Round The World 2006

Synopsis of RTW 2006

I realise that this blog is:
1. Back to front (start / finish)
2. Long and drawn out

So, here is a synopsis of the trip.

On a whim, I decided to ride a motorbike around the world - did not own a bike, did not poses a bike licence and only ever pooed in the woods once.

This blog starts in November 2005 - I was well on the way to arranging all that was necessary to leave home (the UK) on April 01, 2006 and ride east until I arrived home again.

Harwich to Holland, across Europe to the Croatian coast line.  Down the coast to Albania, Greece and onto Turkey.  I had been working in Turkey prior to leaving and spent a week with my old boss.

Through Turkey and a ferry across the Black Sea to Russia - mad Russia!  In Kazakhstan I met 'The Italians' and rode with them for a month until we split - them to China and me North back into Russia.

Tree Planting in Russia and met 'The Russians'.  An accident left me on my own again - riding across Mongolia chasing 'The English'.  I finally caught the English and spent a long time in UB waiting for John to get a visa so we could travel together back into Russia.  North East to the end of Russia - Magadan - along the famous Road of Bones.  The flight to Alaska was cancelled, so we flew south to Seoul and East to Los Angeles where we lived in a car.

America was uneventful - San Francisco, Portland, Vancouver, Anchorage, the Rockies and then New York.  Ate mainly at MacDonald's - until NY where we had the best home cooked food.  A flight to Portugal to kill time whilst the bikes flew to Heathrow.  A few days around the UK catching up with new friends, friends and work colleagues.  Brief stop at etribes and my last MacDonald's before I made it home on September 16, 2006.

Stats
25316 miles
1900 litres of fuel (£1100)
167 days
5000 photos
3 tyres (plus 2 that I finished with)
Total cost - around £10-£12k (£4.5k on plane tickets for me and the bike)
How many times we were ask:
        how much $ [the bike] - 472
        How many liters of fuel in the tank
        where did you jump from?  - 1
       
Punctures - 0 (zero)
Falls/offs/drop the bike - more than 20, less than 50!
hangovers - 1
Traffic fines - 2
Greased the palm of corrupt officials - 1
       
       
FAQ
The Long Way Round inspired me.
No, no satellite phone.
Yes, bloody heavy - at maximum it weighed 340kg.
42 litres - enough for almost 500 miles.
Not really, just a front fork sealed that I repaired in the US.
No John is not my father or brother…..we just kinda look alike.
No, first time I had been 'travelling' - John had cycled around the world the year before plus other long distance cycling.
31 and John is 43 (as of end 2006).
No, nothing planed…..not unless you have a suggestion and need a travelling companion!!?!??!
Yes, I ride it regularlly
Now, I am doing normal stuff back home – like this, this and this.

• Posted by mark stowe on 29/10/2007.
• mark stowe's site