17. Great cycling, great countryside, freedom...This is what it's al about!

"Kamchatka Peninsula" by Bike and Kayak
Sun 5 Aug 2012 06:11
56:25.57N 161:18.4E

As the ferry ramp hit the North bank of the Kamchatka River I wheeled my bike off until I hit real terra firma, then hopped on and cycled away. The road was a surprise: Soft-ish soil, dense enncapsulated forest, but smooth and relatively good cycling. One by one I let the vehicles pass until I was on my own, and as I hit a 'T' junction I realised I was on a feeder road annd was about to conect to themain road to Ust Kamchatsk.

Well this road was a pleasure. Gone was the grey / black volcanic sand and river pebble surface, replaced with a deseert sand coloured hard clay surface that was smooth, fast and a pleasure to ride on. I wonder how long this will last....? Every now and then, as there was a break in the vegetation off to the right I could see the expanse of the Kamchatka River. I'd be with it for a while, before we parted ways on our quite different paths to Ust Kamchatsk. The river broadens significantly downstream of Klyuchi, and at times I couldn't even make out the far bank. It looked liike I was looking at a lake, that had a few islands dotted in it.

The energy from my bursting fuel cells connected through and this was exhiliarating cycling...even with the loaded, heavy bike, we were chugging along Now and again as we hit higher speeds the bike started its harmonious snaking frame wobble as the weight of the front panniers almost pendulum with the rear. It's quite a strange feeling, and I'm convinced it's not so good for the frame. I always brace the front handlebars using my arms as a strut with my body, and usually the frame snaking stops. If not a reluctant, reduction in speed does the trick!

I wonder about bears, but the terrain I'm in doesn't look like typical bear country and for now all is good. The kilometres fly by, well relatively,probably only averaging 20km per hour. I warn myself about pacing, and to watch thigh fatigue, as with these speeds and the heavy load only one part of the body is taking the load: My thighs...I can actually feel the burn point as I crank up the inevitable gentle uphills but this is all part of the deal. I almmost forgot about my 'baadly injured' right leg: A few days of harsh cycling rigor, and all injury is a thibg of the past. The mind has strong influence over the body, hey!

With extra psychological capacity, I stop to take photos whenever I want, even take two detours to explore off road. I realise how the corrugated road surface has demoralised me, almost taking away my passion for touring cycling, but now I feel invigorated and having fun again!

I was hoping to do 40-50km, planning on stopping at the first (maybe only or none) river around that distance. As I moved away from the Kamchatka River, the countryside did change becoming real open tundra forest again, lots of plains, interspersed with dense forest. This was now bear country, I could feel it, so I began my "Hey bear" routine, just to make we feel better