on the docks was crammed full of people buying seafood at 1am on a Saturday night. We got back to the Tigers lair(workshop) around 3am and fell very quickly to sleep. The Tigers have been great and although we are unsure of their true 'business', to us they couldnt have been nicer. Its amazing to think that with so much negative feelings in the British press about Russia and the mafia, that there really are so many wonderful people we have met throughout this leg of the trip and Russia will forever be very kindly thought of by ourselves

Day 65

We awoke early to find ourselves in the Iron tigers den alone. After packing up we headed for Vladivostock port where we are to catch a ferry over to a town known as Slavyanka followed by a 50 mile drive to Zarubino port where we will catch a ferry to South Korea. It sounds so simple! Once reaching the ferry in Vladivostock, we borded our very modest ferry. The bikes were shuved to the rear of the vessel and we sat on the ferry for 3 hours while it creaked after hitting every wave. The handrails were rusty, but luckily it was a smooth crossing. We sat watching Russian men with guitars singing and drinking vodka as we crossed and in a way felt a little saddened. We have crossed perhaps the most difficult part of our journey and although eager to progress, it felt as if the challenge has died from our trip. Once we docked at Slavyanka we rode to Zarubino where the only hotel in the town was fully booked. Out of protest we camped in their car park which drew some local attention.

Day 66
After waking up and a local man giving us two raw eggs (which were quickly disposed of) and we headed for the port. We left our tents in the bin as it was too wet, dirty and heavy to be transported. Our $20 tent has held up well, but we felt it was time to say goodbye to them. After a brief encounter with some more local mafia, who proved little threat, we made it to the port. After much stamping, paper signing and broken language disscussing we made it on to Dong Chun ferry. It was great to be leaving Russia and the service and friendliness of the Koreans was great. We spent time chatting to a nice Korean girl known as Diana and watching the olympics each supporting our country before heading for bed.

Day 67
We awoke from our economy bedroom (which was basically a mat on the floor shared by other passengers) and headed for breakfast. This was traditional Korean food which was not to our specific liking but still much better than Russian soup or Russian 'Borsch'. It wasnt long before we docked at Sok Cho in South Korea and were greeted by sniffer dogs and scans which was suprisingly nicer than Russian customs. Sok Cho was beautiful and we were lucky to have the time to take a look around before we take our bikes to a local trucker who will transport them to a crating company. Sok Cho is very friendly and comes to life at night with neon signs and big screens like a minature Shanghai or New York. After wandering around and taking the time to drink a little Sujo (Korean vodka) we headed to our truckers where we could sleep. We were not too impressed when this comprised of another wooden floor.

Day 68
We were awoken at 3am by the trucker who insisted on vaccuming his floor before we left. He was an odd chap to say the least and we watched him for 20 minutes as he attempted to vaccuum the flies in mid-air. We soon set off on the truck with bikes in tow and the truck driver wouldnt let us sleep. Dave seemed to get the full brunt of it as he kept shaking him to wake him up, blowing cigarette smoke into his face and playing loud music. By 8am we arrived at the crating company where we removed parts such as the wheel, guards, windshield etc to make it smaller for shipping and thus cheaper. we are both out of money now and so the credit card will be heavily used from here we feel. After crating we visited Seoul the capital city on foot. Seoul was nice but i think we both prefered Sok Cho. After finding a hotel, we met up with our contact wndy who had organised the shipping and we all went for tea. The food was great and she insisted on paying which was very good of her. We simply conversed till late at night before retiring to our beds.

Day 69
It felt strange to arrive at the airport today where we wouild transfer and meet the bikes in LA. After boarding the flight due to time difference we realised it would be 30 hours before we last slept. The flight was comfortable and once we landed we met a great guy called Erdam who had emailed us saying we could stay at his house for a few days. We got the bikes through customs, opened the crates and started to reassemble them together as we chatted with the employees who worked there all who seemed pretty impressed by what we had done. Soon we were heading back to Erdams house and were pleasantly suprised. We had a bedroom, swimming pool, balcony and fantastic decor. It felt great to be in LA!!

Day 70
We woke early to try and organise insurance throughout the USA while Kurt took his biking gear and sleeping bag to a dry cleaners. It came back looking like new so you will just have to believe us when we say we have been around the world as our jackets may not show it. We spent time today just resting around the pool and sunbathing, it felt good and both believe it was well deserved.

Day 71

Today we headed for an American diner to get the largest American breakfast imaginable. It was great and we tucked into bacon, waffles and pancakes with lashings of maple syrup. Soon after the bikes were taken to a local Suzuki dealer for repairs and a service. The manager looked horrified at the state of the bikes and said it will take him a week to get them back to shape. This is fine by us and we can simply relax for a little while. He also was amazed at how Kurts's clutch had held out and couldnt believe we had rode 3000 miles with it in that state. It wasnt long after a quick look at the set where Fatboy Slim filmed one of his videos, we hit the beach. We headed for Venice beach where Baywatch was filmed and Kurt wore his red swimmers especially. Dave spent most of his time playing in the sea with a boogey board before we got burgers and went back to our luxurious temporary home.

Day 72-73

We have spent the past couple of days eating giant breakfasts and making some slight repairs to our panniers for the bikes. Kurt also had to attempt to repair his top box which the airline had so kindly smashed. The top box has travelled 14,000 miles around the world only to be broken by some careless baggage handler. Kurt was not impressed and we are awaiting compensation. Other than this, it has been great eating and relaxing by the pool waiting for our bikes to be returned (almost as good as new)

Day 73-75
Days off

Day 76
Today felt great as we were finally able to pick up the bikes from being serviced/repaired. The local Suzuki dealer (LA cycle Sports) had done a great job and the bikes were running fantastic. We had two new tyres and a whole host of repairs but we could feel the difference instantly. We left our luggage back with Erdam and decided to head for Hollywood for the day. It felt great to have the bikes light for a change and we took advantage of this having more fun on the roads. After stopping to take a photograph of the Hollywood sign, we were shocked to find how run-down Hollywood was. We were expecting it to be glamarous and fancy but everywhere there seemed to be homeless people and prostitutes. We headed back to Erdams (where we are staying for a further two nights) a little disappointed. The only consilation was on returning Erdam had found a brown widow spider which are 20 times more poisonous than the black widow......how nice!

Day 77
Today Kurtis finally managed to receive the compensation from the airline for his damaged top box. We finished off attempting to make the bikes look brand new by cleaning and polishing them up. Later we went for tea at a place called NORMS where for $10 we had a huge three course meal comprising of a huge T-bone steak. With our normal appetites this was a huge meal, but we have been used to eating so little through Siberia that we can hardly manage a USA style appetiser. We headed back to Erdams later eager to pack and ready to finally hit the road again in the morning.

Day 78
After a great breakfast from Everyn (Erdams wife), we finally headed off to leave Los Angeles. Erdam has decided to join us for a few days which we are happy about as he is a great guy. We headed for the beginning of the famous Route 66 and had a quick photo before heading north up the coastal road. The scenery was fantastic as on our left we could see the golden sandy beaches as the sufers wiped-out on their surfboards while to the right of us there were mountainous cliffs. We stopped after a while at a biking hotspot where we drew alot of attention, however our attention was drawn towards two fabulous chopper motorcycles that we had to inspect closely. Later in the day we stopped to camp, but decided to sleep under the stars on the beach just in our sleeping bags. It was fabulous.

Day 79
It was an amazing view to wake upto this morning as we opened our eyes to the waves crashing agianst the rocks on the shore. Around us were all the cliffs and seagulls soaring above. This place looked even more beautiful in the morning than when we had turned up here in the evening. After a few hours ride we made it to San Francisco and crossed the Golden Gate bridge. We had a look at all the other sites, fishermans wharf etc we grabbed some dinner from the port and decided to head back out onto the highway. We managed to bluff our way onto a camp site that was full in the evening and slept with the comfort of running water and a flushable toilet.

Day 80
We were up at 8am today and it was time to part ways with Erdam. After Kurt had a quick chat with the lady who owned the campsite, we managed to leave without getting charged. 'English charm', Kurtis joked to Erdam. Sadly it was time to part ways with Erdam as he headed back home. We was saddened to leave Erdam as he has been a great host and a very easy person to get along with. After saying our goodbyes, we saw on a map a town called Snelling and as Dave shares his name with this town, we went on some kind of pilgrimage to find it. Dave was loving it when we arrived and had photos with all the local traffic signs that said 'Snelling' and the local school. We pressed on soon enough and found ourselves having one of the most scenic and enjoyable rides so far. We cut through the national park of Yosemite and as we climbed through the mountainous forest the views looking down were spectacular. Every turn brought with it a different view or new angle and we couldnt help but stop often to enjoy it. The roads were also excellent and we were able to take cornners at speed due to the pure width. This did take a little getting used to though as we were both still adjusting to the great roads and at times felt they would run out and we would hit sand. Later we checked into a motel.

Day 81
After waking up early and grabbing a quick coffee, we were eager to tear up some ground to get to the famous Death Valley. It wasnt long before we were there, and it did not disappoint. It was hot in the desert and the wind did little to cool us down but the riding was great all the same. The roads went from flat desert to spectacular sculpted arid rock and there was very little sharing the road with us. We enjoyed the winding roads all morning before we began our decline into Vegas. Just befor entering Vegas we were flagged down by a couple of stereotypical Harley Davidson riders who kindly bought us a beer. It wasnt long before we were riding down the Vegas strip and managed to get a special deal checking into the Golden Nugget casino/hotel for 2 nights for just $30 each. We later explored the town and casinos.
Day 82
We woke today rather late and helped ourself to an al you can eat buffet. We lounged around the pool for much of the afternoon but it was a great place to be. The pool had a shark tank in the middle which you could swim right upto or even ride a waterslide straight through the middle of it. Like kids, we must have been on this slide 12 times each. In the evening, we hit the casinos with two Dutch friends we had met. We took advantage of the free drinks on offer and ended up sat round a blackjack table till 3:30am. Amazingly Dave only lost $60 while Kurtis actually gained $150. We soon retired for our beds
Day 83
After another large breakfast buffet we hit the road to leave Las Vegas. We loved it here but felt better to be on the road again not least due to our appearance. Sometimes we feel ridiculous in our scruffy clothing and facial hair to be seen without our bikes so it felt good to be reunited again. It wasnt long before we reached Hoover Dam which was an impressive sight and after chatting with more locals about our trip, we were soon on our way. We rode several more hours in the heat before settling into a motel.
Day 84
We left our hotel early this morning and headed east for the Grand Canyon. We arrived by mid-day and were in awe by the sheer magnitude. The riding through Grand Canyon was not as good as we expected but the canyon itself was great. There seems to be a new sight everyday in USA and we are constantly taking pictures. We rode on for the remainder of the day until around 6pm.
Day 85
Today was much cooler than yesterday as we entered the Rocky mountains. It seemed strange how just a couple of days ago we were riding through the desert of Death Valley and we were now in the mountains where tall trees surrounded us and greenary as far as the eye could see. It was a pleasant days ride and we were beginning to consider not wearing our helmets as it is legally not required in the state of Colorado but were soon put off the idea. We bumped into two locals at a petrol station, one who had lost a leg and the other who walked with a limp, both having had motorcycle accidents in this area. Perhaps we are not as safe as we thought in USA and decided to stick with the helmet.
Day 86
One of our more boring and tedious days today. We left Durango and headed for Dodge city. It felt like we were back in Kazakhstan as the roads were extremely straight and the landscape was extremely flat. At times it was difficult to keep our eyes open and we had to remind ourselves that we were on a motorcycle and was probably not the best idea. We were eagerly excited for Dodge City where we expected to see a flavour of the old west with cowboys, carriages and horses. We were disappointed to say the least as all that remained of this once historic city was 100m of the old town. Downhearted we checked into a motel. It was very cheap, but little consilation.

Day 87-88

Today we had our first spell of bad weather as we had to 'get the hell outta dodge'. The day did not start well when Kurtis burnt his underwear by drying to dry them in the microwave and set off the motel rooms fire alarm. Needless to say we made a sharp exit with a well learnt lesson. The roads were very straight but the rain came in and the wind was even worse. Riding through Kansas which was feeling the after effects of the hurricane proved more difficult than we had imagined for a little while. It tended to be a side wind but could rapidly change in direction and at times blow us onto the wrong side of the road. It felt like we were in the Wizard of Oz! We did not clock up too many miles in the past couple of days as we decided we have plenty of time and have had enough of the tough riding in Siberia and would rather enjoy America. We rode from Dodge city to Springfield where sadly we did not meet the Simpsons cartoon characters, but did arrive safely.

Day 89

We woke from our damp motel (dont ask) to be on the road by 8am. We decided to head out early as Kurt wanted to reach Memphis so he could have a good look around Graceland, the home of Elvis. The riding and the weather was easy again, if not a little dull but we soon arrived in the early afternoon. Kurt was very excited due to being a secret Elvis fan and dragged Dave all around Graceland while informing him of countless Elvis facts. Graceland was beautiful and even if your not an Elvis fan, it is easy to appreciate the legend that he was and how fabulous his home was. Unfortunatly we felt little could be said for the rest of Memphis which is in need of some repair work. Suprisingly the city felt a little unsafe at times which is saying something considering where we have been.

Day 90

After our 'continental' breakfast which comprised of a coffee and a donut, we left our motel to head for Nashville. We were contacted through our site by a local guy called Andrew who offerd to let us stay with him for the night. The weather was hot and humid but we were soon in Nashville. After a brief look at the local American football stadium, Andrew met us and took us back to his home. Apparently Nashville has a strong split down the middle of where the dangerous areas are and where the 'nicer' people live. We felt great when Andrew informed us we were on the dodgy side. Luckily we saw no evidence of this despite visiting a local bar for tea. Nashville has strong country music roots and is deeply found in all their bars. After some time, we retired to Andrews lodgings and went to bed despite Andrews over excited dog continuosly licking Kurt's face when he tried to sleep.

Day 91-93

We thanked Andrew for his kind generocity of putting us up for the night and was soon on the road heading for Roandake in Virginia. There has been little to report in the past few days other than the road has been easy and the weather has been hot. We have been forced to slightly alter our route accross USA due to the hurricane issues in the south. As our new route is a little quicker, we took a detour and headed through the Smokey mountains. Unsure whether its because we are approaching the finishing line of this trip or not, we couldnt help but feel the Smokey mountains reminded us of home. It had striking resemblence to parts of the lake district with its green scenery and small tributaries and rivers. It was very relaxing riding and we both felt very care free. This has been the case for the past three days as we now have little over 800 miles left of our circumnavigation.

Day 94-96

We have spent the past few days idling along the good roads from Knoxville to Washington. We have been taking full advantage of the frequent motels and eating establishments along the way and the weather has been great despite dodging the hurricanes. It has been actually going a little too well and so inevitably something was bound to happen. Sure enough, Dave's bike began to make some very odd noises which we believe may be his chain or his sprocket. Either way, with so few miles left to do this is the kind of stress that we could do without. Nevertheless, we were soon at the sites of Washington checking out the Lincoln monument, The white House etc. We even had time to take a look around the Natural History Museum, partly because we wanted to pretend we were cultured, but even more so because it was free. We later headed back to our Motel outside of the city.

Day 97-99

The past few days has been very short mileage to avoid putting Dave's bike through any unnecessary strain but we made it to Philidelphia. Avoiding all the USA's important historical monuments that Philidelphia is famous for (Civil liberty rights, Declaration of Independence etc) we headed straight for the art mueseum. However dont be fooled this was not to view the priceless pieces of artwork scatterd around, but to simply run up the famous stairs where Rocky Balboa runs in the film. Kurt being a huge boxing fan insisted on doing this countless times while doing his best Rocky impersonation before tiring himself out like a child. After a few photographs and a brief look at the rest of Philidelphia we headed back to our motel outside of the city. We decided to stay outside the city partly because Philidelphia is suprisingly rough in places and partly because tomorrow we intend to make the final leg to New York. Philidelphia is a nice city with copious amounts of art and architecture which should appeal to any Art fan.

Day 100

By freak coincidence we headed into New York on day 100. It was an unbeliveable feeling to see the famous skyline of skyscrapers as we headed into the city. We decided to stop briefly at the Statue of Liberty as we had literally rode from the Eric Morecambe statue in our hometown to the statue of Liberty. The feeling was indescribable as we cast our minds back to Mongloia, Eastern Europe, Kazakhstan and Siberia which all now seemed a distant dream already. We could not contain our excitement and had constant smiles on our faces as we took photos. This led to draw more attention and it wasnt belong before we were being filmed for Ravi TV (Pakistan television). After our interview we headed for the Youth Hostel where we would be staying when of course our luck changed. Dave's bike took a turn for the worst and kept on cutting out in the middle of a very busy manhatton. As cars beeped and revved their engines we struggled to decipher the problem. It reminded us that even accomplishing what we had, we still really knew very little about our bikes. After much stopping and starting we made it to our accomodation and cast our minds over the circumnavigation that we have just completed. All that remains is to get our bikes home and hopefully ride into our hometown on the proposed date. We intend to arrive at the Eric Morecambe statue in Morecambe at 12pm on the 4th October while asking any other bikers to join us for our final leg from Devils Bridge (Kirkby Lonsdale) at 11am. Hopefully Dave's bike will be joining us!!!

Day 101

We awoke early to get our bikes to the shippers that we found in New York. They could not have been more helpful and professional. We fully reccommend using www.shipmybike.com if ever you need to do so. Not only did they give us a reasonable price but they ran us back to our accomodation and gave us some free t-shirts. Hopefully the bikes will make it home on time as we have been informed there is alot of media attention and people waiting for us back home. This has made us actually a little nervous and hope that the day goes according to everybodys expectations.

Day 102-105

With the bikes being shipped home it has given us time to explore New York reasonably care-free. We managed to meet David Blaine while on one of his stunts of hanging upside down for 3 days in Central Park. It was quite funny as we stood chatting to him at head height for some time and he asked us all about our trip. He seemed generally intrigued and really impressed by what we had done which felt like a huge compliment from someone with the credentials that he does. As we chatted to him though, we somehow were overheard by other fans and drew our own crowd nearby of people asking us about our adventures. Hopefully we didnt steal David Blaines thunder too much and after a photo with him we promptly left.
The remainder of our time in New York has been very pleasurable as we have done all the major sights, caught a few shows and even hired bicycles. After just two days we were having withdrawel symptoms from our motorbikes and so decided to explore the city by bicycle. We realised all this pedal power does not get you places as fast as our engine powered machines, but it was nice to get some exercise all the same.

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On the 14th of June 2008, two young men from small town Morecambe, England are setting out to conquer the world in aid of Barnardo’s. This epic campaign will see them single handily attempt to circumnavigate the globe through some of the world’s most dangerous terrains on motorbikes without a support crew, previous experience or back up.

Having only just reached the age in which they can fully obtain a full motorbike license, this trip is especially challenging for someone of such limited experience. This venture was simply a dream for Kurtis Murphy and David Snelling a mere 12 months ago, but now they endeavour to turn this dream into a reality. Having grown up in a small, isolated town they wish to prove that with a tenacious attitude and the help of others dreams can come true. Many would claim that the boys are naïve and foolish to attempt such an epic journey especially since having never really experienced different walks of life or travelled. However the boys see this as an opportunity and a chance to challenge their personal barriers while escaping monotonous seaside life. With help from sponsorship they also strive to donate £10,000 to children’s charity Barnardo’s. Will the boys succeed or will their dim-witted nature and inexperience prove too great a factor???

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