Steve UK
Adventurer
Thanks Jerry, Appreciate your input. At least I know people are reading and enjoying so it makes it worth the effort
G
Always check for new posts by Sirocco. :lurk:
Sirocco Overland 2013 Expedition: UK - Vladivostok (Siberia) Adventure
- Thread starter Sirocco
- Start date
Always check for new posts by Sirocco. :lurk:
G_E_K_O Expedition
Observer
Hi Sirocco
What a great journey ! I'm jealous ! And congratulations for the pictures. You made some great shots there. And thank you for sharing your adventure.
All the best !
Nico
What a great journey ! I'm jealous ! And congratulations for the pictures. You made some great shots there. And thank you for sharing your adventure.
All the best !
Nico
gorillamel
Dirty Blonde
I love following you on Facebook and on here. The photos are stunning. I cannot help but be utterly jealous by the memories you are forming and the sights you are seeing. Looking forward to the next update.
Sirocco
Explorer
Thanks to ExPo for running our blog post on the home page 
http://www.expeditionportal.com/adv...dget-overlander-hangouts-in-central-asia.html
Currently in Ulaan Baator, Mongolia.
Its been a while since we were last online as we took an unconventional route south and east to the Southern Gobi. A chance meeting with a French couple in a Land Cruiser turned to route discussions and using Ozi Explorer we traced some tracks mapped by the Russians 30-40 years ago. We aimed for some of the fossil sites excavated by Roy Chapman Andrews in the 1920's then the Khongoryn Els (800m high Sand Dunes) before the Flaming Cliffs. We got water from Wells (nicely mapped by the Russians with flow rates) and with a 1000km range headed south east from Altay. in the middle of our 14 days away we went 3 days without seeing anybody, that was pretty special as was seeing rare Saiga Antelope and black tailed gazelles. As we headed back north from Southern to Central Gobi we started to see more tourists as we passed through villages and headed to the Flaming Cliffs. we also threw in a sunset camel trek for good measure.
The road has been tough with some great offroading, some very slow progress and the worst corrugated roads I have ever seen. Even 80kph could not drown them out. The gearbox is whining a little and the Landy needs a service along with some repairs to the trailer bodywork.
Some rest at Oasis now as we catch up on photos (sorry!) and blogs along with preparing the truck and ourselves for the next stage... Siberia.
I will try to get some photos up in the next few days
G
http://www.expeditionportal.com/adv...dget-overlander-hangouts-in-central-asia.html
Currently in Ulaan Baator, Mongolia.
Its been a while since we were last online as we took an unconventional route south and east to the Southern Gobi. A chance meeting with a French couple in a Land Cruiser turned to route discussions and using Ozi Explorer we traced some tracks mapped by the Russians 30-40 years ago. We aimed for some of the fossil sites excavated by Roy Chapman Andrews in the 1920's then the Khongoryn Els (800m high Sand Dunes) before the Flaming Cliffs. We got water from Wells (nicely mapped by the Russians with flow rates) and with a 1000km range headed south east from Altay. in the middle of our 14 days away we went 3 days without seeing anybody, that was pretty special as was seeing rare Saiga Antelope and black tailed gazelles. As we headed back north from Southern to Central Gobi we started to see more tourists as we passed through villages and headed to the Flaming Cliffs. we also threw in a sunset camel trek for good measure.
The road has been tough with some great offroading, some very slow progress and the worst corrugated roads I have ever seen. Even 80kph could not drown them out. The gearbox is whining a little and the Landy needs a service along with some repairs to the trailer bodywork.
Some rest at Oasis now as we catch up on photos (sorry!) and blogs along with preparing the truck and ourselves for the next stage... Siberia.
I will try to get some photos up in the next few days
G
Dan Grec
Expedition Leader
Sounds beyond spectacular.
If you can find a way to share those gps tracks, I'm sure the Overlanding community at large would be very appreciative.
I'll happily throw them on http://wikioverland.org
-Dan
If you can find a way to share those gps tracks, I'm sure the Overlanding community at large would be very appreciative.
I'll happily throw them on http://wikioverland.org
-Dan
Sirocco
Explorer
We have made it to Irkutsk :ylsmoke:
A short stop off on the eastern shore of Lake Baikal on the way through also.
From here we will head back to Baikal (west shore) before going north to pick up the BAM road which follows the BAM railway to Tynda.
I need to look at the truck 1st though as the rear hubs are getting hot. I'm guessing the grease has run-out after 19,000 miles on the road. Hopefully I can find somewhere to do this tomorrow (that is not on the side of the road).
G
A short stop off on the eastern shore of Lake Baikal on the way through also.
From here we will head back to Baikal (west shore) before going north to pick up the BAM road which follows the BAM railway to Tynda.
I need to look at the truck 1st though as the rear hubs are getting hot. I'm guessing the grease has run-out after 19,000 miles on the road. Hopefully I can find somewhere to do this tomorrow (that is not on the side of the road).
G
Sirocco
Explorer
Thanks for the kind words guys.
We in Severobaikalsk now on the northern shores of Lake Baikal (as we were 5 days ago) in the meantime we took a stab at the BAM road. For those who do not know the BAM is a branch line of the Trans-Siberian Railway. Alongside it 'was' a service road but this was back in the 70's/80's. Its 1600km length to Tynda now passes through small settlements, ghost towns and isolated communities. The going was slow and the bridges got worse. I wanted to reach the infamous Vitim Bridge which we achieved but it seemed stupid to cross it if we were turning back so sadly we didn't drive it.
Lisa couldn't even manage to walk onto it let alone cross it. Its 600m long, 30m up from the raging river and only 3m wide. Complete with rotten railway sleepers. It was a temporary bridge for the unveiling of the line back in the 80's. Anyway, we bottled it and turned around. 1000km in 5 days, 12-14 hour days in low ratio fording rivers and getting eaten alive by Super-mosquito's. We have a new plan to get to Yakutsk from here but news from from a friend suggests the road to Magadan is flooded and impassible... We will see.
Here is a video I just posted on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10152590199318306&set=vb.161256027233509&type=2&theater
We crossed a few of these!
G
We in Severobaikalsk now on the northern shores of Lake Baikal (as we were 5 days ago) in the meantime we took a stab at the BAM road. For those who do not know the BAM is a branch line of the Trans-Siberian Railway. Alongside it 'was' a service road but this was back in the 70's/80's. Its 1600km length to Tynda now passes through small settlements, ghost towns and isolated communities. The going was slow and the bridges got worse. I wanted to reach the infamous Vitim Bridge which we achieved but it seemed stupid to cross it if we were turning back so sadly we didn't drive it.
Lisa couldn't even manage to walk onto it let alone cross it. Its 600m long, 30m up from the raging river and only 3m wide. Complete with rotten railway sleepers. It was a temporary bridge for the unveiling of the line back in the 80's. Anyway, we bottled it and turned around. 1000km in 5 days, 12-14 hour days in low ratio fording rivers and getting eaten alive by Super-mosquito's. We have a new plan to get to Yakutsk from here but news from from a friend suggests the road to Magadan is flooded and impassible... We will see.
Here is a video I just posted on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10152590199318306&set=vb.161256027233509&type=2&theater
We crossed a few of these!
G
Sirocco
Explorer
Mongolia Album here: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.689152974443809.1073741844.161256027233509&type=1
There are some captions with the photos on Facebook which I dont have the time to replicate here, sorry.
Naadam Festival:
There are some captions with the photos on Facebook which I dont have the time to replicate here, sorry.
Naadam Festival:
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