If you are interested to learn more about this once-in-a-lifetime adventure and the riding segment ongoing from Almaty then have a look at:

AROUND THE WORLD 2014 (Part 2): Almaty > Hami

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Balkhash to Almaty

640 km to go today – a long turn and a good reason to start early in the morning. For some hours we ride along lake Balkash before we head into pure steppe land. Now temperatures increase up to 30 degrees celsius. And even if the road is most of the time straight, it never gets boring – so many things to find along: tires, cars, police, fruits, camels, broken MCs …

Finally - after 2000 km through the Kasakh steppe we end up again in a more green environment being caused by the Tien Shan mountains close to Almaty. The city itself welcomes us with typical kasakh traffic and the friendliness of the locals. Here we will have another rest day that gives us the chance to some motorcycle maintanenance, city sightseeing or just relaxing in the great spa of our hotel.

Leaving Balkhash - the shadows are still long

Only the horizon is finishing lake Balkhash

Kazakh steppe ahead ...

... and behind us!

Death Valley - Racetrack Playa - wandering stones? Come to Kazakhstan - they have wandering tires!!!

Also Camels sometimes don´t like to walk!

Typical things on the roadsides - goats

... fruits

... camels

... repairing Tourguides

Another lunchstop - Claus and some locals checking the Edelweiss-WorldTour-Sticker

Leaving the steppe - far in the back the Tian Shan mountain range

Heiri taking a sunny rest at the gas station

Our world becomes more green again - more close to Tian Shan mountains

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Karaganda to Balkhash

After having left Karaganda we very soon turn off the road to visit a mass grave related to the gulags to also commemorate the dead. From there we head south again for our todays destination Balkhash, located at the northern shore of lake Balkhash. This biggest lake in Central Asia with 17.000 sq km and a max depth of just 26m remarkably consits of two different watertypes – fresh water in the western part and saltwater in the eastern one.

The ride to Balkash is still characterized by steppe around us, very often with thym flavoured air to breath.

At the mass grave

The Austrian boys - Alois and Josef. They still did not check the big A ...

Typical roads again!

Looks like a village - A typical cemetry along the roads. To get an idea about the size watch the cow on the left ...

Typicall lunch situations - Claudia and Alexander

Sid enjoying Bortsch in the sun ...

The neighbour at the lunchplace and his vehicle!

Typical roadsie

Kazakhstan - if they don´t have mountains they make them themselves ...

Entering Balkhash

Michael exploring Balkhash roads

For sure we had to check the lake Balkhash from the wet side ...

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Astana to Karaganda

Leaving Astana. todays route will lead us to Karaganda. Since the end of the 18th century this city exists primarily from copper and especially coal mining. Karaganda is also known for some Gulags, the labor camps during Stalinism, which where located close by to provide slave workers to the mines, mostly so called political enemies or prisoners of war. The short riding distance of 260 km from Astana to Karaganda gives us the chance to visit a Gulag Museum in Dolinka, a small village outside Karaganda.

The evening shows up with an unforseen surprise – an Kasakh Edelweiss fan shows us the way to a very nice restaurant where we have local food of best quality. By the way, the Kasakhs are very proud of the ingredients quality and the way it is grown and produced. And they are right - no matter if it is meat, vegetables, fruits – as far as we experienced it everything tastes intensive and fresh.

On the way to Karaganda - due to road construction a detour also can go through mud ...

On the way to Dolinka - gas supply pipelines along the road

The Group - In front of the Gulag-Museum

The Motorcycles - In front of the Gulag Museum

Great place - great food - great people!

Our Edelweiss-Friend Meiram together with Wolfgang - they found each other on Karaganda´s roads!

Food examples from the evening ...

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Burabay to Astana

Let's go to the capital of Kazakhstan – Astana is waiting! Todays 270km will bring us into a fast growing and shining city. After one hour on a brand new highway we again turn into the country side that surprises us with incredible colours and sceneries. Dusty clouds are with us for around 80km before we take the highway to Astana.  After a sweaty ride everybody is happy to find a cold beer and a hose at the hotel …

Everybody enough fuel in the tank?

The roads seem endless

Village scenes in the Kazakh steppe ...

And great riding again!

With 39 degrees celsius!

Claudia and Claus having fun playing with refreshing water - the bike is secondary ...

And there are always some good statements ...

Jacek and his bike!

As well as the tour guide!

Two typical sights in Astana

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Petropavlovsk to Burabay

Wow – the first impressions were wonderful and astonishing. Very friendly and open people welcomed us wherever we came along.

After having been a part of the Sovjet Union, Kazakhstan since 1991 is an independent republic and as an open minded visitor you can feel the pride of the Kazakh people. Lots of oil-, gas- and mineral resources enable the 9th largest country on earth to grow fast.

Today we turn into south and will end up in Burabay. This district in the middle of surrounding flat steppe appears in green steep hills and scattered lakes offering a great evening to our group with swimming and having a lazy night in bars and restaurants. Today first time the group leaves the paved roads to explore some gravel and dust roads the BMWs are perfectly made for …

At first stop - where you take the coffee!

Also at first stop - where it goes out again ...

No words - great riding!

Cross traffic in the nowhere!

Josef: Yes sir - look, we are going to Bangkok with our bikes ...

Sir: What do you think - are they crazy???

Ladies among themselves - no matter what nation - while the men are hunting (shopping) for a picnic.

Christoph preparing an unusual Edelweiss picnic ...

Heiri enjoying an unusual Edelweiss picnic!

... great riding again!

Wolfgang ended up in Burabay ...

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Kurgan to Petropavlovsk

Our great time in Russia comes to an end and we look forward to what Kasakhstan is up to offer to us with roads, scenery, people and food. Kurgan was a nice last place to stay and to prepare for the next border crossing. And we are curious to what we will find behind …

Heading south the view becomes more and more wide ...

Before the border ...

... and after!!

Also after the border - what a relaxed welcome to Kazakhstan!

Curve(s) again!!!!!!

Always behind the group - our russian tour guide Alexander and the Edelweiss support van!

Entering the suburbs of Petropavlovsk

Strange - sure we are in Kazakhstan? A toilet button in our hotel ...

May we introduce? - That´s "Fuchsi", Michaels tour mascot! Look at those cool mirror glasses ...

May we introduce (again)? - That´s "Alois", a very cool Austrian ...

One more: That´s Christoph - getting in touch with some local girls in Petropavlovsk. Pretty cool, too!

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Yekaterinburg to Kurgan

Another rest day gave us chance to maintenance some bikes and to have some laundry done. Beside this the members had time to explore this very modern oriented city being located around 1.800km east of Moskau. Interestingly until 1991 foreigners were not allowed to visit this city, that was called Swerdlovsk at that time. Several cathedrals as well as the town house and the university are worth to be visited. Names such as Rasputin and Yeltsin are closely linked with Yekaterinburg.

This days route leads us to Kurgan south east of Yekaterinburg. On the way we meet friendly people, nice food and lots of sun …

Leaving Yekaterinburg into a sunny ride

More potholes ahead ...

No one that does not like Heiri - this man rocks the ladies

Alois is not far behind him ... ()

An everyday sight - always nice to see - houses along our roads

A typical welcome to almost any city in Russia!

Heiri takes loving care of his one and only lady ...

... and then rewarded himselves - of course with (an) Edelweiss

One of several nice pics taken on a walk through Kurgan!

"Jailed" in Kurgan!

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Ishevsk – Kungur – Yekaterinburg

To shorten 660 km from Izhevsk to Yekaterinburg we did an overnight stay in Kungur. Enjoyable ride, nice coffee stops and a lazy evening in the hotels garden while smoking cigars and having red wine.

Ever heard about the Ural? Its not only a mountain range but also the natural border between Europe and Asia. And today we crossed it – today we entered into Asia! And, as having arrived Yekaterinburg we also have arrived the very most north-eastern point of our tour within Russia. From tomorrow we head more south …

Time to resume where we are: The largest country on earth! Everything here seems endless and sometimes also timeless …         Imagine – since we entered Russia ten days ago we have gone around 2.500km - and there are still about 11.000km to reach its eastern lands end!

By the way - while having a rest day in Ekaterinburg today we started to take some videos of our tour members. Enjoy ...

http://youtu.be/BdGzvl2KTJk

http://youtu.be/KFTSqg2ysL8

http://youtu.be/6H5p6RwON7A

Warm welcome at a kids sport vacation area where we had a coffee stop:

Not every tour member has his own cigar lightener - we envy you, Claus ...

Some impressions from the roads ...

... and what the bikes could look like after - Georg and Jacek with their babies!

At one of numerous obeliscs marking the border from Europe to Asia

Ekaterinburg - modern ...

... and historic in the same time!

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From Kazan to Izhevsk

Continuing going East - after having had a beautiful, sunny and relaxing rest day in Kazan today we left Tatarstan again and found our way to Izhevsk. The nature around us is changing now more clearly, the vegetation is dry and more reduced. Izhevsk itself is mostly known for being the city where the Kalaschnikows are being produced. Nevertheless this city also provides beautiful places, buildings and sights that we enjoyed after having arrived.

The more we go east the more nature is changing its look.

"Is she preparing my coffee like I want it?"

Alexander, our russian support guide, recommended to try Chak Chak - a russian sweet pastry specialty. As it looks like swabian Spätzle the others were surprised about its taste ...

May be you have seen a similar pic before - typical trees in Russia.

No chance for the russian ladies at the lunch place - we entered their space behind the bar.

Never too young (or too old) to become an Edelweiss Worldtourer ...

Izhevsk - seen from Hotel

Izhevsk at the lake shore

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Nizhny Novgorod to Kazan! Our first rest day and time to visit another Kremlin

We started today along the Volga always heading east in direction Kazan. Today we entered Tatarstan, one of the richest Republics of Russia. You realise your arrival as soon as the roads get better...

First of all we have to welcome our new team Members: 

Georg (CH) & Jacek (PL) - they changed now from million stars hotel (tent) to only 4 stars - let's find out how they can live with that

The lovely grannies sold us some apples and were very interested in our trip to Bangkok

Great riding along the Volga and Oka river

Claus in action

Josef couldn't wait for the photo stop... it was just too breathtaking to wait for the picture stop

Rainer is looking forward to his traditional Tatarstan horse dish:

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From Moscow to Vladimir and to Nizhny Novgorod

Leaving Moscow we start going east again and love to go day bay day closer to Bangkok! Now we are in Nizhny and prepare to go further east. The lanndscape changes. What stays is the the curiousity and friendliness of the russian people whereever we come along with our bikes.

The incredible view from Nizhny's Kremlin to the Volga! Enjoy the rest of the fotos!

Nizhny Novgorods Kremlin wall from inside

Volga: 3.700km and the longest river of Europe! Fantastic feeling to stand there!

newest model of a warning triangle - seen at an accidants place in Nizhny Novgorod

Claudia in an old Soviet Bus at the petrol station though about changing from bike to bus

typical Russian business lunch: red cabbage, soup and meet

Prof. Alois referring about the backgrounding Basilica in Vladimir (kidding)

Heiri misused his mechanical lamp for our desert selection! THANK YOU we all love ice cream

Baroccan restaurant in Aleksandrov! Not only the Kremlins are built like that

Visiting a monastary east of Aleksandrov

New friends in Vladimir

The rest of the team that joined us in Moscow:

Michael (GER)

Gabi & Rainer

Wolfgang (GER)

Martin (GER)

The Team from Moscow

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ARRIVING AT MOSCOW

Moscow - here we are!

Leaving Velikie Luki early in the  morning to avoid terrific traffic jam towards Moskau we ended up in an incredible scenery of a city of Millions. Arriving at the hotel the new tour members waited for us having the boot beer in hands already. )

Two days to explore this most impressive and astonishing city everyone found his own way to beautiful places, situations and also interesting chats with locals. And in between some of us had to change tires and to maintenance their bikes - what an exceptional experience of an MC-workshop in Moscows underground.

Tomorrow we head for sighting some spots of Moscows Golden Ring with destination Vladimir.

More from there ...

Sid´s having a rest in Moscows center ...

Michael inspecting the mechanic´s work!

Did it already snow???

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AROUND THE WORLD IS TAKING OFF AGAIN

The tour is rolling!!!! After two years of preparation a group of 9 started on Sunday morning 9am in Mieming, center of Universe, Austria!

The 9 of us are the transfer group to Moscow, where we meet the rest of the fearless riders that will accompany us on the way to Bangkok.

Our trip started from Mieming to the beautiful town of Gmunden in Austria! Next stops: Brno, Krakow, Bialystok, Vilnius, Rezekne, Veliky Luky and finally Moscow, where we will meet the rest and start with the Moscow-Bangkok leg of the Edelweiss tour around the globe!

Today we are in Bialystok. The last two days we enjoyed an incredible Poland! Great food, beautiful people, perfect weather

Enjoy our small selection of pictures. We hope that we can transfer to you guys at least a little bit of that, what we feel right here, right now on our way to Moscow and finally Bangkok!

The Team:

The Austrians: Alois & Josef

Chuck (USA)

Claudia & Claus (GER)

Heiri (CH)

Sid (CA)

The guides: Gerhard & Christoph (GER)

The Garage & Preparation:

The Journey so far: From Mieming to Bialystok.