Waiting for a Rear Shock...

We have been here in Novosibirsk for two nights now - still waiting for a replacement shock for Ken's bike.  If it doesn't come today I think Ken's head will explode.  He bought brand new custom suspension before the trip built especially for Mongolia and the rear started failing before we even got to UB.  By the time we got through the 800 miles of dirt through central Mongolia it was pretty much dead.  It is basically now reduced to just a spring with no dampening, rebound or preload functioning.  It looks like he is riding a pogo stick the way it continues to bounce after hitting bumps in the road.  The replacement shock is shipping from Holland where Yacugar's are manufactured.  It won't be the custom built unit as the original but should be much better than the blown up one.

Last night we went to Yujin's house for dinner and met his wife Irene an three children.  Mikhail, his wife and 5 month old son also was there.  We feasted on Georgian sausages and soup along with smoked turkey and goose.  It was all very delicious.  Of course there were also the traditional shots of spirits going around.  The spirits were from Georgia as well.  Apparently Irene had spent some time there recently and they had brought back items to Russia.  It was another fantastic night with our new friends.

Today it is cold and raining but we will do some sightseeing anyway.  We want to see Lenin Square in the center of town.  Novosibirsk is not an old city by Russian standards - only about 100 years old, so doesn't have the history of Moscow or St. Petersburg.

Yujin carving up the smoked turkey.

Mikhail, his wife Oxana and son Alex.