SILK ROAD LATEST NEWS

 

 

 

2008-08-08.   The BaltiCCycle expedition “From Olympia to Beijing” has reached its destination. We have finished the ride at Tiananmen Square.

                       Entering Beijing our group was of 20 participants. Among them 10 who started the ride 171 days ago in Olympia:

 

                                    Carlotta                      -           Italy

                                    Danai                          -           Greece

                                    Monica                        -           Poland

                                    Nijolė                          -           Lithuania

 

                                    Andrzej                       -           Poland

                                    Marcin (driver)           -           Poland

                                    Mark                           -           Netherlands

                                    Ryszard                       -           Poland

                                    Sigitas                         -           Lithuania

                                    Vasilios                       -           Greece

 

 

Altogether 58 participants from 14 countries took part in different parts of the route:

                                   

                                    Lithuania                     -          17

                                    Poland                         -          17

                                    Uzbekistan                  -          5

                                    Greece                         -          3

                                    Netherlands                 -          3

                                    Germany                     -           2

                                    New Zealand               -          2

                                    USA                             -          2

                                    China                           -          2

                                    Finland                        -          1

                                    Ireland                         -          1         

                                    Italy                             -          1

                                    Latvia                          -          1

                                    Scotland                      -          1

 

                      Among them 45 men and 13 women, the youngest participant was 18 years old, the oldest – 65.

                      On the start we had 16 participants, on finish – 20.

                     

                     

                      LINKS to ride participants’ travelblogs:

 

              Vasilios (in English)                -           http://www.pentacycle.com

              Joachim (in English)               -           http://lent.travellerspoint.com

              Mark (in Dutch)                      -           http://www.pageline.nl

              Carlotta (in Italian)                -           http://www.tripcentre.org/bbforumblog/weblog.php?w=60

              Holger (in German)                -           http://www.azoren2007.blogspot.com

 

              In Polish:

              Monica’s reportagess              -           http://www.bicycle.pl/content/view/175/207

              Maryla’s commentaries

              in CROTOS forum                   -           http://www.bicycle.pl/component/option,com_forum/Itemid,31/page,viewtopic/t,196

 

              PHOTO GALLERIES:

              http://www.bicycle.pl/index.php?option=com_zoom&Itemid=14&catid=50

              http://www.bicycle.pl/content/view/180/212

 

              MEDIA:

              http://www.bicycle.pl/content/view/177/208/

 

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2008-02-20.   The BaltiCCycle 2008 has STARTED at the Ancient Stadium in Olympia. You will be able to follow the ride on participants' travelblogs.

 

2008-02-13.   Turkmenistan visas have been confirmed. We will receive them on the border entering Turkmenbashi.

 

2008-02-11.  Altogether the number of participants has increased to 46. Three new countries are represented: Scotland, Greece and Bangladesh.

 

2008-02-08.  Tajikistan visas have been received in Berlin. We still have problems and keep intense correspondences with authorities of Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan

regarding visas and other details of our ride through these countries.

 

2008-02-07.  The registration to the ride continues. Among new participants we have 2 new riders from GREECE:  Vasileios and Danai who signed for the whole route.

              

2008-02-04.  After long conversations with Chinese Embassy in Warsaw we have received visas just before the Chinese New Year starts and Embassy is closed for a week.

Chinese visas are valid until July 31, and we have to prolong them in China.

 

2008-01-31.  Some statistics of  participants:

                                   

                      Altogether in all parts of the route we have finally 38 participants (including 2 drivers) from 9 different countries:

 

                                    Lithuania         -           15

                                    Poland             -           13

                                    Germany         -           2

                                    Netherlands     -           2

                                    New Zealand   -           2

                                    Finland            -           1

                                    Italy                 -           1

                                    Ireland             -           1         

                                    Sweden            -           1

                                 

There are 10 women and 28 men in the group.

The youngest is 18 years old; the oldest one will celebrate 61 on the road.               

                      10 cyclists (3 women and 7 men) and 1 driver go the whole route.

                      The biggest group will cycle in Georgia and Azerbaijan: 22 participants.

                      12 cyclists and 2 drivers will start in Olympia. We expect also some Greek cyclists to join until Athens.

 

2008-01-29.  Kyrgyzstan visas have been received in Minsk.

 

2008-01-27.  The design of ride logo has been accomplished. Other symbols – T-shirts, flags, stickers and passports for Olympic Silk Road riders

                      are under processing.

 

2008-01-23.   Today we have received first visas – Azerbaijan. Thanks to Maryla’s hard efforts that result in success.

 

2008-01-19.   We have bought the Silk Road support car: Mercedes Benz Sprinter 208. The team of drivers Marcin and Adam

are ready to drive the car from Olympia to Beijing.

 

2008-01-14.   Visa application process has been started. We have applied for Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan visas.

 

2008-01-05.   One more traveler has registered for the whole route:

 

Andrzej            -           Poland

 

2007-12-31.   The whole route has been revised, and day by day schedule for each country announced on internet:

                       http://www.bicycle.lt/en/main/tours.bc2008-china/route

 

2007-12-29.   The following travelers have additionally registered for the whole route:

 

                                    Mark               -           Netherleands

                                    Ryszard            -           Poland

                                    Holger             -           Germany

                                    Valentinas       -           Lithuania

 

At this date altogether we have 25 participants registered from:

 

                                    Lithuania         -           9

                                    Poland             -           5

                                    Netherlands     -           2

                                    Germany         -           2

                                    New Zealand   -           2

                                    Ireland             -           1

                                    Italy                 -           1

                                    USA                 -           1

                                    Finland            -           1

                                    Latvia              -           1

                                   

2007-12-27.   Because of technical problems with the BaltiCCycle server (one week before Christmas it was not possible to open the site from Poland, New Zealand and some other countries) the deadline of initial registration has been prolonged until January 4, 2008. After January 4 the membership fee will be increased.

 

2007-12-05.   After 3 weeks of registration we have six participants for the whole 171 days route “From Olympia to Beijing”:

 

Sigitas             -           Lithuania

Nijolė              -           Lithuania

John                -           USA

Carlotta          -           Italy

Joachim           -           Finland

Monika            -           Poland

 

The route in Central Asia has been revised. To avoid the roads busy with trucks in Uzbekistan we decided to cycle from Samarkand to Fergana through Tajikistan. Therefore we need to obtain Tajikistan transit visas additionally and double entry Uzbekistan visas. Going through Tajikistan we will save a few days and will use this time to arrange an excursion by train from Bukhara to very nice historical town Khiva.

 

Regarding your bike preparation and spare parts it is highly recommended to contact by email the BaltiCCycle bike mechanic Peter (Peter.Sczygiol@gmx.de) who will cycle the whole route from Istanbul to Beijing.

 

 

2007-11-12. The registration to the BaltiCCycle 2008 tour "From Olympia to Beijing" has started. For more information look at http://www.bicycle.lt/en/main/tours.bc2008-china .