Alternate title: "I cycled the M10 from St. Petersburg to Moscow and all I got was this splitting headache from exhaust fumes and hearing trucks pass me by literally 24 hours a day."
The road from St. P to Moscow has been....rough. For most of its length, it's a 2-lane highway - the pavement is reasonably good, but it's narrow. Highway 7 North of Toronto might be an apt comparison. However, the volume of truck traffic along the road is more akin to what you'd see on the 401.
Trucks, trucks, constantly with the trucks. The only thing more noticeable than the trucks themselves were the countless flowery memorials placed along the roadside to commemorate drivers who weren't fortunate enough to survive the M10 traverse. I'm glad to be off it.
One skinny highway between Russia's two biggest cities - it's a logistical nightmare. Yet it seems in Russia, as in North America, truck transport, despite how dangerous and inefficient it seems, is being encouraged and growing. They have trains here, don't they?
On a brighter note, we've connected with Sorouche and arrived at our base outside Moscow! Here, Toronto could use a serious lesson in public transport - a comfortable 1-hour train ride in from the distant suburbs costs a mere 2 dollars, and the world-class subway system, with over 100 stations, costs about 70 cents for a one-way trip.
Anyway, my point is that there is a better alternative to highways and driving everywhere - and in terms of public transit, we're really not doing very well at all in Canada.
(Check the galleries for pictures, finally!)
-Zack
Hi Zack & Damien....
Glad to hear you made it to Moscow & beyond. Just got back from the dacha ourselves about two hours ago & thought I'd pop in & say HI!!!
I ended up taking a bus that morning instead of the train, like I said I might, due to shedualling & watched for you all on the hiway but you musta left after me or were hiding in the bushes as I went by, LOL. Hope all is well & remains that way, take care & stay in touch.
By the way after having met & talked with you guys I found myself watching the shoulder to see exactly what it was like, seems I was wrong, you were in for a bumpy ride. When the shoulder did appear & in good paved condition there were too many idiots using it as a third lane. Dangerous place Russia!!!
Stay safe!!! Ride Free!!!
Richard (Rvrwind)
all of europe is all about big trucks, they never use any other means of transportation 😆 glad to hear you guys are both well stay safe buddy and take more pics 😀
Nels
Perhaps everyone already knows this, but I just figured out that if you click on a picture, and then scroll down, there are captions! Love the pictures, Zack.