Through the bread basket of Russia

IAfter leaving Volgograd I followed the east coast of the Volga river for days. It was very remote, flat and full of ranches and wheat. The stretches between small towns approached 50 miles, but gas stations with ice cream were always there when I needed them. This stretch included a ferry ride, which I missed by 8 minutes. A local with a small fishing boat offered to give me ride and with myself, my bike, him and a giant dog we shoved off for the ten minute ride. Upon reaching the other side the ferry captains invited me into their boathouse for vodka. It was only 830 in the morning on a Sunday but why would I refuse. We finished off a small bottle and snacked on fish they recently had caught in the river. They offered me a bed to sleep through the afternoon heat but it wasn't yet my nap time and I though the vodka would keep the biking interesting. They waved me goodbye then loaded the few cars waiting and took off for the far side of the river.

Another encounter included an over friendly horse. He was having a bad time with the mosquitoes and decided my hammock was good for scratching his chin and the tree I was tied to was good for scratching the rest of himself. I was afraid he would knock over and step on my bike, but I couldn't get him to go away. I think he eventually went to sleep when I did but at 4 in the morning he was back for a chin scratch. It doesn't get dark until 10pm and by 4am it was already daytime again so I just got started and left the horse rubbing up against a tree.

Four days ago in the morning I met another cyclist. Gerry. He is German and heading the same way as me. Though there is only one road to follow by noon I had lost him and could not find him the rest of the day or the next. I had given up on finding him, assuming he was some distance behind me, but when I arrived at the hostel in Ufa early this afternoon he was already here. We are going to try again to ride together when we leave tomorrow.

Everyone I meet continues to be friendly. A couple that just opened a hotel took pity on me as I showed up soaked in sweat looking for water. They gave me a cold soda and let me sit in the air condition until I was cool enough to continue. The long days and clear skies make it easy to spread the biking throughout the day. Camping is always easy to find and I've only had three days when the bugs forced me to retreat early into my hammock. I know my bike (miniaturized of course) is the center piece in a lot of my photos, but it deserves that.