Russia
- Miles cycled: 583
- Feet climbed: 8,987
- Cycling days: 12
- Non-cycling days: 5
Rating (1-10) and comments:
- Road – condition: 9
(We stuck to the main roads and these were, on the whole, very good. Even roads in towns and villages were in good condition.) - Road – shoulders and cycle lanes: 8
(We had a decent shoulder on most of the main roads) - Road signage: 7
- Drivers: 8
- Campsites – Availability: 0
- Campsites – Facilities/Value: n/a
(Didn’t find any campsites) - Hotels: 7.5
(Not as good value for money as Ukraine, but rooms are generally clean and well-equipped) - Shops: 8
(Always little mini markets found in even the smallest towns) - Food: 9
(Lots of great soups and stews. Good value.) - People: 9
(Like Ukraine, folk everywhere were super friendly and helpful despite the language barrier) - Cost: 7
- Scenery: 4
(Bugger all to see in the section we went through) - Cultural interest: 5
(Due to us being in the arse-end of nowhere in Russia rather than more interesting parts)
Overall: 7.4
General tips:
- Pick up a copy of the Auto-Tourist Guide (available from service stations and guesthouses) – although not a map, it shows accurately where there are hotels, shops and cafes along the major highways of Russia. We found this extremely useful.
- Look out for signs of “Dom Otdikhas” – these are guesthouses/lodges.
- Some of the Baza Otdikhas/Baza Ribalnayas are hunting/fishing bases with accommodation. Some are reluctant to take foreigners but a little patience/persistance can produce results.