Across the Caspian Sea

Location:	Baku
Mileage:	4,122

In Sheki, I gave the team a comprehensive briefing about Baku, Azerbaijan’s capital, and the port where we would catch the ferry to Turkmenistan. I use the term “ferry” loosely. Let me try and create the right image for you. Remove every normal facility from a ferry, let it rust for sixty years, never replace any fixtures and fittings, leave maintenance to a bare minimum and chug across the Caspian each day, with only a handful of passengers, train freight and an aged crew. This is a ghost ship on a voyage of the damned.

I told the riders to stack up with drinks and nibbles – it wasn’t unheard of for the boat to stay out at sea for over 2 days – and to take their own sleeping bags as the mattresses were still the originals and very well used. As the support crew, we piled the van with rice and meat for the ship “chef” to cook plov and a reasonable quantity of vodka.

Arriving in Baku, we were in luck – a ferry was due in the next morning and we were down to the docks to secure our place on it. The next day, our bikes were lashed down in the belly of the ship, next to the massive train carriages, using our own straps, whilst a couple of deckhands smoked tabs, totally uninterested in our presence. We were joined on board by two other passengers - Azerbaijan Footballers who were going to play for a Turkmenistan team. They smoked and drank lots of Vodka so no different to back home then! Alcohol and arm wrestling was the evening’s entertainment. God Bless P&O!

A bleary eyed breakfast was courtesy of Cotswold Outdoor (http://www.cotswoldoutdoor.com/) who had provided us with a huge quantity of boil in the bag camp food – the “all day breakfasts” went down very well! It was a couple of hours wait for the Turkmen Immigration to visit us on the boat and check out we were all healthy enough to be allowed to enter the country and another 7 hours trying to complete formalities to get the bikes in. (At least we were only one night on the boat!)


What seems to take the time to enter is the little man who has to draw your intended route on the vehicle permit, then calculate the distance you are covering and charge you a fee to make up for the fact that you are not entitled to the cheap fuel in Turkmenistan (which is about 20p per litre). Oh and then there’s no computers and all documents have to be done in triplicate.

Kevin Sanders

Georgia & Azerbaijan

Location:	Sheki
Mileage:	3,942

We cross in and out of Georgia in only two days, with just one overnight stop in Tblisi. Georgia is a Christian tiny country surrounded by its Muslim neighbours and Russia to the north, with whom it had a big spat with in 2008.  The back roads are quiet until you start to get close to the capital.

Amidst kamikase Mercedes drivers and crater size potholes, there’s a lot of dodging about to be done getting in to Tbilisi.Our hotel is located with a spectacular view of the golden statue of George and the Dragon (yes, “our” St George – am I the only person who did not appreciate that St George was not English , but of Middle Eastern origin whose mother was Palestinian and father was Turkish?)

From here, it’s Azerbaijan; Azerbaijan is one of those countries that doesn’t appreciate getting visitors and makes it difficult. Their London Embassy refused to issue a visa to Jeff, our NZ driver. He had to fly to Berlin to get one! Even at the border, they won’t allow you more than a 3 days transit visa for the bike. On the plus, they got us through pretty quickly and it was a short ride onto Sheki for the night, staying at the 18th century caravanserai.

Eastern Turkey

Location: Kars
Mileage:  3,502

Along the route in Turkey, we get to see the weird and wonderful rock formations and cave dwellers in Cappadocia. 




It’s a 4am start to take a hot air balloon to silently drift over them as dawn rises. Serene and breathtaking views.   From here it’s the Fish Springs – where we all soak in big warn tanks as small fish eat away our dead skin . . .

Then it’s our practice river crossing day. I’ve stuck this in the route as I know there’s going to be some bigger river stuff waiting in Tajikistan, so let’s get the group to try out something basic first. Tackled successfully by all, except Max on his F800GS, who both go for a quick dive. (Look at www.youtube.com/globebusters). Luckily Max bounces and rolls well and so does the bike. 

We finish of the day, in a local restaurant and the speciality of the areas – “testes”! It would be easy to think these belong to the undercarriage of a bull, but luckily for us, it’s a way of cooking kebab in a clay pot that is then broken to eat the food. Phew!

Across Europe in 7 days

Location:	Istanbul
Mileage:	2184

Just 350 miles and the Euro Tunnel got us to Bouillon, Belgium and the first night of this epic ride. From here, we followed in the footsteps Godfrey and the first Crusaders, to Istanbul, although with less drunkenness and pillage en route – maybe!

We’ve taken the back roads in Northern Croatia and Serbia, still lined with bullet ridden homes, and explored tiny Greek mountain roads. More than 2,000 miles and five days later, Istanbul is already looming. Here we’ll meet up with some Turkish riders, who previously supported our Guinness World Record ride back in 2001. The true start of our Asian adventure awaits! (See www.youtube.com/globebusters)

We arrive in the shadow of the Blue Mosque. Spices and souks scream Asia and the journey proper begins with the call to prayer, or for us infidels, the call to ride, ringing in our ears.  We are joined by local rider, Kazim, on his KTM. I’ve known Kazim since our first Guinness World Record in 2002, as he was one of the riders who met us at the Turkish border and rode with us.

Turkey is a fascinating country of modern and medieval. Package holiday makers will only know the Mediterranean beach resorts. We are inland through the central and eastern regions, taking some of the small, single track, off the beaten track roads which take us through tiny Ottoman villages, ancient wooden houses; its donkey and cart territory. (See www.youtube.com/globebusters)

Photos: 
1) Max celebrating Turkey
2) Taking a moment respite

Ace Cafe Send Off

Location:	London
Mileage:	1

At only 36 hours to departure, we collected the last of the passports from the Kazak Embassy. Not originally part of the planned route, these last minute extra permits will allow us to travel through Kazakhstan should the revolution in Kyrgyzstan not be settled by the time we get there in a few weeks. Fortunately, the three Americans and one Polish rider had all ducked in under the volcanic

ash, before UK airspace was closed and so every-one was present and correct. What a close call - only 30 minutes of airtime making the difference between landing in London and all bets are off!

On Saturday morning, we headed to the Ace Café - three riders succumbed to early morning nerves and took a wrong turning just to get there. Only another 12,000 miles to go! Anxious riders and excited friends and family and well wishers alike had all gathered. With yak and onions and ducks head soup ahead of us, it was complete orders for full Big British Breakfast Special, as riders took their last chance to tuck into bacon, black pudding and fried bread.

Then at 9am prompt, we rode off down the M25 and M20 towards the Euro Tunnel with a convoy of bikes stretching in our mirrors. Our support van was already carrying passengers– our Polish rider, Robert, needed to get his family back to Poland and their flights had been cancelled! It was then a few hundred continental miles to Bouillon in Belgium and the first night of this epic ride. From here, we follow in the footsteps Godfrey of Bouillon, one of the first Crusaders, to Istanbul by the weekend, although with less

drunkenness and pillage en route – maybe! Germany, Austria, Slovenia and Croatia are already under our belts in less than 48 hours, which has already left one rider stranded on the motorway, having failed to fill up with fuel. I know that this will be the least of the problems that will lie ahead.

Istanbul is already looming, where we’ll meet up with some Turkish riders, who previously supported our Guinness World Record ride back in 2002. The true start of our Asian adventure awaits!

Photos:

1) Isn't she nice and clean in the early morning sun at the Ace Cafe.  GlobeBusters F800GS.

2) An American finishing of a full English - Aaron enjoying the excellent Ace Cafe Breakfast.

3 A riders fond farewell - Darran says goodbye to Diane for the next 12 weeks

4) The Team - The final photo call before riding away

D Day

Location:	Wales
Mileage:	Zero

“Yeah but doesn’t everyone ride the Silk Road?” The chap at the NEC wasn’t wrong. Lots of people will offer to take you on The Silk Road. Except it isn’t The Silk Road its A Silk Road. From 200 BC merchants came from China travelling west all the way to Europe to trade, yes you guessed it, silk and the routes they  took varied greatly.

When Julia and I decided that GlobeBusters should tackle the Silk Road, in true GlobeBusters fashion, we looked for the most challenging and rewarding route. There were some key places that had to be included; Khiva, Bukhara and Samarkand are all critical Silk Road Cities. From there onto the Silk Road hub of Kashgar where all the Silk left China. But we didn’t want to be tied by history. So let’s throw in Lhasa and the Potala Palace; Ride the Tibetan Plateau that the merchants avoided because it was too rough and while we are in the area we have got to ride to Everest Base Camp. Enough? No, let’s run the Afghan border and follow Marco Polo along the Pamir Highway as well. So we had a route, but have we overdone it? We needed to find out.

We rode off from the Touratech Travel Event last year and three months later rolled into Beijing, We had traversed mountain passes covered in snow, ridden the Tibetan Plateau so high you can’t catch your breath, endured crashes, collapsed bridges, closed roads and every hazard known to man. But we had done it and the feeling as we rode into Beijing and were turned away from Tiananmen Square by the Police (“No Motorcycles!”) was indescribable.

So we have a route, it can be done and we already had a queue of people who said they want to go. After releasing the DVD of the recce trip this number dwindled somewhat as they started to recognise the magnitude of the challenge. The riding is just one element. The remote accommodation with home stays letting you right into local life, the diet of yak and onions, or stir fry and the altitude that will sap your every last ounce of energy. You either view these as highs or admit the challenge is too great.

Now we have thirteen intrepid travellers. They have attended briefing meetings , completed Off Road Riding Training, Advance Rider Training, got fit(ter) and learned how to say thank you in seven languages. And they are ready to go. A varied group: Businessmen from Poland, Andorra and the USA, a Cumbrian Farmer and several people who look suspiciously like the bloke who lives next door. Normal people with a desire to challenge themselves and to ride the road less travelled.

So we are ready and in just a week’s time we will leave from the Ace Café, and then the news – “Kyrgyzstan on brink of civil war, says Medvedev” Ah that’s right on our route! Can every-one get an extra visa in 5 days, or is it over already?

Photos:  
1) Kevin, Julia, Mark and Jeff ready to leave GlobeBusters HQ
2) Kevin and Mark with Nick Plumb of Touratech UK -

Silk Road Countdown

Well here we are still in the office in the final weeks preparation for Silk Road East.   All ready, riders prepared and briefed, visas and permits obtained, it is all systems go.  Then with one week left a revolution in Kyrgzstan.   OK we can cope with this 5 working days to departure and a revolution.   Contingency Plan A, skip Kyrgzstan and go though Kazakhstan.   But can we get everyone to get a visa in 5 working days.   Oh and then there is the earthquake in China.   As the man says - Its not a holiday, its an Adventure!

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