Thursday, 9 August 2012 Anchorage, AK (0 miles) Total Trip Miles – 4723.  0 hour riding time

Weather – Warm temperatures in the mid 70’s with mostly sunny skies.  Not sure if Anchorage has ever had any 90 degree+ temperatures and rarely does it reach the 80’s

Happy birthday to my brother Tye down in San Antonio, TX…he has been doing a terrific job following me and provding updated weather and other route information!  While I know you bleed Texan after living down there for over 30 years, do know that the folks in Alberta, Canada have the same air about their province – everything is BIG in Alberta!

Spent the first part of my day reviewing the trip with a special focus on the ride across Siberia; I was considering the possibility of booking some hotel nights in some of the larger cities, but since I have no sense as to the kind of mileage progress I can expect daily, I’ve decided to leave it open for now – just roll the dice and ride west. The ride from Vladivostok to the Latvian/Russian border will be a marathon covering 7500 miles in 11 to 12 days.

Additionally, I was on the phone and swaping emails with Rindy Veatch at DHL to finalize the airway bill and information requested by Wendy Choi in Korea to clear customs.  She also arranged for Legacy Logistics to pick up the bike at Alaska Scientific and they arrived with a box truck – just wasn’t sure the shipping crate would fit through the rear overhead door on the truck, but it cleared with about 6 inches to spare.  The bike is shipping to Inchon, South Korea on Saturday via Polar Air Cargo and with my flight, customs clearance and transportation from Inchon to Dong Hae, I won’t see it again until next Thursday, 16 August at the bonded warehouse at the DBS Ferry yard.  Wendy has requested permission for me to gain access to the bike in the warehouse allowing me to opportunity to uncrate and reassemble prior to catching the ferry to Vladivostok on Sunday the 19th.

Update:  Just have had several emails from Wendy Choi and she did get permission for me to uncrate & assemble the bike at the DBS bonded warehouse on Friday, 17 August – apparently they have a large vessel to unload on Thursday, but that’s great news.  This allows me to get the bike back together prior to the ferry trip to Vladivostok so I can begin my trip across Siberia with little delay.   Additionally, it appears all the DHL paperwork is in order and I can clear customs in 24 hours.  Wendy is also arranging for the bike be shipped from Inchon to Dong Hae by bonded truck – about 130 miles and I’ll be taking a shuttle or bus to Dong Hae on Tuesday.  Wednesday is a national holiday in Korea similar to our 4th of July Independence Day celebration…be cool to be a part of the festivities.  Wendy Choi may be reached at AERO INTERNATIONAL, LTD at +82(0) 17-213-3961 or wendychoi2@gmail.com

Once again I joined Del & Kim for dinner and this time it was a local Mexican spot named Los Arcos – I had the chile relleno and Kim allowed me to share some of her Halibut cerviche – it was excellent.  Oh…and I had my first & second Don Julio Reposado Tequila since starting my trip – believe I did, however, induldge in a Patron Silver once or twice.

Tomorrow I’ll share my warehouse,  handwashing – laundry techniques developed while on the road traveling to some of the most inhospitalble corners of the planet.  I know that’s a stretch and since I’ve done little in the category of any kind for several years now…tune in!  Laundry Boy I be….

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