This trip will be headed to the Black Sea, and possibly to the Caucasus region. Research for the Caucasus part of the trip has been going on for quite a while, but now it looks like the area might be a bit too restless for travel.

Today I've been busy getting some tools and other gear in order, and fixing Jose's Royal Enfield. Tomorrow I will fetch my visas from Lähialuematkat, and start packing.

If everything goes well, the trip will start on Saturday morning when we ride to St. Petersburg.

I've looked at the packing list from last summer's Russian motorcycle tour, and there will be some modifications:

• This time I will not carry a PDA as I can write journal entries via SMS
• There will be more tools as I'm traveling alone
• I will bring some maps and dictionaries to make the trip easier
• As my GPS is dead I will use a tank-mounted map bag for navigation
• I'm still torn on whether to bring camping equipment or not. Last year they were practically unused as accommodation is cheap in Russia

I will post the full packing list when I have the gear sorted out.

The SMS journal writing system should be rigged now. Expect frequent updates once the trip has begun. Now it is tandoori time :-) (2004-06-30 22:39 - Bergie)

The trip is really shaping up. Russian and Ukrainian visas are in my pocket and we are planning with the group coming to St Petersburg in Ateljè (2004-07-01 21:37 - Bergie)

Last morning before the trip and still 15 open todo items, including insurance paperwork and some sushi. Next up is a company staff meeting... (2004-07-02 09:07 - Bergie)

Most work duties and insurance details are OK now, and Jose's bike parked near an inspection station. Cold beer and sunshine, then back to work. (2004-07-02 17:13 - Bergie)

Now the huge todo list of pre-trip stuff has been finished and I can rest. Looks like it will rain tomorrow but that is the norm for bike tours. (2004-07-02 21:51 - Bergie)

As per Kerttu's request, I made a guestimated travel route. This would go in the following fashion:

Helsinki, St. Petersburg (~3.7.-10.7.), Veliky Novgorod, Moscow, Kiev, Odessa (~17.7.), Sevastopol, Novorossijsk, Batumi, Trabzon, Istanbul (~25.7.), Sofia, Belgrad, Zagreb, Trieste, Milano, Zürich (~4.8.)

There are also many other fascinating places on the road, though. Will be interesting to see how well this estimate holds up.

Now the bags are packed and I'm ready. I only need to suit up and wake up Kerttu, and we should be able to start the trip with a sushi lunch. (2004-07-03 10:11 - Bergie)