10,000 Miles - The Route In Brief

I am continuously gathering information for the route I have chosen. Although I don't expect to make major changes to the actual route listed here, some of the roads may have particular restrictions for cyclists and in those instances I will make detours as necessary.

I have recently (12 March 2002) made a route plan change. I have found more and more frustration with the problems of getting the necessary documentation to cycle through Belarus. I have now decided to leave Warsaw in Poland by a different road and head for Lithuania and Latvia. From Latvia I can pick up a road which runs directly to Moscow. The reason for this change is that UK citizen can travel through both Lithuania and Latvia for 90 days without a visa. Not only does this reduce the pressure of paperwork and organising - I also get to visit an extra country on my route. Some milage will be added and I reckon that by the time I actually do the cycle the milage will have crept up to nearer 9-10,000 miles from the 7,500 miles originally estimated.

10,000 Miles - The Route In Brief

Starting in the UK, I will cycle from Broomfield Hospital in Chelmsford to the port of Harwich and then onto the Hook of Holland.

Arrive at the Hook of Holland
Head for Rotterdam
Utrecht - Amersfoort - Deventer - Almelo - Oldenzaal - border with Germany.

Cross border - Germany
Rheine - Horstel - Osnabuck - Minden - Nienburg - Celle - Wolfsburg - Gardelegen - Stendal - Rathenow - Friesack - Neuruppin - Eberswalde (above Berlin) - Frankfurt (Oder) border with Poland.

Cross border - Poland
Swiecko - Swiebodzin - Oborniki - Ochorowo - Kiszkowo - Konin - Kutno - Lowicz - Sochaczew - Bloni- Leszno - Ncwy Dwor Mazowiecki - Wysszkow - Ostrow Mazowieka - Lomza - Szcucyn - Grajewo - Augustow - Suwalki - border with Lithuania.

Cross border - Lithuania
Kalvariija - Marijampole - Kaunas - Jonava - Ukmerge - Utena - Diaguciai - Zarasa - border with Latvia.

Cross border - Lativa
To Daugavpils - Road No. A13 - Malta - Rezekne - Road No. A12 - border with Russia.

Cross border - Russia
Road No. M9. Sebezh - Pustoshka - Novosokol'niki - Velikye Luki - Nelidovo - Rzhev - Zubtsov - Volokolamsk - divert to Kiln just abve Moscow - Dmitrov - Sergiyev Posad. Still researching a difinitive route but will be approximately - Vladimir - Dzerhinsk - Nizniy Novgorod - Chedoksary - Tsivilsk - Kazan - Mamadysh - Naberezhnyye - Chelney - Ufa (crossing the Ural mountain range) - Chernikovsk - Yuryuzan - Bakal - Zlatoust - Mias - Chelyabinsk - Shumika and on to the Ilizarov Scientific Centre in Kurgan.

Moscow to Ilizarov Center in Kurgan, Siberia to follow

That completes stage one of the challenge. I'm hoping to stay in Kurgan for a week or two spending some time visiting the Scientific centre. Once I have recovered somewhat I will return to the UK cycling the same route.

I'm allowing a year for this journey. I have to be realistic. I will have had further surgery on my leg just prior to my departure from the UK and I don't want to push too hard and cause injury. The main challenge for me is to complete this cycle to thank all those people who have sponsored me so that I can raise lots of money for Orthopaedic Research - so if I take a year to complete this challenge - that's ok.

We all benefit from orthopaedics. From severe traumotology to joint replacements and simple fractures. All this work requires research and needs to be funded. Please sponsor my solo cycle from the UK to The Ilizarov Scientific Centre in Kurgan, Siberia. I am raising money for Orthopaedic research and the two hospitals that saved my life and prevented amputation of my leg. The cycle begins in January 2003