With the bike tied up in customs, I had the weekend to dawdle in Vladivostok, taking in the pedestrian shopping areas, seafront, and sampling my first Russian cuisine. The hotel recommended to me by the helpful Roman at Dong Chun Ferry Ltd was the Moryak, providing basic accommodations at around US$45 per night. It was […]
Browsing Posts published in August, 2010
I queued up at the Sokcho International Passenger Terminal for my ferry ticket to Zarubino, Russia, sweating in my riding gear among Korean, Japanese, Russian and Chinese travelers. I planned to enter Russia at Zarubino instead of the larger port of Vladivostok after hearing horror stories about the entrenched corruption at Vladik (that’s how Russians […]
Heading east from Yeoju, the surroundings became more mountainous and rural. I took a butt-break at Chiak-san National Park. (Link to Korean National Parks.) The road followed a wide river, which eventually joined another near this roadside stop. The road approaching Seoraksan climbed through steep 180-degree switchbacks with granite boulders on one side and dizzying […]
The beach was only a few steps from the hotel, so while the bike was in transit I passed some time walking on the beach. This was a quiet family vacation spot, with long tidal flats instead of bodacious breakers. Along the shore were small shops, ATV-rentals and restaurants where whole fish were cooked on […]
The first few days of being without a motorcycle were OK, mostly because my backside could use a rest after the long saddle days of the previous week. But having been at the mercy of public transport, expensive taxis, and my own feet for over a week, I’m more than ready to be back on […]
After an afternoon of culling photos, updating the journal, and sink-laundry I decided to venture deeper into nearby China Town in search of dinner. I walked past the street market where the tourists were just filtering in, and within a few dozen paces noticed a marked increase in the seediness of the neighborhood. Nearly every […]
With the bike crated and carted away, I was free to pursue more budget-friendly lodging options, and made my way toward the hostels of Main street. Shane at Richmond Motorsports gave me a lift to the Sky Train station, and soon I was riding the elevated rails north from the industrial area of Richmond, crossing […]
My freighting company had recommended I contact Richmond Motorsports to handle the crating of the motorcycle. I’d been in touch with them a few days before, and let them know they could expect to see me on Thursday afternoon. I found their store easily, and from my very first contact was treated very well. Multi-tasking […]
I continued the hot highway drone northwest into the tawny hills of Oregon, and entered Washington surprised to be surrounded by massive fields of crops. After 500 miles, searching for lodging in Ellensburg, and being weary and wary of braving the hoofed wildlife of Snoqualmie Pass, I paid much for little lodging. Following the next […]
So begins the long freeway burn to Vancouver, B.C. — necessary to ensure that the bike is prepped, crated and in the shipper’s hands on Monday the 9th. I rode fill-up to fill-up, stopping at rest areas to pull off my boots and socks to let my toes loose to play in the grass. I […]
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