Almost outta Russhia

Just made it to Ulan Ude, Russia. Staying at a nice hostel for 2 nights recovering from the first signs of saddle soar, and some kind of poison oaky rash on mi legs (not bad). Dipping in Lake Baikal was elegant. Why is it though that the only English word that a lot of Russians know sounds something like "Mutderfosser." After my, baptism-esque, dip in Baikal's Evian-esque waters I was distracted by two teenage fishermen on an inflatable dingy yelling this, effort at an English obsenity, in my direction. Time to wakey wakey, I guessy guess.

Details:

Irkutsk-Ulan Ude (450 km)

Riding out of Irkutsk was easy. Out of downtown, I followed the signs that stated Ulan Ude, which were scattered everywhere. The highway was called M-55. The road itself was mostly tarmac, with intermittent stretches of tar and gravel, and about 10 km out of 450, of dirt. The condition was not supreme, there were lots of bumps. Amenities never stretched themselves more than 50 km apart, so dying of hunger was not a issue. I did however tend to carry a lot of food, because I hadn't learned to ask - how far is the next town? But I know now how to say it - just as I am leaving Russia. Great smoked fish, and cedar pine nuts all along the road, sold by highway vendors. Babushkin - great town, great camping on the other side of the train tracks and on the Baikal shoreline. Meals at roadside cafe's: $2-6 - Borstch, bread and chai. Smoked Omul - $2. Bag of sweet breads (1 kg) ~ $3. Hostel in Ulan Ude $20, http://uuhostel.com/.

I am now in Ulan Ude, and will be riding out of here on Sunday, a two day journey to the Mongol border. I am hoping all of the border control business will go smoothly and I will enter with little to fret. I apologize for all of the misspellings and gramatical incorrections in this blog. Dad.

For now - sending some things back home. Tuning up the bicycle, and researching the next jaunt.