Pictured above was
motorcycle artwork on the Dr. Gregory Frazier Motorhead List to show Richard C.
Livermore (# 7) in Moscow, seen here outside the headquarters of the “Nochye Volki”
(Russian for "Night Wolves").
Dr. G’s plan for crossing Russia in
June was scrapped after “the pooch was scrooched” by the DNF’d # 7 when # 7
canceled reservations and deposits for a BMW motorcycle to cross Russia to Vladivostok with
the motorcycle being returned by cargo train to Moscow. It had been a well conceived plan using
information and recommendations from numerous other motorcycle travelers who
had crossed Russia along the same route and the expertise of a Moscow based
motorcycle tour and rental operator, Motorcycle Tours in Russia www.rusmototravel.com While six months of detailed and negotiated planning was “scrooched with
the pooch,” the obstacles it created made looking at a solo crossing of Russia
by Dr. G nearly impossible. The
owner/operator of Motorcycle Tours in Russia, Alexander Nikonov, offered his condolences
to Dr. G, but said he understood the differences in human and moral qualities
of the two players and offered to Dr. G, “You are welcome anytime!”
Pictured above is how
much of the main (and only) road across Russia would have likely still looked.
Plans to re-visit the Night Wolves
base in Moscow also had to be scratched, as were other adventurous stops across
Russia in the one month time window. Compounding the pooch scrooching problem
was the timing of the cancellation of the deposit and reservations was the
length needed for Russian visa requirements.
In February of 2016, while Dr. G and
Livermore were in Buenos Aires, Dr. G suggested that due to the fluid political
climate in Russia they might want to consider changing the crossing of Russia
to June of 2017 after finishing Europe, meaning it might become more difficult
paperwork and visa wise due to declining relations between the USA and Russia. To this suggestion Livermore readily agreed,
saying, "Yep, let’s do it!" but added “I have to be back by July 6 for a family
reunion.”
Plans were adjusted to accommodate the suggested change and Dr. G carved out the needed time from his 2017 work schedule, turned down other assignments and projects. Livermore was more flexible in needing to change the Asian crossing because he would be retired by early 2017.
As Dr. G reviewed other options for
crossing Asia given the timing window of June, and possibly far more dangerous ways, like through the Middle East, he was reminded and encouraged by several
random thoughts passed on from previous adventure seekers and current Rally
followers:
“Fear easily overrides
pride. Finish your adventure, demonstrate your pride, and not fear.”
“You are no quitter, no
baby wailing for a teat. Keep heading east old man.”
“If you want to be
afraid, life is dangerous anywhere.”
“No shit! I can say
that (so far) I have never scammed, shorted, duped or backed out of my word of
money issue. On the contrary I feel I’ve
overpaid and went above and beyond the call of duty many times, it just feels
better. That’s a shame.”
"From your former partner's
Facebook post ‘Had a great ride for 6 weeks and never had a single issue with
anything,’ after Africa, you seem to be on far different mental, physical and
moral tracks around the world. Keep on
the path you are on across Europe and Asia! You obviously are having more
adventure and fun on the higher ground, although without the 10,000 steps each
day.”
“Are you crazy or
fearless? The difference between crazier and Frazier is only the first letter
of each word. Some say your solo adventures have made you bat shit crazy, or
crazier than a shit house rat.”
“At least you’re done
with sitting around the campfire behind the gated Hilton Hotel singing Kumbaya
like it seemed you were in South America and Africa with Livermore.”
“Done is your 20-50
kilometer riding day. You’re free to
soar like an eagle, not scuttle from secure and gated hotel to the next secure and gated hotel
like a bug.”
“Harvey Milquetoast is
back in what you have dubbed as ‘Dorothy and Toto’s Kansas.’ Adventure is over
the horizon, not locked in a hotel room 12 hours a day connected to the
Internet sucking down false information and posting, posting, posting.”
“I doubt you have ever
been a victim of your own fear.”
“There are lone wolves
and docile sheep, even in Kansas. We know you are no docile sheep.”
As he approached Turkey, Dr. G was
faced with several economic and bureaucratic problems that meeting his long
planned July 2, 2017 return date to the USA made impossible. Iran would require a permit to transit, visa
and for Americans, a paid guide.
Pakistan and India would both require a Carnet de Passage, a bond he could not easily secure on a timely
basis from Europe.
A sidecar driver of the sidecar pictured above in
1953 had faced much the same route dilemma as did Dr. G, when the route across Asia
was much more difficult and dangerous, and succeeded. A review of the route
taken by the Zundapp showed that the adventurer had given “Dorothy and Toto’s
Kansas” a wide berth.
And then there would be crossing Myanmar,
a relatively new possibility for a solo traveler on a motorcycle. Dr. G had managed a motorcycle journey within Myanmar
several years before and had some connections. Reality was at his late date he
was looking at stressful paperwork, a handler, guide and bureaucratic
requirements, plus having to pay $3,790.00.
The route taken by the
sidecar driver in 1953 showed much time was spent on boats. Dr. G considered simply packing his riding
gear, and using credit cards while looking down at the land mass below from 35,000 feet,
using a much quicker airplane.
After exiting Myanmar, Dr. G would
face nearly the same bureaucratic and economic burdens to cross Thailand, at a
minimum three days with a guide for $1,500.00, only to bump up against Cambodia, Laos and
almost a “no-go” of Vietnam given his time constraints. Over the previous 15 years he had explored
all of those countries, some numerous times using a variety of motorcycles, but
knew that the timing and economics to do so again caused by the scrooching of the
pooch of the Russia plan was going to be beyond burdensome.
Needing less than 1,000 miles to meet
his global target of 18,000 miles, and having less than a month to do it,
caused “Dr. Crazier” to come up with a firm Plan C: Why not merely fly over the
countries between Turkey and land in Thailand where he could easily save
$1,000’s as well as days while being joined by other avid rally entrants on a
“run through the Thai jungles?”
Another niggling factor in Dr. G’s
Plan C was a broken tooth. An old
filling had dislodged and exited from a rear molar, leaving a gaping hole and
sensitive exposed nerve. Having experienced
a similar problem before in Germany Dr. G knew the economics of having dental
work done while on the road in Europe, where he said, “I could purchase a new
motorcycle in Thailand for the price of having a dental crown done in Europe.”
He again fashioned a filler for the
hole in the tooth from epoxy glue as he had done some years before with a similar problem in Vietnam
and hoped to make it last until he could reach his personal dentist’s chair in
Thailand. Dr. G said, “I saw dental work being done with vice grips and a kitchen
fork on the street when I was in India and figured the same would be done in a
similar fashion in Myanmar or Pakistan.”
Dr. G did some quick research. First he discovered the airport he would be
initially landing at in Thailand, Suvarnabhumi International Airport, had recently been
listed as one of the 10 worst airports in the world. Looking back on the departure of his former
riding partner, he said, “That would not meet Livermore's standards, but I’ve been to too
many good airports so far, boring and stale.
I’ll give Suvarnabhumi a try, even though it’s not up to Dorothy and
Toto’s standards.”
Next was another Internet report that
stated that in Thailand, on average, 5,500 motorcyclists die annually, or 15
deaths per day, thereby scoring Thailand as the world’s deadliest country for
two wheel motorcycles. Dr. G said, “Whoa
now! Here we’re talking about some real motorcycle risk management and testing
of professional driving skills, an element of danger far from that of Dorothy
and Toto’s Kansas.”
And then popped up a tourist report
that ranked Thailand as one of the 20 most dangerous countries in the world.
This resulted in Dr. G saying, “Well,
if it’s on the Internet, many like Livermore say it must be true, so l’ll pretend outwardly
for the fake news outlets that my previous traveling partner taught me to believe
what is out there on the Net as he did. Instead I’ll dodge the drones and paparazzi,
throw caution to the winds and make a crazy dash to finish the Rally! It
appears I’ll be as far from Harvey Milquetoast, Dorothy and Toto in Kansas as I can get,
pushing a crazier adventure motorcycling envelope.”
The below photo was sent to Dr. G
from a Rally follower and supporter from the USA, suggesting he ignore the dire warnings of
being outside the USA, with the following quote: “True motorcycle adventure is
inconvenience successfully managed away from a Starbucks or roadside assistance
plan. Go with your Dr. Crazier Asia
Plan! ”
