Krasnayorsk to Irkutsk

Lots has happened since leaving Krasnayorsk. We had to ride 1000 kms from Krasnayorsk to Irkutsk camping one night in a picnic area next to a mosquito infested stagnant lagoon in the rain (just off the Trans Siberian Highway with a pipeline being built right behind us and traffic passing by all night long). It was a 600 km ride day followed by a 480 km day where we travelled in extremely cold, freezing and rainy weather and the road conditions were atrocious as we were sliding while we rode through mud holes. At 10 am we stopped for coffee/chai at a truck stop with a muddy carpark and where the trailer's tow ball was discovered to be working it's way loose. Lunch was suppose to be in the troopie but due to the extreme cold and rainy weather, it was pasta and meat (or rice/meat) where we were able to warm up before heading back out into the rain. We all were thankful to arrive in Irkutsk Hotel where a hot shower and warm bed awaited us. We went to apply for our Mongolian Visas the next day (Wed) and were told that this was the only day that they were closed so we returned to the hotel so that everyone could work on their bikes. Thursday morning we headed back to apply for our Mongolian Visas before heading out to Lake Baikal. Mick MacDonald would be staying back to pick up our Visas on Friday as they were only open from noon to one (note: Mick Mac may possibly of needed a break from the group). We had a 300 km ride which we were told by a group of Dutch bikers that the riding conditions on the Island were tough which was reinforced by the fact that one of them had broken his leg. It was to be soooo muddy that it was almost impossible to reach our destination - Nikitas. Arriving on the Island, we were presently surprised to find that the weather and riding conditions had improved. Nikita's Guest House was actually a "backpacker's delight" and not something that most middle aged adults would call one star. Indoor outhouses, makeshift showers, dirty sheets and terrible food (slop) were the sacrifices we made for a view where we should have been camping beside. The spring hangers on the trailer were broken and Leo spent his time welding with one of the locals. We headed back to Irkutsk where we spent one more night and collected our Mongolian Visas.